Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie Porridge

Warm peanut butter cookies alongside a glass of cold milk are a childhood favorite, right? So why not reinvent the combination into a healthy oatmeal breakfast?

This recipe came to me last fall during pumpkin season (hence the pumpkin pie spice), but I think it is good year-round.

Ingredients:

1 c water (or milk for a true reinvention of cookies and milk)

½ c quick oats
½ c unsweetened applesauce
¼ t cinnamon
¼ t pumpkin pie spice (or more cinnamon)
1 t vanilla extract
2 T natural peanut butter
Honey for drizzling
1-2 T old-fashioned oats (or peanut butter granola) for topping

Directions:

1. Bring water and oats to a boil and reduce heat to medium.
2. When oats reach the desired consistency, stir in the applesauce, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract. Simmer oatmeal on low until some of the liquid from the applesauce absorbs and the oats reach the desired consistency.
3. Stir the peanut butter into the oats until it all melts and melds with the oatmeal

4. Transfer oatmeal to a bowl and drizzle with honey.

5. Top with the old-fashioned oats or granola and enjoy.