The Little Mom Aid

This is breakfast made easy. Make this Chocolate Banana Coconut Oat Bake ahead of time then slice it up and serve for breakfast.  It is healthy, simple to whip up and seriously delicious. The name says it all.  It is oatmeal with chocolate, coconut and sweet bananas.  I love to start my morning with oatmeal but it is even better when it has some of my favourite flavours … chocolate and coconut rank high up on my list!

I have never really been a morning person.  I am more likely to press snooze on life and pull the covers right up over my head! Well, those were the days before baby.  Now, my daughter dictates wake up times! I may not be fully ready to jump out of bed and whip open the curtains, but I’ve got breakfast waiting for us in the fridge. It is a serious life saver and time saver.  Heck, its a game-changer.  The best part, my daughter gobbles it up and loves it with slices of banana, strawberries and a dollop of plain yogurt.

Let’s Begin:

To start, get those heart-healthy rolled oats into a mixing bowl and add in the baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and coconut flakes.  Give it a good whisk and set it aside. Next, you will want to warm your coconut milk and milk.  Doing this makes whisking in the cocoa powder a whole lot easier.  I am all about making things easy! Once the cocoa powder is in you’ll just want to slurp it down but STOP. Now it’s time to add in the extracts, egg, olive oil, sugar and mashed banana.

Make sure those bananas are ripe, ripe, ripe.  The riper they are, the better are, the sweeter are, and the less refined sugar you’ll need. Heck Ya!

Where was I?  Oh yes, the next step is to give that oat mixture and the chocolaty, banana-coconut goodness a proper introduction!  Pour the wet ingredients into the oat mixture and give it a stir. Next, fold in the banana chunks. Then transfer it to the baking dish and bake.  Now sit back and enjoy the aromas filling your home.

If you give this recipe a try, take a picture and tag me on Instagram at thelittlemomaid. Also, don’t forget to share! 🙂

Do you have any go-to breakfast recipes that you use to help you get through your mornings? I would love for you to share them with me.  I’m also interested in hearing about how other mommies tackle their morning routines! 

Here is the recipe:

Chocolate Banana Coconut Oat Bake

Servings: 6-9              Prep: 20mins              Cook: 40 mins

Ingredients

• 2 cups rolled oats
• ¼ cup unsweetened fine coconut flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 can (398ml) coconut milk
• ¾ cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¼ cup cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 very ripe bananas (1 mashed, 1 diced small)
• 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Next, in a large bowl whisk together the oats, coconut flakes, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt.
3. In microwave safe bowl warm coconut milk and milk. Whisk in the cocoa powder until well combined.  Then whisk in the vanilla and coconut extracts, oil, sugar, egg and mashed banana.
4. Combine the wet ingredients with the oat mixture. Fold in the diced banana and chocolate chips,if using . Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
5. Bake for 35 to 40 mins or until set.

When you are ready to eat it, heat up a square in the microwave.  I enjoy it drizzled with milk, or with a dollop of plain yogurt.  I also top my oatmeal with fresh fruit like bananas and strawberries.