Baked Apple Spiced Oatmeal
1-1/4 cups rolled oats or mix of rolled grains & steel cut grains
2 tablespoons sweetener
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1-3/4 cups non-dairy milk, or combination of milk, fruit juice, and/or water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 jumbo apple, cored, sliced, not peeled
lemon juice, from 1 juicy lemon half
nuts, raisins, or other dried fruit (optional)
1. In a bowl, combine dry ingredients (rolled oats, sweetener, ground flax seeds, baking powder, cinnamon, ground ginger, salt, and nutmeg). In another bowl, combine wet ingredients (milk and vanilla extract).
2. Spray a medium-sized baking dish (approximately 8"x4") with non-stick spray. Lay apple slices in bottom of dish and sprinkle with lemon juice.
3. Combine wet and dry ingredients and any other desired ingredients, then pour over apples.
4. Bake, uncovered, in 350 degree F oven for 40 minutes, or until the apple layer is bubbling.
5. Remove from oven and cover until cooled (this helps the grain finish cooking).
Makes a lovely breakfast or a healthy dessert (fabulous with ice cream!). Any fruit or berry or combination would work in place of plain apple.
SO HOW'D IT GO?
Delicious. Added a cup of unsweetened applesauce and doubled the cooking time but otherwise followed it exactly. Just the right amount of sweetness. And what is great about this is that it makes enough to eat through the week. Pop it in the microwave and I'm good till lunch!