Recipe: Secretly Skinny Gingerbread Baked Oats

 

Do you know one of the best things about being a blogger? I get to start celebrating holidays early so that I can have lots of delicious holiday recipes for you to enjoy!

Well... that's the excuse I use anyway ;) 

You see, I'm kind of a Christmas addict. I wait for Christmas from January 1st, itching to get my Christmas bowls and mugs and plates out once again and anxiously awaiting the moment I can fill my kitchen with the smell of Christmas spices and freshly baked cookies. 

And as soon as Christmas decorations start hitting the stores, I consider it an acceptable time to begin my Christmas celebrations. (Even though I'm supposed to wait until after Katrina's birthday - November 20th). 

Gingerbread cookies are baked in their dozens, buttery shortbread sits on top of the kitchen bench in pretty glass jars, cake domes are filled with homemade healthier pecan pies and mini mince pies and I anxiously await Katrina's birthday so I can then break out the Christmas plates.

This baked oatmeal recipe started our Christmas recipes for this year. It was a rainy miserable day and I reaaaaallly wanted warm and comforting breakfast foods - but I was also desperate for Christmas flavours - so I combined the two.

What I created was the most incredible Gingerbread Baked Oatmeal recipe that tastes seriously decadent but is totally healthy - and gluten free, low fat, vegan and so simple to make. It's a single serve recipe, however, it can easily be multiplied for a Christmas breakfast or brunch. 

You can eat it on it's own, however, I seriously recommend adding a little decadence with a drizzle of fresh cream, mixed with vanilla extract (or even some custard or vanilla creme anglaise!) - you won't regret it! 

But let me give you the recipe! >> 

Gingerbread Baked Oatmeal for One serves 1, easily multiplied

low fat, gluten free*, vegan, secretly skinny, healthy

1/2 cup (45-50g) gluten free rolled oats or quick oats**

1/4 tsp baking powder 

1/2 tsp cinnamon 

1/4 tsp mixed spice 

1/4 tsp ground ginger 

1 tsp vanilla extract 

1 tsp molasses

2 tbsp (30g) unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup milk of your choice (we used unsweetened almond milk)

Optional: If you like things sweeter, add ~1/2-1 tbsp maple syrup/honey/sugar to your oatmeal mix. 

• Preheat your oven to 180C/355F
• Grease and/or line a single serve ramekin/baking dish 
• Mix together all of your ingredient and pour into your ramekin/baking dish
• Bake your oats for 15-25 minutes, or until set and golden on top. 
• Eat as is or top with some cream (we like ours mixed with a dash of vanilla extract), custard, vanilla creme anglaise, cream cheese (we often make a faux-frosting mix by mixing cream cheese with a dash of maple syrup) or whatever you fancy!

*Find out more about oats on a gluten free diet. If you cannot tolerate oats, feel free to substitute quinoa flakes for the oats (however, the taste will be quite different and you may want to add some sweetener to avoid bitterness from the quin0a)

**Quick oats will give you a softer texture, whilst rolled oats will give you a heartier, slightly chewy baked oatmeal.

But tell me, are you a Christmas Fanatic like me?

What are your favourite Christmas foods?

And when do you think is an acceptable time to start your holiday celebrations?
I always think November 1st (but really, I'd happily celebrate Christmas year-round) because Halloween is done and it's kinda close to Christmas? :P My Mum would say December 1st, but she's not as much of a Christmas fan as me and Jesse would say year-round, just because he likes to eat said Christmas treats :P