Local diner here offers baked oatmeal along with the usual bacon, eggs, potatoes, pancakes, etc.
Their version includes many additions I consider inedible (especially raisins, bleh) so I didn’t try it … but I’m intrigued enough to attempt making it at home, without all the cinnamon and walnuts and crap.
Will the results be comparable to a store-bought granola bar?
My vague plan is to use up some hazelnuts and almonds - should I crush them? finely chop? - and to incorporate half of a metric shitload of chocolate chips.
Will I still need sweetener?
I have honey, but assume messiness will ensue - would brown sugar be a better choice? I have that, too, as well as white sugar.
I’ve never eaten baked oatmeal, don’t think I’ve ever even seen it, and am daunted by the idea of baking something homemade without a clear idea of the desired outcome.
But, I need portable & filling breakfast ideas (retail worker - broke and gotta eat on the run) and I’m tired of the usual.
Talk to me! Tell me about the stuff - I’m not about to order the diner version, since it’s stuffed with things I don’t like … but I am intrigued by the basic concept.
What ?!?! You’ve never had oatmeal cookies? I’m shocked
It sounds like what you’re describing is fancier oatmeal cookies cut into a bar shape. As far as added ingredients go, there’s no right or wrong - just add to taste - experiment and adjust as necessary.
I’ve made all the variations you mention above, but its really personal - do you like big chunks of nuts or just the flavour? Do you like the taste of honey? (I hate honey - I use brown sugar). If you like them chewy, use marshmallows instead of sugar.
If do you want them healthy, find some good websites that actually make them healthy. Just adding dried fruit etc may seem healthy, but dried fruit has negligible nutrition and a massive sugar hit. However, it does add a lot of flavour.
These might be worth trying. It’s an easy recipe to fiddle with. Ditch the m and ms, add more chocolate chips, dried cranberries or chopped apples, whatever you like or love to hate. Me, raisins are cookie treason.
Bake ‘em, throw 2 big ones in zip top sandwich bags and into the freezer. Grab a bag on your way out the door in the morning. They have oatmeal (nourishing carb with fiber) and protein butter and eggs, so protein.
I make baked oatmeal squares. Yes, they are like granola bars and you can add ingredients to taste. I use nuts, dried cherries and and little honey - basically just a little drizzled over the top to help hold them together. Maple syrup is another choice, and of course brown sugar, but they wouldn’t hold together as well if that matters (see recipe). Here’s a basic recipe, and you can adjust to your own tastes:
Allow me to offer you a cautionary tale. I’m a huge fan of Penzey’s Spices, and so when their catalog arrived with this recipe I thought sure it would be delicious.
It was not delicious, even though I love oats. It tasted like nutritious paper … something you would dutifully eat because you needed sustenance, and getting the vitamins/calories/protein into your system was the goal, not enjoyment.
So I recommend going heavy on what you actually love the taste/texture of, especially since you aren’t making “healthy” a priority. The chocolate chips sound like an excellent idea. If you are a hazelnut/almond fan, go for it! As to grinding, depends on what you like - if you are a fan of crunch, leave big toasty chunks. If you like the taste but not the texture, grind finely.
Give some thought to adding whatever else you might enjoy … Chopped candied ginger? Shredded coconut? Crumbled graham crackers?
If you are like me and hate to waste food, you are probably well advised to make small batches at first, so that you can grimly eat your unsuccessful experiments. Then when, after two or three tries, you hit on something you find delicious, you can make larger batches.
