Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal

It’s that time of year where the weather is getting cooler and everyone becomes obsessed with all things pumpkin.  I’m not judging.  I’m not immune to the siren song of the pumpkin.  However, I’m not one to pigeon-hole the pumpkin to strictly the fall season.  I’m an equal opportunity pumpkinist and use it at crazy times like February or July!

Since I’ve started breastfeeding, I have oatmeal every day for breakfast because it improves lactation.  Every day, my oatmeal contains some basic add-ins that also boost lactation, but I’ve gotten pretty good about inventing new flavor combinations.  So here we are, at the beginning of the pumpkin craze, and I thought pumpkin oatmeal was warranted.  Add in a little cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and brown sugar, and it’s like starting the day with a warm, comforting bowl of some of the best flavors of the season!

The good news is if you are not breastfeeding, you can still eat this oatmeal and it will not make you lactate!  Now that we’ve established that, there are some ingredients you can omit if you are not wishing to reap milk-boosting benefits.  Feel free to leave out the Brewer’s Yeast and Flax Seed if you like, though Flax Seed has health benefits beyond lactation, including lots of Omega 3s, fiber, and lignans which reduce the risk of breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men, according to Dr. Oz.  I use old-fashioned oats because those are the kind that boost lactation; however, if you don’t want those benefits, feel free to use the quick cooking variety.  But really, the old-fashioned only take 3 minutes to cook in the microwave, which still seems pretty quick to me.

I always like a little texture in my oatmeal, so I add dried cranberries to the pumpkin oatmeal, and they add a nice little pop of sweetness.  This would be dynamite with some walnuts or pecans, but I am not having nuts these days because they seem to upset Wes’ stomach, so you’ll just have to tell me how it is.  You can use whatever milk you like in this oatmeal. I use rice milk since I can’t have diary due to Wes’ milk protein allergy, but regular cow’s milk, almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk, etc. would all be fine!  I like the rice milk because it is similar in consistency to skim milk.  A thicker milk like soy or coconut would definitely change the consistency of the oatmeal overall, which is already pretty thick due to the pumpkin.

Whether you’re breastfeeding or not, you’re sure to love this pumpkin spice oatmeal!

Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal

Ingredients:

• ½ cup old-fashioned oats
• 2 teaspoons ground flax seed (optional)
• ½ teaspoon brewers yeast (optional)
• pinch of salt
• 1-2 Tablespoons brown sugar (to your taste)
• ¼-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (to your taste)
• 1/8-1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (to your taste)
• dried cranberries (optional)
• walnuts or pecans (optional)
• 1 cup water
• ¼ cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 2-4 Tablespoons of milk (to your desired consistency)

Directions:

Add oats, flax seed, brewer’s yeast, salt, brown sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and dried cranberries to a microwave safe bowl.  Add 1 cup of water and stir.  Microwave on high for three minutes.  Stir in pumpkin puree and milk until you reach your desired consistency.

Enjoy!