Strawberry Oatmeal Breakfast Pie

During the winter, it’s difficult to find fresh, sweet, and reasonably priced strawberries in the northeastern US.  I love turning to frozen whole berries this time of year.  They are an affordable way to consume the nutrients and fiber you need when the fresh version is less readily available.  Try this recipe with frozen strawberries in the winter, or fresh ones when in season.

2 cups old-fashioned oats (gluten free)

1 tsp. baking powder (gluten free)

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. salt

½ cup skim milk

½ cup 0% nonfat Greek yogurt

¼ cup egg substitute or 1 egg

1 ripe banana, mashed

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Roughly 2 cups fresh or frozen whole strawberries, cut in thirds

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine the first 4 dry ingredients. 
3. In a separate bowl, combine the remainder of the wet ingredients, except strawberries.  Add oat mixture and gently stir until fully combined.
4. Coat a round cake/pie pan with nonstick spray.  Pour the mixture into the pan and spread it evenly.
5. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and set.
6. Let cool, and arrange the strawberries on top.

Serves 4 (large pieces)
254 calories, 3g fat, 0g sat fat, 1g poly, 1g mono, 1mg chol, 470mg sodium, 7g fiber, 13 grams sugar, 10 grams protein.

Tips and Twists

**Since the banana is the only “sweetener” added to the pie, you may wish to add an extra banana or another preferred sweetener to taste.

You may also serve the oatmeal base of the pie with other favorite fruits, or spreads such as almond or peanut butter.  It can also be topped with a little maple syrup to create a type of “pancake”.

If you defrost frozen berries in the microwave a little longer than usual, more juice will release from the berries, creating a version of strawberry sauce to top your pie. 

Play around with it to find your favorite version.

Enjoy!