[UPDATED ON 1-18-2015 WITH NEW PHOTOS & UPDATED RECIPE]

After having so much success making this delicious Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oatmeal in the slow cooker, I decided to tweak the recipe and create an overnight pumpkin steel cut oatmeal. Fresh cranberries and chopped pecans round out the fall flavors.

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Steel Cut Oatmeal

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup 100% pure pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
• 1 cup milk (I used organic nonfat milk)
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• ¼ cup ground flax seed
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 cup uncooked steel cut oats
• 2/3 cup fresh (or frozen) cranberries
• 1/4 cup pecans, chopped

Method

1. Coat inside of slow cooker with cooking spray.
2. Pour water, spices, maple syrup, vanilla, flax and pumpkin into a separate bowl and whisk until combined.
3. Pour pumpkin mixture and oats into the slow cooker and stir to combine. Then, evenly sprinkle cranberries and pecan pieces on top.
4. Cover and cook on low for 4.5 to 5 hours. I use a programmable slow cooker so that I can get more than five hours of sleep and still wake up to warm oatmeal. Once the oatmeal is done cooking, the slow cooker holds the food warm.
5. Divide into 4 bowls and serve immediately, or put leftover servings into the fridge for later. Sometimes I like to stir in a few tablespoons of milk upon serving to produce a more creamy oatmeal. To reheat individual servings, add about ¼ cup of water and microwave on high for about 1 ½ minutes. Enjoy!

Nutrition per serving: 350 calories, 11g fat (1g saturated fat), 52g carbohydrates (10g fiber, 16g sugar*), 12g protein, 30mg sodium, 193% Vitamin A, 8% Vitamin C, 16% Calcium, 18% Iron

*9g added sugars (2 1/4 teaspoons) from the Maple syrup

-Kelly