Fortified Pumpkin Oatmeal

We've got pumpkin fever in this house! Yesterday we went to Bates Nut Farm for some good ole fashioned fun. I think we bought more at the store than we should have but there are a few items I was thrilled to find and can't wait to use like Pumpkin Scones, Pumpkin Pie Almonds and Maple Pumpkin Butter.

Since we didn't have any English muffins on hand we couldn't crack into the Maple Pumpkin Butter but thought it would make a perfect topping for our Fortified Pumpkin Oatmeal.... and I was right!

This is just one more thing to use your leftover canned pumpkin puree with if you buy the big cans like I do and never need all of it. You only want to store that in an airtight container in the fridge for about 2 weeks. I try to use mine up sooner than that. Maybe one day I'll get it together enough to buy smaller size freezer ziploc bags and store what I don't use in the freezer.... but for now I don't have to worry about it because we have been on a Pumpkin Craze!

Here's what you'll need:

2 cups organic milk
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cups oats
3 tbsp raw shelled hemp seeds

Kitchen tools:

Medium pot
Liquid measuring cup
Dry measuring cups
measuring spoons
Stirring spoon

Combine first 5 items in a medium size pot over medium-high heat, stir ingredients and watch for the mil mixture to boil, it will happen pretty quickly. When it begins to boil, add oats and hemp seeds. Reduce heat to low, give a good stir and cover for 3-5 minutes stirring occasionally.

After spooning the oatmeal into the bowl I warmed just a couple teaspoons of the Pumpkin Maple Butter in the microwave to drizzle over the oatmeal and I was delighted with the addition.

We like to keep it healthy in this house, but I've got a sweet tooth so we try to find a balance. That's why I use organic milk and add the hemp seeds for protein. This is a breakfast treat I look forward to making again and again. Adding the Maple Pumpkin Butter sweet topping to perfect this autumn breakfast was just right.

What are your favorite fall breakfast treats?