Quick Pumpkin Oatmeal

Overnight oats are a popular breakfast choice. Who isn't a fan of making mornings easier? But if you are like me, you are not organized enough to think about breakfast the night before. Lucky for us, the overnight approach isn’t required for this Quick Pumpkin Oatmeal!

Overnight vs. Quick

Overnight oats replace cooking time with soaking time. Soaking old-fashioned oats for several hours yields a creamy texture similar to cooked oatmeal. If that’s your thing – then soak away! This recipe could just as easily be called Overnight Pumpkin Oatmeal.

I prefer oatmeal with a chewier texture. I often combine ingredients and enjoy my oatmeal without soaking. However, a little standing time can be a nice way to blend flavors. I found 10 to 15 minutes about right for this Quick Pumpkin Oatmeal. You can adjust the time according to your preferences.

Quick Pumpkin Oatmeal

Recipes don’t get much easier than this. You simply combine the ingredients.

Then give 'em a good stir, cover and let the oatmeal stand for a bit.

I toss this Quick Pumpkin Oatmeal together first thing in the morning, then leave it while I pack my daughter’s school lunch. No biggie if stands longer than 15 minutes, it will just become creamier. In this case, a softer consistency works well with the pumpkiny goodness.

I like the level of sweetness raisins and dates add to the mixture. If you prefer more sweetness, you can add a little maple syrup.

In addition to satisfying your pumpkin cravings, this Quick Pumpkin Oatmeal is also a great way to sneak more nutrients into your breakfast!

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Quick Pumpkin Oatmeal

Make this Quick Pumpkin Oatmeal in minutes or soak overnight for a creamier texture - either way you have a delicious healthy breakfast ready when you are.

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Ingredients

• ½ cup old-fashioned oats
• ⅓ cup canned pumpkin puree
• 2-3 Tbsp. chia seeds or ground flax seeds or hemp seeds
• ¼ cup chopped walnuts or other nuts or seeds
• ¼ cup raisins
• 1 medjool date pitted and chopped
• ¼-1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice to taste
• 1 cup rice milk or other plant milk
• maple syrup (optional - to taste)

Instructions

• Combine ingredients in a bowl and stir to mix.
• Cover and let stand for 10-15 minutes.
• Stir again before serving. Add more rice milk if desired.

Notes

Increase or decrease the standing time to adjust the level of “chewiness.” A longer standing time will yield softer, creamier oatmeal. Allowing the mixture to stand overnight will yield a more traditional oatmeal consistency.

Hankering for more pumpkin recipes? You might also like:

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Snack Cake - you mix and bake it in the same pan!

 Sweet Potato Pie Smoothie - you can easily substitute pumpkin puree and turn this into a pumpkin pie smoothie.

 Note: I do not include nutrition information with my recipes because I subscribe to the theories presented in the book Whole and believe we should focus on eating a variety of whole foods instead of counting calories or keeping track of individual nutrients.