Breakfast is always a struggle for me.

Mostly because I wake up very hungry and I want food right away! Can anyone relate?

Oatmeal for breakfast is usually my go-to especially when I haven't meal prepped.

It's relatively easy to make and tastes delicious.

Plus, during the winter months it is so warming for the soul. I highly recommend.

Pumpkin flavored breakfast oatmeal:

This specific recipe is pumpkin flavored. Mostly because I had a can of pumpkin puree sitting in my fridge and I wanted to put it to good use before it went to waste.

This is the best part of making oatmeal. You can get very creative with the flavors. Plain oatmeal, I do not recommend. I usually like to flavor mine with a little bit of maple syrup or honey and a dash of cinnamon - so good!

I went a little extra with this recipe because I was going to be sharing it with you - but if you want to keep things simple that is totally okay as well.

If you happen to have some extra pumpkin puree cans laying around left over from thanksgiving then this is a great way to use them up. You can also make my Starbucks copy cat pumpkin cream cold brew (I'm obsessed) - although if you are anywhere other than Florida or California, you probably don't want anything cold right now haha. Maybe just stick with this warming breakfast oatmeal for now.

other flavors we're using in this breakfast oatmeal:

To me cinnamon and oatmeal go hand in hand. I never have oatmeal without cinnamon - it's a sin in my book. Do yourself a favor and add the cinnamon. I also throw in a dash of nutmeg, some honey or maple syrup for added sweetness and a tiny pinch of salt to help all those flavors come together.

Some people like to make their oatmeal using just water and that's okay but I find that if you use milk (I always stick with a non dairy kind but you do you) I find that the oatmeal is much creamier and thicker in consistency which I like. Using water alone tends to yield a more watery oatmeal and the flavor is usually altered as well.

In this version I use coconut milk from a can, but almond milk or cashew milk would work just as well. If you notice that your milk is very thick you can always add a bit of water like i do in this recipe to help thin out the consistency.

thin vs thick oatmeal:

This is all a matter of personal preference. For me, personally, I love my breakfast oatmeal to be on the thinner/more watery side. On the other hand, I know people who like their oatmeal dry and thick. If you want it to be more water/thinner, then cook it for less time and don't allow the liquid to evaporate. If you're on team thick oatmeal then just cook it for longer until the liquid has evaporated and your oatmeal is thick.

toppings for breakfast oatmeal:

You can get very creative with what toppings to use for your breakfast oatmeal. Look around your kitchen and get inspired. All types of fruits work really well for oatmeal. In this recipe I only had bananas on hand so I sliced them up on topped the oatmeal with that.

You can also add some jelly (like I did in this recipe) and some drizzled chocolate on top, because why not! I bet some maple syrup drizzled on top would be just as delicious too.

benefits of consuming oats:

Not only is eating oatmeal for breakfast delicious but it can also potentially add some very good benefits to your overall health. Oats are a great source of soluble dietary fiber - and if you didn't know, most Americans do not consume enough fiber in their diet ... do you consume enough fiber? If you eat a wide variety of fruits and veggies you probably do.. but if your diet consists of mostly animal products and processed foods (or the standard American diet) you're probably part of that percentage of Americans that does not meet their dietary fiber needs. One quick way to fix that is by adding oats to your breakfast menu.

But fiber isn't the only positive thing about oats. Oats have also been found to have cholesterol-lowering and anti-diabetic effects! This is mostly due to B-glucan - a major active component found in oats which contributes to these benefits.

Remember however if you are intolerant to gluten you want to make sure you find a certified gluten-free oat brand.

Another great way to enjoy oats is by making overnight oats - where instead of cooking them - you soak them in milk overnight in the fridge and in the morning you have a delicious oatmeal porridge ready to be devoured.

Want to see more breakfast recipes?

check out our breakfast recipes page for our entire collection