Apple Pie Oatmeal

Why not have something yummy enough to be dessert for breakfast? With this recipe by Amber Shea Crawley you get a wonderful fusion of apple pie flavor and texture combined with the nutritional benefits of beta-glucan rich raw rolled oats, fresh juicy apple, and creamy protein rich almond milk. You can even place this recipe in the dehydrator for 30 minutes or place in a sauce pan over low heat to gentle warm up and really soften the oats and apple. This will also help fuse the flavors and spices together. Amber also gives a few suggestions for alternatives and substitutions if you are avoiding any ingredients in this recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 medium apple, peeled, cored, and diced
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/2 cup apple juice
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Big pinch of sea salt
• 1 cup raw rolled oat flakes OR old-fashioned rolled oats
• Additional almond milk, for serving (optional)

Instruction

1) Combine all ingredients, except the oats and the optional additional almond milk, in a medium bowl. Add the oats and stir thoroughly to combine. Let sit for at least 10 minutes to allow the oats to soak up the liquid.  If you have particularly thirsty oats, you can add additional liquid.

2) Serve cold, or warm in a dehydrator for 30 minutes or in a small saucepan on the stove over low heat before serving. Top with a splash of additional almond milk before serving, if desired.

Substitutions:

Almond milk: any other nondairy milk

Apple juice: filtered water plus 1 teaspoon agave nectar or stevia to taste

Maple syrup: agave nectar, coconut nectar, any other liquid sweetener, or 1 tablespoon filtered water plus stevia to taste

Variations:

Apple Pie “Groatmeal”: Soak 1 cup raw oat groats in filtered water for 12 to 24 hours. Rinse and drain the groats and transfer them to a food processor. Add all ingredients (omitting the oat flakes and reducing the almond milk to 1/4 cup) except the apple, and process until smooth. Add the apple and pulse 2 to 3 times to incorporate. Serve cold, or warm in a dehydrator for 30 minutes or in a small saucepan on the stove over very low heat before serving.

BONUS—Grain-Free “Oatmeal”: Follow the directions for the “Groatmeal” variation above, substituting buckwheat groats for the oats. If you need to make it grain- AND pseudograin-free, replace the oats in the original recipe with 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, pecans, and/or almonds, double the amount of apple, and reduce the almond milk to 1/4 cup.