As the days begin to get shorter and turn chillier, I begin thinking about nice warming breakfast food, like oatmeal and cream of wheat. Sadly, those are both too high carb’d for me to enjoy, so I looked for around for other warming, cereal-like options that wouldn’t overload my carb count. This recipe is one I found on the internet and adjusted a little for my tastes. It is included as a bonus recipe in my LC15 Breakfast Choices booklet.

When I first read this recipe, I was a little skeptical. But I am willing to give most things a try, so I decided to mix it up. The recipe called for ricotta cheese, but I didn’t have any so I decided to try it with cream cheese. I also added a couple of ingredients to add more flavor and this turned into a delightful, creamy pudding-like breakfast cereal, similar to cream of wheat.

If you like pumpkin, this is a real treat. If you want, you can make it without the pumpkin and use other seasonings. You can also put a tablespoon of sugar-free jam of your choice in it. Apricot, peach, orange marmalade, and strawberry work well. Or you can stir in 1 or 2 tablespoons of sugar-free applesauce, peanut butter or almond butter in place of the pumpkin.

Hot Pumpkin Breakfast Pudding

1/4 cup Ricotta Cheese, Small Curd Cottage Cheese,  or Cream                     Cheese
1 Egg
3 tablespoons Pumpkin Puree’
1 to 2 tablespoons Sugar Substitute
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon Ground Cloves
2 T Golden Flax Meal
1 tablespoon Butter
1/2 tablespoon Cream
1 pinch Salt
5 Pecan or Walnut halves, broken into pieces (optional)

If you’re using cream cheese, measure it into a microwave safe bowl and heat it for 15 seconds to soften. Add 2 tablespoons hot water and stir to mix the water into the cream cheese. It should be very liquid at this point. Add a little more water if needed. Stir in the egg, mixing very well so that the white is completely stirred into it.

Add pumpkin and seasonings at this point and stir them in.

In a non-stick skillet add 1/2 the butter and melt over medium heat. Spread the butter around the skillet, then add the egg & pumpkin mixture. Stir as it cooks so that it doesn’t form a pancake. Stir harder than you do for scrambled eggs.

As it begins to thicken, add the flax meal and nuts, if you are using them, and continue to stir until it is thick and looks done, about 30 to 40 seconds more.

Serve in a bowl with the rest of the butter and a little cream.

Makes one large serving. (While this is one serving, I find only half of it is enough to fill me.)

Nutrition Information:
Calories:358 Fat: 29.7 g Net Carbs: 4.5 g Protein: 14.3 g