Hear Me Out: SAVORY OATMEAL IS CRUSHABLE

My friend and business coach Pamela sent my coaching cohort a photo of a savory oatmeal bowl she was eating a while back and the first reply was from our colleague William who said, if I recall, “OMG THAT IS HIDEOUS!”

And, let’s face it, I don’t see savory oatmeal out in the wild. Oatmeal is normally served with fruit, brown sugar, nut butters, anything sweet.

But: Have you tried it the opposite way?

Whether you have or not, I’m sharing two recipes you can try (don’t knock it ‘til you do) to start your morning off with a sublime mix of fiber, protein, and two+ whole servings of vegetables (one serving = 1 cup raw or 1/2 cup cooked).

Ready? Here we go.

Savory Oatmeal with Roasted Tomatoes and Sautéed Sweet Onions

Serves 5

INGREDIENTS

• 1 2/3 cups oatmeal (I use and love Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free protein oatmeal)

• 5 1/4 cups bone broth (for extra protein/flavor) or water

• Pinch of salt

• 2-3 pints of cherry or grape tomatoes

• 1 sweet onion or 4 shallots, thinly sliced

• Yummy olive oil for sautéing

• More salt and pepper to taste

• 5 6-minute eggs if you’re in the mood (see directions below)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

2. Toss your (washed and dried) tomatoes in about 1 tbsp of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and ground pepper to taste (and any other fresh or dried herb you’d like to add)

3. Place the tomatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper

4. While the oven comes to temp, take your sliced onions or shallots and sauté over medium heat for as long as it takes to get them nice and soft. Set aside

5. The oven might be up to temp now so place your tomatoes in the center rack; set a timer for 15 minutes (you’ll want to shake the sheet up around the halfway mark)

6. While the tomatoes roast, bring your bone broth/water/liquid of choice to a boil

7. Stir in your oats; let them come to a boil and then turn the heat down to low/medium so they’re at a soft simmer. Keep your eye on the saucepan so they don’t overflow (which means your heat’s up too high). Cook on that simmer for about 15 minutes

8. When your oats are done, your tomatoes are roasted to your desired roastedness, and your onions are sautéed to what you believe to be perfection, you’re ready to divide the food into five servings

9. Once reheated, feel free to “decorate” your servings with fresh basil, a 6-minute egg for more good fats and protein, and/or a sprinkling of hemp hearts for even more protein and omega 3s

Will you just LOOK at this meal prep?

So you think that’s good? Here’s ANOTHER one for you!

Savory Oatmeal with Sautéed Shiitake Mushrooms, Wilted Spinach, and Scallions

Serves 5

INGREDIENTS

• 1 2/3 oatmeal (I use and love Bob’s Red Mill gluten free protein oatmeal)

• 5 1/4 cups bone broth (for extra protein/flavor) or water

• 3ish slices of dried shiitake mushrooms (optional)

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 8-12oz sliced shiitake mushrooms for sautéing

• 2 bags washed fresh baby spinach

• A neutral oil like avocado

• 3-4 washed scallions (green and white parts because why waste?)

• Toasted sesame oil to taste

• Chiii crunch to taste

• 5 6-minute eggs if you’re in the mood (see directions below)

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring your bone broth/water/liquid of choice to a boil (with salt and pepper to taste plus the slices of dried shiitake mushrooms if desired for extra umami)

2. Stir in your oats; let them come to a boil and then turn the heat down to low/medium so they’re at a soft simmer. Keep your eye on the saucepan so they don’t overflow (which means your heat’s up too high). Cook for 15 minutes

3. While your oats are going, place a non-stick skillet on HIGH heat with high heat-friendly oil like avocado. I wouldn’t choose olive oil. Wait until the pan is HOT and the oil shimmers

4. Carefully place the mushrooms in the pan (away from your body so the oil doesn’t splatter on you) and stir/toss constantly until the mushrooms get audibly squeaky. Just wait. They’ll get squeaky

5. Then, turn the heat down to medium and salt the mushrooms with a pinch and stir/toss until they’re fully cooked. Set aside. Thanks to Anthony Bourdain for the mushroom cooking technique

6. Once your oats are done, turn the heat off and stir in the fresh baby spinach directly into the hot oatmeal to wilt. Do this in batches

7. Once your oats, mushrooms, and spinach components are done, divide into five servings

8. Once reheated, feel free to “decorate” your servings with finely sliced scallions, a zhuzh of toasted sesame oil, any spice you might like to add, a 6-minute egg for more protein, and/or hemp hearts for more protein and omega 3s!

The Magical 6-Minute Egg

You know the one: It’s got a firm exterior with the most unctuous bright orange yolk in the center. It’s so much better than a hard-boiled egg texturally IMHO, and you can get 6-minute eggs ready ahead of time vs having to make eggs in a skillet the morning of.

Here’s how to get this done:

Ingredients

• 5 eggs (my favorites if I don’t get them from the farmers’ market are organic pasture-raised eggs from Vital Farms)

• Water

Directions

1. Boil water in a quart sauce pan (fill to just above halfway so the eggs are covered); keep the saucepan’s lid nearby (or any lid that will help you pour water out later)

2. Once the water comes to a fast boil, CAREFULLY place eggs in the saucepan

3. They might be called “6-minute eggs” but boil them for 6 minutes and 15ish seconds (trust me)

4. When your timer goes off, take your corresponding saucepan lid to help you carefully empty the hot water into your kitchen sink as quickly as you can

5. Immediately start pouring cold water into the saucepan to immerse the eggs so they stop cooking for a minute or so. Then, put the eggs in the fridge for future use; use within the week

Do YOU have your own oatmeal recipes or any questions about the ones above? Leave me a comment/question below!