Recipe: Apple Crisp Baked Oatmeal

Move aside, overnight oats!  If you don’t love the texture of overnight oats or eating your oats cold, this baked oatmeal dish offers a new way to prepare oats for the week.  The crisp topping is made from a beautiful blend of nuts and seeds, providing a little boost of protein, fiber, and healthy fats that balance the complex carbohydrates from the oats and apples. We recommend heating it up when you are ready to eat, and you can even serve your baked oatmeal square with a dollop of your favorite plain Greek yogurt for some added protein and an oh-so-creamy delight!

Apple Crisp Baked Oatmeal

Serves 6

Ingredients:

Baked Oatmeal

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 2 1/2 C rolled oats
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 C unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 1/3 C pure maple syrup
• 2 apples

Crumble Topping

• 1/2 C almond flour
• 1/2 C pecans
• 1/4 C coconut flakes
• 1/4 C pumpkin seeds
• 1/4 C almonds
• 1/4 C coconut oil
• 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat an 8×11 baking dish with nonstick spray.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine rolled oats, cinnamon, baking soda, and sea salt. Stir to mix well. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.
3. In the same mixing bowl, combine almond milk, vanilla extract, egg, melted coconut oil, and maple syrup. Whisk well to thoroughly combine. Don’t worry if coconut oil starts to harden; it will melt in the oven.
4. Pour the wet mixture into the baking dish over the dry ingredients. Stir to incorporate well. Bake 20 minutes.
5. Chop apples into bite-sized chunks.
6. Add crumble topping ingredients to the food processor. Pulse until a coarse, crumble-like texture is achieved.
7. Remove the dish from the oven. Top with chopped apples. Evenly distribute crumble atop apples. Bake 20 minutes.
8. Remove baked oatmeal from the oven. Cool 5-10 minutes. Slice into 6 squares for serving. Store the remaining squares in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

TIP: Serve warm with 1/4 C plain Greek yogurt for an additional 5-7 grams of protein.

Swaps:

• For the almond milk: unsweetened cashew, soy, or dairy milk
• For the pecans and/or almonds: walnuts or cashews
• For the coconut flakes: unsweetened shredded coconut

Recipe modified from: Kay Nutrition and Rachael’s Good Eats