Pumpkin Oatmeal

Oh how I love fall! I love the leaves changing colors, the smell in the air, the end of humidity coupled with heat, and just wanting to curl up and eat comfort foods. I love the smells of baking apples and pumpkins and everything autumish (is that even a word?). So this morning I decided to make my kid's favorite warm breakfast. It made the house smell very fallish with pumpkin as it's main ingredient. I must say that I'm not a huge fan of oatmeal--but my kids LOVE this and will eat it all up! Plus, I read somewhere that pumpkin helps to keep your blood sugar from dropping and I seriously notice that the kid's are so much happier and not begging for snacks by 10am when they eat this.

This is actually super easy to make and I have the recipe memorized by now and can whip it up as quickly as it takes to make a bowl of cereal, toast, and opening yogurts.

Pumpkin Oatmeal adapted from "Deceptively Delicious" by Jessica Seinfeld

1 C milk
1/4 C firmly packed brown sugar
1 C canned pumpkin (the recipe calls for 1/4 but I like more flavor)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 T cinnamon
1 C old fashioned oats
Dash of nutmeg
2 tsp natural peanut butter (opt)
2 T milled flax seed (opt)
Dried fruit and nuts

1. In a small saucepan, combine the milk, sugar, pumpkin, vanilla, flax seed, and spices. Bring to a gentle boil and stir in the oatmeal. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes , until the oatmeal is soft and creamy. Stir in the peanut butter, if using (I've never done that because my little one can't have PB--so let me know if you like it).

2. Spoon the oatmeal into bowls, sprinkle with dried fruit and nuts. If you like, serve with warm maple syrup (again, never tried that).

***I add the milled flax seed because you can't even taste it and it makes it extra healthy. My kid's love dried cranberries and nuts on top. You can use quick oats or rolled oats. I actually prefer the rolled oats because it add a little bit more texture--but quick oats is all we had today. It ends up tasting like a pumpkin oatmeal cookie in a lot of ways--so what's not to like?