Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal

I am NOT a morning person.

In fact, upon awakening I am usually in full on zombie mode. Like eyes half open, arms straight out and stiff, right food dragging, groaning something incomprehensible. The only cure for snapping me out of this trance is coffee. And lots of it.

So I usually fuel up on coffee and skip breakfast. Which I know is a bad habit. We've all heard "breakfast is the most important meal of the day" and that's because it kick starts your metabolism (aka your bodies calorie burning mechanism), helps stabilize blood sugar levels, regulates appetite, and gives you more energy throughout the day.

So I'm trying to be better about eating a morning meal. Because I need a variety of things to eat or I get bored, I've been trying out different recipes so I have more breakfast options. I love warm oatmeal on these cold winter mornings but most instant varieties are full of added sugar. But I found this recipe that is yummy and healthy. Hope you enjoy!

Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal


2 cups old fashioned oats
1/4 cup light brown sugar (I used the Splenda brown sugar blend)
1/4 cup ground flax (can use wheat germ) *may omit
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk (I like the vanilla kind)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (or baby food applesauce)
1/3 cup egg whites
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 large apple diced into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup golden raisins *may omit

other ideas:
add in nutmeg
add in apple pie spice (tried this - YUM!)
add in pumpkin pie spice
add in handful of walnuts

Directions:

-mix all dry ingredients together
-mix all wet ingredients together and beat
-add wet ingredients to dry and stir
-add cubed, cut up apples/raisins and stir them in slowly
-pour batter into 8x8 pan sprayed with non-stick spray. Pat apples down into oatmeal.
-bake at 350 for 25-30 min

I am pretty liberal with cinnamon so add as much as you like. I am just a cinnamon addict. I sprinkle it on everything from toast, to fruit, to cottage cheese. Fun cinnamon fact: besides enhancing the flavor of your food, it also partners with your metabolism to slow down the insulin surge you get when consuming carbs. :)