Simple Oatmeal Pudding

This is a really delicious baked oatmeal pudding that's really simple to make. Unlike a lot of other baked oatmeal recipes, this has a softer, more pudding like consistency. It freezes well and to reheat, remove from freezer the night before, allow to defrost in fridge overnight, then gently warm up in the microwave. It is full of good breakfast stuff and makes for a very filling substitute to the usual bowl of oatmeal.

1 1/4 cup old-fashioned oats, uncooked

1 cup Scottish oatmeal

1/4 cup flax meal

2 tablespoons Arrowroot Flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons molasses

¼ cup Maple Syrup

2/3 cup dried cranberries (or other dried fruits. See directions below for chopping or leaving whole)

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

2 large eggs

1 medium Granny Smith or other slightly tart apple, peeled and finely shredded
Juice from 1 lime or lemon

2 cups milk

1 1/3 cups half and half

4 tablespoons butter +2 tablespoons for greasing Pyrex baking dish

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

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

2.       Mix the sugar, maple syrup, butter, vanilla, and molasses with the milk and half and half. Bring to a low simmer, mixing well to dissolve the sugar. Cool in fridge.(If you want to leave the dried cranberries whole, add them to the milk mixture without chopping. The cranberries will plump up as they absorb liquid).

3.       Finely shred the apple and mix with the lime juice

4.       Whisk the eggs, and add the cooled milk mixture to this. Add the shredded apple mixture

5.       Pour into the bowl with the dry ingredients, and mix well. Then pour all into the prepared 8 inch by 8 inch baking dish (I microwave the butter to melt then swirl it around the baking dish to coat it), using a spatula to distribute the solids evenly. However, I also sometimes use a large square of parchment paper, large enough so that the edges overhang the sides of the baking dish. Once the mixture is poured directly into the lined baking dish, it will take the shape of the dish, and makes removal after baking much easier. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight for the dry ingredients to absorb the wet mixture. 

6.       Bake for 55 to 65 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, in a water bath, until the center is set, firm to the touch, and a cake tester inserted comes out relatively clean (there may be some liquid on it but that will be absorbed as the baked oatmeal cools). To get a nice "crust" on top, place under the broil element for 5-7 minutes, watching carefully that it does not burn. Let cool. If you have used the parchment paper technique described earlier, lift the "pudding" out of the dish by the parchment paper. Place on a cutting board, and cut into large squares, approximately the amount that would fill a breakfast. I got about 8 squares.

Date Oatmeal Breakfast Squares

These are really delicious breakfast squares made with date syrup. They are moist but not overly sweet. They are not low in sugar since the dates have a fair amount of sugar but the trade off is the amount of fiber from the dates, oats, oat bran and flax meal. I got 12 squares and each square is a breakfast for me.

1 cup melted butter

¾ cup pitted dates (about 9 large Medjool dates)

1/2 cup brown Coconut sugar

½ cup boiling water

1 tablespoon molasses

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 eggs

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

½ cup oat bran

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour

½ cup flax meal

½ cup unsweetened no fat Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons Arrowroot flour

1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored

Juice from 1 lemon

Instructions

1.      Line 8X8 inch baking tin with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on all sides.

2.      Melt butter. Set aside to cool

3.      Pour boiling water over the dates, sugar and molasses and allow to sit for 30 minutes. Blend to make a syrup

4.      In a large bowl, mix the flours, oats, oat bran, baking soda, salt, flax meal, and cinnamon.

5.      Peel and core the granny smith apple and cut into large chunks. Put in a food processor with the lemon juice. Add the date mixture, melted butter and process to a paste.

6.      Whisk the eggs, vanilla and yogurt together. Add the date syrup paste.

7.      Mix wet and dry ingredients together then spread mixture in a parchment lined 8x8 inch baking dish. Bake in a 350° oven for 40-50 minutes until golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean. Cut into squares when cool.

Kinda like but better Starbucks Oat Bars

These bars are my version of the kinds that are sold at Starbucks. They are not very sweet, and although I could have made them sweeter, that would have defeated the purpose of them being "healthy". If more sweetness is desired, one could spread them with a favorite jelly or jam. However, they are packed full of oats and oat bran and that was the desired objective.

1 cups Oat Bran

2 ½ cup Old Fashioned Oats

2 tablespoons Arrowroot Flour

½ cup butter

½ cup Coconut Sugar

¼ cup Maple Syrup

1/3 cup half and half

1 egg

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1.      Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

2.      Mix together the arrowroot flour, salt, oats and oat bran

3.      Melt the butter, sugar, half and half, and syrup together until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture thickens

4.      Whisk the egg slightly.

5.      Add the whisked egg, and mix the wet and dry ingredients together to for a “dough”.

6.      Press firmly into the pan lined with parchment paper, letting the paper overhang around the edges. Smooth the top with a spatula as though you are spreading frosting on a cake.

7.      Bake 20 minutes until the edges are browned and the mixture has taken on a golden color.

8.      Cool then cut into bars.