Until recently, I rarely ate breakfast. I’d perhaps indulge in the odd pastry or scrambled eggs on the weekend, but I usually skip breakfast. It’s not that I don’t enjoy breakfast, it’s just that I never felt particularly hungry in the mornings and found it easier to wait until lunchtime to have my first meal of the day. However, I realised recently that this often led to unhealthy eating habits later in the day.
Feeling ravenous by lunchtime, I’d often make poor food choices, which I regretted later on. Determined to start eating breakfast regularly, I researched simple and healthy yet delicious breakfast recipes that would keep me full until lunchtime.
One of the recipes that came up repeatedly was almond croissant baked oats. I love almond croissants, but they’re not particularly healthy and are laden with sugar and saturated fats.
Almonds are a nutrient-dense food that contain healthy fats, protein, antioxidants, vitamin E and minerals like magnesium, so I knew having these for breakfast every day could only be a good thing.
Oats are also known for lowering cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and promoting a sense of fullness, which is exactly what I needed from a breakfast dish.
There are numerous recipes available for almond croissant baked oats, but the one I tried first was from The Happy Pear.
It included oats, ground almonds, almond extract, almond milk, maple syrup, baking powder and plant-based yoghurt.
However, I have made variations of this recipe where I’ve swapped the plant-based yoghurt for Greek yoghurt or cottage cheese, and I’ve switched the almond milk for coconut milk or cow’s milk. I’ve also swapped the baking powder and yoghurt for an egg, which gave it a more cake-like texture.
The overall dish is honestly delicious. It tastes like the filling of an almond croissant and keeps you full for hours.
Almond croissant baked oats
Serves 2
Ingredients
60g cup oats40g cup ground almonds (almond flour)One tsp almond extractHalf cup 120ml almond milk (or other plant-based milk)Two tbsp maple syrup1.5 tsp baking powderTwo tbsp plant-based yoghurt adds creaminess and helps bindPinch salt
Topping
Two tbsp flaked almondsOne tsp icing sugar (optional)
Method
1. Preheat your oven to 180°C and lightly grease two ramekins or a medium-sized baking dish. I halved the recipe and used one ramekin.
2. First, mix the dry ingredients (oats, ground almonds, and baking powder) together in a bowl.
3. Next, whisk together the wet ingredients (almond milk, maple syrup, almond extract, and the yoghurt) in a separate bowl.
4. Then, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix together until they’re incorporated.
5. Pour the mixture into the dishes or baking dish and top with the flaked almonds and the icing sugar (if adding). I sometimes add granulated white sugar if I don’t have any icing sugar.
6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until it’s golden brown and set.
You can enjoy this cold or warm with a drizzle of maple syrup or some yoghurt. I prepare the baked oats mixture the night before and store it in the fridge until morning, when I bake it.
