Overnight Baked Blueberry Oatmeal Cake

Last night my sister, future brother-in-law, and I went out to dinner at Church & State. They have been here a few times and claim that it falls under their “Top 5” list of favorite restaurants in Los Angeles, but last night was my first time and it did not disappoint. Unfortunately I did not take too many photos of the main courses (I was way too engrossed in my food to remember to take pictures), but I will share with you what I have.

If you have any negative presumptions associated with French Cuisine, Church & State is the place to go if you have hopes to leave with a changed mind. This place strips away all of the pretentiousness commonly associated with French food, along with most of the heavy and buttery sauces that may leave you feeling a queasy. The service was impeccable.  It seems as if they follow a team based model where all the servers are there facilitate your dining experience, and they perform this goal without flaw; weaving in and out of the somewhat cramped (but comfortable) space. Church & State reminds me of those slightly grungy, hole in the wall bistros born during the ’90s recession in Paris. With floor-to-ceiling window, Edison bulbs strung along the ceiling, and red brick walls mixed in with subway tiles, the decor meeting somewhere between industrial and bistro.

The space has a fun, festive feel, alive with energy. With tables very close to one another, you may even rub elbows with fella at the table next to you.

Great wine pairing.
We started things off with a plate of gougères. Bite-sized, light, flakey, and cheesy, I’m going to have to recreate these in my kitchen soon!

These iced Kumamoto Oysters were superb. From Taylor Bay, Washington, these oysters were fresh and briny, with a touch of sweetness.

Congratulations to my newly engaged sister! And the wedding planning starts….

Ok, now transitioning into Saturday morning goodness…

Last night (before I went out to dinner), I had an itch that I would be wanting oatmeal this morning but wanted something a little past the traditional oatmeal so I decided to go for another baked oatmeal. Because my last baked sweet potato oatmeal was divine but I found that I enjoyed it better after it had been sitting in the fridge for a couple of hours, I decided to make this baked oatmeal dish an overnight baked oatmeal. This is a perfect breakfast dish for those of you who are too busy in the morning for anything besides milk and cereal. Make the dish the night before, pop it in the fridge, and it’ll be ready to enjoy the next morning.  

The bananas on top should be browned and caramelized when done.

Because I used defrosted frozen blueberries, it dyed my oatmeal into a blueish-greenish color. Not necessarily an appetizing color, nevertheless, the taste was phenomenal! In the morning, pour a splash of almond milk (or milk of choice) on top to moisten it up.

If you prefer hot breakfasts, you can even pop a piece of “oatmeal cake” in the oven for a few minutes, pour a splash of milk on top and enjoy hot!

This dish is a hybrid between my two favorite things, oatmeal and cake!

Overnight Baked Blueberry Oatmeal Cake 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quick or whole oats (not instant)
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 chia egg (1 tbsp chia seed + 3 tbsp water)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cup frozen berries (make sure you wait till they defrost)
• 3/4 cup crushed walnuts
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large banana

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• In one bowl, mix all the dry ingredients in one bowl (oats, flour, sugar, powder, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt)
• Mix another bowl, mix all the wet ingredients together (blueberries lemon juice, applesauce, vanilla, and vanilla)
• Add in crushed walnuts and mix
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until well incorporated.
• Pour into a well-greased baking dish and top with thinly sliced banana
• Bake for 25-30 minutes (depending on how deep your dish is)