Pumpkin Oatmeal

Here is our version of pumpkin oatmeal:

1 cup milk
1 tbsp. brown sugar
3/4 to 1 cup pureed, canned pumpkin
dash nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon, or more to taste
1 cup oats
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract (optional)
1 tsp. Splenda (optional - if it's not sweet enough for you)

In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together the milk, brown sugar, pumpkin, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Add Splenda if you think you will want it in there. When it begins to boil, add the oats and lower the heat. Stir over low heat for a few minutes. It will thicken up as it cools. Off the heat, add the vanilla if you are using it.

Baked Oats

This isn't really so much a recipe as a technique. I think granola is kind of expensive given that its just oatmeal and some other grains. I thought about making it myself but this recipe I found had something like 400 calories per serving.

So, I took some whole oats and baked them for a few minutes - plain and dry. I've stirred them into my vanilla yogurt and it's good.

I got the oatmeal to make cookies and then I tried eating it at oatmeal and it was too gross and slimy - those big oat chunks. However, Sarah made oatmeal with pumpkin and raisins and whatnot in it and I thought it was tasty.