Nothing is better than a bowl of warm oatmeal on a blistery winter morning. And now that Thanksgiving has passed and we all probably have a can of extra pumpkin puree lying around, my Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal recipe is perfect! It combines some of my favorite cold weather flavors: pumpkin, oats, cacao and pumpkin seeds.
One of the things I love about this recipe is how easy it is to whip up. I tend to make this dish year round, but it is especially nice on a wintry weekend morning to make without the clock ticking to leave for school.
The flavors. Creamy pumpkin and oats blend with crunchy cacao nibs, chia and pumpkin seeds — you can even pour some optional vanilla coconut milk on top! The extra healthy fats in the seeds and milk add to the recipe so much. It makes it taste like your own personal pumpkin pie!
Chia seeds, pumpkin seeds and cacao nibs to top…


A highlighted ingredient in this recipe is obviously oats. But don’t think it’s just adults that eat oats or that its tan, unexciting exterior is not capable of housing rich flavors. The great thing about oatmeal is its versatility. You can make savory, sweet, fancy or comforting dishes based off of this one grain! Plus, according to an article from Authority Nutrition, there is a laundry list of health benefits like low glycemic carbs (long lasting energy), fiber, protein, manganese and antioxidants. It is also gluten free and can aide in weight loss. Be sure to use whole grain oats for full benefits.
Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
serves 1
½ cup oats
1 cup water
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
¼ tsp salt
3-4 tbsp pumpkin puree (unsweetened)
¼-½ cup coconut milk (I used So Delicious unsweetened vanilla)
1-2 tbsp pure maple syrup, to taste
2 tsp pumpkin seeds
2 tsp cacao nibs
1 tsp chia seeds
Optional: ½ banana, sliced
Directions:

1. Heat the oats, water, spices and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat.
2. Once you see small bubbles forming, reduce the heat to low-medium and let it lightly boil for a new minutes until desired consistency.
3. At this point, I usually pour in about ¼-⅓ cup of coconut milk in. This makes it extra creamy. (I make the oats cook thicker than I want and then add the milk to thin it out.) Stir in the maple syrup and pumpkin puree.
4. Pour oatmeal into a bowl and add in the seeds, cacao nibs and option sliced banana. I also like to add a little coconut milk over top for presentation. Serve!

This recipe holds up well if you make it the night before, just reheat it the next morning! Just be sure to add toppings like nuts and seeds the day you will be eating it so they don’t soften.
Coconut milk on the side…

all photos by Grace Vance