It's good to be back blogging. I slacked a little in the weeks prior to our trip and then obviously didn't blog much while we were gone. I'll admit, it was a nice little break but I'm SO ready to get into blogging again. On the plane ride home, I was getting excited about all the things I wanted to make and share with you. We got home Wednesday night (close to midnight) and enjoyed a lovely Thanksgiving with my family on Thursday. Friday was the first real chance I had to get back into the kitchen. I made a HUGE grocery trip Friday morning since we literally had no food and have not left the kitchen since!

Sometimes when I travel I start getting "restaurant fatigue". I love eating out...and I mean that - love. However, after eating out for almost every meal for 16 days I was ready for some healthy, homemade food. When I was at the grocery on Friday morning I felt like a kid in a candy store. Give me all the fruits and veggies!

After grocery shopping I got to work chopping veggies, making soup, smoothies, and and all sorts of goodies I had been missing while traveling. Both Scott and I did a good job of balancing healthy, nourishing food with indulging in not so healthy food while we were gone. I'll admit though - we probably indulged a little more than not (think boozy beverages, rich foods, and sweet desserts...you get the picture). And we were totally OK with that. After all that indulging, it feels so good to get back on track and in a healthy routine. The goal this week is to fill my plate with nourishing foods and get my body back to feeling "normal". It's all about a gentle balance.

BTW - I am working on a post all about our trip...so stay tuned!

Somewhere in the middle of the 9 1/2 hour plane ride back to the states I started to crave oatmeal. And peanut butter.

I take that back...I had been craving peanut butter pretty much the whole trip. It's hard to find PB in Europe! During my kitchen frenzy this weekend I knew I had to make some baked oatmeal.

Were you wondering when I was going to get to this recipe? ;)

The first recipe I ever posted on this blog was an oatmeal bake. I just love these bakes! They feel fun and "brunchy" and perfect for the weekend...and leftovers are perfect for the week. This bake highlights one of my favorite combinations: peanut butter and banana. It also has chopped dates in it. Heaven. Like most of the recipes I share, it is vegan, gluten free, wholesome, and has minimal added sugar. It is incredibly filling due to it's high fiber content and is a wonderful way to get through busy mornings without getting hangry. Essesntial.

Oatmeal bakes are especially cozy during the winter. I've already decided I am making this on Christmas morning.

My oatmeal craving has now been met. If you are feeling extra saucy like I was this weekend, try this oatmeal bake with a dollop of strawberry or raspberry jam on top. Holy delicious.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we have been!

Peanut Butter Banana Baked Oatmeal

Cozy up with this delicious baked oatmeal! Vegan, glutenfree, and made with real food ingredients - it is perfect for a quiet weekend brunch or on the go during busy weekdays.

Ingredients

1 cup oat flour
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
2 Tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
a pinch of nutmeg
a pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups almond milk
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 mashed banana
1/4 cup chopped dates (about 4 medium-large dates)
2 Tbsp natural creamy peanut butter
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 (F). Grease your pan with coconut oil (or line with parchment paper).
Prepare oat flour by blending 1 cup of oats until a flour forms (or use store bought oat flour).
In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (oat flour, oats, flaxseed, chia seeds, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, nutmeg).
In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (almond milk, maple syrup, mashed banana, peanut butter, vanilla). Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir together until combined. Fold in chopped dates.
Pour mixture into prepared dish and smooth out the top. Bake for 35 minutes until the edges are lightly golden.
Let cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes before slicing. Once cooled, cut into 8 uniform pie shaped pieces. Drizzle with peanut butter. Enjoy as is or with a dollop of raspberry jam on top.

Notes

* A lot of people ask me what kind of peanut butter I use. I always use Krema Peanut Butter. It is incredibly smooth and velvety...and easy to stir. Most importantly, the only ingredient used to make it is peanuts. Score!

Xoxo,

Lauren