Is there anything better than a CREAMY bowl of oats, made with all good things, that tastes like decadent dessert? I think not! This little recipe is a total palate party.

Story time: the girl that once used to methodically skip breakfast to save the calories and “cash them out” at lunch or dinner time now LIVES for breakfast. I kid you not; I go to bed every night thinking about what I’m going to enjoy every morning. No shame. A good, nourishing breakfast makes a big difference to your routine. It sets me up for the day ahead and there’s nothing better than waking up to a ready-made breakfast in your fridge.

Not that long ago; I used to think of calories as stackable coupons where no breakfast meant I could feast on 1,000 calories for lunch and another 1,000 calories for dinner. I was focusing on the wrong things ALL along; to be totally honest; my attention was completely misguided. I worked with numbers & derivatives for a living and seemed to track everything I ate, too. It was a sad way to live, but that was my reality. Every day I tried to stay under 2,000 calories per/day. Whenever I needed to lose weight for a wedding, an event or a family vacation to a sunny beach; I reduced my consumption to 1,500 calories per/day about 1-2 months beforehand.

The weight would peel off quite easily; and as soon as I stopped; it would come back on even faster. It would often come back with a vengeance; leading to more weight gain. I often refer to this period of my life; my early twenties, as yo-yo dieting. No continuity or stability; up and down a few pounds every month. Two words come to mind: stressful and defeating. That’s how I would best describe this phase.

I wish I could tell my 24 year-old self that skipping breakfast often leads to overeating at lunch or dinner time. I would also tell her that calories don’t matter, it’s where the calories come from that truly counts. PSA: I also don’t count them anymore and have never been happier or felt healthier.

This little recipe would’ve come in clutch back then; ultimately squashing the breakfast competition and allowing me to enjoy a big bowl of goods on minimal effort & time. For those that have followed the blog for a while, y’all know I love Fall to the moon and back. It is indisputably my favorite time of year. Everything is crisp, cool, and packed with autumn-like goodness. There’s also that sense of slight excitement and anticipation building in the air as we all get ready for the upcoming holidays.

This bowl tastes like pumpkin pie, but I dare say: better. It’s the breakfast-version of pumpkin pie and mind you; it comes from someone that had no problem serving and eating a slice of pumpkin pie with a cup of freshly-brewed coffee for breakfast.

You can customize it by adding:

• a drizzle of almond butter or peanut butter
• dairy-free chocolate chips
• unsweetened or sweetened coconut shavings
• pepitas or pumpkin seeds
• walnuts instead of pecans
• cranberries or golden raisins (for an extra Fall-ish feel)

• 1/2 cup gluten-free old fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup of your favorite nut milk. (I used vanilla, unsweetened almond milk)
• 3 tbsp of coconut yogurt or vanilla Greek yogurt
• 3 tbsp of pure pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp of nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ceylon cinnamon
• 1 ripe banana mashed
• a handful of roasted pecans
• a handful of crispy pepitas or pumpkin seeds
• 1 tablespoon of pure maple syrup (totally optional- but recommended)

Instructions

1. In a little mason jar or tup, add the dry oats & top with the mashed banana, the pumpkin puree, the almond milk, the coconut yogurt, the vanilla, nutmeg & the cinnamon. Mix or shake it all up & cover with a lid.
2. Leave the jar or tup in the fridge overnight or for at least ~4 hours.
3. Right before serving, top with pure maple, pecans & pepitas. Enjoy every spoonful!

To Superfood It:

• 1 tbsp of chia seeds * add an extra splash of nut milk if you add these
• 1 tbsp of hemp hearts
• 1 tbsp (or scoop) of collagen powder
• 1 tbsp of lucuma powder (it will give it a nice, caramel-like taste, trust me!)

Notes: for the optional add-ons, add them when prepping and let them soak overnight along with everything else- especially chia seeds! They taste better once they expand and fluff up when they absorb liquid. 

By: Aleyda | The Dish On Healthy