Maple Cinnamon Pumpkin Oatmeal

Good morning, good morning, good morning!

I am so excited to share this recipe with you! I usually have Rockin' Wellness smoothies for breakfast, along with a rice cake with peanut butter and banana, but I've been on a mission to usher in the fall weather and so far, I've had good luck! With today's breakfast, our sunny South Texas weather isn't predicted to surpass a blustery 90 degrees today! How about that? It's a big difference from 100, let me tell you.

I love to read food blogs and peruse Pinterest for ideas. Seems like everyone has fall on the mind because I've been seeing a lot of nice pumpkin recipes. I didn't dig too far for plant based pumpkin recipes (I'm not much of a recipe follower, I just get my inspiration from them) but today I woke up craving something with pumpkin in it.

It was a little cool when I walked my son to the bus stop this morning, so I came home thinking about oatmeal. Hmmm....oatmeal and pumpkin? Oh, yeah! Immediately I came up with this delectable, healthy breakfast treat. I enjoyed it so much, I took small blissful bites, savoring every moment, rather than scarfing it down in my usual fashion.

Here is the recipe:

 

Maple Cinnamon Pumpkin Oatmeal

 

For one serving you will need

 

1/2 c old fashioned oats

1/2 water

1/2 c unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or other dairy free milk of your choice - and if you aren't plant based, use regular milk...no problem!)

2 t maple syrup

1/4 t cinnamon (you can use pumpkin pie spice, if desired)

2 T canned or pureed pumpkin

dash of salt

tiny drop of vanilla extract

1 T crunchy topping such as granola or chopped pecans or walnuts (I used Nature's Path Pumpkin and Flax Granola), optional

 

In a small saucepan, combine oats, water, almond milk, cinnamon, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring, till creamy and thick. Add maple syrup, vanilla, and pumpkin and stir to combine.  Optional - serve with crunchy topping of your choice. You can even sprinkle a little more cinnamon and drizzle some additional maple syrup over top, if desired, for added yumminess.

 

Enjoy!

 

** Melanie notes - If you prefer, combine all ingredients in a bowl or jar the night before and let sit in fridge overnight, omitting the cooking process.