Hearty Pumpkin Oatmeal

Bonjour!

This has been quite the lovely Saturday morning. I typically work the early shift at Trader Joe’s on Saturday, but I have the entire weekend off this week! What will I do with all my free time??? Something tells me I will be coming up with something for Angela’s Valentine’s Day Recipe Contest over at Oh She Glows.

I was feeling the love this morning, so I dressed up my oatmeal accordingly.

‘Hearty’ Pumpkin Oatmeal

(pun always intended)

• 1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup unsweetened soymilk or almond milk
• 1/2 banana, mashed
• 1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
• 1/4 cup egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• dried cranberries, walnuts, and coconut butter for topping

Directions: Cook the oats, soymilk, pumpkin, and banana until simmering. Slowly stir in egg whites cooking 3 minutes longer and stirring constantly. Stir in spices and vanilla. Pour into your bowl and top with cranberries, walnuts, and coconut butter, if desired.

Here are my ingredients all lined up!

This oatmeal is super filling. It only uses 1/4 cup of oats, but with all the pumpkin and egg whites, it cooks up to a large bowl-full of pumpkiny goodness. It tastes just like pumpkin pie filling!

So even though I wanted to dig into these little babies this morning, I started the day off right!

Donut Holes that my Dad bought

Okay, I’ll admit that I ate two of them before my oatmeal. But how could I not?

Today I have to go pick up my registration packet for the half-marathon tomorrow. I’m pretty sure that I’m not running, but I’m at least going to get my swag since I shelled out over a hundred bucks for it. I heard the T-shirts are pretty cool. Keep me in your thoughts and prayers and maybe this achilles will heal up enough for me to run. **Fingers Crossed**

I’m off to enjoy the day! Have a good one!

-Lou