Apple and Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal

At first I was worried about combining bananas, pumpkin and apples, but I didn’t need to be concerned. All the flavors in this baked oatmeal blend together beautifully. This is a warm, comforting and hearty casserole for breakfast or dessert that will give you all the cozy feelings you could ever get from food. Plus, the scent in the house right now is amazing—pumpkin, apples, warm spices….yum!

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon flax seed

3 Tablespoons water

1 very ripe banana

1 cup pumpkin puree

2 cups almond milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon butter flavoring (optional, but it really is good)

1 can (20 ounces) apple pie filling

3 cups rolled oats

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 scoop vanilla protein powder (optional)

¼ cup toasted wheat germ (optional)

¼ to ½ cup raw sugar, depending on your desired level of sweetness (remember, there is sweetener in the pie filling)

1 cup chopped walnuts

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon cloves

1/3 cup apple jelly, melted

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13 by 9 baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.

Mix the flax with the water in a small bowl and set aside.

Using an electric mixer in a large mixing bowl, mix together the banana, pumpkin, almond milk, flax mixture, vanilla and butter flavoring until well combined.

Stir in the apple pie filling, oats, baking powder and baking soda, protein powder if using, wheat germ if using, sugar, walnuts, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes or until the top is lightly golden.

Remove from the oven and brush the melted apple jelly over the top.

Let cool slightly and serve warm.