Apricot and ginger oat bake

I have been experimenting a lot with oats recently.... ha ha, no one needs encourage me there! 

I've had a few exciting ideas on the 'oat' front, and I hope develop this into part of my Wholeplus range . But besides that I have also been experimenting with my oat bakes using the Real Food Source coconut milk powder in my pineapple coconut bake... it works! Winner! I'll be posting the updated recipe over there soon.

For now, this was another variations on the theme, using another of my favourite flavours...ginger! 

Okay so I admit this dish may not feature the most summery of flavours, but I wanted to make this oat bake for three reasons:

1- I love ginger and felt as though I haven't used it enough recently (cinnamon seems to get all the attention around these parts!).

2- I have been experimenting with different flavour combinations when it comes to my oat baked as they are a frequent  weekend brunch experience in my house!

3- many people around the world are not in the throws of summer so hopefully this recipe will cater everybody.... Even those with chilly mornings in need of a warming kick.

In a very similar theme to my apple and blueberry bake and the subsequent pineapple coconut bake this pretty much follows the same proportions. 

You could apple juice (or other juices) as the liquid component, I simply had orange to hand. Here I used ground ginger, but you could try using grated fresh ginger to taste. I also used a little crystallise ginger for some extra zing… but omit it if you prefer. I used organic canned apricots but you could substitute with fresh apricots or peaches if you have them to hand. Press them into the top of the bake mix so that they brown evenly and reduce the risk of burning before the bake is cooked through.

Recipe: Apricot and ginger oat bake

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• ½ cup oats
• 1 tbs ground flax or chia
• Pinch salt
• 1-2 tsp coconut sugar sprinkled on top (or other sweetener of choice- optional)
• 1 tbs finely chopped crystallised ginger
• 1 small tin apricots- part chopped and part sliced (or substitute for fresh apricots or tinned pear)
• ¾ cup orange juice (or use juice from the tinned fruit)
• 1 tsp ground ginger (use more or less to taste)

Method:

Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl, mix the chopped fruit through and arrange the sliced fruit on top of the mixture once spooned into the pie dish. Sprinkle a little sugar on top as desired.

Use a medium pie dish- approx 20cm diameter (the mixture should be approx 2cm deep). Bake at 180C for approx 30 mins until the top is golden and fruit lightly browned at the edges.

P.S I served mine warmed through with a splurge ginger spiced cashew cream.