What Rachel is Cooking: Vegan Baklava Baked Oatmeal

This recipe is vegan (eggs and honey have been substituted for flax seed meal and maple syrup, feel free to change recipe to what your needs are.) This is very much a custard like dessert fit for a breakfast. Oatmeal with flavor, depth and easily made for a crowd. You may bake in a 8×8 or 6 ramekins using this recipe or double this using a larger cake pan or add more ramekins. Printable recipe here.

Main ingredients:

2 cups quick cooking oatmeal*
1/3 cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons butter substitute, melted
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 1/3 cups almond milk, unsweetened vanilla
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
4-5 tablespoons water
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Topping:

1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter substitute, melted
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Lightly oil baking dish of choice.
In a small bowl combine flax seed and water, stir and set aside.
In a large bowl add oatmeal, maple syrup, butter substitute, salt, almond milk, flax seed mixture, walnuts, and vanilla. Mix together using whisk.
Ladle or pour into baking pan of choice. If using full ramekins I highly suggest a parchment lined baking sheet to catch any drips or spills.
Bake 350°F 40 to 45 minutes.
While oatmeal is baking, in a small bowl combine maple syrup, sugar, butter substitute, and cinnamon.
Remove oatmeal from oven, the tops oatmeal should be lightly browned and raised uniformly. Spoon maple sugar topping on oatmeal, using a back of a spoon gently and slowly move topping over all of oatmeal. Return to oven and bake for 5-7 minutes, the sugar will be bubbly and fully melted.
Allow to cool slightly before digging in, the sugar topping will be very hot. Enjoy!

To make this non vegan, replace the flax seed and water with 2 eggs and replace maple syrup with honey.

*Steel cut oats or old fashioned oats may be used, just use 2 1/4 cups instead of quick cooking oats.