Oat-less Oatmeal

I worked the late shift at my internship, so after eating a bunch of mini-meals throughout the day I wasn't hungry enough for a big dinner. I came across a recipe for "Oat-less Oatmeal". I had experimented with a similar recipe in the past, but I remembered there was something about the texture that I didn't like. However, the idea of "oat-less oatmeal" intrigues me and I'm determined to find a recipe that works. The recipe I found called for one whole mashed banana, but I knew I had some extra pumpkin in the fridge and thought it would be a tasty substitution. There seemed to be a limit to how firm of a texture I could achieve on the stove top, so I put the "oatmeal" in the fridge after I cooked it. I actually did firm up and tasted better, but not really up to my oatmeal standards. I auctioned it off to my sister who brought it with her to school as a snack today. She LOVED it, so I was inspired to post the recipe anyway . . . more experimenting to come.

Oat-Less Oatmeal ( Slightly adapted from here ):

1/4 cup unsweetened almond or coconut milk
6 T egg whites
2 Tbsp ground flaxseed
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Whisk together egg whites and milk. Add in flaxseed, cinnamon, mashed banana, and vanilla and whisk until completely combined. Pour mixture into a medium saucepan and cook over medium-low heat. Constantly stir the mixture until you reach a cooked oatmeal consistency. I cooked mine around 7-8 minutes, but 5 minutes is probably fine.

My sister ate it cold the next day topped with almonds and strawberries: