Pumpkin Apple Baked Oatmeal

 

This is a delicious combination of oats, apples, pumpkin and spices that are associated with a crisp Fall day. It's a great way to use up any leftover tinned pumpkin puree that you might have after making pies, cakes etc. The oatmeal goes well with stewed fruit or fresh fruit of your choosing.

The recipe is a very forgiving one and lends itself to customizing. It's almost like a "dump recipe" where you can use whatever you have on hand. I used a spice mixture of cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg, but others include, ginger, cloves, cardamom, or dried orange. 

2 cups rolled oats use certified gluten free if needed

2 Tablespoons Arrowroot flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

½ teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt (if not sodium restricted. Can be omitted)

1 teaspoon low sodium baking powder

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 1/4 cup liquid of choice (milk, dairy or non-dairy, Kefir, apple juice)

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/3 cup mixed maple syrup and honey

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium apple of your choice

2 tablespoons water

 

Instructions

 

Preheat the oven to 375℉ degrees. Grease a 8×8 baking dish with butter, then line with two pieces of parchment paper, leaving an overhang on all sides

In a medium bowl, combine oats, arrowroot flour, spices,  and baking powder. Mix to combine.

In a small fry pan, bring the butter, brown sugar, water, and apples to a simmer, then cover and simmer until apples are partly cooked on low heat. Remove from heat and arrange the apples at the bottom of the baking dish. Reserve the liquid.

Whisk pumpkin puree, liquid you are using (I used a mixture of Kefir and apple juice), eggs, vanilla, and maple syrup/honey to bowl.

Mix the wet and dry ingredients together and pour into baking dish

Spread into the prepared baking dish. Let it sit for about 15 minutes so that the oats can absorb some of the liquid. Pour the reserved butter and brown sugar liquid over the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Oatmeal is done baking when it is puffed up on the edges, set in the middle and top is golden.

Let cool completely before slicing into 9 squares. Wrap each square individually in foil the put in a freezer bag if you are freezing.

Oats and Millet Crunchy Cookies

 

These are extra crunchy cookies made with oats and puffed millet. They go great with coffee or tea. 

• 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup puffed millet
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup Durum Atta flour
• ½ cup oat bran
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon allspice
• 2 tablespoons Golden syrup
• 1 teaspoon salt  (if no salt restriction)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ cup unsalted butter , cubed
• 1 cup vegetable shortening
• ½ cup boiling water
• Thick cut oats for rolling (if desired)

Instructions

1.     Preheat oven to 375 F

2.     Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl

3.     Rub in butter and shortening with fingers

4.     Mix the syrup with boiling water

5.     Pour the water mixture, vanilla, and vinegar, and mix using hands until mixture just begins to hold together. Let it sit for 15 minutes so that the oats can absorb any excess liquid. You should not have to add more oats or flour to bring the dough to the correct consistency where it can be handled.

6.     Divide dough into two balls

7.     On a large surface, between two sheets of wax or parchment paper, roll dough into 10 x 12-inch rectangle ¼ inch thick

8.     If desired, generously cover the top with extra rolled oats; roll or pat them firmly into the surface of the dough

9.     Cut into 3.5-inch circles; place on parchment covered cookie sheet (I hate rolling out dough, so I take a small ball of dough and use an egg ring as the shaper, pressing the dough down to half the height of the egg ring. The egg ring automatically shapes the dough into a circle.)

10. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until golden. Remove from oven. Cool for 10 minutes, turn over cookies using an egg lifter. Reduce oven to 250 degrees F and  leave cookies to dry out for another hour in oven. Turn off oven and leave cookies in oven until the oven has cooled.

11. Place on cooling rack and store in an airtight container. Makes 19-20 3.5 x 0.25-inch cookies