Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

Today is the official last day of summer.  Most people are excited about the start of fall, but I have to admit, I'm more of a summer gal.  I love swimming, and the long summer days, and the fresh meals you can make with all the wonderful summer produce.  Summer food pretty much trumps fall food in every way...except breakfast.  As soon as I start waking up to the chill in the morning air, I know it's time to start making my favorite weekday breakfast:  Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal.


Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal is warm and filling; it's comfort food for breakfast!  I make it on Sunday night and it makes enough for my family to eat for the entire work week.  I love that I just have to scoop it into bowls and quickly microwave on weekday mornings; I can get a healthy and delicious breakfast on the table in minutes.  Did I mention that this Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal is vegan?  It's perfect for those of you that are vegan, or for those that are just sensitive to dairy... and perfect for those that aren't either, because it's delicious.  However, if you want to swap out the coconut oil for butter, and the coconut milk for cow's milk, it still comes out great.  Feel free to half it as well, if you don't need 12 servings of oatmeal in your fridge beckoning you to eat it.

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

Yields 12 Servings

INGREDIENTS

4 Tbsp Coconut Oil, divided

3 Cups Steel Cut Oats

1 (15 oz) Can Pumpkin Puree

2/3 Cup Brown Sugar
1 tsp Salt

2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

4 Cups Unsweetened Coconut Milk (the kind that comes in cartons, not cans)

5 Cups Warm Water

2 tsp Vanilla

DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Heat a large Dutch Oven on the stove over medium heat.

2.  Add in 2 tablespoons of the coconut oil and then pour in the steel cut oats.  Stirring constantly, allow the oats to toast for 3 minutes.  Push all the oats to the side of the dutch oven, so that there is an empty space in the middle.  

3.  Spoon the remaining coconut oil into the empty space, and then add the pumpkin puree on top.  Do NOT stir yet, and allow the pumpkin to cook for one minute. Then stir, and add the brown sugar, salt, and all the spices into the pumpkin puree and stir until combined (still keeping the oats to the sides of the dutch oven).  Cook, stirring the pumpkin puree occasionally, for another 3 minutes.  

4.  Pour in the milk, water, and vanilla into the dutch oven, and whisk everything together until well mixed.  Turn off the stove burner, put the lid on the dutch oven, and place into the preheated oven.  

5.  Bake, covered, at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.  Remove from the oven, and take off the lid, and stir the oatmeal.  Allow it to sit for 15 minutes; it will thicken as it sits. 

6.  Serve with a dash of milk and/or maple syrup, if desired.  Refrigerate any leftovers. 

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serving Size:  1/6th of Oatmeal

Calories:  237

Fat:  9

Carbs:  33

Protein:  5
Sugar:  5