Simple Fare: My Favorite Savory Oats
An easy fall breakfast to take the chill off.
I was going to give you a lasagne recipe this week.
I’ve been in the kitchen prepping for an Italian pop-up dinner at the dive bar a couple miles down the road and have been slinging around vegetarian comfort food - mushrooms, caramelized onions, béchamel.
But I’ll be honest, readers - after all that stirring and layering and cheese, this morning had me craving something simple, nourishing, and balanced. You almost got a formula for a green juice - my food cravings have been swinging from one pole to the other with the weather - but last night we had our first frost and it was a chilly walk down to the pasture. And so: oats.
As always, this is less a recipe and more a method - adjust to suit your taste, diet and goals. A couple tweaks to the standard oatmeal procedure help me with my goals and preferences:
We’re using oat groats here, which are just whole, hulled, but otherwise minimally processed, oats. They’re far chewier and more satisfying than oatmeal, even the steel-cut kind. Beyond taste, whole grains (in contrast with bread, pasta, and yes - even oatmeal) tend to increase satiety - important for those of us seeking to manage our weight without being chronically hangry.
I use bone broth as my cooking liquid because it both adds a little depth of flavor, and because it’s one of my favorite easy ways to add a little protein, in the form of collagen, to my breakfast. Water or another broth would also work just fine.
If you’re a garlic fan, throwing in a couple cloves is a great way to amp up the umami while boosting the immune-supporting properties of your meal (along with an array of other health benefits.)
Onward to the recipe:
Savory Instant Pot Oat Groats (serves 6)
2 cups oat groats
4 cups bone broth (I like Pacific Foods Chicken)
1 cup water*
1 T soy sauce
1 T sesame oil
4-6 cloves garlic, peeled (optional but recommended)
Add all ingredients to an Instant Pot and set to pressure cook on “high” for 20 minutes. After cooking, allow pressure to naturally release. Open the lid and give everything a good stir.
*For the “best” texture, I like 1 part oats to 2.5 parts liquid as per the recipe above. The bowl at left is 1:3; the bowl at right is 1:2.
Serve with your favorite savory toppings! The bowl at the top of this post has two fried eggs, beta carotene rich thanks to my free-ranging hens - bringing my meal up to a nice 24 grams of protein - a giant handful of salad greens, some green onions, and a spoonful of mango chili achar (just because.)
Other things that would be delicious here:
Any leftover vegetables hanging out in your fridge (broccoli, sweet potatoes, squash, mushrooms, greens…sky’s the limit.)
An alternate protein/fat: fish, bacon, sautéed tofu, etc.
Cheese! Everything is better with cheese. Or nutritional yeast.
More condiments: chili crisp, extra soy, sesame seeds or oil, sriracha, scallion oil…
I like to think of this recipe as a blank canvas - start with the oats and build a meal how you like it! Or just open the fridge and perhaps inspiration will strike.
Nutritional info per serving: 224 calories, 5.4 g fat, 31.8 g carbohydrates, 5.1 g fiber, 11.9 g protein.
Have a wonderful fall weekend, and fare well.
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