This post and giveaway sponsored by Hamilton Beach, however all opinions, comments, content and enthusiasm are my own.
One morning this summer I made a family favorite recipe for Pumpkin Protein Muffins. When the kids woke up to the amazingly “autumn” smell of cinnamon, nutmeg and pumpkin baking, they were disoriented. . .. but excited, nonetheless.! “Is it already Thanksgiving, mom? Did we sleep through the first day of school and Halloween and wake up in the middle of the fall holidays?”
By the way, I’m giving away a really awesome Rice & Hot Cereal Cooker from Hamilton Beach this week – this counter top appliance will Change. Your. Life. Hop to the bottom of the post to enter.
That got me to thinking. Why DO we primarily limit cooking and baking with pumpkin to the months of September through December? While fresh pumpkins may be seasonal, the canned puree is equally as nutritious and a heck of a lot more convenient. Pumpkin ( a fab source of fiber, vitamins Vitamin A, and healthy complex carbs) is a veggie I’d like to see more of in my life for the entire year! And, so here I am in September, as cliché as it may be, sharing a pumpkin recipe – but, good gourd, this one is workable into anyone’s busy schedule, 365.
Pumpkin Vanilla Chai Protein Oatmeal – why, hello creamy pie-and-coffee-shop inspired morning concoction that is actually as nourishing as delish. I’ve used a blend of old-fashioned oats mixed with my favorite seeds (hemp, chia, flax, pumpkin – you can tweak as you like) along with pumpkin puree, creamy almond milk, and vanilla protein powder to bring each serving into the approximate 25g protein range which is what I strive for at my morning meal
***Please note, the recipe nutrition will vary based on the protein powder you use (I used Vanilla Whey Isolate from Now Foods) and mix ins (I used the Triple Omega Seed Blend from Now Foods) . With just 288 calories per hearty serving, I’ve kept this sugar-free recipes under 300 calories buy using my preferred cup-for-cup measure sugarless sweetener (Sugarless Sugar Baking Blend from Now Foods).
In a rush? This recipe takes less than 15 minutes to prepare. If you’re in a super morning rush, set everything out in the rice cooker (except the perishables) the night before and finish off in the morning. Oh, and did I mention that there is caffeine built right into this recipe thanks to steeping chai into the liquid used to make oatmeal. It’s genius. Of course, please use caffeine-free tea if you are sensitive.
Did you notice how I alluded to a Rice Cooker? The convenience factor here is that I’ve made this pumpkin oatmeal recipe in a Rice Cooker! You heard me right – rice cookers aren’t just for cooking rice anymore, you can make some amazing recipes in a rice cooker like cheesy grits, steamed salmon with rice and veggies, chocolate cakes and more! I’ve made my recipe in the 4-20 Cup Rice and Hot Cereal Maker from Hamilton Beach, it’s the best small kitchen appliance evahhhhh! I’m giving one away, jump to bottom of post to enter!
I resisted getting a rice cooker for a really long time, thinking it would just hog up space in my cabinets and rarely get used – not the case! It’s more of a “multi” cooker than a “rice” cooker and I it at least once a week to prepare a meal for the family – even my teens know how to make simple recipes for dinner in it. Plus, with a 20-cup capacity, it’s perfect for meal planning – I often double or triple my batches of rice, quinoa, oats or whatever I have going in in the cooker and then freeze portions for later in the month. It’s a busy mom’s best friend!
Have you cooked anything unusual in a rice cooker? What is your favorite fall flavor? Should pumpkin be a year-round thing? Please share in the comments – XOXO, Jennifer
Enter Giveaway Here:
- 1 cups unsweetened Vanilla Almondmilk
- 1 1/4 cup water
- 3 chai tea bags
- 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
- 1/4 cup "nutrition boosts" like seeds, nuts, etc I used blend of chia, hemp and flax seeds (can sub additional 1/4 cups oats)
- 1 cup vanilla protein power of choice I used a whey
- 1/4 cup “cup-for-cup” measure equivalent sugar baking blend
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup unsweetened pumpkin puree (not sugary pie filling)
- Optional Garnishes Greek yogurt, pumpkin seeds, honey pecans, etc.
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Add almond milk, water and tea bags to large glass measuring cup and microwave until hot, approximately 3 minutes. Remove from microwave and let steep another 3 minutes. Discard tea bags and set liquid aside.
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In bowl of rice cooker, add oats, nutrition boosters (seeds, etc), protein powder, sugar substitute, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix together until combined.
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Add pumpkin to bowl and pour in milk/tea mixture. Mix together until everything combined.
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Put lid down on rice cooker. Set timer for “heat/simmer” for 5 to 10 minutes until thickened to desired consistency. I prefer mine thicker!
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Serve warm in bowls with Greek yogurt and pecans or other garnishes. May store leftovers in refrigerator for days or in freezer for 6 months.
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To make in microwave, place all ingredients in 2 quart lidded casserole and microwave on high for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring halfway.
I like to make yellow rice and steam okra in the rice maker.
I love using Chai tea in recipes! I made my apple cider chai tea scones that way!
I like my Easy Rice Cooker Mac ‘n Cheese! So delicious.
I have never used a rice cooker but I love cooking rice with vegtables or teriyaki chicken and rice.
I favorite pumpkin recipe is pumpkin soup made with soy milk and canned pumpkin.
I like to make baked oatmeal with raisins
i lov making pumpkin spice muffns because they are so delish.
Holy! Those look SO good! I will have to definitely try those next! I don’t own a rice cooker so I would LOVE one but my favorite oats lately are honey nut steel cut oats which I adapted from Pinch of Yum. It contains oats, milk, cinnamon, banana, honey, flax on top and sliced almonds!
I love making Basmati rice in the rice cooker.
My favorite rice cooker meal is rice with chicken and broccoli in a cheese sauce.
I have always just cooked rice in a rice cooker, but I would like to try this recipe! Thanks for the nice giveaway 🙂
I have only used a rice cooker to make white rice, usually make chicken adobo with it. I love pumpkin cheesecake.
I like to make rice pudding.
i really want to make sushi rice!
I have a fantastic Rick cooker Jambalya recipe!
I’d love to make a fall risotto with pumpkin or squash
jambalya rice but my face is white rice cooked in milk and then i add sugar i know its so so good though
I have never cooked nothing in a rice cooker. I can go without the pumpkin flavor year-round.
We like to have Rice Cooker Muffin Cake. It is so yummy.
I am not very original when it comes to pumpkin I love all the old favorites but I do love all the sweet things especially pumpkin cheesecake!
I use my rice cooker to make cabbage rice, cabbage, rice, sausage, ground meat and tomatoes mixed together – so good
I’ve never had a rice cooker, but I’m told it’s life-changing! I love pumpkin oats… such a good idea to make it chai flavored. I can’t wait to try this!
My favorite rice cooker recipe is Rice Cooker Crawfish Tails. This was the first thing I ever cooked in a Rice Cooker other than rice.
I love Cheesy Garlic Zucchini Rice.
I like making pumpkin biscuits!
The Pumpkin Vanilla Chai Protein Oatmeal sounds like a good one.. I don’t actually have a favorite as of yet.
I love pumpkin bread!
I like to make Jasmine Rice in the rice cooker. Sure, why shouldn’t pumpkin be a year round thing.
For the same reason you don’t make Christmas recipes all year, or those nifty Fourth Of July cakes with strawberries and blueberries; anticipation makes them better. And there are seasonal variations, too. You bake with pumpkin in the fall. In the summer, zucchini and yellow squash serve more or less the same purpose in baking. It’s also similar in usage to baking recipes that use chickpeas or black beans.
The autumn pumpkin recipes just wouldn’t be as enticing if you were making them all year, they wouldn’t be something to look forward to.
yes, yes the anticipation . . . and the seasonal association all those thing bring to the 5 senses!
I like to make Black Bean Chili in the rice cooker.
My favorite recipe with rice is chicken and sausage jambalaya. I’d love to try it in a rice cooker.
My favorite pumpkin recipe is pumpkin pie with whipped cream.
I’ve never used a rice cooker but can say that I love Pumpkin Whole Wheat Pancakes topped with candied pecans and pure maple syrup!
I love to make steel cut oats in the rice cooker – and add some raisins or dried fruits to have natural sweetness!
We have a really great pumpkin coconut chickpea curry recipe that I’m anxious to pull out once the temperatures dip. Morning porridge will be on the docket as well! Thanks, and cheers.
We eat chili over rice pretty frequently. It’s a habit my fiance picked up while living in Hawaii, and it is a pretty fantastic combo.
My fav pumpkin recipe Is a smoothie
My favorite pumpkin recipe is the sweet pumpkin rice soup with coconut milk
Thank You
I like making spanish rice
Favorite pumpkin recipe is pumpkin bread. I also like the flavor of pumpkin in stews and chili.
I make pumpkin bread with pecans the family loves it.
Never used a rice cooker love to though
My favorite pumpkin recipe is my mother-in-law’s pumpkin crunch cake! 🙂 Your recipe oatmeal recipe in this post sounds awesome though. I’d definitely make it if I win.:)
I LOVE making chocolate chip pumpkin bread, and I love that you made hot cereal in your rice cooker; we love our rice cooker.
For me, pumpkin is a year-round thing. I freeze pumpkin and then use canned pumpkin when I run out. My favorite pumpkin recipe is definitely pumpkin pie, but a friend recently made pumpkin rice pudding for me recently and it was delicious.
Pumpkin should for sure be YEAR LONG!
Pumpkin muffin with cream cheese
I like to make rice pilaf
I love old fashioned rice pudding!! I have never cooked with a rice cooker before though 🙂
I love to make pumpkin roll!
I love pumpkin roll!
What an awesome idea! :O I need to make protein oats!
I have a ton of favorite rice cooker recipes, but up on what to make again this weekend = curry risotto (http://www.fairyburger.com/rice-cooker-curry-risotto/)! :]
A couple pumpkin recipes I like are Pumpkin-Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies , Pumpkin Pie Coffee Cake, Chicken with Pumpkin and Mushrooms, and a Chickpea Pumpkin Coconut Curry.
I love Pumpkin Bread, such a moist bread, doesn’t seem to ever get stale before its gone.
I have a great pumpkin roll recipe.
i love to make cake in my rice cooker
Pumpkin bread pudding from Emeril. Has it at his restaurants in Nola and it is awesome!
I like making spanish rice or just plain white rice paired up with enchiladas.
I have never owned a rice cooker so have never cooked in one.
My favorite pumpkin recipe to make is a pumpkin cream pie made with pumpkin and cream cheese. It’s a great alternative to the standard pumpkin pie.
jweezie43[at]gmail[dot]com
I love pumpkin spice cheesecake.
My favorite rice cooker meal is seasoned broccoli rice.
I don’t have a rice cooker but have really been wanting one. My favorite pumpkin recipe is pumpkin dump cake.
Pumpkin pie is my favorite but I love pumpkin in general.
I love making fried rice and this time of year, i love making pumpkin bread.
My husband loves rice, so I use our rice cooker often. I often make some sort of saucy dish, such as curry chicken, and serve it over rice.
I like making pumpkin cupcakes
I would have to say pumpkin nut muffins.
We like to make pumpkin pancakes.
My favorite pumpkin recipe is my honey and almond pumpkin bread.
My wife & I make our kids PUMPKIN-OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES every Halloween.
I like to make pumpkin smoothies!