Apple Baked Oatmeal

Ingredients

• 2¾ cups (248 grams) rolled/old fashioned oats , (porridge oats in the UK) Use certified gluten-free if necessary

• ½ cup (100 grams) sugar

• ½ cup (55 grams) chopped walnuts , or pecans (omit for nut-free)

• 2 tablespoons (14 grams) ground flaxseed

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon , or switch the spices for apple pie spice or pumpkin spice

• ½ teaspoon ground ginger

• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

• 3 medium apples

• ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) nut or seed butter , of choice (or the same amount of oil)

• 1½ cups (360 mls) plant milk

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 375° F (190 °C) and have a large oven-proof dish or pan ready. One that will hold a minimum of 2 quarts/ litres. The pan I use in the photos is 2.5 quarts. Anything ovenproof will do, such as a ceramic dish, skillet or 8 x 8 cake pan.

• To a large bowl add the oats, sugar, nuts, ground flaxseed, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Mix together to combine.

• Core the apples and chop into small ½ inch chunks. There is no need to peel them unless you want to. If you want to decorate the top of the oatmeal keep half an apple aside and slice it thinly. Add the chopped apple to the oat mixture.

• To another smaller bowl add the nut/seed butter then gradually add the milk to work out the big lumps until it's mostly combined. Some small lumps are fine. Mashing with a fork makes it easier. Then add the vanilla. If you have a blender you can blend it altogether instead.

• Pour the milk mixture over the oaty apple mixture. Mix together well.

• Spoon into the oven-proof dish, push it down with a spoon or spatula to level the top and add some apple pieces for decoration if desired then bake for 40 minutes.

NOTES

Storage & Reheating - Once cool, cover and refrigerate for up to 7 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Enjoy cold or reheat. Simply pop an individual serving in a bowl in the microwave for a minute or so. Or you can put it on an oven-proof plate/dish and bake for about 10 minutes at 350°F (175°C)