My morning oatmeal or Things to do with extra baby food

I borrowed Jessica Seinfeld's book Deceptively Delicious from our library in the hopes that it would give me some good recipes in which to sneak more vegetables into my 15-month-old's diet. I tried a few recipes, the French Toast with butternut squash (yum!) and the coffee cake with butternut squash (why did I buy so many cans of butternut squash?) Other recipes left me a little skeptical: brownies with spinach?

Finally, I gave this oatmeal a go. Not only does Jack love it, so do I. While I generally like oatmeal, it usually leaves me starving an hour or so after I've had it. Not this one. It's got lots of protein in it--a plus since Jack and I are both vegetarian, and it's a great, cozy dish for these not-yet-warm Spring mornings.

The peanut  butter gives it a sticky texture which I love. The original recipe calls for a garnish of dried fruit and nuts, but I had already raided my fruit and nut supply to make these. Here's the recipe, with a few changes.


Deceptively Delicious Oatmeal

• 1 cup milk
• 1 Tablespoon brown sugar (the original recipe calls for 1/4 cup brown sugar which makes it WAY too sweet for my taste)
• 1/4 cup canned pumpkin or sweet potato puree (I used sweet potato baby food, almost one entire 4 oz. jar)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional but good)
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 2 teaspoons natural peanut butter
• Dried fruit and nuts (optional)
• big pinch salt

1. In a small saucepan, combine the milk, sugar, pumpkin or sweet potato, vanilla, salt and spice. Bring to a gentle boil and stir in the oatmeal. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until the oatmeal is soft and creamy. Stir in peanut butter, if using.
2. Spoon the oatmeal into bowls and sprinkle with dried fruit and nuts. Yummmm...