BAKED BLUEBERRY OATMEAL

May is always a crazy month. We have half a dozen birthdays in our family, Mothers Day, bridal shower season, while I took on a part time job and a freelance deal, as well. Sometimes having more tasks helps you to manage your time better at least Im telling myself that is some proven theory. Im honestly a bit spent on creativity at the moment, which ebs and flows for me, so Im taking a few days to edit through the recipes I already have for the book. For your sake, edit out my ramblings mid-recipe or cut unnecessary descriptive words like smooshy.

I made this baked oatmeal for a picnic with friends, and next time I host a brunch, these will be part of a larger spread. They would be great to make ahead of time and grab on your way out the door in the morning, too (although I am a proponent of sitting at a table for breakfast, even if you have to get up earlier, I know thats not always practical). Maybe even do raspberries and pistachios and replace the milk with coconut milk. The baked oatmeal world is your oyster.

BAKED BLUEBERRY OATMEAL // Serves 6
Adapted from Super Natural Everyday by Heidi Swanson

I used frozen blueberries because I had them, but I think that contributed to them coming out purple/gray color after baking. Id suggest using fresh berries if you can.
You can see the original recipe at Lottie +Doof.

2 Cups Blueberries, plus extra for garnish

2 Cups Old Fashioned Oats
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Aluminum Free Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Sea Salt

2 Cups Whole Milk
1 1/2 Tbsp. Melted Butter
1/3 1/2 Cup Maple Syrup
2! tsp. Va nilla Extract

1 Cup Toasted Chopped Almonds
1/4 Cup Turbinado Sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 375. Divide the berries between six small mason jars.
2. Mix the oats, cinnamon, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Divide the dry mix between the jars, just layering on top of the blueberries, about 1/3 cup.
3. Mix the milk, butter, maple and vanilla together. Pour a scant 1/2 cup on top of the oats, letting it seep through to the bottom. Place all the jars in a baking dish, sprinkle a few fresh berries on top, and bake on the middle rack for about 30 minutes until the liquid is absorbed, tops are just browned but the oats are still moist.
Sprinkle the tops with the toasted almonds and a pinch of turbinado sugar and serve warm!

* I poured a bit of extra milk on mine and Hugh preferred more maple, so adjust as you prefer.
If you are going to be reheating them, I suggest undercooking them 5-8 minutes to avoid dry oatmeal. Keep the nuts on the side until ready to eat.