Savory Oatmeal

My favorite cold weather breakfast.

SEASONAL TIP:

Switching up your breakfast from smoothies or yogurt to something warm and savory is not only better for digestive health, but it will also aid in keeping your body warm, which supports proper immune system function. This season is all about stoking digestive fire by cooking food and playing around with circulatory stimulating spices. Warm and hydrating foods such as soups, stews, and this savory oatmeal are deeply nourishing and grounding, you will feel (& taste) the difference.

A SAVORY BREAKFAST:

While a sweet and starchy breakfast gives us pleasure (as it releases dopamine in the brain), it’s not the best way to deliver energy. A sweet and starchy breakfast leads to a big glucose spike, which affects the body’s ability to make energy efficiently, which makes us tired, hungry again sooner, and kicks off all kinds of other unwanted side effects.

Breakfast sets the tone for the rest of the day’s food decisions. So if you start the day with a big glucose spike, it will make you hungry again sooner; and the bigger the breakfast spike, the bigger the drop after it, and therefore the worse the hunger and cravings will be. That breakfast will also deregulate glucose levels for the rest of the day, so then lunch and dinner in turn will create bigger spikes, leading to less favorable food decision making at mealtime. (Hence a bigger craving for more carbs and sugar.)

With that being said, the best way to have steady energy is to switch to a savory breakfast. Protein is the centerpiece of a savory breakfast – it’s what keeps you feeling steady, full, and satiated. Healthy glucose levels love protein, so switch up your oatmeal by making it savory and watch yourself stay full longer, feel more energy, and improve the start to your day.

RECIPE

• 1 cup bone broth (or sub veg broth, water, or even leftover soup!)

• 1/2 organic oats

• 2 eggs

• any leafy greens: swiss chard, nettle, kale, bok choy, etc.

• toppings like: avocado, sauerkraut, kimchi, leftover roasted veggies, nuts or seeds, nutritional yeast, gomashio

  • optional warming and building adaptogens: ashwagandha, eleuthero, reishi, licorice, maca

  • optional circulatory stimulating spices: cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne, nutmeg, rosemary, sage, thyme, garlic, horseradish

In a small pot heat 1 cup of bone broth until simmering. Add 1/2 cup oats and cook until tender, about 1-2 minutes stirring the whole time. Crack 2 eggs into the oats and stir vigorously until whisked and distributed evenly. The eggs take about 1-2 minutes to be cooked through. Turn off heat and add a handful of greens to wilt.

You can add any savory toppings you like - leftover veggies, roasted squash, seeds, nuts, kraut, avocado, gomashio, etc.

You can also skip the addition of eggs while cooking the oatmeal and rather add two cooked eggs on top (whatever style you prefer - fried, poached, soft/hard boiled, scrambled). However, for ease and a nice creamy texture, I love cooking the eggs into the oatmeal.

You can also add any fancy adaptogen, mushroom, green powder or herb to your oatmeal as it cooks. The best time to add the powder would be at the end with heat turned off and before you add your greens. Mix throughly.

Enjoy!