Next stop: Soggy Bottom

Here's a recipe I wanted to like that didn't quite turn out like the picture in the co-op mailer.

1. Preheat oven to 375F.

2. Grease an 8x8" baking dish with an old butter paper.

3. Mix 2 cups rolled oats and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts in a large bowl.

4. Blend 1 large chopped banana, 2 cups almond (I used cow) milk, 1/2 cup maple syrup, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt. 

5. Add 2 tbsp ground flax seeds, if you have them. (I did not.) 

6. Pour over oat-nut mixture and stir thoroughly.

7. Fold in 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries.

8. Spread in pan and bake for 30-35 minutes. 

9. When the bottom is still soggy, bake for another 10 minutes.

10. Give up and just nuke each piece, upside down, before you eat it.

I don't know if almond milk has a lower evaporation point than cow's milk, or if the flax seeds would have significantly soaked up some of the liquid, but this was not as crumbly as I had anticipated. Next time I would use maybe 1 1/2 cups of milk, and maybe a little more maple syrup. The frozen berries had thawed slightly, giving the finished dish a slightly purplish hue.

Editor's note: If you liked this recipe, you might enjoy this other co-op breakfast casserole with apples and maple syrup, or this old German recipe for pearled barley with blueberry compote.