So this recipe was a whole lot of new for me. 1) I'd never had a fig before, and 2) I'd never made baked oats before. I figured it was about time to change both of those things, especially when I found some delicious looking organic figs at the market.
Given the above facts, this recipe was risky. But I'm a fan of baking and LOVE me some sweet and savory, so I decided to just dive in head first with this one and try something a bit out there. I figured this one was probably going to be either a recipe do over or, worst case scenario, a recipe don't. But IT WORKED, and not only did it work, I thought it tasted pretty darn good if I do say so myself! So (assuming you don't hate blue cheese) you really need to give this one a try.
Here's What You'll Need:
-2 tbsp 4th & Heart Madagascar vanilla bean ghee
-1/4 cup roasted pecans, finely chopped
-2 tbsp and 1 tsp maple syrup, separated
-1 tsp arrow root powder
-1 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
-1 tsp baking powder
-1/2 tsp cinnamon
-1 egg
-1/2 cup milk of your choice (I went with unsweetened almond milk)
-1/4 cup water
-2-3 tbsp blue cheese crumbles (depending on your love of blue cheese)
-3 figs, thinly sliced
Serves 6-8
Instructions:
1) Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2) In a cast iron skillet, melt the ghee on the stove top. Move the pan around to coat the sides, and pour the excess ghee into a glass measuring cup or mug.
3) In a small bowl, mix together the pecans, 1 tsp maple syrup, 1 tsp of the excess ghee, and the arrow root powder. Set aside.
4) In a large bowl, mix together the oats, baking powder, cinnamon, 2 tbsp maple syrup, egg, (almond) milk, water, and remaining excess ghee.
5) Once fully mixed, fold in the blue cheese.
6) Pour the mixture into the cast iron skillet, spreading evenly.
7) Top the mixture with the pecan crumble and fresh figs.
8) Pop the skillet into the preheated oven for about 25 minutes until the top begins to brown and everything is cooked through.
7) Remove from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Slice the oats into 6-8 pieces, serve, and enjoy!
The 4th & Heart ghee was the perfect addition in this recipe. It added that depth of flavor while also adding the extra health benefits of switching out your standard butter for ghee. Plus it really pulled together that sweet and savory flavor combo just perfectly. I'd love to hear what you think in the comments below!