Baked Breakfast Clafoutis

Life. Is. Too. Busy.  I know this and yet our schedule continues to be full.  I can't change what is on the calendar already, but it is my hope that things will slow down soon.  Purposefully doing nothing will be difficult but the rewards will be great.  Pausing to enjoy the quietness of the morning or the laughter of my kids in the backyard are number one on my list.

When life is hectic we try to make meals in advance of the storm.  That includes breakfast and this baked oatmeal has been in regular rotation.  Baking a pan on Sunday night and then dividing up into containers for the week makes early mornings a little easier to bear.

You can tweak the maple syrup amount to your sweet tooth.  Don and I like ours barely sweet, but (not surprising) the kids like to drizzle a little more maple syrup on top once it's baked.  I've made it with rhubarb and fresh strawberries as well, with great success.  Similar in texture to a bread pudding, you can feel good about starting your day with this nutrient dense dish. 

 Baked Breakfast Clafoutis

adapted from Chocolate and Zucchini

2 3/4 cups steel cut oats, uncooked
3/4 cup dried dates, chopped
1/4 cup hemp seeds
1/3 cup chopped hazelnuts
1/2 tsp salt
3 1/3 cup almond milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup maple syrup (could use 1/4 or 1/2 cup depending on sweetness desired)
1 cup blueberries
12 cherries (fresh or frozen, pitted)


Preheat your oven to 350degrees. Lightly oil an 13 by 9-inch baking dish.
In a large bowl, combine the oats, hemp seeds , hazelnuts and salt. Mix well. In a medium bowl, combine the milk, eggs, maple syrup and vanilla. Mix well. Add this to the dry ingredients, and mix until well blended.
Pour the mixture into the baking dish, and make sure the solids are more or less evenly spread out. Sprinkle the blueberries on top. Place the cherries evenly on top.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until the center is set and firm to the touch. Let cool slightly : it should be eaten a bit warm but not scalding hot.  Don likes his cold.