Chocolate Chip Pecan Oatmeal

As hard as I tried, I couldn't achieve the pecan pie taste for my oatmeal, I don't think I did. I tried very hard, let me tell you. This was still good, and the chocolate chips added an extra oomph. But you can certainly omit the chocolate chips (in all fairness, the chocolate chips will dominate the pecan flavor) and find this to be really good too. It's not exactly pecan pie-ish.

Chocolate Chip Pecan Oatmeal
Makes 1 serving


3/4 cups oats
1 and 1/2 cup milk
1/2 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
cinnamon (to taste)
pinch of salt
chocolate chips (or not!)
2 tablespoons Splenda brown sugar
dash of maple syrup

Boil milk and salt in a small saucepan. In a small frying pan melt butter until it becomes bubbly and add the pecans. Stir until pecans are fragrant. Set aside.

When the milk has come to a boil, add the oats and stir. Add the pecans, vanilla, cinnamon, and the dash of maple syrup. Lower the heat and continue stirring. When the oats have almost soaked up all the milk, add the sugar slowly until it reaches your taste.

Serve and if you want, drizzle the chocolate chips while the oatmeal is still hot.