Superfood Baked Oatmeal

Oatmeal. It’s easily my favorite breakfast. Be it winter or summer I always find a way to enjoy it. It’s funny because as a kid I never liked it; it always seemed mushy and flavorless. Now I’m finding that I can’t get enough of it. So it’s become somewhat of a fun project to find new and innovative ways to eat oatmeal. I recently made this Oatmeal Bake, which is now one of my favorite ways to eat oatmeal. It doesn’t have that mushy texture you normally find in when eating a bowl of traditional oats.I also particularly like this dish because it’s easy to make ahead of time. So when you’re having friends or family over for brunch it’s one less thing to worry about when you’re already trying to get hot coffee on the table. Because hot coffee is the most important part of a balanced breakfast, right?I have made this with berries and apples I even added dried fruit one time. You can make this dish seasonal by using what’s fresh and in stores. I happen to love blueberries so i’ll use frozen blueberries in the winter when fresh ones out of season and don’t have much flavor. But you can’t go wrong with apples and some raisins in the batter. Whether you’re serving a crowd or meal prepping for the week this is an easy make-ahead meal that you will enjoy all week long. PS. I normally cut it into slices and freeze them for a later time. Then I can take one out, stick it in the oven with foil to defrost and then pour almond milk and fresh fruit over it. It’s like a little slice of oatmeal cake!Recipe:

• 3 cups uncooked old fashioned oats
• 1-2 teaspoons of cinnamon
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 1/2 cups  almond milk (or any nut milk)
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1 organic egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 apple pealed and diced

1.  Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Combine the milk, applesauce, egg, and vanilla in a separate bowl. Add milk mixture to oat mixture. Stir well. Then fold in diced apples.
3. Pour oat mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray.
4. Bake for 30  minutes or until golden.
5. This is an easy recipe to double, so if you are serving a crowd, double and bake in a 9 by 13 pan.  Bake for double the time. Serve warm.