Oats are a classic breakfast staple. They provide the base for many cereals, granola bars, muffins, breads and the classic, oatmeal. Oats also have many nutritional benefits, most notably being associated with lower cholesterol.

For those who have never tried this version of the classic dish, the baked oatmeal features a chewy crust, similar to that of an oatmeal cookie. It is a delicious variation of the creamy stovetop oatmeal, which while satisfying, pales in comparison to the crust and texture of baked oatmeal.

Even those who have a dislike for traditional stovetop oatmeal may find themselves drawn to this dish because of its texture.

Baked oatmeal requires minimal hands-on preparation time, as the ingredients can be combined in a matter of minutes before being poured in a pan, tossed in the oven and baked until golden brown. It can then be cut into squares as if it were a bar, and served either on its own or in a more traditional way, such as in a bowl with brown sugar and warm milk poured over the top.

Oats used in oatmeal are usually one of two varieties: steel-cut or rolled. Steel-cut oats are prepared from cut, whole oat groats, while rolling oats into a flat form makes rolled oats. Steel-cut oats are typically seen as the slightly healthier choice due to their ability to be slowly digested, but they do require additional preparation time to cook until tender.

To speed up cooking time, this recipe uses the faster cooking rolled oats, which still contain nearly all the nutrients of steel-cut oats.

Blueberry Baked Oatmeal:

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup honey

2 cups milk

1 egg

2 tablespoons melted butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Grease a 9×9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

In a medium sized bowl, combine the oats, baking powder and salt.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, vanilla and cinnamon.

In microwave safe dish, melt the honey and the butter. Add the honey and butter mixture to the oats and stir.

Next, combine the milk and egg mixture with the oats.

Pour the mixture into the greased pan. Sprinkle the blueberries over the top of the oatmeal.

Note: frozen blueberries do not need to be thawed before sprinkling over the oatmeal.

Bake the oatmeal for 35 minutes until the oatmeal is set and the top is golden brown.

Allow the baked oatmeal to cool slightly before serving.