Baked Oatmeal with Pears and Cinnamon
This recipe started with six pears on my counter that all needed to be used at the same time. Into the oatmeal they went, along with melted butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, a little cardamom and walnuts on top.
The pears soften as they bake and add plenty of sweetness, so the whole pan only needs a third of a cup of maple syrup. Eggs, milk and a couple scoops of Perfect Supplements collagen add some protein, and you have breakfast ready for the next few days.
I love a piece warmed up with a generous scoop of plain Greek yogurt. Especially during a season when you’re feeding everyone else and need your own breakfast to be easy.
Let’s talk about fiber for a second
With six medium pears, this bake provides approximately 5 grams of fiber per piece when cut into 12 portions.
For many of the women I work with, we aim for 25–35 grams throughout the day, adjusting to their needs and tolerance. One piece contributes around 15–20% of that goal. Add berries or a kiwi alongside it, then include vegetables, fruit, beans, nuts or seeds at your other meals, and those grams start to add up.
The pears, oats and ground flax provide a mix of soluble and insoluble fiber. Pears provide pectin, oats contribute beta-glucan, and flax contains gel-forming mucilage. Alongside the insoluble fibers that add stool bulk, these fibers help support regularity and provide fermentable material for your gut microbes.
What does fiber actually do?
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that our own digestive enzymes don’t fully break down. Different fibers have different jobs:
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Supporting regular bowel movements. Some fibers add bulk to stool, while others hold water and help keep it soft. Enough fiber and fluids can help make bowel movements easier and more regular.
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Feeding your gut microbes. Certain fibers are fermented by bacteria in your colon, producing compounds called short-chain fatty acids. One of these, butyrate, is an important fuel for the cells lining your colon. This is one way the food you eat helps nourish your gut.
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Supporting your blood sugar response. Oats contain beta-glucan, a soluble fiber that can form a thick gel during digestion. At sufficient amounts, it can slow digestion and reduce the rise in blood sugar and insulin after a meal. The amount and type of fiber—and the rest of your meal—matter.
Your gut is part of your estrogen-clearance system
When we’re talking about hormone health, I want to know how much fiber you’re eating and whether you’re having comfortable, regular bowel movements. Your gut has a direct role in how estrogen is processed and eliminated.
Here’s how that works: your liver prepares estrogen for elimination. Through a process called conjugation, it attaches chemical groups to estrogens. Some of these processed estrogens are then released into bile and delivered to your intestines.
Once estrogen reaches your gut, it can leave via the stool (ideal), or it can get recycled (not ideal). Certain gut bacteria produce an enzyme called beta-glucuronidase, which can remove those chemical groups and make estrogen available for reabsorption.
Fiber helps support the elimination side of that equation. Depending on the type, fiber adds stool bulk, holds water and supports intestinal transit. Higher-fiber dietary patterns have also been associated with greater estrogen excretion in stool, which is what we want to see for preventing estrogen dominance type symptoms like heavy, painful periods, PMS, bloating and more.
A breakfast for the postpartum mama, too
We spend so much time thinking about feeding the baby. But who’s feeding the mama?
Between nursing, pumping, broken sleep and taking care of everyone else, it’s easy for your own breakfast to become coffee and whatever your toddler didn’t finish. Having something already made can make a real difference.
Breastfeeding increases your energy needs, along with your need for many nutrients like choline and iodine. Eating enough and eating regularly are the two biggest shifts I end up making with most of my postpartum clients that make a difference in their energy, mood and milk production.
This bake brings together carbohydrates from oats and pears, fats from butter, flax and walnuts, and some protein from eggs, milk and collagen. Eggs also contribute choline. I like serving it with Greek yogurt or eggs on the side to make it a more substantial breakfast.
And if you’re bringing a meal to a friend who just had a baby, consider bringing breakfast along with dinner. A pan of this and a tub of Greek yogurt would be such a thoughtful drop-off.
Pear & Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal
Makes 12 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 35–40 minutes
Ingredients
¼ cup butter, melted and slightly cooled, plus more for greasing
⅓ cup pure maple syrup
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole milk
2½ cups rolled oats (I use sprouted, gluten-free oats)
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch sea salt
2 scoops unflavored collagen peptides, I used Perfect Supplements (code BECKIYOO for savings)
6 medium pears, cored: 4 diced and 2 thinly sliced for topping
¼ cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 × 13-inch baking dish with butter.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla and milk.
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Stir in the oats, flaxseed, cardamom, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and collagen until evenly combined.
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Fold in the diced pears, then spread the mixture evenly in the prepared dish.
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Arrange the sliced pears over the top. Sprinkle with the walnuts and a little more cinnamon.
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Bake for 35–40 minutes, until the center is set and the edges are lightly golden. Give it a few more minutes if the center still looks wet; pear size and juiciness will affect the baking time.
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Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with plain Greek yogurt or a splash of milk.
A few notes
Choose ripe pears that still hold their shape. You can leave the skins on. My original batch used about six pears; extra fruit makes a wetter bake and may need more time in the oven.
If you don't have pears on hand, you could absolutely substitute apples, which would be equally as delicious!
Collagen adds protein, but it isn’t a complete protein. Greek yogurt, cottage cheese or eggs make a great pairing.
Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for 3–4 days. Reheat individual portions with a splash of milk, or freeze portions for easy breakfasts later.
Makes 12 servings
Nutrition per serving: 235 calories | 7 g protein | 33 g carbohydrates | 9 g fat | 5.2 g fiber