This recipe is seriously one of my favorites, especially during the holiday season. I think I could eat it almost every day and still have a big smile on my face! If you’re not a fan of cranberries or raisins, you can certainly leave them out or just use one or the other–I just use both because then I never have to make up my mind about what I want!

Edited to add: Here’s a better photo of the oatmeal with my new camera!

I often will eat this for lunch, but I’ll start it in the morning (the oats really soak up the liquid and get nice and thick when it has time to sit). Here’s how you get started:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats

Sweetener of choice, to taste

Cinnamon, nutmeg to taste

Raisins

1 2/3 cups water

3 egg whites

1/2 cup pumpkin

Cranberries

2 T chopped walnuts

dash salt

Directions:

Stir together the oats, sweetener, cinnamon, nutmeg, and raisins in a LARGE microwave-safe bowl. Add the water and microwave for about six minutes, depending on your microwave (after six minutes mine has absorbed most of the water). Stir in the egg whites and pumpkin, and add a little more water if necessary. At this point I usually microwave for about three more minutes, just to make sure the egg whites get cooked. Then I let it cool and refrigerate it until later.

When I get home for lunch, I’ll add a little more water and heat it for 2-3 minutes in the microwave. Then I’ll add my cranberries and cook for another 2 minutes (enough to cook them but not too much that they all pop). Last I add my walnuts and a bit of salt and stir gently, so as not to mush the cranberries.

Viola–a very filling and delicious lunch or breakfast!

Love, Hope, & Prayers,

Justine Duppong