Putting the pumpkin back in pumpkin spice.

Photography by Sam Armocido

I got riled up the other morning.

This does not happen often. I am typically pretty happy-go-lucky, but Facebook took me over the edge.

It wasn’t a political statement, first-world problems or one of the uglier -isms, no it was pumpkin spice. In  a world where we increasingly vilify real food in favor of weird, processed and extracted things like the powders, bars and Big Macs that are slowly killing us, I hit my wall at this autumn’s onslaught of pumpkin spice.

The aforementioned lattes, scones and pancakes are delicious, I’m sure, but they owe their flavor to pumpkin as much as a green Jolly Rancher gains its tart/sweet bite from apple juice. Rather than stew, I stood up and entered the kitchen, pulling a container of freshly roasted Galeux d’Eysines pumpkin out of the fridge. I combined it with oatmeal and baking spices, two tablespoons of maple sugar and a pinch of salt.

And…? Success! Pumpkin spice that tasted like pumpkin. A breakfast with enough fibre to make every dietary organization in America faint with delight. Most importantly, it was hearty and delicious, the perfect start to a crisp fall or brisk winter day. You could even enjoy it with a latte.

Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal

Serves 4

Fresh pumpkin makes his extra special. Roast a peanut pumpkin, Speckled Hound, Long Island Cheese or Hubbard. Or open up a can. Just make sure there’s real pumpkin.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh pumpkin purée
• 1 cup oatmeal
• 3 tbs maple or brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ginger
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/8 tsp ground all spice
• Pinch of salt
• 3 cups water

Directions:

• Mix together all ingredients in a small saucepan.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring as oatmeal thickens.
• Cook to desired thickness, remove from heat and serve.