Cook This: Baked Apricot-Rhubarb Oatmeal with Vanilla Bean Milk

Run, don’t walk — apricots and rhubarb will soon disappear from markets!

Both playfully tart and rich in color, these two delight in a hearty baked oatmeal that almost poses as a dessert, but for its healthy ingredients. Ground flax, almonds and spices add depth of flavor and texture to this simultaneously chewy and gooey breakfast that serves a crowd.

Sweeten it more to your liking, if you wish, but I like to underplay the sweetness to enjoy the mouth puckering nature of apricots and rhubarb. Feel free to play around with different nuts, spices and fruit as strikes your fancy.

BAKED APRICOT-RHUBARB OATMEAL WITH VANILLA BEAN MILK

Serves 8 to 10

INGREDIENTS

2½ cups rolled oats

½ cup ground flax seed

1½ teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

¾ teaspoon baking powder

½ cup toasted almonds, sliced or chopped

4 tablespoons butter, melted

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon almond extract

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon maple syrup, divided

2¼ cups milk

6 ripe apricots, halved and pitted

3 stalks rhubarb, cut on the diagonal in 1-inch slices

For the vanilla bean milk:

1½ cups milk (cashew, almond or whole cow’s milk), warmed

½ vanilla bean pod, seeds scraped (or ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste)

Sugar to sweeten as desired

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking dish.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the oats, ground flax seed, ginger, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and toasted almonds. Pour the oat mixture into the baking dish and spread evenly.

In the now empty bowl, whisk together the melted butter, eggs, vanilla, almond extract, ½ cup of the maple syrup and milk until combined. Carefully drizzle over the oat mixture, poking the oats a bit with a fork to ensure the liquid moves through the oats.