Quinoa-Oatmeal Bake

I really like oatmeal… I like whole grains in general. Quinoa has been one of my favorites for awhile. For an extended period of time, my go-to morning breakfast was a gruel made with a blend of various whole grains such oatmeal, quinoa, amaranth, freekeh and others. I would cook them up separately, then store in the fridge. When it was time for breakfast I would mix a few scoops of each with some fruit, some milk and heat it up in the microwave. Usually with enough milk that I could actually drink it on my way to work.

I’ve been living without a microwave for nearly a year and a half now, and I work from home, so my breakfast doesn’t have to be an “on the go” thing like it often was, but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy having something I can just heat up easily as I’m getting my day started. And this quinoa-oatmeal bake is going to help fill that spot rather nicely.

I used an equal mix of quinoa, steel cut oats and rolled oats. It wouldn’t be too hard to adapt to your own mix, and I may even try this with other grains down the road as well (and if you do so, let me know how it turns out in the comments!).

In this batch, I used a mix of “rainbow” quinoa - a blend of red, black and white. Use whatever you have on hand. I know most recipes call for rinsing your quinoa to remove any lingering saponins, but really… the stuff I’ve been buying I haven’t been rinsing and have not noticed any of the aftertaste. Your mileage may vary… but if you do rinse, be sure to reduce the overall liquid amount by about 1/4 cup… and skip trying to toast the quinoa if you do so with the oats.

The basic recipe is pretty simple, and unflavored. It’s up to you to decide what you want to flavor it with. Today, I used peanut-butter, banana and cinnamon. Given the time of year, my next batch will likely use some pumpkin, or maybe cranberries. Apples and cinnamon would be good, or strawberries, or raisins or whatever fruit you have around. Try adding nuts and seeds as well for additional flavor and texture.

I did toast the quinoa and oats a bit before using. A step that’s not really needed, but it does seem to bring out a bit more flavor in the grains. Just do so over low heat and keep stirring them so they toast, and don’t burn. Adding the spice and toasting for another minute can also help the flavor, as well as the smell in the kitchen.

I used coconut oil for this batch, butter could be substituted… just after melting, be sure to let it cool a bit and be sure to mix it well before adding the eggs or milk. The addition of cold ingredients may cause the coconut oil to solidify again if you don’t. Do not ask me how I know this. Also, mix the oil before the eggs so you don’t risk “cooking” the eggs by adding the heated oil/butter to the eggs. And speaking of the milk, I used cashew milk, it’s what I have on hand. You could use whatever sort of milk you prefer to use… or just water if needed.

For the baking, I used my 3 quart cast iron pan. An 8×8 baking pan should work fine.. a pie pan… etc. You’ll want to use some sort of non-stick spray or something to help keep it from sticking. I wiped my cast-iron pan with a touch of the melted coconut oil left over from preparing it earlier.

If you vary this recipe by changing up the fruits, you can either omit the peanut-butter or change to some other nut butter. One variation I’ll be trying next is using pumpkin puree. Various nuts could be added to add some texture and flavor. Try toasting them with the grains for about 1-2 minutes as well, or sprinkle over the top just before baking.

Not to repeat myself, but this really isn’t so much a recipe as an inspiration to try your own variations to suit what you have on hand, what you like, what’s in season, etc. Start with the first 10 ingredients below and then go from there. If you try your own variation, I would love to hear about it in the comments below.

Quinoa-Oatmeal Bake

A hearty, versatile dish you can bake a batch of up on the weekend, and easily reheat the left-overs up over the course of the week.

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Servings 8

Ingredients

  

• 1/2 cup quinoa uncooked
• 1/2 cup steel cut oats uncooked
• 1/2 cup rolled oats uncooked
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt plain (low fat if desired)
• 1/2 cup sugar or other sweetener of choice
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil melted, slightly cooled
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups milk or water
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp salt

Add-Ons

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup peanut butter natural (smooth or chunky)
• 2 whole bananas mashed

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 375, in a small skillet over low heat melt the 2 Tbsp of coconut oil and remove from heat to cool slightly. Alternately, use 2 Tbsp of butter. Can also be done in a microwave safe dish in the microwave.
• In a medium-large mixing bowl combine the yogurt, peanut-butter and sugar, whisking together to combine. Use your sweetener of choice, matching flavor with other ingredients. Suggestions: Honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, stevia, granulated Splenda, etc. If using a liquid sweetener, reduce milk by about 1/4 cup. And you can sub any other nut butter of your choice instead of the peanut-butter.
• Add the melted coconut oil or butter and stir to combine well before adding milk and eggs, then whisk everything together. Stir in the vanilla and salt.
• Put a heavy skillet over low-medium heat and add the grains, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes to lightly toast them. Add cinnamon or other spices, stir and toast one more minute.
• Add the grains to the liquid and stir to combine. Add 2 bananas, sliced, and mix in to combine. Pour in to prepared baking dish.
• Bake for 50 minutes, check for doneness. If not firm, bake another 10 minutes. Turn off oven and let sit in oven another 5-10 minutes before serving. If using a wide, shallow pan, start checking after 40 minutes.

Notes

Note: If adding dried fruits, you may need to add a bit of additional liquid or try re-hydrating them before adding. If you use frozen fruits, try a bit less liquid as they tend to release water as they thaw.

I tagged this as gluten-free, but it really only is if your oats are certified as such. Most oats are processed in plants that also process flour, so when in doubt, assume they are not.