Packed Pumpkin Porridge

Well, we all call it oatmeal on this side of the world but I like alliteration!

This oatmeal really is packed though…packed with vitamins.

You get vitamin A from the pumpkin, vitamin B from the oats and wheat germ and vitamin D from the milk. And I get lots of *vitamin happy* from the chocolate chips :).

I’ve been seeing a gazillion pumpkin recipes in the blogosphere this fall and I’ve tried my hand at a couple (see my Better-than-Starbucks’ Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins).

I love pumpkin but I don’t need to have it on everything. So I waited for quite a while before changing my breakfast bowl of delicious oats to pumpkin oats. But then I tried it, on a sunny but cool October morning, and I thought: what was I waiting for??

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This oatmeal is delicious. The spices are comforting and warm, the pumpkin gives that hint of flavour without overpowering and you get a nice beta-carotene hit to start your day. And the chocolate chips on top make the whole thing feel so decadent that you probably will go the whole day without needing a sweet treat because you got it already (okay, that’s wishful thinking, but you know…)!

I will not be so quick to pass over pumpkin treats in the future…but I do have to keep some recipes tucked up my sleeve for next fall!

Packed Pumpkin Porridge (serves 1)

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup organic whole oats
1/2 cup milk (you can use almond, rice or soy milk if you’re vegan)
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup pureed pumpkin
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp wheat germ
1 tbsp 70% or darker chocolate chips (optional)
1 tbsp walnuts (optional – not pictured)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Add oats, water and milk to a small saucepan and slowly heat.
Confession: I get very impatient with my oatmeal so I bring it to a boil over a high heat (stir constantly otherwise you’ll ruin your saucepan!) and then take it off the heat completely to cool and thicken. But ideally you should slowly heat the oats and liquids until they thicken.

2. Stir in spices and pumpkin.

3. Pour into a bowl and top with wheat germ and optional toppings, such as my go-tos: chocolate chips and walnuts. Enjoy!

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Nutritional information includes walnuts and chocolate chips. Take off 100 calories if you’re not using.

Nutritional information courtesy of caloriecount.about.com

NOTE:

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