"Banana Bread" Baked Oatmeal

During the long and humid Tokyo summer, bananas wouldn't last two days in my kitchen without going brown and mushy. My way to salvage them was to peel them, puree them in the food processor, and then freeze the goo for later baking purposes. The great thing about these extra ripe bananas is that they have a strong flavor and produce an excellent result in terms of the flavor profile. Be sure to use very ripe bananas for best results.

I've got a lot of baked oatmeal recipes which have been a hit with my husband and this one is currently at the top of his list. He believes that it actually tastes better than real banana bread, though it could be that he has been off of sugar and white flour for so long that he has forgotten what the real deal tastes like. Nonetheless, this is a delicious version of baked oatmeal which satisfies both a sweet tooth or the need for a quick, delicious breakfast or snack which is also nutritious. I usually double the recipe and make two loaves at once and slice each loaf into 6 bars, wrap in plastic wrap, and freeze. With tea or coffee, they really satisfy and are easy to grab and take with you. If you tend to buy nutritional bars as snacks, these make a cheaper substitute (and are tastier).

"Banana bread" baked oatmeal (sugar-free, whole grain, low-fat) 

1 egg
1/2 granular Splenda
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup skim milk
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup pureed banana
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
3 tbsp. whole wheat flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. (175 degrees C.).
2. Grease and flour a loaf pan.
3. Whisk the egg, applesauce, milk, oil, vanilla, cinnamon, banana puree, Splenda, and salt together until well mixed.
4. Sprinkle the oatmeal over the liquid. 
5. Sprinkle the flour and baking powder over the oatmeal.
6. Stir with a wooden spoon until well moistened.
7. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Be careful not to underbake this as it will come out too moist.
8. Cool in the pan until it can be handled comfortably (about 30 minutes). Loosen the edges with a spatula and gently remove the cake.
9. Cut into 6 pieces.

Nutrition calculations courtesy of the Sparkrecipes calculator: