My inspiration for this dish came from my friend who desperately needed to use up all the canned pumpkin and started adding it practically everywhere. The combination of oatmeal and pumpkin intrigued me to the point that I was thinking about it everyday for about a week before I finally bought some canned pumpkin and decided to try it out. The rest just came together easily since it was a no-brainer for me that pumpkin should be paired with classic Pumpkin Pie spices like cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg. The final component, or maybe it's better to call it a technique, was a spontaneous decision. I've had my Brûlée torch for quite some time and only used it twice in the last few years. I also thought that the crunch of hard, caramelized sugar would pair nicely with the soft texture of oatmeal. The result was fantastic, warm and satisfying oatmeal that can easily double as a dessert. I know it's a strange choice to use those fall flavours in May, but the temperature dropped to +5 here in Toronto over the weekend and it really felt more like autumn than spring.

For 1 large serving

• Rolled oats - 1/2 cup
• Soy milk - 3/4 cup
• Canned pumpkin puree - 1/2 cup
• Vanilla extract - 1/4 teaspoon
• Cinnamon - 1/4 teaspoon
• Ground dry ginger - 1/8 teaspoon
• Nutmeg - a pinch
• Ground cloves - a pinch
• Salt - a pinch
• Dark brown suger - 1 + 2 teaspoons

- In a small pot, whisk together the milk and pumpkin puree.
- Add all the spices and 1 teaspoon of brown sugar. Heat the mixutre.
- Add the oatmeal and cook whicking occasionally for about 7-10 minutes until the oatmeal is soft and the liquid is absorbed.
- Pour the cooked oatmeal into a bowl and spread the remaining 2 teaspoons of brown sugar on top. Torch the sugar until it hardens. Alternatively, place the bowl under a broiler for couple of minutes to melt and caramelize the sugar.

Comments
- Regular milk or any other type of non-dairy milk can be used in this recipe. Water can also be used.
- Use the spices according to your taste. I don't like cloves too much and next time I am going to omit that spice.
- Canned pumpkin can be substituted for normal pumpkin, which should be baked and processed in a blender.