Banana Bread Oatmeal

It's no secret that I love banana bread. In my house, there always seem to be a few bananas that just don't get eaten in time. While freezing bananas for a later date is always an option, sometimes there are already one too many bananas hiding in there. I don't like to waste food if I can help it so bananas are frequently on the menu.

With my deep love of all baked banana goods, having a quick and easy way to make a dish that tastes like banana bread without the mixing and the baking (and the waiting) was ideal.

I am a sucker for overripe bananas. I don't start eating them until they are covered in brown spots. As long as they can still keep their shape, I'm in banana love. My father would disagree. He likes to eat them when they are still a bit green, without a brown spot in sight. I think they lack that strong banana flavor so soon after ripening, but he argues otherwise. We may disagree about the best time to eat bananas, but we've never disagreed over a nice loaf of banana bread. And that's the truth.

How do you like your bananas?

This banana bread oatmeal tastes just like the real deal. The oatmeal is littered with tiny pieces of banana and spiced with the right amount of cinnamon and nutmeg. This oatmeal is naturally sweetened with the addition of bananas so you will need very little, if any, sugar to sweeten it up. It's healthy, it's delicious, it's banana bread in a bowl. What's not to love?

Banana Bread Oatmeal

Yields 2 servings

1 1/4 cup milk (soy or almond can be substituted)
1/2 cup (about 1 1/2) overripe bananas, mashed (you can slice the leftover 1/2 banana and use for garnish)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup quick oats
2 teaspoons brown sugar

In a large saucepan, whisk together the milk, mashed bananas, and spices. Heat the mixture on medium heat. When it starts to boil, add the rolled oats and cook for 5 minutes, stirring ocassionally, or until the oats are soft and the liquid has been absorbed.

Pour into a bowl, top each serving with a teaspoon of brown sugar, slices of banana, and enjoy your nice, hot, nutritious breakfast.

Comments

[maggie]

Never thought I would love oatmeal, but yours looks so tasty. I have to give it a try, because I love banana bread.

[Victor]

Everyone that I know eat their bananas when it starts to have brown spots. The only conversation we have about bananas is the best way to open it...

[marybug]

Made this the other morning for my husband and I... delicious. He is still going on about it. At the end we added a spoonful of almond butter to his bowl for the extra protein. I ended up making it 3 days in a row! The nutmeg adds a flavor we typically don't have in our oatmeal. Thanks for sharing!

[bananastand]

I eat bananas when I want bananas. Life is hard sometimes.

[Rob W.]

Kristin, when you posted this recipe I thought "cool, well that's pretty much what I do anyways, I'm sure it's the same." Then I tried it today - wrong! It was so good. The combination of cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla is perfect. Every word you wrote here is true.

[marla]

Loving this recipe for oatmeal! Wish I had some this morning :)

[Michelle]

Bananas are eaten by me only once they are yellow with no green remaining, once they start to get brown spots they are perfect for peanut butter & banana sandwiches for breakfast, lunch and/or supper. My husband, however, will not put a banana in his mouth unless it is still green... the greener the better! I had to laugh when I saw this post because I too always end up with a banana or two "left over". Thanks for the recipe, I am going to make it for my parents when I go to vist them next!

[Megan]

I love oatmeal and bananas like they are related to me. I have pretty busy mornings so I always make something similar to this via microwave. If I have time, i'll sautee a banana sliced lenghtwise in butter, cinnamon, and a pinch of splenda and pour into my oatmeal with all the juicy buttery runnoff. YUM! Great recipe!

[Caroline]

I'm eating this right now and what a treat it is! I only wish I had added a dash of salt while it was still in the pan because personally I'm missing a bit of saltiness. Otherwise, so tasty!! Thank you!

[Julia]

You should try my apple pie oatmeal. Use cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, applesauce(optional), and a minced (peeled) apple. Cook the apple with the oatmeal to make it soft. You can also cook the oatmeal in apple juice/cider, but that's too much sugar for me.

[Theresa]

Thank you so much for this recipe! I used to buy banana bread oatmeal and I just can't find it anymore! You are truly a life saver. Thank you Thank you Thank you!

[Melanie F]

OMG! YUMMY BANANA-Y GOODNESS! So in love with this recipe...and I ADORE oatmeal so it's a perfect recipe Made In Pastry Affair Heaven! THanks so much for the share! I love your site and I love all the little "touches" you have with everything you blog about...really a...pardon the pun...Sweet site! Keep up the phenomenal work!

[Lisa Hakola]

I love a good ol' bowl of porridge for breakfast, so this was a really great twist on the every-morning-berries/oats mixture I normally make.

Ps, this blog is totally froth worthy! Will be trying your other recipes pronto. :)

[Malin]

I like my bananas when they´ve just turned yellow - no greeen or brown spots! But I always welcome overripe bananas, as they can turn into delicous banana bread :) Or in my oatmeal! I recommend peanut buttter to go along with it - it´s sooo good!

[Tina]

What a hearty n tummy warming breakfast! As I'm sitting at my kitchen bar looking out at the kiddies waiting for the school bus in their bulky winter coats n boots n gloves-I'm enjoying this surprisingly good oatmeal! I'm not an oatmeal person but thought I'd try it as some other posters said they weren't fans of oatmeal either. Well it's YUMMO! (as Rachael Ray would say) Thanx for sharing!

[Sarah]

I've made this a few times now and love it! Thank you so much for sharing. :)

[Sondra]

I eat oatmeal for breakfast almost everyday. My latest version is with mashed ripe bananas, dates, crushed walnuts, a little brown sugar, and milled flax seed (an awesome way to get Omega 3 oils and tastes great). Since I love banana bread (I like it with walnuts) banana bread cereal sounds like it fits the bill for another great variety of oatmeal for breakfast! Thank you!

[MKeating]

I made this today for breakfast! So delicious! I sprinkled a couple of chopped pecans on top. I only had Old Fashioned Oats, but it worked out fine. Yummy! :)

[Karm]

Can this be made in a crockpot also...with the same ingredients but cookied overnight?

[Kristin Rosenau]

Karm-- I wouldn't recommend it. The oatmeal would overcook and probably burn (or absorb all the liquid and become hard). Cooking for 5 minutes on the stove isn't too long and you'd get a great product.