Hazelnuts make the world go 'round! Amiright? Then, top this bowl of hugs with tart and sweet mixed berries and you have the stuff that love is made of. It is a grown up version of the oatmeal from my childhood, that came out of a packet, that had a little pack of "fruit" sauce to swirl in.That stuff was my jam!
Please forgive these not so lovely pictures. I swear, this was wayyyyyy better than it looks! I made this bowl of feels for our Christmas morning brunch and happened to snap a picture of my very last bowl of leftovers. I'll take proper pictures someday. Until then, trust me and make it.
We get together with my husband's parents (both sets) and siblings every year on Christmas morning. Lots of food, laughs and spoiling of my kids and their cousins. It makes for good times.
I always have a hard time deciding what to make. I may be the most indecisive person on the planet. Do not ask me where I want to eat, unless you're prepared for incessant rambling and me changing my mind 3 trillion times for an hour. It is even worse when I'm trying to decide what I should make to take somewhere. Last year I made french toast casserole, but I didn't want to make that again, besides my sis (in-law) wanted to maker her mother's recipe and it knocked my socks off! She can keep making that (and her banana pudding) forever and ever and I will be happy. Then, I considered sticky buns, but my Mom-in-law makes the monkey bread that dreams are made of, so that was out. It was my husband who suggested oatmeal. He originally suggested I make
this one. He loves it and one of my father-in-laws does too. But, I wanted something that wouldn't be an issue to make a low sugar version, for everyone with sugar issues. Plus, my other father-in-law is not a chocolate eater, at all. I personally think he's crazy, then again he would probably agree. So, to please all palettes, I decided to dig through my pantry and dig out something wonderful. When I ran across the my jar of hazelnuts and remembered the bag of frozen berries in my freezer I know I was onto something. I made this baby and it was perfection. I also made a low sugar/sugar free version that I'll list below!
Inspired by
this oatmeal,
which was inspired from
Seriously Delish: 150 Recipes for People Who Totally Love Food
.
Hazelnut Brown Sugar Baked Oatmeal
serves for 4-6
(I doubled it for a potluck brunch with 11 adults and 6 children, knowing there would be other food.)
1 cup hazelnuts , roughly chopped
2 tablespoons butter
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 cup applesauce
2 eggs, beaten
1 vanilla bean, scraped or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Preheat your oven to 350 F and get out a casserole dish. Start by browning the butter and toasting nuts. In small skillet over a medium-low heat melt the butter, swirling often until, the butter has darkened in color slightly and has a nutty aroma. While butter is melting add nuts to a dry skillet, over a medium heat cook, stirring every once in a while to stop burning. Cook until you smell the nuts and they are slightly darker in color. In a large bowl stir together oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, whisk together almond milk, applesauce, butter, eggs and vanilla. Stir the wet into the dry until combined. Stir in nuts and pour into you casserole dish. Bake for about 25 minutes or until oatmeal is golden brown and set.
Mixed Berry Sauce
yields approximately 2 cups
2 cups frozen mixed berries
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan and cook over medium heat, allow to bubble until berries are cooked and soft. If you like it chunky, use a potato masher to mash the berries or if you prefer it smooth, like me, use a blender (stand up or immersion) and blend until smooth, return it to the pan, if you used a blender, and allow to bubble until thickened but still pourable.
Low Sugar Hazelnut Brown Sugar Baked Oatmeal
serves 4-6
(Click to print)
1 cup hazelnuts , roughly chopped
2 tablespoons butter
3 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup
brown sugar, sucralose baking blend
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 cup sugar free applesauce
2 eggs, beaten
1 vanilla bean, scraped or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Preheat your oven to 350 F and get out a casserole dish. Start by browning the butter and toasting nuts. In small skillet over a medium-low heat melt the butter, swirling often until, the butter has darkened in color slightly and has a nutty aroma. While butter is melting add nuts to a dry skillet, over a medium heat cook, stirring every once in a while to stop burning. Cook until you smell the nuts and they are slightly darker in color. In a large bowl stir together oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, whisk together almond milk, applesauce, butter, eggs and vanilla. Stir the wet into the dry until combined. Stir in nuts and pour into you casserole dish. Bake for about 25 minutes or until oatmeal is golden brown and set.
Mixed Berry Sauce
yields approximately 2 cups
2 cups frozen mixed berries
1/4 cup
brown sugar, sucralose blend
1/2 cup water
Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan and cook over medium heat, allow to bubble until berries are cooked and soft. If you like it chunky, use a potato masher to mash the berries or if you prefer it smooth, like me, use a blender (stand up or immersion) and blend until smooth, return it to the pan, if you used a blender, and allow to bubble until thickened but still pourable.
Something this good shouldn't be so easy!
xoxo
Ashley
