Applesauce Oatmeal

Chances are, you've had applesauce oatmeal before. If you're like me, you thought you were being super creative that first time you dumped some applesauce in your unflavored stove-top oatmeal. It was definitely one of the first flavors I tried. However, amid all the other flavors I was trying (lemon poppy seed, banana bread, carrot cake), applesauce oatmeal was quickly forgotten.

Well, I'm bringing it back. Applesauce Oatmeal is incredibly versatile. It can be a recipe you turn to when you're lacking almost everything else, and you throw some oatmeal together with three ingredients: oats, water or milk, and applesauce.
However, if you're looking for something a little fancier, you can pull a few tricks. The biggest enhancement you could make is using homemade applesauce! You could do something as elaborate as this Alton Brown recipe, or you could whip some up in 5 minutes using the microwave with this Eating Well recipe. Next, if you're using a simple recipe or using store-bought applesauce, you can boost the flavors with cinnamon, vanilla extract, orange and lemon zest (or extract or juice), nutmeg, or apple pie spices. I included all of these ideas in the third step of the recipe!

Applesauce Oatmeal

by The Oatmeal Artist

Prep Time: 5 min

Cook Time: 10 min

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Ingredients (serves 1)

• 1 cup milk of choice, or water
• 1/2 cup rolled oats (I use Country Choice Organic)
• 1/3 cup applesauce (see notes above)
• pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Bring milk (I use 1/2 c almond milk and 1/2 c water) to a boil, add oats, and reduce heat to medium. (If you'd like to add flax or chia seeds, do so now.)
2. Add applesauce and salt. Stir.
3. If you'd like to add any extra ingredients (raisins, nuts, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp vanilla extract, pinch of nutmeg, 1/8 tsp lemon and/or orange extract, orange or lemon zest, 1/2 tsp apple pie spice, 1/8 tsp molasses, 1/2 tsp maple syrup or honey, handful of raisins or other dried fruit, nuts), do so now.
4. When you're pleased with the consistency of the oatmeal, transfer to a bowl. Add a splash of your milk of choice and any other additional toppings (I topped with peanut butter and chopped pecans for the pictures).

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**You can also find hundreds of other oatmeal recipes (as well as tons of other meatless recipes) on my Pinterest account!  You can also like The Oatmeal Artist on Facebook. Thanks!