Baked Oatmeal Cobbler (vegan)

The alarm just went off and now you got to get the day started right... how about some oatmeal. Not just any plain bowl of oatmeal this morning. How about some fresh fruit, baked, oozing goodness oatmeal. Sound good? Well, why not?! It's time to dress up your breakfast to make it something worth getting up for and enjoying for the rest of the morning.

It's easy to forget how important breakfast is for your body when you are on the run. Breakfast is the first meal that you introduce to your body after an average of 8 hours of rest. That rest allows your body to naturally detox, cleanse, digest and get ready for the next dose of nutrients to absorb. The rest is essential, yes...but you got to make it count by adding something good to your life after the rest. That is why I think the ol' wives tale of how "breakfast is the most important meal of the day" came into existence.

If you find yourself eating vending machine food, a cold coke or coffee and donut for that first dose of nutrients in the morning, I can guarantee you will be having a caffeine and sugar crash before and probably after lunch. Your body just cannot succeed if you are not nourishing it. So, in support of you and in giving our lives and body's a dose of goodness right from the start of the day, here is a way to really give it your all that first meal of the day.

And look at that... that looks like dessert to me :) To start your day with a plate of that you may really feel excited about a 6am alarm going off on a Monday morning... or maybe it's just me (which could very well be true).

This doesn't have to be hard either... here are a few steps to make it easier for your morning to make a bowl of baked oatmeal cobbler.

First, turn on the oven to 350 degrees right when you wake up. Perhaps drink a few glasses of water... and then grab a 8" or 9" glass pie or square pan. Cut 1 peach into pieces and drop 1 cup of fresh and washed blueberries on the bottom. Drizzle about a TB of agave over the fruit. Or if you have fresh cherries or other tree fruit on hand, then add that and use what sounds good or you have on hand.

Fruit:

1 cup of fresh blueberries

1 diced fresh organic peach, or 1/2 cup of other fruit choice

1 TB of agave nectar (or honey works too)

Then in a medium mixing bowl add the oats, flaxmeal, almonds, sucanat, cinnamon, coconut oil and 1/2 cup of non-dairy milk. Mix all together until a crumbly mushy mixture forms. Then drop that over the pan with the fruit, Mix with a spoon to combine the fruit and oats. Then finally, pour the last 1/2 cup of non-dairy milk over the top and let it soak into the whole dish.

Oats Mix:

1 cup of GF cooking oats (rolled oats work too)

3 TB of flax meal ( ground flax seeds)

1/2 cup of lightly ground raw almonds

3 TB of sucanat

1 ts. of cinnamon (or apple/pumpkin pie spice blend)

1/4 cup of coconut oil

1 cup of non-dairy milk (So Delicious coconut milk beverage) or almond milk

The above picture is of the dish before it is baked. As you can see, there is the milk and the fresh ingredients all together in the pan. Then bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. This is when you can leave the kitchen, and get ready for the day with a shower, mirror time, or whatever gets you up in the morning. As if "baking" doesn't wake you up enough, haha. After 30 minutes you will smell the luring smells from the kitchen and it's about time for breakfast. The berries should be bubbling in the pan and the oats should look crispy and cooked. The non-dairy milk should be non-existent and baked into the dish as well. Pull from the oven and let cool for a few minutes.

You can scoop a bowl full now and chow down, or if you want to wait and cool it more, pack it in a glass packable bowl to bring with you to work at your desk. And that will work great if you are really on the run in the morning. Forget the packaged bar option, here is a fresh and yummy way to start things off this morning.

I bet you may even lick your breakfast plate or bowl clean with a meal like that.

That is how to start the day with a real meal. Filing and hearty for sure. If you prefer to not eat oatmeal in the summer because it is so warm, then try baking it all and cooling it and saving it for the next day's morning. It will be like a cold slice of oatmeal or granola bar in the morning. Which is just as fast in the morning if you need to get out the door in a rush. I would encourage you to investigate your morning breakfast routine... and see what works for you in giving you the best amount of energy and motivation. Sometimes some simple ideas and changes in that morning routine can really help you have a better day, and ultimately a better life. If you are interested in finding more breakfast ideas and options, let me know...maybe I could help.

Hope you have a beautiful day!