I don't know about you, but at our house when the seasons change so do our go-to breakfast recipes. We enjoy a lot of smoothies, yogurt, and egg sandwiches in the summer, but when the leaves start to change we start craving something a little more "stick to your gut". But, I'm sure we're not the only ones who find we don't have time in the morning to always make big pancake breakfast or a veggie-filled omelet every morning! That is why this baked oatmeal is the perfect solution for us. We like to bake it Sunday afternoons (and maybe try a little for dessert with some vanilla bean ice cream just to make sure it's good!) and then just warm it up and GO on Monday morning.
BONUS: your house will smell SO GOOD while it bakes in the oven. A perfect way to unwind at the end of your weekend, right??
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Ingredients:
• 1 1/2c old fashioned oats
• 3/4c chopped walnuts or pecans
• 3 tbsp dried, pitted dates (chopped)
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg + 1 egg white
• 1 1/2 c of milk
• 1/3 c Stewart Maple Syrup
• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp melted butter
• 1-2 Granny Smith apples sliced
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Instructions:
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Prepare an 8-9 inch glass baking dish. Spray with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine oats, dates, 1/2 c of walnuts, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Stir to combine.
• In a separate bowl, whisk egg, egg white and milk together. Add vanilla and maple syrup. Mix until you have a uniform mixture.
• Pour wet mixture into oatmeal mix. Stir, adding melted butter, until ingredients are well incorporated. Set aside (you will notice the mixture will appear slightly bubbly).
• Peel and slice (or cube) your apple(s).
• Place a thin layer of apples in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Add half of your oatmeal mixture, spreading evenly. Add another layer of apples and top with remaining oatmeal.
• Sprinkle the top of the oatmeal with remaining walnuts.
• Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and oats have set.
• Cool for 20 minutes on a wire baking rack and enjoy!
Tips:
• We're big fans of sweets that double as breakfast and dessert. Warm a cup of oatmeal and enjoy with a scoop of your favorite ice cream and caramel sauce!
• Want to spice it up a bit? Substitute classic Stewart Maple Syrup with Stewart Maple's Cinnamon-Infused Maple Syrup.
This recipe is a Stewart Maple and Forkd collaboration. For more great recipes, check out www.forkd.squarespace.com