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Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal, 3 ways – recipes in post |
It’s the week of Thanksgiving, and despite all the pumpkin packed foods I’m still all revved up! I thought I would share with you one last pumpkin recipe before the holidays, and what has been my breakfast for many of the chilly mornings this month.
Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal!
Granted, stirring pumpkin puree and spices into your morning oats is no new thing… so I decided I’d show you a few different ways to mix things up. These are a great way to use up that little extra pumpkin puree, and can easily be kept vegan and gluten-free – just be sure to use certified gluten-free oats if allergies are a concern.
The first, and my favorite, is the classic stove-top method. Why is it my favorite? Something about cooking everything together gives the spices a chance to mingle, introduce themselves, and become friends. Plus I like dishing it out of the pot and into my bowl, still steaming. Cooking it over the stove is a little more work if I’m just making breakfast for myself, but if you’re cooking for more than one this is definitely the way to go.
Classic Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
Serves 2 – easily made vegan and gluten-free
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup water – or coconut milk, almond milk, or other
1/2 cup unsweetened pumpkin puree
1 tsp. cinnamon, or to taste
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ginger
pinch of cloves
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
maple syrup or brown sugar, to taste
dairy or non-dairy milk or cream, to taste
toasted pecans, walnuts, or shredded coconut, to taste
Method
In a small saucepan, combine oats, water, pumpkin, spices, and salt. Heat over medium, stirring frequently until the liquid begins to thicken. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking until the oats are tender. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Serve with maple syrup, brown sugar, cream or non-dairy cream, and chopped nuts to taste. I like to get fancy and garnish with an extra dash of cinnamon or nutmeg, for style points.
My second favorite way is the microwave. This is how I generally make my hot cereal, because of the convenience I’m lazy. A handful of oats, a splash of water, and a spin in the microwave – hello, hot breakfast!
Microwave Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
Serves 1 – easily made vegan and gluten-free
Note that cooking instructions will vary depending on your microwave
1/2 cup rolled oats*
1/2 cup water – or coconut milk, almond milk, or other
3-4 TBSP unsweetened pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp. cinnamon, or to taste
1/8th tsp. nutmeg
1/8th tsp. ginger
small pinch of cloves
small pinch of salt
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
maple syrup or brown sugar, to taste
dairy or non-dairy milk or cream, to taste
chopped pecans, walnuts, or shredded coconut, to taste
*Use regular rolled oats, not instant
Method
In a microwave-safe bowl, add the oats and water. Swirl to combine, then microwave on high for 1 minute. Keep an eye on things, because as the water boils the oats rise up considerably, and may overflow the bowl. This will depend greatly on your microwave, and the size of the bowl you use. If you plan to microwave more than 1 serving at a time, use a fairly large bowl. If the oatmeal reaches the top of the bowl, stop the microwave for a few seconds before continuing.
After about 1 minute (time will vary depending on your microwave) remove the oats, stir in the pumpkin, spices, and salt, and return it to the microwave for another 30-40 seconds, or until the oats are tender. Stir in the vanilla extract, then top with maple syrup or brown sugar, dairy or non-dairy milk or cream, and nuts as desired.
Last but not least, are the ever-popular overnight oats. These are incredibly simple, and get mixed up the night before, which makes for a nice quick breakfast. The reason this isn’t one of my top methods is because A., I never remember to make my breakfast the night before, and B., now that the weather is turning chilly I’m more inclined towards a hot meal that will warm me up. The advantage to these, however, is that they can be made in bulk and jarred up for a whole week of breakfasts – certainly a nice option to have!
Overnight Pumpkin Pie Oats
Serves 1 – easily made vegan and gluten-free
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup water – or coconut milk, almond milk, or other
3-4 TBSP pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8th tsp. nutmeg
1/8th tsp. ginger
small pinch of cloves
small pinch of salt
maple syrup or brown sugar, to taste
chopped pecans, walnuts, or shredded coconut, to taste
whipped coconut cream, to taste (because sometimes I like my breakfast parfait-style)*
*To make whipped coconut cream, refrigerate a can of full-fat coconut milk overnight. In the morning, flip can upside down, open, and poor off the ‘skim’ milk. Scoop out the fat left in the can and whip with a little sugar or spices to taste. I mixed in a little extra pumpkin puree to mine, but this is optional.
Method
In a small jar, or a bowl, combine all ingredients. Top with nuts if desired. I got all fancy and topped mine with coconut whipped cream and a dash of nutmeg, but I’ll leave that one up to you. Put a lid on the jar, or place a small plate over your bowl, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, viola! Instant breakfast.
How do you like to make your oatmeal? When I’m not spicing things up with pumpkin, I like to stir in peanut butter, brown sugar, and banana slices. What are some of your favorite mix-ins? Tell me in the comments!
Mmmmm, pumpkin! You’re so skilled. I love that you think about different dietary needs and practical versus traditional ways of creating good food.
Thanks, Sister! I try to always keep alternatives in mind. :)
Wow beautiful photos. :) I like that you included the different ways to make it too!
Mmmmmm I am so craving pumpkin after reading this – what a great trio!
I love doing this! It’s a great way to spice up ordinary oatmeal (being GF, it kinda gets old after a while). I haven’t tried the overnight oats though, so I’m excited to try that! Great post. :)
Definitely – oatmeal has so many possibilities, too. Hope you like the over-night option!
fabulous ideas! love your blog.
have been craving pumpkin pie oatmeal – now i wanna try all 3 ways!
… nice Blog and profisionale Photo too
LOVE LOVE LOVE overnight oats. I was on a kick for like 4 months until I moved and the oat consistency just wasn’t right anymore. I’ll definitely be trying this out this winter though! On a normal basis, I have my oatmeal with cinnamon (a lot of it), raisins, and agave nectar. Cook the oats in the microwave, add my toppings…and I have a filling/healthy breakfast.
This looks great! I never knew that about coconut milk to turn into whipped cream…Thanks for sharing!
I’m ready to try. I think I will love the oats better. Currently I stove top my oatmeal. I shred sweet apple into the water with cinnamon while the water is coming to a boil. Boyfriend loves this way. I like maple syrup and almond milk. I used to love sugar, whole milk, butter, and toast. Hahaha.
Any idea what the nutritional info (calories,amount per serving, how much is in a serving)? Thanks in advance!
Hi Jamie,
The overnight oats and microwave oats recipes are for just one serving each, while the traditional stove-top method is for two servings. The exact nutritional information will vary depending on the ingredients you use (such if you choose to use water or milk, and what type of milk), but there are plenty of sites out there that will tell you how many calories are in different foods. In order to calculate the total nutritional info, just plug in the amounts of each ingredient and add up the results. Here’s one such website: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calculator.asp , or you can do a google search to find others.
Hope that helps!
Do you eat the overnight oats cold or warm?
Depends — if it’s a hot day, I’ll eat them cold. If I’m in the mood for something warm, they can be heated up quickly in the microwave (careful of them spilling over in the jar, though, I would transfer them to a bowl first), or in a pot on the stove. Hope that helps!
I really wanted this to work and I’m sure it is something I did wrong. Am I supposed to cook or heat the oats and/or other ingredients?
It depends — for the classic or microwaved oats, the ingredients are cooked, for the overnight oats, the ingredients are combined and refrigerated overnight and do not get cooked. In the case of the overnight oats, they will definitely be a little chewier, and of course the mixture is cold which changes the flavor. I’m sorry to hear it didn’t turn out well for you, but it may be worth trying one of the other versions to see if that helps.
Tried the overnight version with chopped pecans and walnuts, and coconut on top. I didn’t add enough maple, though, and it’s hardly sweet at all. Not too bad despite that. I’ll do better next time! This was the first time I tried overnight oats, and I expect to do it again. :D Easy thing to make for work meals.
Thanks for the feedback, Sherwood! Yes, the amount of maple syrup makes a huge difference, and should be adjusted as needed. Glad you liked it and hope you try it again!
I went through an entire can of pumpkin making these oats. :D I’ve moved on to trying other kinds now, but this will for sure be revisited!
Do you eat this cold or should it be heated up?
I prefer it warmed, but you can eat it either way.
These were the first overnight oats I ever made, and it’s been months since I’ve had them. So since I’ve given in to the first pumpkin craze of my “cooking career” at my signature glacial pace and had some leftover puree in the fridge, I made these for the week. I forgot how good they were! I have fresh(er) cinnamon this time round, and I can really tell the difference. Topped today’s oats with shredded, unsweetened coconut and cacao nibs. Since I overdid it with the maple syrup on accident, the nibs were a perfect addition to counteract the almost-too-sweetness. Thanks again for the recipe!
I’m so glad you like them, Sherwood! Thank you for sharing! The coconut and cocao nibs are a great idea, I’ll have to try that next time.