Name: Persimmon and Pear Oatmeal Breakfast Bake {Recipe by Shawn Zajicek}
Ingredients: 2 Hachiya Persimmons, skins on, roughly chopped; 2 Bartlett Pears, skins on, roughly chopped; 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats; 2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp ground nutmeg; 1/2 tsp baking powder; 1/4 cup raw pecans, chopped; 1/4 cup raw cashews, chopped; 2 1/2 TBSP melted coconut oil, divided; 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk; 1 egg*; 1/4 cup agave nectar; 2 tsp vanilla extract

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So excited to introduce ya’ll to a very special person who has made all the difference in my life the past couple months, and that is my intern, Shawn. Shawn is a powerhouse (watch out, world!) – she’s super smart, determined, and has such a big heart. I’m so excited to see where we she goes after her RD – big things await this girl! Fate brought us together last fall at a food conference in Boston and in the most adorable way possible, she said to me “oh my gosh, I hope I don’t sound crazy right now, but I know you! You’re Kara, right? I follow your blog!” It was nutrition love at first sight. I’m so proud of all Shawn’s hard work and thrilled she’s sharing her DELICIOUS recipe and BEAUTIFUL photography with you today.

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This persimmon and pear oatmeal breakfast bake is so delicious you might mistake it for dessert but it’s healthy enough to be dubbed the best warm breakfast for a cold morning.

I just want to start by thanking Kara for first, taking me on as her intern, and second, for letting me share a recipe to her dietitian and foodie blogging world. It’s been a blessing being able to work alongside Kara and learn all about social media and blogging, as I am still getting my feet wet with it.

Before the holidays, Kara had asked me if I’d be interested in developing a recipe. Immediately I knew that I wanted my recipe to include persimmons. I bought my first persimmon sometime in the fall, and thought, how the heck am I going to eat this thing? After asking some RDs on the interweb about what to do with them, I went out on a whim, sliced the little beauty and enjoyed it in its purest form. I was smitten.

You can find persimmons during October-February. This fruit really is the perfect little package full of nutrients such as Vitamins A, C, E, K, potassium, copper, and my favorite, fiber. Even better, they look like a tomato but taste like a less-sweet apple, so you pretty much feel like you are eating a vegetable and fruit at the same time. Win.

Two of the most common varieties sold in the US are Fuyu and Hachiya. Fuyu persimmons have a smaller and plump shape, are sweeter, and are good for eating raw, such as in salads (or by themselves). Hachiya persimmons look like an enlarged acorn, are slightly more bitter, and are great for baking, as they soften in the process to produce their sweet flavor, which makes them so great for this oatmeal breakfast bake I have for you!

I included another one of my favorite cold-weather fruits into the mix: pears. These two fruits create the perfect balance of sweetness, meaning there is little sugar had to be added. Combined with nuts and oats, this oatmeal bake will give you a satisfying and filling breakfast (or even a late night snack). Seriously, it will make you want to sing persimmon praises because it’s that delicious (at least I did, anyways).

The best part of this oatmeal bake? You can adapt it for any season, so use the oat and milk mixtures as your base, and change up the fruit however you desire!

Persimmon and Pear Oatmeal Breakfast Bake {Recipe by Shawn Zajicek}

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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5 from 1 review

Yield: 6 servings 1x

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Ingredients

Scale

2 Hachiya Persimmons, skins on, roughly chopped
2 Bartlett Pears, skins on, roughly chopped
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup raw pecans, chopped
1/4 cup raw cashews, chopped
2 1/2 TBSP melted coconut oil, divided
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 egg*
1/4 cup agave nectar
2 tsp vanilla extract

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder and nuts in a medium mixing bowl. Add 2 tbsp melted coconut to combine oat mixture.
Beat egg with almond milk, agave nectar and vanilla in a small mixing bowl.
In a cast iron skillet, use 1/2 tbsp coconut oil to lightly grease the bottom and sides of the skillet.
Layer 1/3 of the oat mixture on the bottom of the skillet, followed by half of the persimmon and pear.
Repeat this step and then sprinkle the last 1/3 of the oat mixture over the top of the fruit.
Pour the milk mixture over the entire mixture, and give the pan a little shake to distribute evenly.
Bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes or until the oat mixture is golden brown and fruit is fork-tender.
Let cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.
Optional: Top with plain or vanilla yogurt

Notes

To make vegan, use 1 flax egg (1 TSBP of ground flax seed + 2.5 TBSP water, let sit for 5 minutes)

Shawn is currently at Boston University in the combined Master’s of Nutrition and Dietetic Internship program. She hails from Lincoln, Nebraska, where she received her Bachelor’s of Science in Dietetics and Exercise Science. When she is not studying, she enjoys running, spinning, yoga, trying new recipes, dabbling in social media, exploring the city, and dining at local restaurants.