What’s on your healthy breakfast plate? Out of vegan ideas? A savory oatmeal skillet is a nutritious and delicious option that is easy to make.
My morning routine varies, depending on what type of exercise I’m doing, what time I’m doing it, whether or not I have to take Calvin Klein for a walk, and how long I have before my first client…..but one thing is certain, I ALWAYS eat breakfast. Even if I have to take it on the road. I know there are some that wake up and can’t stomach any food, but not me….I wake up hungry and thinking about food.
Oatmeal is an awesome choice for breakfast because it keeps me satisfied all morning, with a constant energy that is superior to other carbohydrate choices that come with energy spikes and dips. Oats are a good source of fiber—-the type that has been shown to help lower cholesterol, the type that can help keep your bowels regular, the type that helps keep your blood sugar balanced. They are also a good source of manganese, protein, iron, magnesium, zinc and selenium. What an impressive way to start your day!
I used to eat oatmeal most days with the same array of toppings: berries, an assortment of seeds (flax, hemp, chia), nut butter, until one day I was out of berries, had no apples in the house and wondered what to do with the oatmeal that was cooking on the stove. I had never considered savory oatmeal and (spoiler alert) let me just say it was a game changer sort of day! Honestly, this shouldn’t have come as such a surprise since I know that my taste leans toward salty/spicy and always preferred over sweets…..but what I hadn’t anticipated was how many more options and combinations are out there.
I was also pleasantly surprised that savory oatmeal lends itself so beautifully to leftovers. I mean, I always have an assortment of left over roasted, stir fried or already cut up veggies. Berries seem to run out so quickly in our house (I can inhale a pint of blueberries while still in the grocery store, and polish off the raspberries in the car ride home), but my crisper drawer is constantly filled with green goodies…..making savory oats ALWAYS a possibility.
If one of your nutrition goals is to up your veggie intake, adding 1-2 servings of vegetables to your oatmeal is both a nutritious and delicious way to start your day!
If you wake up in the morning, know that there isn’t much in the house to make for dinner, and know that you won’t have time to get to the grocery, it doesn’t have to mean that take out is in your future. Put up those oats, go about your day and then use whatever veggies you can find in your crisper will work to pull this off. Broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, Brussels sprouts, red peppers……you get the idea. Whatever you have will do. No kale, but you have some spinach. Awesome. No fresh greens, but there are some in your freezer? That will work. An assortment of frozen veggies….go for it! Some left over roasted veggies from last night? Perfect! Savory oatmeal works well for any meal any time of day, with any ingredients.
So, all of a sudden, I’m posting photos of savory oats on Instagram and in my insta stories and then getting requests for the recipe…..which, of course, there wasn’t one. I’ve been thinking through my favorite combos so I could share something fab with you guys, and this is it….but certainly, feel free to improvise, experiment and come up with your own favorite. I’d love to hear in the comments what you’ve done with your oatmeal.
📖 Recipe
Savory Oatmeal Skillet
Ingredients
For the oatmeal:
- ¼ cup old fashioned oatmeal
- ¼ cup steel cut oats
- 2 ½ cups water
For the Veggies:
- 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 small yellow onion thinly sliced
- 4 baby bello mushrooms thinly sliced
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- a few grinds of black pepper.
- 1 Tablespoon tamari
- ½ cup broccoli separated into small florets
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1-2 Tablespoons veggie stock or water
- ½ cup chopped kale or other green
Optional Toppings:
- 1 Tablespoon sesame seeds
- 2 Tablespoons sliced almonds
Instructions
MAKE THE OATMEAL
- Combine oats and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Cover and turn off heat. Leave the oats overnight or until liquid is fully absorbed. One hour or a bit less is enough time, but you can leave them on the stove overnight.
- Gently reheat when ready to serve.
- Cooked oatmeal can be stored in the fridge for up to one week.
- Use it to make savory oats—directions below, or add to your smoothies.
SAVORY OATMEAL SKILLET DIRECTIONS:
- Heat a heavy skillet (I use a cast iron skillet) over medium heat.
- Swirl in oil and then saute onions for 1-2 minutes as they turn translucent.
- Add the mushrooms, salt, pepper and stir while cooking for about 5 minutes, until mushrooms start to brown and shrink.
- Stir in the tamari.
- Toss the broccoli into the mixture along with the garlic and crushed pepper and cook for about 2 minutes. If the pan begins to dry out, add in veggie stock or water one Tablespoon at a time.
- Add the greens and stir well.
- Stir in the cooked oatmeal and mix until heated through.
- Serve warm with a sprinkling of nuts/sesame seeds on top.
Notes
Nutrition
Note
The nutrition calculations were done using online tools. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients you used. You are ultimately responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information is accurate, complete and useful.
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