All through my childhood I seemed to go through a series of phases, and I guess I still do in some ways.  Then it was mainly with my food- and especially when it came to breakfast.
 
There was a frozen waffle phase (maybe a few of those phases, actually- with different flavors), a crispy potatoes with cheese phase, a toasted English muffin with PB&J phase (then awhile of just plain butter).  I guess you could say I liked my carbs!
 

 
But of all the breakfast phases, the one that brings back the most nostalgic feels is the oatmeal phase.
 
I was elementary school aged, and we lived at our “old house”- the one down a bumpy lane with just one neighbor and fields all around.  An orchard out front, and acres of land and dirt and weeds in the back.  It was such a sweet spot to grow up:  a place full of happy, cozy memories.
 
 
Isn’t it funny how food can so easily transport us into the past?  It’s just amazing how we can smell a certain smell and immediately go back to another time and place and feel just like we’re there.  Warm oatmeal, your own special “cinnamon sugar” shaker, maple syrup, sleepy early school mornings and a cozy kitchen with your mom standing right there in it.
 
Okay, maybe I’m getting too nostalgic now.  But seriously- they call it “comfort food” for a reason, don’t they?  And this recipe brings me so much comfort.  The flavors I’ve always loved but with ingredients my body and mind can really appreciate at this stage in my life.  That’s what I’m all about- finding that balance point where comforting feel-good food meets a whole body wellness approach that we can all feel good about.
 
 
Enough rambling for me- and onto the recipe.  I hope you enjoy this so much!  It’s the best mix between a cinnamon apple cake and a gooey baked oatmeal, and I could eat it every morning.
 
Let me know if you make it!
 

 

Baked Apple Cinnamon N’Oatmeal | PALEO

Servings: 4
Calories: 380kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1/3 cup nut butter
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
  • 1/4 cup egg whites
  • 1/4 cup collagen peptides*
  • 1 apple, diced (plus extra slices for decorating the top, if you'd like!)
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF.  Grease an 8 or 9" baking dish with coconut oil or ghee.
  • In a large bowl, combine the mashed banana and nut butter.  Add the remaining ingredients, mixing until smooth.
  • Pour the "oatmeal" batter into the greased baking dish and top with thinly sliced apples and extra cinnamon, if you like.
  • Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the outside is crisp and the center is set.
  • Serve warm or chilled, alone or topped with coconut milk.

Notes

I like adding collagen peptides for a boost of protein & nutrients, and because we always have some on hand.  It’s not essential though!

Nutrition

Calories: 380kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 96mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 21g | Iron: 1mg