Nourishing, satisfying, & grain-free blueberry baked porridge, made from coconut flour and flaxseed meal! It is naturally oil-free and vegan, plus a keto option is included.
Baked Porridge, Without Oats or Other Grains
I have a new option to add to your nourishing, portable breakfast routine. It is:
- cozy and satisfying (oy vey, it’s still February), but with hints of spring (think bursting berries)
- straightforward to stir together and make ahead for days of breakfasts on the go
- very filling, too, despite having only 106 calories per big serving
Introducing myGrain-Free Blueberry Baked Porridge, made with coconut flour and flaxseed meal.
Recipe Benefits
This homey, baked breakfast is all of the following, and more:
- Grain-free
- Oil-free
- Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
- Very high in fiber
- Paleo
- Refined sugar free
- Keto-friendly (with just two minor ingredient tweaks)
Most importantly, these squares areincredibly satisfying. All told, they are a beautiful thing on a frigid February morning.
Ingredients
The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post.Toggle betweenUS Customary(volume) andMetric(weights) for preferred measurement option.
- ground cinnamon
- coconut flour
- flaxseed meal
- salt
- mashed very ripe bananas
Note that the complete instructions are also in the recipe card below.
Onward with this straightforward recipe!
Begin by combining all of the dry ingredients,exceptthe baking powder, in a big bowl. Stir in the water, mashed banana and vanilla. You can add a bit of maple syrup or the sweetener of your choice, too, but I think the porridge is plenty sweet with the banana, and even more so once the blueberries have baked (and burst). It’s up to you!
It will seem like a lot of liquid to dry ingredients, but only for a moment: thickening occurs in seconds, and after standing for 10 minutes it will be quite thick and stiff. Coconut flour is the reason; it can absorb a tremendous volume of liquid, far more than grain flours.
Oh, and if you are thinking, “Banana! I don’t like banana!!!”, fear not: I have a variation in the recipe for using unsweetened applesauce instead :).
Once the porridge mixture is thick, stir in the baking powder and spread in a 9-inch square baking pan lined with parchment paper. You can stir in the blueberries first, but I prefer scattering them over the surface once the batter in the pan. If you like, follow my lead and sprinkle a few tablespoons of pepitas on top for a bit of toasty crunch, as well as color.
After a 50 to 55 minute bake at 375F (190C), you have this gorgeous pan of goodness. It tastes even better than it looks! The texture is a cross between baked oatmeal and bread pudding. Umm, yes please.
Let the porridge cool for at least 20 minutes before lifting out of the pan (use the parchment paper overhang) and cutting into squares. Be gentle; though the baked porridge holds together well, it needs gentle handling while still warm. You’ll have no problems with handling the squares once they are completely cooled, or chilled.
I know you are going to LOVE these porridge squares!
How to Make the Recipe Keto-Friendly
Making the porridge keto-friendly is plain. Simply swap the bananas for unsweetened applesauce (you can add a bit of keto-friendly sweetener, if you like).
The amount of blueberries per square is low (and, hence, keto-friendly), but if you want to keep the sugars especially low, use raspberries or blackberries instead. I’ve calculated the macros for the keto option using blackberries.
Happy eating, everyone!
Grain-Free Blueberry Baked Porridge (Vegan)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Servings: 9 big squares
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup coconut flour
- 1/3 cup flaxseed meal
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 2/3 cups cups water
- 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (see notes for options)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder (certified gluten-free, as needed)
- Optional: 1 to 2 tablespoons sweetener of choice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup blueberries
- Optional: 2 to 3 tablespoons pepitas
Method
- Preheat the oven to 375F (190C). Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper , leaving paper overhand on both sides (for straightforward removal later). Lightly oil or spray the exposed sides.
- In a large bowl , combine the coconut flour , flaxseed meal , cinnamon and salt. Stir in the water, bananas, (optional) sweetener, and vanilla until completely blended. Let stand for 10 minutes.
- Stir the baking powder into the batter; spread evenly into prepared pan. Scatter with blueberries, gently pressing into batter. If using, sprinkle with pepitas .
- Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes until deep golden brown and set at the center. Cool at least 20 minutes before lifting out of the pan (use the parchment paper overhang). Cut into 9 squares. Serve warm, room temperature, or chilled.
Notes
Storage: Store the cooled squares in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or the freezer for up to 6 months. Banana Tips: It will take approximately 2 large bananas to equal 1 cup mashed. Be sure to use very ripe (lots of brown on the peel, very soft) bananas. Banana Options: An equal amount of unsweetened applesauce can be used in place of the mashed banana. However, the squares will not be as sweet, so you will likely want to add some of the optional sweetener. KETO OPTION: (1) replace the banana with unsweetened applesauce; (2) replace the blueberries with an equal amount of blackberries or raspberries; (3) If adding sweetener, use a keto-friendly sweetener (dry or liquid). Keto version macros: Calories (75), Fat (2.3 g), Sat Fat (0.1 g), Total Carbs (12.7 g), Fiber (6 g), Sugars (3.4 g), Protein (2.2 g)
