Put the oats and spices in a pot, and heat to medium, stirring occasionally to avoid burning the spices. Add the water and sea salt, cover and bring it to a boil. That happens a lot more quickly if you boil the water in a kettle first, especially if you have a pot with a heavy bottom.

Once it’s boiling, turn down to low, cover and leave the oats to simmer. Stir occasionally as it cooks, about 30- 35 minutes.

After about 15 minutes, add the apple to the pot and the raisins or cranberries if you’re using them. If you want, you can transfer this to the oven to bake with the apples on top.

Once the oats are soft, take the pot off the heat, and stir in the ground flax seeds. Spoon out a portion into a bowl, and top it with toasted walnuts or sunflower seeds if you like.