Healthy Berry Oatmeal Protein Bake (2024)

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Healthy Berry Oatmeal Protein Bake is a healthy breakfast recipe that is gluten free and low calorie. A better way to make oatmeal with the right balance protein and fat to keep you fuller longer, through the morning. Gluten Free + Low Calorie

My High Protein Oatmeal recipe is one of my most popular (and delicious) recipes on this website! I love oatmeal for breakfast but from a nutrition standpoint, oatmeal is a an incomplete meal as it lacks protein and healthy fat. This is a common mistake I see my client over 35 making with their breakfasts.

This healthy berry oatmeal protein bake checks all the boxes by giving you the RIGHT balance of protein, fat and carbs so you stay fuller longer through the morning with good energy!

What Makes Protein Oatmeal Better For You

The lack of protein in oatmeal is a problem. Oatmeal is a wonderful, healthy, high fiber food; however, it lacks protein. Many will have oatmeal for breakfast and be hungry in a few hours. Oatmeal is a carbohydrate and most people will pair oatmeal with fruit (another carbohydrate) and/or peanut butter (a fat).

These are healthy foods, but this combination is missing protein. Meals should be balanced with all three food groups, and while peanut butter does have some protein, it is not ENOUGH protein for a complete meal for neither men nor women.

I share more about the importance of a high protein breakfast and the science behind this in my free weight loss class if you want to know more. Here's a few more reasons why I love this recipe!

Low Calorie - Calories are not everything when it comes to weight loss (hormones matter too!), but the reality is calories are an important part of the equation. This recipe is low calorie with healthy ingredients that are BALANCED. I can't express how important having macronutrient balanced meals is especially when eating something high carbohydrate like oatmeal. The calories are higher than traditional oatmeal in this recipe because of the added protein. A healthy breakfast for average statured individuals is between 350-500 calories. This breakfast is actually less than that with the added protein. I mention this because I'm sure some will comment that this is too many calories. That mindset is terrible. Food is more than calories. The balance of what makes up the calories is what's important for great health, weight loss and hormones.
Gluten Free - This recipe is made with gluten free oats making it gluten free friendly.
High Protein - The egg whites and protein powder provide the protein in this recipe making this baked oatmeal recipe healthier (macronutrient balanced) than regular oatmeal without protein.
High Fiber - Oatmeal is a good source of fiber which is important for hormone balancing and weight loss. I talk about the science of fiber in this free weight loss class.
Low Fat - Total fat is 6 grams with one gram coming from saturated (less optimal) fat, the remaining comes from healthy fat.

Is Oatmeal Good For Weight Loss?

Oatmeal is a great fiber focused food. The problem with oatmeal is it is a high carb food and most people add fruit, brown sugar, granola etc. to oatmeal. These are all carbs and when we start the first meal of the day with a heavy amount amount of carbs that lack protein and healthy fat, most individuals end up on a blood sugar rollercoaster all day.

This leads to feeling hungry shortly after eating and consuming MORE calories throughout the day. While oatmeal is great for weight loss, it should always be balanced with protein and healthy fat, which this recipe does!

Ingredients For Protein Oatmeal

Here's what you need to make a protein oatmeal bake! You will also need mixing bowls and an 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish.

Gluten Free Rolled Oats
Protein Powder
Baking Powder
Cinnamon, Salt
Monkfruit
Vanilla Extract
Apple
Mixed Berries (I used frozen)
Egg Whites
Dairy Free Milk

What Protein Powder To Use With Oatmeal

Any protein powder will work with oatmeal. The consistencies will vary so you will need to assess when making this recipe, if you need to add more milk based on the protein powder you choose to use.

I highly recommend using a protein powder you would eat or drink on its own to ensure you like your protein oatmeal bake. I used this protein powder for the recipe. It's unflavored and plant-based as I do not tolerate whey protein.

How To Make Protein Oatmeal

Here's the steps for making healthy protein oatmeal in the oven. It's easy to make and great for meal prepping a healthy breakfast ahead of time! It also freezes well.

Prepare an 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish by spraying lightly with cooking spray or by lining it with parchment paper. In a small mixing bowl, mix together the liquid ingredients minus the fruit. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. Then mix the wet ingredients into the dry. Next add the berries and apple cubes.

Depending on the type of protein powder you use, you may need to add more milk to than the recipe calls for. All protein powders have a different level of consistency. Having too little milk will result in a really dry oatmeal bake.

Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish then bake 35-40 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. Remove from the oven, cool slightly then divide into 4 servings. You can top your protein oatmeal with a little Greek yogurt for extra protein!

Substitutions For Healthy Berry Oatmeal Protein Bake

Here are the substitutions I recommend for this high protein blueberry baked oatmeal recipe. As always, any substitutions you make will change the calories and macronutrients (protein, fat and carbohydrate grams) you see in the nutrition data facts in the recipe card below.

Rolled Oats - You can use steel cut oats instead, but I find the recipe works best using rolled oats. You can use regular oats instead of gluten free too.
Protein Powder - Any protein powder will work with this oatmeal recipe. I recommend one that has 20-30 grams of protein per serving. I personally use plant-based proteins as whey causes digestive issues for me. That said, choose a protein powder for this recipe that you enjoy to ensure you like the flavor of this oatmeal. If you do not want to use protein powder, you can follow this recipe that uses Greek yogurt instead.
Egg Whites - I do not recommend replacing the egg whites with whole eggs. When you replace with whole eggs, you are reducing the protein content because 3 eggs whites is only equivalents to 1.5 whole eggs. This significantly reduces the protein content per serving. If you are sensitive to eggs, you can use protein powder in place of the eggs. You will need to increase the milk to balance the wet ingredients. The amount of milk will depend on the protein powder. Protein powder consistencies vary wildly so you will need to experiment if you do this.
Almond Milk - Any milk you enjoy can be used in this recipe.
Cinnamon - You can replace with nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice.
Monkfruit - You can use any sweetener you like. Just note that using full calorie sweeteners will increase the calories and carbohydrates. The reason I used monkfruit was to keep the carbohydrates better balanced.
Salt - May be omitted if you are concerned with sodium.
Vanilla Extract - Almond extract would be a great substitute or you could omit the vanilla extract, but I highly recommend it as it gives the protein oatmeal great flavor!
Mixed Berries - You can use frozen or fresh berries for this recipe. I used frozen berries that I thawed ahead of time.
Apple - You can omit the apple, replace it with a pear or another fruit you like.