A filling and nutritious breakfast that is ready in 10 minutes and looks and tastes like a dessert? Sign me up!
Okay, so you’ve probably read the title of this recipe and rolled your eyes. Perfect? Surely it’s not perfect.
Get ready to have your doubts erased, because this is probably my favourite recipe I’ve come up with (and there have been some great ones, if I do say so myself).
I know there are some other apple pie oatmeal recipes floating around out there, and to be honest, I haven’t looked at them. I did see one advertised that involved stewing the apples, which sounded like way too much work, if you ask me. So I don’t know how this recipe stacks up with others, but I do know that it’s a winning combination on its own.
What’s the apple situation?
Well, I like to dice them and top the oatmeal with them in their natural crunchy state. I think they become a great foil for the tender oatmeal. The boring texture has always been one of my complaints about this particular breakfast staple, so adding in some variety is key for me.
The best kind of apple to pick is something that is sweet yet firm, like a Gala apple. I think a Yellow Delicious might also be a good choice. I’d stick with these middle-ground eating apples; I don’t know how it would taste with a softer Mackintosh or a super-tart Granny Smith. If that’s more your jam, go for it, but don’t say I didn’t warn you if the texture is off!
One of the super important *secret ingredients* in this meal is applesauce. It means you can cut down on the amount of maple sugar or other sweeteners you might reach for, and it really helps drive home the apple theme. I use organic unsweetened applesauce and keep a jar of it in the fridge, taking out a few big spoonfuls every time I make this.
But…is there protein?
Just because I know there are some people obsessed with their protein intake, here’s the info on the protein for one serving of this tasty b-fast. A cup of rolled oats is (approximately) 100 grams, and 100 grams has 2.5 grams of protein.
I make this oatmeal with almond milk, which only has about half a gram of protein per 100 grams. Not a significant amount. If you’re using cow’s milk or soy milk, the protein count will be higher.
As I’ve talked about before, hemp hearts are a kickass source of protein. I top this bowl of oatmeal with about 1.5 tbsp of hemp hearts, which contains 5g of protein. The walnuts add another 2.25 grams of protein.
Adding this all up, there’s going to be around 10.25 grams of protein in this oatmeal bowl. That’s not too bad for a breakfast. A standard plain bagel has 10 grams of protein, and certainly not nearly as many vitamins and nutrients! So you can feel good about this breakfast choice.
Perfect Apple Pie Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk plus more if needed
- 1 apple
- 3 tbsp unsweetened apple sauce
- 1.5 tbsp real maple syrup
- 1.5 tbsp hemp hearts
- 2 tbsp chopped walnuts
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
In a small pan, combine the oats and the almond milk. Cook over medium heat according to oatmeal instructions; alternatively, check it regularly and add additional milk until you reach the desired texture.
Wash and slice the apple. Cut it into small diced pieces, about 1 cm squared. Half an apple is enough for it to look good presentation-wise, but you can add the whole apple if you want.
Pour the oatmeal into a bowl. Add the apple sauce, then the diced apple.
Top with the hemp hearts, chopped walnuts, and cinnamon. Drizzle on the maple syrup at the end (1.5 tbsp is an estimate, use your best judgement based on desired sweetness).
1 thought on “Perfect Apple Pie Oatmeal”
I love the oatmeal recipe!