If there’s anything I can do to make breakfast more appealing, I’ll do it. It was difficult to learn to love breakfast, I like sleeping late and eating breakfast always seemed like a waste of precious sleeping time. I had to bribe myself out of bed each morning by promising my future morning self a new and interesting breakfast for each day of the week. These oats are like the softest, warmest blanket you can imagine, only you can eat this metaphorical blanket. The addition of milk at the end ensures a truly creamy oatmeal; I’ve experimented with dairy milk or cream, coconut milk, and vanilla almond milk and all of them have produced equally luxurious results. I’m so glad this recipe found its way into my repertoire because I can eat this 5 days a week, which is ideal because depending on my appetite this makes enough for 3-5 breakfasts. I keep the leftover cooked oatmeal in a container in the fridge and scoop out as needed (don’t pay attention to the odd gelatinous texture it has developed) and heat over medium heat with 1/2 cup of milk, stirring to combine. The oats will eventually absorb the milk and they’ll taste just as good as they did on the first day they were made.

pumpkin steel cut oats:

1 cup of steel cut oats

4 cups of water

Pinch of salt

2 Tbsp. chia seeds (only if you have some in your cupboard, this will still taste wonderful without the seeds)

3/4 cup of pureed pumpkin, canned or fresh

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. allspice

1 cup of milk

1/4 cup of roasted pepitas

Dark brown sugar, to taste

Additional milk for topping the oatmeal

1. Dry toast the steel cut oats in a wide rimmed pan over medium-high heat until they begin to turn a dark golden colour. Add the water and pinch of salt.

2. Let the oats come to a boil and then turn the heat down to medium low and allow to simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Once the oats taste like they’re done cooking (they should have a dense and chewy mouthfeel) add the chia seeds, pumpkin, spices, and milk. Stir until the milk has been completely absorbed.

4. Transfer the hot oatmeal to waiting shallow bowls and finish with extra milk, roasted pepitas, and brown sugar. Eat and experience comfort before your day begins.

I like to begin my autumn days with hazy dreamy music, it seems to make the transition from an extra warm bed to getting ready in a dark apartment more manageable. Beach Fossils sound like a happy marriage of shoegaze and emo pop recorded deep underwater, adding to the still sleepy protection from the impending day.

Beach Fossils – Shallow