Morning Glory Oatmeal Bake

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I hadn’t heard of Morning Glory oatmeal until recently, but thought that it was something new I could try and sneak in some zucchini from our frozen surplus of it. The recipe that I used was inspired by Cookie and Kate’s “Baked Oatmeal Recipe with Blueberries.” I obviously did some tweaking to that recipe, but the base of the baked oats are very similar. This recipe is great to meal prep for breakfasts, as you can quickly cut a slice, pop it in the microwave and enjoy without any work for your busy mornings.

Health Benefits:

  • Apples are a healthy source of carbohydrates, providing you with energy. They also provide fiber, vitamin C, potassium, polyphenols and more.
  • Zucchini is full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants– similar to most squash.
  • Carrots are a good source of beta carotene, vitamin K1, potassium and antioxidants.
  • Along with apples, oats and flax seed both provide fiber. Oats are also a source of whole grains to provide you with energy.
  • Walnuts contain healthy fats and are full of antioxidants, omega-3’s and more.

Morning Glory Oatmeal Bake

  • Servings: 8 x 8 pan, 9 pieces
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This easy recipe is a great way to prep breakfast and is moist, full of fresh flavor and spices, and packed with nutrients!

Ingredients

  • 1 apple, chopped
  • 1/2 cup zucchini, shredded
  • 1/4 cup carrot, shredded
  • 1 1/2 cups oats
  • 1/2 cup walnuts
  • 1/4 cup raisins
  • 1 tablespoon flax seed
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ginger
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/4 maple syrup
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F and grease an 8×8 baking pan.
  2. Finely chop apple and shred zucchini and carrots. Mix together and spread out evenly in greased pan.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients (oats through ginger). Pour evenly over top of apples, zucchini and carrots.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together wet ingredients (milk through vanilla). Pour this mixture evenly over oats in pan.
  5. Bake at 375°F for 45 minutes. Enjoy warm, or store up to one week and heat in the microwave before eating.

I also made a healthy “frosting” to drizzle on top for some added creaminess and sweetness. To make this you can mix together greek yogurt, milk, brown sugar, vanilla and a dash of cinnamon. I just added the ingredients one at time, little by little, until I found the desired consistency and flavor that I was looking for. I also think that this would be delicious with a cream cheese icing/ glaze on top. Unfortunately, I don’t have any cream cheese to try it out right now, but next time I’ll have to give it a try. Thanks for checking out this warm, fall recipe and as always, if you try it let me know what you think!

–Brit

Healthier Apple Berry Crisp

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I have always loved this dessert and think that it is great during any season and is super easy to make and full lots of healthy fruit, however when I made it last time I realized that it has a lot more added sugar than it really needs. So, I challenged myself to make a healthier version of this recipe by limiting the added sugar, making some easy substitutes and adding in some healthy nuts for flavor, texture and nutrients!

Health Benefits:

  • Apples are a healthy source of carbohydrates, providing you with energy. They also provide fiber, vitamin C, potassium, polyphenols and more.
  • Mixed berries are packed with antioxidants, which can help protect your cells, and also contain fiber, vitamin C, manganese, vitamin K and are anti-inflammatory in nature.
  • Whole wheat flour contains the bran (providing fiber, minerals and antioxidants), endosperm (mostly carbohydrates) and the germ (containing vitamins, minerals, protein and more). Refined grains like white flour only has the endosperm, so does not provide near as many health benefits as whole wheat flour does.
  • Nuts are a great source of a variety of nutrients and are considered a healthy fat. Healthy fats are important in maintaining a proper hormone balance and they also help to absorb nutrients and are a source of energy.

Remember that not all desserts that you make or eat have to be “healthier” versions. It’s ok to eat normal cookies, brownies, cakes, etc and trust me, I eat them too without guilt. However, when you have a sweet tooth and love baking (like me) it is nice to be able to create desserts that taste delicious, give you some added nutrients and don’t make you feel sick from too much sugar.

Healthier Apple Berry Crisp

  • Servings: 6-8 pieces (may vary on dishes used and serving size)
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This recipe is full of delicious fruit and topped with crispy, crumbly topping that is made healthier by using less sugar, swapping a few simple ingredients and adding nuts for healthy fats and nutrients!

Ingredients

  • 3 apples, thinly sliced
  • 2 cups frozen berries
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons 100% pure maple syrup
  • 1/8 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 3/4 cups oats
  • 1/2 cup, walnuts and/or pecans
  • 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/4 cup butter, cold and diced
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
  2. Lightly toss apples and berries with lemon juice and maple syrup. Add in flour and cinnamon and toss together again. Pour into an 8 x 8 or similar sized pan or dish.
  3. Add remaining ingredients to a medium bowl and cut in the butter using a pastry cutter or fork until mixture is crumbly. Pour topping onto fruit mixture and spread evenly.
  4. Bake for 45 minutes at 350° F. Let cool slightly, as fruit will be very hot, then serve warm and enjoy!

This is a recipe I’ve been wanting to make and post for a while now, so I hope that you enjoy it if you choose to make it or it inspires you to get creative in the kitchen as well! Thanks for checking this out!!

-Brit