Very Berry Oatmeal Breakfast Bake

It looks like winter has finally reared it's ugly head here in mid-Michigan.  I can't really complain since there has been many years where we've had snow on the ground before Thanksgiving. This year we were given a little reprieve and made it until nearly mid-January before the white stuff hit.

Weather like this makes me crave warm and savory comfort foods. The other morning I woke up freezing and couldn't warm up so I decided to start my morning with a boost with this amazing Berry Oatmeal Bake.

I highly recommend giving this a try, especially for those of you who might not be big oatmeal fans because this may change your mind.. This breakfast kept me full for hours and was the perfect boost to get me moving on a day when I didn't want to do much but cuddle in blankets on the couch.

Berry Oatmeal Bake:

Ingredients:

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/8 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch of salt 
1/4 cup walnut pieces, chopped
1/2 cup sliced strawberries
1/2 cup blueberries
1/8 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cups milk
1 egg (I used egg whites)
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 and spray a medium pan (I use glass/corning ware about 8 inch round) with cooking spray.

Mix all dry ingredients together (strawberries and blueberries included, but save a handful of each out to use later in the process) in one bowl.  Whisk the rest of the wet ingredients together in a separate bowl. 

Pour the dry ingredients into the sprayed pan.  Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and slightly shake to mix the wet ingredients with the dry.  Place the rest of the berries on the top of the mixed ingredients. 

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed and the top is a golden brown. Serve! 

Super Easy! If you're short on time I'm thinking that this could be thrown together the night before and put in the oven in the morning to bake as you're getting ready (if anyone tries, let me know how it works out). 

All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast.

Weeks ago, Julie, at Peanut Butter Fingers, posted about her trip to a Pom Wonderful Factory.  Pom Wonderful is one of the leading pomegranate companies that grow, harvest and process pomegranates.  Seeing all these bright, tasty looking fruit piqued my interests and inspired me to pick a few up the next time I was at the grocery store.  Let me tell you....they are amazing.  Biting into the arils (the little covering of the seeds) produces a little pop and then a whole lot of juicy flavor.  It is a bit of work to get to the arils, but its well worth it.

There are several ways to open a pom, but this explains it pretty well and seems to be the easiest way to do it.  I do recommend wearing some gloves because these stain your hands pretty badly.  I always throw on a apron too so I don't stain my clothes.

YUM! 

This morning I decided that since I had some of the arils and mango (frozen) on hand I'd add it to my oatmeal.  I was never really an oatmeal person until I started adding lots of fruit goodies to it.  Made such a difference and is now one of my favorite morning go-to's.  

So great! Easy way to add some fruit to your diet and get yourself moving in the morning.

I'd love some more ideas on what to make with the pomegranate and any awesome oatmeal add-in's you might have.  I love the arils on their own, but would love a tried and true recipe to give a try.