Date-Sweetened Apple Pie Oatmeal

I can get stuck in breakfast ruts. I make the same Smoothie or Pancakes repeatedly. This date-sweetened oatmeal with apple pie has been my breakfast of choice for the last two weeks. Why are ruts bad?

Dates have me completely enamored. Have you tried dates? They’ve completely replaced the brown sugar I used to use in my oatmeal. They are sticky, sweet, and satisfying. When cut up into steamy oatmeal, they add just the right amount of sweetness to my sugar-loving palette.

The apple pie version was actually created by accident. I was a big fan of the berry compote version, but I ran out of berries. In my desperate state, I turned to the apples. Since I was in a rush, I microwaved my apple the first time. (I can hear people insulting me with enzymes from a distance) You could sauté your apples instead to keep the process natural.

This recipe calls for baking them. If you are short on time, you can make changes (such as using the microwave) to suit your needs. Don’t tell the fairies.

This bowl is amazing. I love it. It’s creamy, thick, warm, and full of apple cinnamon flavor. I top mine with pecans that have been toasted, and I highly recommend it. In a pinch, I substituted walnuts. One serving keeps me satisfied until lunch and is packed with fiber and protein. If you want, you can add almond butter or another nut butter to the mix for more protein.

It’s part of my routine to eat oatmeal every morning, so I do it on the weekdays. It would be great for guests or lazy weekends.

You can also substitute other seasonal fruits! I also love the blueberry, mixed berry, and strawberry versions.

Ingredients

• Two apples, either tart or sweet (peeled and cored) and sliced evenly
• 1 tsp. Honey/maple Syrup ( optional )
• 1/4 tsp of ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp of lemon juice
• Old-fashioned rolled Oats (GF for Gluten-free Eaters)
• One cup of water
• I used unsweetened almond milk.
• One pinch of salt
• Four dates whole (finely chopped).

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line a baking tray with parchment paper, and then toss the apples with honey, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Roll over the parchment paper, tucking it in to create a “pocket,” and bake for another 5 minutes. Continue to cook for another 10-15 minutes (20 total minutes) until the potatoes are soft. Set aside.
• Add oats to a small pan over high heat. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Stir in the almond milk. Once it reaches a boil, turn down the heat to low-medium and continue to cook until thick. After reducing the heat, add the dates to soften and sweeten oats.
• Remove from the stovetop once it has thickened. If it is too thick, add a bit of almond milk.
• Place 1/3 cup of baked apples on the bottom of your serving bowl. Top with oats. You can also add nuts, nut butter, flaxseeds, honey, maple sugar, cinnamon, or flaxseeds. I like mine with some flaxseed and toasted pecans.