Apples for Breakfast! Author of “The Lemon Bowl” Serves Up Maple Walnut Apple Butter Oatmeal
Liz Della Croce, author of The Lemon Bowl, creates another healthy recipe with Michigan Apples!
As a child growing up in Michigan, we ate oatmeal for breakfast at least several days a week. Warm, hearty and satisfying, it is the perfect blank canvas that can be turned into something magical with just a few extra ingredients and spices.
Now that I have a family of my own, oatmeal makes an appearance most mornings of the week. In fact, I often whip up a big batch of Homemade Instant Oatmeal Mix for my husband to help himself to throughout the week before work. It saves a lot of time and money, plus we get to control the quality of ingredients.
Speaking of ingredients, fruit is one of my favorite ways to add natural sweetness without relying on added sugar. Trust me, my 2 year old has enough energy without it! From blueberries to peaches to bananas and more, oatmeal is a great way to add an extra serving or two of fruit to your day.
After recently creating a delicious batch of Slow Cooker Apple Butter, I decided to add it to oatmeal. The rich flavor ofOatmeal with Walnut and Apple Butter – The Lemon Bowl slowly cooked apples and cinnamon combined with a drizzle of pure Michigan maple syrup transform plain oats into a breakfast to remember. In fact, my toddler ate 3 bowls himself!
For an extra boost of protein and omega-3’s, walnuts and flax seed meal are added to the pan before serving. This powerful combination of fiber and protein is the secret to giving your family long lasting energy to get them through the day.
What is your favorite way to flavor oatmeal? Leave a comment below – we would love to hear from you!
Maple Walnut Apple Butter Oatmeal
Ingredients
1 ½ cups old fashioned oats
1 ½ cups milk
1 ½ cups water
3 tablespoons flax seed meal
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup apple butter
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
¼ cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
1. In a medium sauce pan, combine oats, milk and water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low to simmer.
2. While oatmeal is simmering, stir in flax seed meal, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Continue stirring until liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in apple butter, maple syrup and chopped walnuts. Heat until warmed through then divide into four bowls to serve.
Nutrition Information (per serving)
Serves: 4
Calories: 461
Fat: 14.8 g
Saturated fat: 3 g
Trans fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 10 mg
Sodium: 441 mg
Carbohydrate: 77 g
Fiber: 13.7 g
Protein: 12.4 g
Liz Della Croce is the creator and author of The Lemon Bowl, a healthy food blog. Since 2010, Liz has been creating delicious recipes using real ingredients with an emphasis on seasonality. Liz has appeared live on the TODAY Show and tapes regular cooking segments for her local NBC affiliate station. She lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan with her husband and two sons.
