Recipe: Pineapple Upside Down Baked Oatmeal (Vegan, Gluten Free, Nut Free and Soy Free Options)

 I had part of a can of pineapple rings and the very end of a jar of maraschino cherries in my fridge, and got inspired to try something out to see if it worked. I am happy to inform you: It worked! And it's absolutely delicious!

May I introduce you to my little pineapple upside down baked oatmeal, baked in a toaster oven because it's summer and we're not about to turn on a big oven right now?

As breakfasts go, there are few things I've enjoyed more! It has the same buttery sweetness of the cake, but it isn't cake and the oatmeal itself is full of good-for-you things. (I think, anyway. I'm not a medical doctor. But oatmeal and applesauce are generally thought to be pretty good, right?)

If you need it to be soy free, just make sure you use a soy-free vegan butter substitute and a plant milk that does not contain soy. If you need it to be nut free, just be sure that whatever you're using for those two things does not contain nuts.

But go forth and make this. Trust me. It's delicious.

As always, I should tell you I looked at several recipes before coming up with my own; the primary inspiration for the topping was this non-vegan cake recipe from Delish, while I consulted three different baked oatmeal recipes, vegan and not, as I developed my own version.

If this is your whole breakfast, I'd eat half the batch. If you do as I do and combine it with other things (a soy milk grain coffee latte and some non-dairy yogurt), I'd suggest you eat one of the four squares you'll get. But do whatever you want in accordance with your own appetites; I'm not going to dictate how much you eat.

Pineapple Upside Down Baked Oatmeal
Serves: 2-4

2 tablespoons vegan butter (I used Earth Balance)
Nonstick cooking spray (optional)
1/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
4 canned pineapple rings, drained
4 stemless maraschino cherries, drained
1/2 scant cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened plant milk of your choice
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons rolled or quick oats
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
A pinch of salt

Preheat toaster oven or standard oven to 350 degrees.

In a 6-inch square ceramic casserole dish, melt vegan butter in the microwave. Take the dish out and spray the sides with nonstick cooking spray, if desired.

Add brown sugar to butter and stir until well mixed. Spread this evenly over the bottom of the casserole.

Place the 4 canned pineapple rings in each corner of the casserole dish, then place a maraschino cherry in the hole for each pineapple ring.

In a medium bowl, stir together the applesauce, plant milk, and maple syrup until well mixed. Then add the dry ingredients and mix well.

Carefully spoon the oat mixture on top of the prepared pineapple rings, spreading to ensure it covers everything evenly. You want a smooth, even top for this.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until the oatmeal is golden and set. It should give you some resistance if you press the top with your finger, and your finger should not get wet from this test, but it will still have crumbs if you try the toothpick test. This is not going to be a solid cake.

Let oatmeal rest out of the oven for 5 minutes, but no more than 5 minutes. In order to release cleanly, the dish must still be warm. 

Run a butter knife around the edges of the casserole dish to be sure nothing is sticking to the sides. Place a platter or large plate upside down on top of the casserole dish and flip to invert the baked oatmeal onto the platter. Carefully remove the casserole dish, gently slice into squares, and serve.