Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal is a delicious snack that can be topped with milk and maple syrup.
By Eve Victory
A 20-year resident of Hot Springs, I anxiously await the cooler temperatures – and the variety of produce that comes with the fall.
Fall vegetables are bursting with wonderful nutrients and provide amazing health benefits. They provide you with antioxidants, such as flavonoids and carotenoids, vitamins C, A, and K, fiber, potassium, and magnesium. These nutrients support a healthy immune and digestive system, promote healthy blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure levels, and fight inflammation.
Choose from multiple varieties, including leafy kale and chard, crunchy fennel, carrots and parsnips, nourishing pumpkin and sweet potato, and hearty cabbage, Brussel sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower.
Remember, consuming fall produce benefits more than your body. Eating seasonally also benefits local farmers, and the produce is usually fresher, tastier, and more nutritious than food consumed out of season.
Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal
Ingredients
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon cinnamon plus extra to garnish
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups milk
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
Additional milk and maple syrup for serving optional
Instructions
Preheating oven to 375 degrees. Coat an 8×8 (or similar-sized) baking dish with baking spray.
In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, salt, baking powder, and vanilla. Then whisk in the milk.
Stir the oats into the pumpkin mixture, and pour it into the prepared pan. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon. Bake for 45 minutes or until the center is set and the edges are lightly browned.
Serve hot right out of the oven. If desired, top with milk and maple syrup.
Working for years as an event and tradeshow planner and personal chef, Eve Victory is the Hospitality and Tourism Management professor at National Park College. For more information, contact Eve at evictory@np.edu.
