Blueberry Cranberry Almond Baked Oatmeal

I am a big fan of the health benefits that come from eating oats (not so big on the calorie load). Baked oatmeal is a "stick to your ribs" breakfast, and with seasonal fruit and a dollop of unsweetened Greek yogurt, is a quick and healthy breakfast that will keep you full for quite a while. I have different variations on my website, and this is a combination that I have been wating to try for quite a while. Despite only having 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, the natural sweetness from the dried fruit makes it sweet enough for me. If you like it sweeter, top with a little maple syrup or honey.

Ingredients:

1 cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats, uncooked

1 cup Scottish oatmeal

1/2 cup flax meal

4 tablespoons dry, shredded coconut

½ cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup dried blueberries

1/3-1/2 cup sliced almonds

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

2 large eggs

1 medium Granny Smith or other slightly tart apple, peeled and coarsely shredded

2 cups milk

1 1/3 cups half and half

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (or almond extract. I don't use it because I find the flavor too strong)

Directions

1.      In a large bowl, combine the oats, oatmeal, chopped nuts, flax meal, coconut, baking powder, and salt. 

2.      Mix the sugar, honey, spices, dried fruit, and vanilla, with the milk and half and half. Slowly bring to below boiling, stirring frequently to prevent it from burning. Remove from heat, add the shredded apple, and allow to cool to lukewarm temperature.  

3.      Heavily grease a 8x8x2 inch baking tin or Pyrex dish (If I’m using Pyrex, I put about 1-2 tablespoons of butter in the dish, microwave to melt, then swirl around to coat the bottom and sides just like you would do when making a bread pudding).  

4.      Whisk the eggs, and add the lukewarm milk mixture to this (do not add it while the milk is still hot).

5.      Pour into the bowl with the dry ingredients, and mix well. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Use a wooden spoon to distribute the solids evenly. Refrigerate for a few hours (6 hours at least) or overnight for the dry ingredients to absorb the wet mixture. 

6.      Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and twenty minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, in a water bath, until the center is set, firm to the touch, has a golden color, and a cake tester inserted comes out relatively clean (I use a food thermometer to make sure that the center temperature is 164 degrees Fahrenheit or just above). Cut into the size squares of your choosing. I also freeze the squares, and allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating in a microwave.