Another Hearty Breakfast

My kids are tired of oatmeal. I allow them to put raisins, dried cranberries, dates, figs, dried apricots, cinnamon, vanilla, milk, berries, nuts, or any combination of those in it (endless options, if you ask me). But they just sit at the table forEVER lately when it's what's for breakfast.

I want them to get the health benefits, but they are just burnt out on it, I think. (Maybe this has something to do with the giant Costco-sized box we keep buying and the fact that I refused to buy cereal for about 6 months?)

Anyway, I decided to look at some different recipes to get them to eat oatmeal again. I read through about a million oatmeal recipes, and tried some really gross ones, before developing this Baked Oatmeal recipe. It comes out as bars, and we serve it in a shallow bowl with maple syrup on top. The kids will actually eat it! I like it because I can put it together the night before, pop it in the oven in the morning about a half hour before waking up the kids, and then by the time they are showered and ready to eat, breakfast is ready.

Baked Oatmeal Squares
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4 cups old-fashioned oats (the kind that cook in about 5 minutes)
1/2 cup brown sugar (not packed)
1/2 cup Splenda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
pinch of salt
1 cup nonfat milk
1 cup water
2 Egg Whites
1 Egg
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup raisins

Combine oats, brown sugar, Splenda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl.

Mix together all wet ingredients (milk through vanilla) in a small bowl. Pour over dry ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined. Gently stir in raisins.

Mixture will look dry. Spread in a 13x9 glass dish. Refrigerate covered overnight.

In morning, cook in a 350F oven for 35 minutes. Allow to set for a few minutes before cutting into bars. Makes 8 servings.