Description
In this make-ahead breakfast, you’ll find whole grains, orange vegetables (bring on the beta-carotene!), healthy fats, and so, so much flavor. It’s perfect for a holiday breakfast, potluck, or just a few weekday meals in a row.
Ingredients
UnitsScale
- 3-4 sweet potatoes (or 6-8 c. peeled and diced)
- 2 bananas
- 2-4 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2-1 tsp.nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2-4 tsp. vanilla extract (try homemade)
- 2 Tbs. maple syrup
- 4 apples, diced (peeled or unpeeled)
- 2 c. rolled oats
- 3 c. some combination of milk/yogurt/whey/water (to soak, use at least some acidic medium, yogurt or whey - if dairy-free, a splash of apple cider vinegar)
- 1/4 c. chia seeds (ground if you have texture sensitive people in the fam)
- 2 c. whole milk (or non-dairy milk)
- 1/4-1/2 cup butter or unrefined coconut oil
Toppings
- 2/3 c. crispy pecans, chopped (use code STEWARDSHIP for 10% off)
- 1/4 c. any flour (whole wheat, gluten-free, plain brown rice, etc.)
- 1/4 c.sucanat
- 1/4 c. virgin, unrefined coconut oil (use the coupon code STEWARDSHIP for 10%)
Instructions
The prep ahead/soaked version:
- Bake sweet potatoes whole on a cookie sheet at 450F for 30-45 minutes until soft, then peel with your fingers. Tip: Bake with something else at dinner the day or two before. Almost no work! Refrigerate if not prepping the rest of the breakfast yet.
- In a large bowl, mash sweet potatoes, bananas, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, vanilla and maple syrup. Mash together with a potato masher or immersion blender.
- Dice apples and put on top of the sweet potato mash. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- In a large pot, mix up the oats, 3 c. liquid, and chia seeds. Cover and leave on the counter overnight to soak.
- To make the topping: Chop the nuts and mix with flour and sucanat in a medium bowl. Cut in the coconut oil with a pastry blender or 2 butter knives. Cover and store until ready.
- In the morning, add 2 cups milk and the coconut oil or butter to the oats and bring to a gentle boil over medium, then turn to low for 5-10 minutes until cooked/thickened.
- Stir in the sweet potato mash and apples. (You can serve this now if people need to eat first! Saves dishes!)
- Spread into a 9×13” glass baking dish (it will be very full) or split into a 9×13″ and 8×8″.
- Sprinkle the topping on top.
- Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 20 minutes. Turn the oven off, then turn the broiler on for 2-4 minutes to brown and crisp the topping. Watch carefully!
- Serve warm with milk and extra maple syrup if desired.
The make-it-all-at-once version (fewest dishes):
- Bake sweet potatoes whole on a cookie sheet at 450F for 30-45 minutes until soft OR peel, dice, place into a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer 15-30 minutes until sweet potatoes are completely soft. Drain into a colander.
- In the same pot, mix up the oats, 3 c. liquid, 2 cups milk, chia seeds and fat and bring to a gentle boil over medium, then turn to low for 5-10 minutes until cooked/thickened.
- Here’s why you needed a large pot: When the oats are done, add the sweet potatoes back in, plus the bananas, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, vanilla and maple syrup. Mash together with a potato masher.
- Add diced apples and stir.
- Spread into a 9×13” glass baking dish (it will be very full) or a few baking dishes.
- To make the topping: Chop the nuts and mix with flour and sucanat in a medium bowl. Cut in the coconut oil with a pastry blender or 2 butter knives.
- Sprinkle the topping on top of the casserole(s).
- Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 20 minutes. Turn the oven off, then turn the broiler on for 2-4 minutes to brown and crisp the topping.
- Serve warm with milk and extra maple syrup if desired.
Notes
The overnight hint: You can assemble the entire casserole in advance and store overnight in the fridge, but you’ll need to add at least 10 minutes to the cook time if it’s cold.

