Very often during our nightly bedtime ritual, I will ask Kenya and Chloe what they want for breakfast the next morning. Of course I want my kids to wake up to a breakfast they’re excited about, but one of the real reasons for my question is a bit of a ploy. Bedtime in our house can occasionally be a challenge and this tactic tends to get them into bed in a timely fashion, looking forward to the sumptuous meal that awaits them when they wake up.

By the time I finally get both kids off to dreamland, I’m pooped and ready to collapse in an fetal position on my bed. Yet like most moms, I usually find myself back in the kitchen, preparing the next day’s school lunch as well as prepping the breakfast from my bedtime bargain. Thankfully, the breakfast my kids repeatedly ask for is Oatmeal in the Crock Pot. It’s a huge relief to hear those words because all I need to do is dump all of the ingredients in the crock pot (slow cooker), stir and go to bed. By the time we wake up, a creamy, piping hot breakfast is ready to fill our tummies.

I know this is going to sound silly, but only the problem in all of this is that the cook in me feels like a bit of a failure. Yes, oatmeal is full of fiber and one of the healthiest breakfasts you can eat, but somehow serving up the same old oatmeal time and again feels inadequate and I’m compelled to jazz things up a bit. Fortunately, I can do that and still keep life easy. Simply by adding pumpkin puree and a touch of spice, it changes one of our already favorite dishes into something the kids say tastes like their having pumpkin pie for breakfast! See what a good night’s sleep will do for everyone’s outlook?

Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal (Serves 4-6)

2 Cups Water
2 1/2 Cups Milk*
1 Cup Pumpkin Puree
1 Tsp Pumpkin Spice
1 Cup Steel Cut Oats

Accompaniments: honey, maple syrup, molasses

1. Place all the ingredients in the crock pot and stir to combine.
2. Cover and cook on low for 5-9 hours (note that the cooking time can vary depending on your crock pot. Crock pots without non-stick surfaces tend to get hotter, so you’ll want to stick closer to a 5 hour cooking time).
3. Serve.

*You can also use rice, almond or soy milk if you want to make a dairy free or vegan version of this recipe

Oh. My. Lusciousness! I just tasted my first batch of homemade almond milk minutes ago and it is so delicious I ran to the computer, bumped today’s planned “recipe of the day”, and started writing this. This almond milk is so creamy, frothy and easy to make, you’ll wonder why you ever bothered to buy it in the store. Not only is the milk itself incredible and perfect to add to your own cereal or coffee, but my best little taster just made a case for drinking it all on its own! You should have seen Kenya chowing down on the ground almonds and milky solids which are strained out of the finished milk. He totally made a meal out of it (as did I, stealing bite after bite).
Almonds are rich in the antioxidant vitamin E, which boosts your little one’s immune system. They’re also a good source of calcium which plays a part in healthy bones, teeth and immune function. Don’t feel limited to only almonds, though. You could make this exact recipe with cashews, brazil nuts, walnuts and more. Just pour a touch of this over fresh berries and it’s as good as the taste of fresh cream. Obviously, if your little one has a nut allergy, this recipe isn’t for them.
Again, I do realize that you can buy a box of almond milk at the store to keep handy, but one taste of this recipe and you will understand why it’s worth the MINUTES it takes to make your own.

Almond Milk (Makes 3 1/2 Cups plus 3/4 Almond Puree)

1 Cup Almonds
2 Tbsp Agave
1/2 Tsp Vanilla
4 Cups Water

1. Place all the ingredients in a blender and puree on high for one minute or until almond are in tiny pieces.
2. Place a strainer in a large bowl and cover the top of the strainer with cheesecloth (this step is important because the almonds will be in such small pieces that the cheesecloth and strainer need to stop them from going into the milk).
3. Pour the almond milk through the cheesecloth. You may need to do this in stages so the milk can slowly strain through the cheesecloth. It may help taking a spoon to scrape the bottom of the cheesecloth so the milk can pass.
4. Pour the milk and the almond puree into separate containers and refrigerate.
5. Serve.