Oh my word!  This is my most favorite breakfast right now!  When I made this for the first time I decided that I might want to eat it every day through fall and winter.  You think I’m exaggerating?  Well, I’m not.  I’m pretty sure we’re eating it tomorrow for breakfast (and hopefully several days afterwards).  It tastes like fall and brings all the comfort of a warm and seasonal breakfast without a gazillion calories.  It’s seriously SO good, that I didn’t even eat mine with milk.  It’s good all on its own (however, warm milk would just add to the comfort of this yummy breakfast).

I used fresh cranberries when I made this because they are in season (you can usually find them in bags in the produce section of your grocery store).  I’m sure you could substitute dried ones here, but you wouldn’t want to get more than 50 calories worth.  However, I must tell you that the fresh cranberries are SO worth using.  The tartness they bring to the oatmeal, combined with the slight burst of flavor you get when you bite into them is fabulous!  I also love the way they compliment the sweetness of the apples.

You’ll also see that I made the serving size quite generous.  (Yeah . . . I like to eat a lot!)  However, this can easily be changed to match three serving sizes (which would equal a 1/3 cup dry oats per serving) making the calorie count only 194 calories per serving.  Pretty awesome!

It’s a cinch to throw together and then the oven does all the magic.  All you have to do is get it in the oven in time to eat your breakfast.  What works for me?  Before hopping in the shower to get ready for the day, I take five minutes to prep the oatmeal, throw it in the oven, and 40-ish minutes later I get to indulge.  Try it, it’s amazing!

Baked Oatmeal with Apples and Cranberries
Adapted from Annie’s Eats

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar free maple syrup
1 cup skim milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 apple, peeled and chopped into bite-size pieced
1/2 cup fresh cranberries

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish.  In a medium bowl, combine the rolled oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.  Stir with a fork to combine.  In a liquid measuring cup, combine the maple syrup, milk, egg, and vanilla.  Spread the chopped apples in a single layer over the bottom of the baking dish.  Sprinkle the dry oat mixture over the fruit in an even layer.  Pour the liquid ingredients evenly over the oats (I like to take the back of a fork and lightly press any of the dry oats into the liquid mixture to ensure every oat is wet).  Sprinkle the cranberries over the top.  Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top is browned and the oats have set.  Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 2.

Nutritional Information Per Serving
Calories:  291.7
Protein:  12.2g
Carbs:  51.3g
Fat:  5.1g (1.3g = Sat.)
Fiber:  8g
Sugars:  14.5g