Spice Up Your Boring Old Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a classic. It’s also a superfood, with its own superpowers, including lowering cholesterol and reducing the risk of heart disease. But when prepared soggy and bland, the high-fiber hero is no flavor savior.

Made right, this versatile grain is much more than a one-dimensional digestive aid. So set aside your boring bowl, because oatmeal is about to get awesome.

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

With varying degrees of success, pumpkin everything—lattés, donuts, breads, soup, etc.—is trotted out in the Fall… and I get its not Fall yet. But it doesn’t have to be, this comforting recipe is a sure winner.

Ingredients:

1/2 C old fashioned oats

1/2 C skim milk

1 ripe banana, sliced

2 hefty shakes cinnamon

1/4 C pureed canned pumpkin

1 tiny shake ground cloves

1 tiny shake ground nutmeg

Handful frozen blueberries (optional)

Instructions:

Put the oats, milk, sliced banana, and cinnamon into a small pot on the stove. Stir continuously over medium high heat for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture gets thick and creamy (and starts slightly bubbling). Stir in the frozen blueberries now, if you like. Turn down heat to medium low and add in the canned pumpkin and a tiny shake each of ground cloves and ground nutmeg. These two spices make this recipe — don’t skip them!

Serve hot and enjoy!