Roasted spiced apples with oats – two ways (v)

With summery and wintry versions, ideal for the vagaries of autumn, these bowls of brekky inspiration are energy-boosting family favourites. 

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 2 eating apples
• zest and juice of 1 orange
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp light brown sugar or maple syrup
• ¼ tsp almond extract or 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

For a summer treat: YOGHURT BOWLS WITH TOASTED OAT TOPPING

• 5 tbsp porridge oats
• 3 tbsp mixed seeds (sesame, sunflower, pumpkin, flax, hemp)
• 2 tsp butter or coconut oil
• 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
• 300 g low-fat Greek yoghurt

For a winter warmer: WHIPPED PORRIDGE

• 500 ml milk or dairy-free milk
• 450 ml boiling water
• 160 g jumbo oats
• pinch of salt
• 2 egg whites

Method

• Preheat the oven to 200°C or 180°C fan.
• Core the apples and slice them into eighths.
• Toss the apples into a roasting dish with the orange zest and juice, cinnamon, olive oil, sugar or syrup, and almond or vanilla extract. Make sure they are well combined.
• Roast for 30 minutes or until the apples are soft, stirring after 15 minutes. Serve warm or allow to cool, then pop into a lidded container and chill for up to 5 days.

For the yoghurt bowls with toasted oat topping:

• Toast the porridge oats and mixed seeds in a small dry frying pan over a medium heat until fragrant and starting to brown. Make a hole in the middle of the mixture and add the butter or coconut oil and the honey or maple syrup. Let it melt, then stir everything together until the oats and seeds are coated. Stir for another minute, then remove from the heat and allow to cool.
• Divide the yoghurt between 4 bowls, top with the cooled roasted apples and the toasted oat mixture.

For the whipped porridge:

• Pour the milk and water into a medium saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the oats and a pinch of salt, then bring back to the boil. Turn the heat off and cover with a lid. Let the oats sit for 5 minutes, then remove the lid, mix in the egg whites and turn the heat back on. Stir constantly with a whisk for 1 to 2 minutes until thickened.
• Divide between 4 bowls and serve with the warm roasted apples on top.

Joe’s Tips 

• Use pears instead of apples.
• Add a handful of frozen blueberries to the apples in the roasting dish.
• Add 50 g of roughly chopped dried fruit, such as dried figs, dried apricots or prunes to the apple mixture after it has roasted.
• Try lemon zest instead of orange zest.
• Add 1 tsp freshly grated ginger with the apples at the start.

Recipe extracted from Feel Good Food by Joe Wicks. HarperCollins Publishers. RRP $45.