Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Oatmeal

If you made it to the end of this post's name, I applaud you! It's a doozy of a name, but I like people to know what they're about to get themselves into. If you're reading this, you must like pumpkin...and chocolate chips...and banana bread. Even if you don't like one or two of those ingredients, maybe you'll like the combination so try this one out!

The name of this oatmeal makes it sound like it's a really complicated recipe, but if you have all the ingredients on hand it's as easy to make as any other oatmeal.

I've recently become aware of how many different combination possibilities there are when it comes to oatmeal and it's been so fun experimenting with my favorite breakfast. I recently tried out a carrot cake overnight oatmeal, a sweet potato and apple oatmeal and a zucchini bread oatmeal! It's been good to switch it up often and how cool that I can get some veggies in first thing in the morning without even tasting them. I plan to write a "How-To" post on creating different oatmeal combinations so stay tuned for that.

Okay. 'Nough said. You can find the recipe after this mouth-watering-picture.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Oatmeal

(Makes 1 serving)

 Ingredients:

· 1 cup water

· 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

· 1/2 banana, thinly sliced*

· 2-3 teaspoons chia seeds (optional)

· 1/4 cup pumpkin puree**

· 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

· Pinch of nutmeg (about 1/8 teaspoon or even less)

· Pinch of sea salt

· Splash of vanilla

· 1 tablespoon chocolate chips***

* I usually stick the other half of the banana in the fridge for the next morning. Also, the riper your banana, the sweeter your oatmeal.

** You can refrigerate the rest of the pumpkin puree for a later use as well.

*** I use either dairy-free chocolate chips or Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips that contain no milk or butter. Cocoa butter isn't butter.

Directions:

1. Bring one 1 of water to a boil.

2. Add in the oatmeal, sliced banana and chia seeds. Reduce the heat to medium and whisk thoroughly until you don’t see any large banana chunks. Let cook for about  2-3 minutes.

3. Add in the pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, salt and vanilla and whisk again to combine everything. Let cook another minute or two until it has reached your desired consistency.

4. Pour into a bowl and top with chocolate chips. Once they melt, you can swirl them into your pumpkin oatmeal.

5. Eat up!

Eat Consciously,

     Faith