As much as I love fresh fruits and vegetables coming straight from the garden during the summer…I think fall might be my favorite time of year for in-season produce. Pumpkin. Sweet potatoes. Winter squash. Apples. Cranberries. Pears. So many awesome flavors! Not only do these foods taste better in the fall, but they are cheaper to buy at the grocery store! Next time you are at the grocery store or if you pick up a grocery store flier, check out what is on sale. A lot of times it is the foods that are in-season.
Pumpkin is the obvious “fall flavor” and let’s just say I am pumpkin-obsessed. However, some days in the fall I just need to not have anything containing pumpkin. Enter apples. I buy apples all year long, but the best time to buy them is definitely in the fall. There are a million varieties of apples these days. I tend to stick to gala or fuji apples. I sometimes branch out to other varieties, but these are ones I can find in the grocery store most often. I always have apples on hand for a quick snack to pair with peanut butter or raw almonds.
So, I went several consecutive months within the last year and did not make oatmeal once. What was wrong with me? I do not know. Don’t worry I am making up for those lost months riiiiight now! It is a very versatile food that can be cooked in the microwave, on the stovetop, baked in the oven, and even cooked in a slow cooker. Have you had overnight oats? If you have not, you are missing out! You don’t even have to cook them. They just sit in the refrigerator for a few hours. I will post an overnight oats recipe soon. They are super easy and so delicious!
Now, on to the Apple Pie Oatmeal. I could have called this recipe 10 different names but after you taste it you will know why I chose what I did. It tastes like apple pie! I personally think it is the type of protein powder that I use, but any vanilla protein powder will taste good!
I rarely eat oatmeal without some type of protein added. Oatmeal, surprisingly, has quite a bit of protein considering it is a grain. One half-cup serving of oatmeal has 6 grams of protein and, even better, 4 grams of dietary fiber. I could go on and on about the benefits of oatmeal, but I will save that for later…
I chose to use rolled oats and cook mine on the stovetop. It takes a few minutes longer to make, but I think the result is worth it. You could easily make this same recipe with quick-cooking oats and use the microwave.
Combine the rolled oats with the chia seed and set aside. Measure the amount of water and bring it to a boil on the stovetop. Once it is boiling, add the oats and chia to the water and turn the stove down to simmer. Let that cook until the oats and chia have absorbed most of the water (it usually takes about 6-7 minutes). While that is cooking, peel and dice half of an apple. I actually ate the peel while I was chopping because the peel has a bunch of nutrients and fiber. You could choose to leave the peel on or just throw it out. Once the oatmeal is done then add the unsweetened applesauce, the protein powder, the chopped apple, and the cinnamon. You can buy Apple Pie Spice at the grocery store and use that as well. I didn’t have any on hand, but I bet it is a good addition! Once it is all stirred together, sprinkle some chopped walnuts on top and you are ready to eat!
This recipe would be extremely easy to double or, if you are feeling crazy, triple or quadruple so that you could eat it later in the week (I would have said share with others but, you may not want to once you taste it!).
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 Tbsp chia seed
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 medium apple, chopped
- 1/2 scoop of vanilla protein powder
- 1 Tbsp chopped walnuts
- Cinnamon or Apple Pie Spice to taste
- Bring water to a boil on the stovetop. Add oats and chia to boiling water. Reduce to simmer. Cook 6 to 7 minutes, or until most of the water has been absorbed. Add the applesauce, chopped apple, protein powder, and cinnamon/apple pie spice to the oatmeal. Stir until well combined. Top oatmeal with walnuts and serve immediately.
- This can be made using quick oats and cooking in the microwave. If you do not like walnuts, try another nut such as pecans or almonds.
