Recipe: Vegan Christmas Pudding Baked Oatmeal

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Do you ever feel sorry for foods?

Okay, so now you think I'm totally nuts - but let me explain.

I was thinking about "Christmas Foods" and realised that Fruit Cake and Christmas Pudding that would probably be the last picked if the Christmas foods were choosing a battle team. 

There's two kinds of people in this world - fruit cake lovers and fruit cake haters (and I feel like they also accordingly love/hate Christmas pudding too) and I feel like most of the world falls on the hating side.

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Me? I'm definitely a fruit cake lover. 

Two weeks ago I shared my Healthy Paleo Fruit Cake Recipe for Christmas and today I'm back with another fruit cake inspired recipe. 

I feel like it's one that even fruit cake haters could fall in love with. If you like raisins or dates or figs or dried fruit - stay with me! This baked oatmeal recipe is naturally sweetened and just waiting to be smothered in nut butter and I bet you won't be able to resist it either. 

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Lightly spiced with Christmassy spices (or not, if you're not into that kinda thing), it makes your house smell incredible whilst baking and works for Christmas breakfast or brunch all over the world as you can enjoy it hot or cold. 

Or if you're like Jesse and I - make a big batch up in advance, slice it up into individual slices and then decide what temperature you want to eat it. Jesse likes it warm whilst I can't get enough of it cold - but thankfully it works for everyone. 

So let me share the recipe so you can decide for yourself >> 

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Easy Vegan Christmas Pudding Baked Oatmeal Recipe

serves 4-6, depending on slice size (easily multiplied)

low fat, gluten free, sugar free, egg free, dairy free, vegan, 

clean eating recipe, freezer friendly, nut free, kid friendly 

1 cup (150g) mixed dried fruit (we used Sunbeam Foods' Gourmet Mixed Fruit but you can use a mix of your favourite dried fruits)

1 cup boiling water

1 cup (240g) unsweetened applesauce 

2 1/2 cups (225g) gluten free oats (rolled or quick oats*)

1 tsp baking powder

Optional (but recommended) 2 tsp cinnamon or mixed spice/pumpkin pie spice. 

• Preheat your oven to 180C/355F
• Soak your mixed fruit in your boiling water whilst your oven is heating up.
• Line an 8x8" or 9x13" cake tin or baking pan with baking paper and set aside.
• In a medium-large mixing bowl, combine your applesauce, spices (if using)  and soaked dried fruit.
• Mix in your oats and baking powder, mixing until all of your oats are covered and your ingredients are mixed through. 
• Pour your oat mixture into your prepared tin and smooth out with a spatula or back of a spoon, ensuring the mix is evenly spread out. 
• Bake for 15-25 minutes or until cooked through and lightly golden. Cooking times will vary depending on the thickness of your baked oatmeal so keep an eye on it and take it out once it's cooked through and firm to touch. A skewer inserted into the middle of the oatmeal will remove with a few moist crumbs.

*Quick oats will give you a softer texture, however, use whatever you have on hand! If you're not gluten free, just use regular oats! Find out more about oats on a gluten free diet here and feel free to substitute with quinoa flakes instead if you can't eat oats.

But tell me, what's one food you love that always seems to get a bad rap? 

And what's your favourite Christmas treat or flavour? 

I like a lot of "unpopular" foods - licorice, goat cheese, tuna, vegemite... the list goes on and on. 

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