Baked Plum Oatmeal
This season, plums have quickly become one of my favorite fruits. I especially love using plums in baking because they develop a really soft texture when baked. Each plum also has both sweet bites and tart bites, which gives plum-centric dishes a variety of flavors that takes them to another level.
In this recipe, I pair my newfound love for plums with my old friend Oatmeal. I've always been an especially big fan of baked oatmeal because it's so easy to make ahead of time and reheat for a quick breakfast. This particular baked oatmeal recipe is adapted from Cookie and Kate and could not be any simpler. Just throw together some cupboard staples and plums and toss it in the oven.
Let me know what you think of the recipe and don't forget to follow the sustainability tips below!
Time: 1 hour
Serves: 6 servings of oatmeal
Ingredients
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
1 ¾ cups milk of choice
⅓ cup maple syrup
2 large eggs or flax eggs (2 tablespoons flax seed meal mixed with 5 tablespoons water)
3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter or coconut oil, divided
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups chopped plums or fruit of choice
Steps
Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine oats, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, syrup, eggs, butter or oil and vanilla. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir to combine. Add in the plums and gently fold them in. Pour mixture into a greased 8 inch by 8 inch baking dish. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until firm in the middle and just beginning to brown on the edges. Store in the refrigerator to enjoy all week long!
Sustainability Tips
Milk and butter: Milk and butter are dairy products that come from cows, which are pretty terrible for the planet. To make this recipe more sustainable, opt for vegan options, like nut milk and coconut oil. Alternatively, you could buy your dairy from a sustainable brand, like a B Corp. This way, you'll know that the makers of your butter and milk are socially and environmentally responsible.
Syrup: Go for local syrup! This will decrease GHGs from travel and maybe even help you get to know your local syrup producers. Read all about it in my liquid sweeteners post!
Eggs: Local eggs are the way to go. This way, you can ask the farmer how they treat their chicken AND your eggs' transportation won't release many GHGs during travel.
Plums: Make sure these pups are in season when you make this dish (late summer to early fall is perfect in most places). This will make it easier to buy organically and as locally as possible. Buying organically and locally will ensure that your vegetables and don’t contribute to pesticide contamination or excessive greenhouse gas emissions during travel.