Monday, Monday. After a busy, somewhat indulgent weekend, a good breakfast is a necessary way to start the new week. Pumpkin pie oatmeal with maple roasted pecans is filled with nutrients and flavor, with no refined sugars, so you can start your week off on the right fall footing.
I don’t even want to look at the forecast this week; it is just sad and frustrating. The temperatures were beautiful last week, and now we are back into the 80s for another week before it drops to the 60s. What is this roller coaster weather ride and when can we get off? Luckily our mornings are still cool enough to enjoy a bowl of warm pumpkin pie oatmeal before the day gets going.
These fall mornings are some of my favorite times of the year. I have loved being able to enjoy a warm cup of spicy chai tea with a splash of milk or almond milk, alongside this filling pumpkin pie oatmeal on cool mornings while the sun is still struggling to rise outside. It feels like I am the only person in the neighborhood awake and the darkness and crisp temperatures make it even more tempting to curl up with something warm and ease my way into the day.
October is absolutely (and obviously) the month of the pumpkin. After weeks of pumpkin desserts and pumpkin breakfast treats, it seems like a good time to add a nutritious option to the pumpkin mix. You can still add your favorite oatmeal toppings to this mixture, but the maple syrup pairs so wonderfully with the pumpkin spices in the oatmeal, and as a natural sweetener, is better for you than the typical brown sugar topping. Then there are the maple roasted pecans – such joy!
I love a little texture and some mix-ins in my oatmeal breakfasts, and while I usually just add plain toasted nuts, roasting them with a maple syrup and cinnamon mixture adds even more of a crunch, and an extra sweet treat to top off an everyday breakfast. They make it exciting to have a healthy breakfast on Monday morning!
Delicious, nutritious, and quick, this oatmeal only takes about 15 minutes to throw together, making it a great breakfast for both weekdays and weekends. You can make the amazingly golden, crunchy, fragrant maple roasted pecans while you wait for the oatmeal to cook, or make larger batch at the beginning of the week and get ready to head out the door while your oatmeal cooks. If you have really impressive preparation skills, you can make a pot of pumpkin pie oatmeal at the beginning of the week and heat up a serving each day, adding milk or almond milk to bring it back to life. It is so easy, so tasty, and still healthy on top of all of that. Yet another reason to love fall.
Pumpkin Oatmeal with Maple Roasted Pecans
Maple Roasted Pecans
½ cup pecans
1 teaspoon coconut oil, melted
1 tablespoon coconut sugar (can use brown sugar instead)
1 tablespoon maple syrup
heavy pinch of ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
Pumpkin Oatmeal
1 cup rolled oats
1 ¾ cups water, milk, or almond milk (plus more for topping, if you want)
¼ cup pumpkin puree
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon allspice
pinch of salt
2-4 tablespoons maple syrup (plus more for topping, if you want)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
To make the Maple Roasted Pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F line a baking sheet with foil. Toast the pecans on the foil-lined baking sheet for 5 minutes.
While they are baking, add the melted coconut oil, coconut sugar (or brown sugar), maple syrup, salt and cinnamon to a small bowl and whisk to combine.
Remove the pecans from oven and add them directly to the maple syrup mixture. Toss gently to coat all of the nuts evenly, then return to the baking sheet. Bake for another 5-7 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Don’t try to remove the nuts from the pan until they have had at least a few minutes to cool.
To make the Pumpkin Oatmeal
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring water, milk or almond milk to a boil. Milk and almond milk will create creamier oatmeal than water will.
Once boiling, add a pinch of salt and the oats. Swirl the mixture to cover the oats with the liquid, then decrease the heat to low and cover. Simmer for 5-7 minutes or until the water is absorbed and the oats are tender. Stir once while the oatmeal is cooking to ensure that the oats are not sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Once the oats are finished cooking, remove the saucepan from the heat and add pumpkin puree, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Stir to combine, then taste and add spices and syrup as needed.
Divide oats between serving bowls and top with maple roasted pecans, pepitas, apples, more maple syrup or milk, pumpkin butter, or whatever strikes your fall fancy.
Best when served fresh. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat in the microwave, or in a small saucepan over medium heat until warm, adding more water or almond milk if the oatmeal is too dry (I always have to add liquid to revive them).
Maple roasted pecans were inspired by the spiced pecans we love in Sara Foster’s Southern Kitchen cookbook.
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