Good morning!  The sky looks so heavy and full.  James was sitting outside with me, and he could smell rain.

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I’m glad I have one smart furchild.  🙂

 

I woke up around 5:50 AM, which was so lovely.  I haven’t been getting up early (like I used to), opting to stay up late and work.  But I really enjoy being the first one awake, walking around the house in the dark, and watching the sun come up outside my window.

 

I made a special breakfast:

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Baked Banana and Goji Berry Oatmeal

 

Ingredients:

 

  • 1/2 cup oatmeal
  • 1/2 cup + two tablespoons rice milk
  • 1 sliced banana, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon Goji berries
  • 1 tablespoon chopped almonds
  • 1 tablespoon ground flax
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar

 

Directions:

 

  • Pre-heat oven to 350.
  • Mix together all ingredients except brown sugar.
  • Pour mix into greased single-serving ramekin.
  • Bake for 25 minutes.
  • Top with brown sugar and bake for another 5 minutes.
  • Serve and enjoy!

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So, so delicious.  It was fun to eat a “special” weekend-style breakfast on a weekday.

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It actually tasted a lot like banana bread.

 

Full day ahead!  Better get cracking.  🙂

{ 50 comments }

 

  • Jessie December 3, 2009, 8:05 am

    This looks great! I can’t wait to give it a try.

  • Ali@ Food, FItness, Fashion December 3, 2009, 8:05 am

    I am currently suffering from oatmeal envy, as I sit here eating my pumpkin oats (which are tasty) I am wishing I was eating that oatmeal. I think I will fly to FL today so you can make me some. Ok? Sound Good?

    Ps. Although Maggie isn’t the smartest, she has other talents 🙂 (Like being adorable)

    Have a great day!

  • Anna @ Newlywed, Newly Veg December 3, 2009, 8:10 am

    Awww…great doggie pic 🙂 He looks very wise!

    That baked oatmeal looks great. We’re having stormy weather here in PA too– it woke me up last night with the house shaking!

    Have a great day!

  • Kristie Lynn December 3, 2009, 8:10 am

    I love being the first up too (although it isn’t hard – my hubby would sleep in until 2pm if he didn’t have class or work!) – but the smell of rain? Definitely one of my favorites.

    Very fun oatmeal creation. You have such cute plates and stuff for placing it, too 🙂

  • Julie @ Peanut Butter Fingers December 3, 2009, 8:16 am

    i’ve never heard of baking oatmeal. what a neat idea. it sounds (and looks) delicious!

  • Jordan @ Salt Sweat Sugar December 3, 2009, 8:17 am

    Wow, the baked oatmeal looks amazing. Send me some! Hahah. You’re pretty thrifty using the online timer hahaha.

  • Evan Thomas December 3, 2009, 8:17 am

    That sounds awesome! I might have to make microwave banana bread oatmeal and lament not having an oven to make that

  • megan December 3, 2009, 8:19 am

    i kind of like being the first one up too. But only if I get to make a cup of tea and sit and read/relax/do devotions while the sun comes up. Not if I have to rush around to get to work early. then it’s not so fun.

  • Jessica @ How Sweet It Is December 3, 2009, 8:24 am

    I’ve never had baked oatmeal. I need to try!

  • Matt December 3, 2009, 8:30 am

    Yum that looks good 🙂 I love baked oatmeal!

  • leslie December 3, 2009, 8:43 am

    ditto on the oatmeal envy! i’m bookmarking this for the weekend. 🙂

  • Sarah @ See Sarah Eat December 3, 2009, 8:49 am

    Yum, I am so going to have to bake my oatmeal here soon 🙂

  • Carolyn December 3, 2009, 8:51 am

    Love tehe puppy pic. I’m gonna have ot star this post to try that recipe weekend.

  • Erin December 3, 2009, 8:54 am

    I’ve never thought of baking oatmeal but that looks delicious! Maybe tomorrow… 😀

  • Sarah (Running to Slow Things Down) December 3, 2009, 9:00 am

    If it tastes like banana bread, I’m all over it! 😀

    I agree…sometimes it’s fun to make a weekend-style breakfast during the week. I think it’d be a perfect Monday mood lifter. 😀

  • Laura Georgina December 3, 2009, 9:02 am

    I want those oats!! I’d heard of this kind of baked oatmeal with peaches, but bananas are so much more accessible.

    Do the goji-berries plump up like raisins when you bake them like that?

    • Caitlin December 3, 2009, 9:02 am

      they kind of melted… i was thinking raisins would be a good sub!

  • brandi December 3, 2009, 9:07 am

    yum, that looks great! I love the brown sugar on top.

    James is so cute.

  • Shannon (The Daily Balance) December 3, 2009, 9:09 am

    Baked oatmeal? GENIUS! I will be trying this STAT!

  • Sarah Jayne December 3, 2009, 9:13 am

    Yum that looks FAB!!!! James is too cute 🙂 I also have one very intelligent furbaby & one…umm…special furkid 🙂

  • Estela @ Weekly Bite December 3, 2009, 9:15 am

    Delicious looking breakfast!

    We just got a TON of rain in DC… it’s finally sunny out 🙂

  • Betty December 3, 2009, 9:17 am

    I’ve never had baked oatmeal and this one looks so good. I’m going to make it this weekend. YUM!

  • Katie December 3, 2009, 9:25 am

    That OATMEAL looks amazing dude!

    Check out my blog – new giveaway and workout songs!

    http://katiechangesforkatie.blogspot.com/

    Katie

  • Mackenzie @ The College Authentic December 3, 2009, 9:30 am

    Holy moly! Looks scrum-diddly! I’ve been a longtime lurker, delurking now 🙂 I live in the Orlando area as well! 🙂

    Hahaha, lucky! Your dog is the exact opposite of my dog. My dog is a bernese mountain dog and tries to hide in the closet if a huge storm comes 🙂

    Hope you have a good thursday!

    • Caitlin December 3, 2009, 9:33 am

      hello, fellow orlandian! (?)

  • Morgan @ Life After Bagels December 3, 2009, 9:31 am

    ahhhh I like how you enjoy waking up first, I should try to enjoy it more. Instead, since I’m scared of the dark I panic at each little sound and walk around thinking why is it so stinking cold today

  • emily December 3, 2009, 9:50 am

    That looks fabulous! I think I would sub raisins though, Goji berries have a strange coffee taste to me!

  • ari December 3, 2009, 9:54 am

    that’s so interesting! i really wanna try that

  • Beth @ DiningAndDishing December 3, 2009, 10:04 am

    That oatmeal combo sounds fantastic!! I havent had oatmeal in a few days and I miss it a lot! Perhaps I’ll whip up a bowl using your recipe tomorrow :O)

  • Joelle (The Pancake Girl) December 3, 2009, 10:09 am

    BAKED oatmeal? Sounds pretty awesome to me, I’ve never thought of baking oatmeal before. Have a great day!

  • Deva (Voracious Vorilee) December 3, 2009, 10:20 am

    Your oatmeal looks really good – it sounds like a good breakfast to have baking while you’re doing some yoga or showering, or journaling your thoughts while the sun rises 🙂 I love weekend-style breakfasts on weekdays. Or any day!

  • Anne Marie@ New Weigh of Life December 3, 2009, 10:25 am

    The oatmeal looks delicious! Yumm…..banana bread!

  • Rose December 3, 2009, 10:27 am

    Love that pic of James.

  • skinnyrunner December 3, 2009, 10:42 am

    ive never baked oatmeal before but i love the way it looks, like a big meal! volume eater right here.

  • Stacey December 3, 2009, 10:45 am

    I love eating weekend-style breakfast during the week too 🙂

  • Katie (Sweet Tater) December 3, 2009, 10:45 am

    ah, that looks amazing

  • Nicci December 3, 2009, 10:47 am

    Looks liek a great dish!

  • alli December 3, 2009, 10:50 am

    oh the looks marvelous! will be trying it saturday! i’m thinking chocolate covered goji berries would be even better 🙂

  • Lauren @ Eater not a runner December 3, 2009, 11:50 am

    baked oatmeal? I will have to try that!

  • Nicole, MS, RD, LD December 3, 2009, 12:09 pm

    That looks delicious! Yay goji berries, love’em. Your furbaby is toooo cute!!

  • Gina December 3, 2009, 1:22 pm

    Where did you find fresh goji berries?!

    • Caitlin December 3, 2009, 1:25 pm

      they were dried and from whole foods

  • Hethir December 3, 2009, 1:23 pm

    Sounds soo good. I love the pics of your furbabies 🙂

  • Ellen December 3, 2009, 1:43 pm

    I’m having total oatmeal envy right now. This morning I mixed a packet of plain Quaker Oats with a low-sugar apple cinnamon one, and it just didn’t do a thing for me. blah.

    http://www.firednfabulous.blogspot.com/

  • Jenna December 3, 2009, 1:46 pm

    looks great!
    jenna

  • Jolene (www.everydayfoodie.ca) December 3, 2009, 5:08 pm

    I wish it was raining in my city – instead of snowing 🙁 It was -25 C today.

  • Angela (Oh She Glows) December 3, 2009, 6:08 pm

    YUM!!!!!!!!!

    This may be an actual bowl of oats I can stomach!!!! I’m challenging myself soon. 😉

  • candice December 3, 2009, 6:31 pm

    Oooh, that looks delicious! I have to try baked oatmeal sometime. The idea of warm oats + caramelized bananas makes me drool!

  • Loy July 15, 2010, 3:14 pm

    This sounds great! Huge fan of oatmeal and looking for other options in the morning! Thanks!

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