Happy October! October screams fall to me, and I love fall. The hoodies, the candles, the leggings, the flavors. Let’s just all pretend that the several months that follow aren’t filled with cold temperatures and snow, mmk? Actually, Shane and I did go get our skis this week for the ski season, and I am pretty excited about that. Let’s just keep all that powder in the mountains, and the abundant sunshine here in the foothills.

Anyway, now that it’s October, I feel like I don’t have to be ashamed of my unabashed love for adding pumpkin to just about everything. This year, though, I’ve actually been pretty good. Keeping it to coffee (hate on PSL’s all you want – more for me,) yogurt, oatmeal, and muffins. That might sound excessive, but let’s not forget the time I made a pumpkin dessert omelet.

Alas, this year I’ve kept it simple, and haven’t gone pumpkin preposterous. However, I may or may not smell like a pumpkin, thanks to good ol’ Trader Joe’s.

He’s done it again. Smelling like frosting with the coconut body butter, and now like pie with pumpkin body butter.

Luckily the recipes I have for you today are to eat, not to slather on your skin.

First up – pumpkin egg white oatmeal!

It’s like clockwork. Every year from October to March, I begin to crave hot oatmeal, and eat it for breakfast nearly every day. Once the weather turns consistently warm, I want nothing to do with it. While the weather still has been consistently warm here in Colorado, now is not that time. I want everything to do with oatmeal.

I actually wasn’t going to share this recipe, since there are SO many recipes for oatmeal out there on the interwebz, but everyone I’ve mentioned it to has been interested in how to make it. Now I can point them here.

This oatmeal is not only delicious and comforting, it’s also satiating! It’s PACKED with protein, thanks to the egg whites.

Here’s the line up of ingredients I used.

Pumpkin Egg White Oatmeal

1/2 c. oats (I used LoveGrown Super Oats – packed with quinoa, chia, and more)

3/4 c. milk of choice

dash of cinnamon

dash of salt

1/4 c. canned pumpkin

1/3-1/2 c. egg whites

honey and peanut butter for topping

Combine your oats, milk, cinnamon, and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook for about a minute, and then stir in the pumpkin until well incorporated. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Then gradually pour in the egg whites, stirring as you do so. Cook for another couple of minutes, stirring fairly frequently. At this point, I like to stir in about 2-3 T. honey, and then top it with a T or two of peanut butter once I pour it in my breakfast bowl.

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Up next, we’ve got a mug cake! Well, actually a mug muffin. I’ve posted several varieties of mug cakes and mug cookies on the blog in the past, but this one is much healthier than those.

The line up of ingredients:

Pretty simple right? The protein comes from both the eggwhites and the flapjacked protein pancake mix. While use the banana hazelnut to make pancakes, I like the buttermilk flavor to do most of my baking.

And it only takes 3 minutes and 4 easy steps to make!

Single Serving Microwave Pumpkin Protein Muffin

1/3 c. flapJacked buttermilk protein pancake mix

1/4 t. baking powder

1/4 t. cinnamon

1/3 c. canned pumpkin

1/4 c. egg whites

1/4 t. vanilla extract

honey to sweeten as desired (or stevia)

nonstick spray

Mug

Spray your mug with the nonstick spray, and then add and combine the dry ingredients. Next, add the pumpkin, egg whites, vanilla, and honey and stir it into the mix.  Place in the microwave and cook for 2.5-3 minutes, allowing 1 minute to cool. Use a knife or fork to separate the muffin from the mug, place on a plate and enjoy!

I topped mine with a little Pumpkin Spice Peanut Butter (ok, so there’s that, too,) and it was heavenly.

Have a lovely Thursday! I’ve got a very busy day ahead of me of training clients and teaching classes.

Pumpkin: love it or hate it?

Does your pallet tend to follow the seasons and crave warm when it’s cold, and vice versa?