Baked oatmeal is always a great breakfast option for me in the winter.  It’s a great warm breakfast full of nutritious whole grain oats, and fruit.  This is perfect while fresh cranberries are in season, but if you can’t find fresh, I’m sure frozen would work just as well.  The tart cranberries are a great burst of flavor that goes well with the mild oats and crunchy pecans.  The apples add some sweetness, while applesauce keeps the dish moist.

This recipe comes from one of my favorite blogger’s cookbook, Prevention RD.  This is a great cookbook for easy, healthy recipes.  If you’re looking for some tasty, basic recipes to kick-off your healthy eating this year, this is a great cookbook.  There are even convenient icons to mark recipes as dairy-free, gluten-free, heart-healthy/low-fat, high-fiber, quick meals, diabetics/carb counters, vegan, and vegetarian.

Cranberry, Apple and Pecan Baked Oatmeal

Serves 10

Adapted from Prevention Rd’s Everyday Healthy Cooking (pg. 178)

• 6 cups old-fashioned oats
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups skim milk
• 1/2 (1 stick) cup unsalted butter, melted
• 2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 4 medium apples, peeled and diced
• 1 1/3 cup fresh cranberries
• 2/3 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Spray a 10×15″ baking dish with nonstick cooking spray, and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt, stir to combine.  In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, butter, applesauce, and eggs.

Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix until just combined.  Fold in the apples, cranberries, and pecans.  Pour into the prepared baking dish.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until golden and set.  Let rest about 5 minutes before serving.