1-½cupsfresh or frozen mixed berriesstrawberries, raspberries and blueberries
2teaspoonwhite sugarsprinkled on top before baking
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350
Spray an 8x8 casserole dish with cooking spray.
Directly in the casserole dish, mix together flaxseed, milk, syrup, and vanilla. Set aside while you dice up the apples.
To the casserole dish add oats, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, apples, and walnuts. Stir to mix and evenly distribute. Sprinkle frozen berries on top, pushing into the milk and apple mixture, be gentle so the berries don't break into pieces. Sprinkle 2 teaspoon of white sugar over the top of oatmeal and place casserole in a 350-degree oven.
Bake until the top is golden brown and firm throughout, about 35 minutes. Serve with extra maple syrup and maybe milk for the top. Leftovers reheat nicely the next day.
Notes
For convenience, I often use frozen berries. Any berry combination works and tastes wonderful. Just know that blackberries, even through they taste great, will make the entire casserole purple. Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries or cranberries.The ground flaxseed helps thicken up the oats and is used as a replacement for an egg or two often found in baked oatmeal recipes. Let the flaxseed sit in the plant milk for a few minutes (while the oven warms up and you chopped the apples) so it has a chance to thicken up a bit before adding the remaining ingredients. For a firmer oatmeal casserole, use 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed instead of just one. Leftovers reheat nicely for breakfast the next day. My kids have been known to pack them into their lunches too.