INGREDIENTS:

3 cups fat-free milk 3 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt (optional) 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 cups oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked) 2 medium-size ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup) 2 to 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped toasted pecans Vanilla nonfat yogurt (optional) Banana slices (optional) Pecan halves (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

-In medium saucepan, bring milk, brown sugar, spices and salt to a gentle boil (watch carefully); stir in oats. Return to a boil; reduce heat to medium. Cook 1 minute for quick oats, 5 minutes for old fashioned oats, or until most of liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally. -Remove oatmeal from heat. Stir in mashed bananas and pecans. Spoon oatmeal into six cereal bowls. Top with yogurt, sliced bananas and pecan halves, if desired.