Pumpkin pie porridge

Pumpkin Pie Porridge
I've seen 'pumpkin pie oatmeal' for so long now, and have been longing to make my own. Every time we have any left over I mean to-last time it was used for soup and the time before bean burgers. But finally I got my hands on some. It isn't actually pumpkin, the only time pumpkin is available in the UK seems to be Halloween but butternut squash pie doesn't have quite the same ring to it. SO this is the British version... If you don't tell I wont! ;)

This tasted so yum.  I had a half day so got home early from school and had left over lasagna for lunch. Then a hot cross bun. Then butternut squash. Then   almost all of the oat/squash mix. I added more oats thinking 'oh I'll stop now' but didn't-I just kept eating. I then sat on the floor and cried and cried and then hyperventilating in a rather pathetic heap. When I stopped I rang my mum, who didn't notice anything was wrong and I wasn't brave enough to tell her. I tried the next morning, telling her I'd eaten to much and felt bad, but she didn't get what I meant. I couldn't actually eat the stuff I managed to save for breakfast (the stuff in these pictures) in the end-just looking at it makes me feel horrible.

I'm a bit stuck now. I'll try to tell her again. I don't want to make her worried and watch everything I eat or get carted off to the doctors.I'm terrified of being left alone in the house in case I just eat and eat again. This was the second day in a row I've done it. I feel completely out of control of it. I stopped eating peanut butter and other stuff and I don't want to go backwards. But at the same time I feel bad if I eat. For dinner today I felt bad for eating all my pasta. Part of that is physically feeling a bit icky to-really hope I'm not wheat intolerant..!

I feel better having written this. Brave even though I'm not really telling anyone.

Enough of my moaning and messed upness. This is the recipe  maybe one day I'l be able to make this again and actually enjoy it.

Pumpkin Pie Porridge-serves 1

1/2 cup/ 80g pumpkin or butternut squash
1 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup oats
1 cup milk

1. Roast the squash whole for 30-40 mins at 180, peel and chop. Or use left over stuff from another recipe!
2. Put the squash in a bowl, add the spices and blend with a hand blender. You may be able to mash it up it you don't have a blender.
3. add the oats and milk
4. Leave overnight in the fridge for the oats to absorb all the moisture.
5. Pop in the microwave for 2-3 mins.
6. add extra milk if required and enjoy!

Butternut pumpkin!

(pre-blending)

Apple and raisin porridge

Apple and Rasin Porridge

This is one of my favorite basic breakfasts. I often chop up the apple the night before, mix with the oats to stop it going brown and save myself a bit of time in the morning. Let’s face it at 7am no one wants to be wielding a knife and my family certainly don’t want me to be doing so!

Recipe

• 1 apple
• small handful sunflower seeds
• small handful raisins
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 serving of oats (1/2 cup)
• 1 serving of milk

Method

1. Chop up the apple, small and big pieces adds texture.
2. Put the chopped apple, rasins and sunflower seeds into the bowl and sprinkle with cinnamon. Mix together. Then add the oats.
3. Pour in the milk, if leaving overnight add a little more milk then normal (just a dash) as it will absorb into the oats. Top with nuts (or mix in).
4. Microwave for 2-3mins
5. A perfect warming meal!

Pear and cinnamon porridge

Pear and cinnamon Porridge

Today I jut felt like a nice simple breakfast. Even simpler then normal! Probably as I was so hungry-not even sure why! Just chopped up a pear, added to oats, sprinkled with cinnamon and microwaved. I ate half of it before microwaving today-I was that hungry! It still tasted good raw though, really good.So if the bowl looks a little empty, its not because I'm down sizing portions (haa ha-that would never happen nowadays!!). I drizzled the lot with some coconut milk, which is so rich its like cream, but a bit healthier! I can hardly keep myself from drinking it straight from the can.

Recipe

• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 small pear
• 1/2 tsp-1 tsp cinnamon (depends on how spicy you like it!)
• 1 tbsp coconut milk/cream

Method

1. Put oats and milk in one bowl
2. Chop up pear.
3. Mix pear and cinnamon in one bowl, then put on top of oats
4. Microwave for 2-3mins

Or..combine stage 1-3 and skip the rest and shovel raw porridge into your mouth.... (Really the whole time consuming cooked way is better even when your starving).