Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Bake
Apples and cinnamon are one of those quintessential flavor pairings, apples bring a sweet and tart flavor while the cinnamon brings a warmth, perfection. And it doesn’t get more traditional autumn either to have apples in your warm bowl of oatmeal. After my Whole30 reintroductions, I was able to determine that most gluten free grains worked for me. I know many people are in the middle of their reintroduction phase, this is so important and will tell you so much about your body. Oats are a great reintroduction to gluten-free grains, so start your day with that. Remember that oats are naturally gluten free but you must buy certified gluten free oats because conventional ones have been cross contaminated usually. After your day of gluten free grains (rice, corn, oats, etc.) you do two days back on Whole30, that way you truly know the effects the reintroduced foods have.
This is a variation on my Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Bake, updating it with the flavors of the fall. I received a ton of positive reviews for that with some people asking for a banana free version. I had no idea how many people were not fans of the ole nanner! So this recipe came into my mind as the perfect fall bake without that pesky peel. A sprinkling of dried cranberries make this the ultimate breakfast, with their natural tart pucker giving the perfect balance. I love oatmeal and baking up a dish is one of my favorite breakfasts, so homey and comforting. This dish is gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, fiber rich, and with slight variations, vegan and nut free. Vegans just need to swap the eggs for flax eggs and nut free just replace the almond milk for coconut milk and leave out the pecans or substitute for your favorite seeds. Any way you slice it, this is a great breakfast!
Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Bake
2 cups rolled oats (make sure they are GF)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 cup chopped pecans, divided (omit if nut free, sub for seeds if preferred)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup applesauce, no sugar added
2 large eggs (sub for flax eggs if vegan)
1 apple, diced, about 1 1/2 cup
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 can (15 oz) coconut milk (I prefer full fat)
1 cup unsweetened almond milk (sub for additional coconut milk if nut free)
1/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon dried cranberries (apple sweetened or no sugar added), divided
- Preheat the oven to 375. Spray a square 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish with oil.
- Combine the oats, baking powder, spices, salt, and 1/2 cup chopped pecans in a large bowl.
- In another bowl, whisk the applesauce, eggs, apple, maple syrup, vanilla, coconut milk, almond milk, and 1/4 cup dried cranberries.
- Pour about 1/3 of the wet mixture into the large bowl of dry and stir until all combined. Pour into the prepared baking dish and flatten down.
- Slowly add the remaining wet mixture to the top of the bake. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup chopped pecans and 1 tablespoon of dried cranberries.
- Bake 40-45 minutes or until center is set. Let cool before slicing.
Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl, take a whiff, it smells like cooler weather and the holidays.
Chop the apples into about 1/2” cubes, I used a Granny Smith Apple because I like the texture and flavor in baked goods. Then get all the wet ingredients and whisk it up!
Add about 1/3 of the wet mix to the big bowl of dry and stir in all together. Then get it into the baking dish and level it out with a spatula.
Pour the rest of the wet mix over the top, maybe jiggle it a little to ensure there are bits of apples for every bite.
Sprinkled with the last things, pecans and cranberries, so good! Bake this baby for 40-45 minutes and your house will smell devine!
