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Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower
Make these Banana Bread Baked Oats for a fiber-filled breakfast—and an amazing-smelling kitchen that will awaken even the deepest sleeper in your household. Mashed ripe bananas sweeten these tender baked oats that are subtly spiced up by warm cinnamon and vanilla. Heart-healthy walnuts become toasty and add a nutty crunch that complements the oaty, banana-rich base. Read on for expert tips, including how to speed-ripen your bananas if they’re still green.
Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen
These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too!
- Save your overripe bananas for this recipe just like you would for banana bread. The riper the banana, the better, as it will add more sweetness to the oats. If your bananas are still green, you can ripen them in the microwave or oven.
- You can enjoy this oatmeal right away while it’s still hot and soft, or wait for it to cool down and become more solid, making it easy to slice into bars.
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Nutrition Notes
- As a whole grain, oats provide gut-friendly, filling fiber that also helps stabilize blood sugar. One of the types of fiber in oats, called beta-glucan, is linked with reduced cholesterol and therefore a reduced risk of heart disease. Oats are a great source of complex carbohydrates, providing energy to help you get through your day.
- Bananas also bring complex carbohydrates and fiber to these baked oats. The potassium in bananas may help reduce blood pressure. They are also loaded with inflammation-busting antioxidants that help reduce the risk of disease.
- Walnuts may be the most studied of all the nuts—and for good reason. They’re loaded with omega-3s—heart- and brain-healthy fats—and fiber, antioxidants and plant-based protein. Vitamins A and C in walnuts support a healthy immune system and skin.
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Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower
Ingredients
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2 large eggs
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3½ tablespoons light brown sugar
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1 tablespoon vanilla extract
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1 teaspoon baking powder
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½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
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¼ teaspoon salt
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1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3 large bananas)
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2 cups reduced-fat milk
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2½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
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⅓ cup coarsely chopped walnuts plus ½ cup, divided
Directions
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Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a 9-inch-square baking dish or pan with cooking spray.
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Whisk 2 eggs, 3½ tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon salt and 1 cup mashed banana in a large bowl until evenly combined. Add 2 cups milk; whisk until smooth. Stir in 2½ cups oats and ⅓ cup walnuts.
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower
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Transfer to the prepared baking dish; sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup walnuts.
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower
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Bake until just set in the center and the top is golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool in the baking dish on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
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It’s a breakfast dish that resembles a dessert with a texture similar to bread pudding; it’s made with oats, bananas, nuts or other toppings. The ingredients are baked in a 9-inch square pan in this recipe and sliced when cool.
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Absolutely. Feel free to get creative with pumpkin or sunflower seeds, dried fruit such as raisins or cranberries, crisp rice cereal or chocolate chips.
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No, we wouldn’t advise using steel-cut oats. Old-fashioned oats provide the necessary texture for baked goods, and steel-cut oats take longer to cook, which may impact the texture of the recipe.
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You could simply pair it with your favorite hot beverage. Or if you’re setting out a breakfast spread for guests, you could serve baked oatmeal alongside a breakfast scramble or fresh fruit.
EatingWell.com, August 2024
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
318 | Calories |
12g | Fat |
42g | Carbs |
11g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
---|---|
Servings Per Recipe 6 | |
Serving Size 1 (4½-by-3-inch) piece | |
Calories 318 | |
% Daily Value * | |
Total Carbohydrate 42g | 15% |
Dietary Fiber 5g | 18% |
Total Sugars 15g | |
Protein 11g | 22% |
Total Fat 12g | 15% |
Saturated Fat 3g | 13% |
Cholesterol 69mg | 23% |
Vitamin A 72µg | |
Vitamin C 3mg | 3% |
Vitamin D 1µg | |
Vitamin E 0mg | 3% |
Folate 39µg | |
Vitamin K 1µg | |
Sodium 236mg | 10% |
Calcium 189mg | 15% |
Iron 2mg | 13% |
Magnesium 83mg | 20% |
Potassium 428mg | 9% |
Zinc 2mg | 20% |
Vitamin B12 1µg | |
Omega 3 0g |
Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.
* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.