What's wholesome, filling, delicious, and packed with over 15 grams of protein per serving? Okay, that's not much of a riddle but these Pumpkin Protein Baked Oats are a breakfast revelation. These sugar-free squares are a fantastic way to kick off an active day; I often eat these before a soccer game. Plus, if you are looking for some breakfast (or lunch) ideas for your non-gluten grain Whole30 reintroduction day, this checks all the boxes. These taking 5 minutes to whip up and can be reheated in the microwave for a quick bite on the go.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- coconut oil to grease pan - you can substitute with your favorite oil to prep for baking. I'm partial to coconut oil spray.
- 2 eggs - for protein and binding ingredients. You could sub flax eggs, but the protein amount will change
- 1 banana, peeled - for sweetness and general yumminess. Also, this is how I keep the dish sugar free.
- ½ can (212.5 grams) of pureed pumpkin - this is a sneaky way to get veggies for breakfast. You can substitute canned sweet potatoes or butternut squash
- 1 cup almond milk - or any nut milk you like
- 2 teaspoons vanilla paste - I LOVE vanilla paste as I find it more flavorful than extract; however, extract is perfectly fine if that's what you have on hand.
- 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats - don't use quick cooking oats as they might break down during baking and alter the texture
- 3 tablespoons almond butter - or your favorite nut butter (not peanut if you are eating this during Whole30 reintroduction)
- 20 g collagen powder - I use unflavored, but vanilla and even chocolate would be fine. Protein powder would work too.
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice - the dish will be bland without the spice.
- 1 teaspoon baking powder - gives it just a little lift
- ¼ teaspoon salt - to brighten all the flavors on your tongue
- small pinch ground black pepper - the secret flavor ingredient, adds the tiniest bit of heat
- ½ cup raisins - I like these for flavor and texture. You could play around with other chopped, dried fruits. Also, chocolate chips wouldn't make anyone mad.
- 4 tablespoons coconut manna (optional) - I'm a bit addicted to coconut butter (aka, manna) so plop it on just about everything.
See recipe card for preparation details.
Recipe Questions
Ultimately, this comes down to personal preference. I am not a fan of overnight oats because I like oats warm. As far as nutritionally, some studies suggest that overnight oats retain more nutrients and gut-friendly bacterias.
Yes, this is a "trust me" type of situation. Just a pinch add that "mmm, what is in this" delicious flavor.
Far brighter minds than mine have answered this question; here is a good place to start on the intertubes for more details. Personally, I use collagen because I'm not looking to increase muscle mass (whey protein would be the way to go for that...see what I did there?). My aim is to boost my protein intake in the mornings and collagen fits that need. Plus, I like the add benefit of strengthening my hair and nails.
Equipment Needed
Not much is needed to whip up these square. Just a large bowl, whisk, spoon, and baking dish. You can use a fork to mash the banana; or, if you want to get fancy a potato masher.
Storage and Reheating
Baked Oats will keep covered in the fridge for 5 days and can be reheated in the microwave for about 1 minute (times will vary based on the wattage of your microwave). I will often make these on Sunday night and eat throughout the week.
PrintPumpkin Protein Baked Oats
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Easy, tasty, pumpkin oat breakfast bars high on protein, low on sugar. Perfect start to the day and a great Whole30 reintroduction recipe. Did I mention, they only take 5 minutes to prep?!?
Ingredients
- coconut oil to grease pan (I use spray)
- 2 eggs
- 1 banana, peeled
- ½ can of pureed pumpkin
- 1 cup almond milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla paste
- 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats (not quick cooking)
- 3 tablespoons almond butter
- 20 g collagen powder
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- small pinch ground black pepper
- ½ cup raisins
- 4 tablespoons coconut manna (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F
- Grease 9x9 baking pan
- Crack eggs into large bowl and whisk until fairly uniform
- Mash banana into whisked eggs
- Add remaining ingredients to bowl and stir until well combined
- Pour into prepared pan
- Bake for 30-40 minutes until edges begin to pull away from pan and center is warm to the touch
- Let cool 5 minutes before cutting into 4 squares
- Optional, top each serving, while hot, with 1 tablespoon of coconut manna
Notes
- Nutritional information below is provided as a courtesy only and is estimated without optional ingredients by Nutrifox.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: whole food, clean
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square
- Calories: 455
- Sugar: 19 g
- Sodium: 242.9 mg
- Fat: 13.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 63.7 g
- Protein: 15.5 g
- Cholesterol: 93 mg
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Nancy says
Lots of flavor and no sugar. Love this start to my day. Took me a few tries to amp up the flavor and the secret pinch of black pepper did the trick.