The notion of savory foods for breakfast, as opposed to sweet, is far from new. But, for the most part, Americans go for sugar.
Bacon and eggs aside, a bowl of sweetened cereal doused with milk accompanied by buttered toast and jam is the norm. Yogurt is the sugary fruit-on-the-bottom variety. Hot oatmeal is topped with brown sugar and raisins, if not maple syrup.
As a child I, too, favored my oats slathered with margarine, bathed with milk and showered with sugar. At a certain point in my teens, I began to veer in a savory direction with most foods. I no longer found dessert for breakfast satisfying or appealing. I ate my oatmeal seasoned with salt and pepper and traded milk for plain yogurt. Even the occasional drizzle of olive oil hit the bowl.
It was still a kind of comfort food. But it seemed that oatmeal porridge could never be perceived as anything but bland, no matter its accouterments. I soon moved on to other more interesting breakfast offerings, taking cues from the traditional savory breakfasts of Asia and the Middle East.
And so I was surprised to discover recently that savory oatmeal had become trendy. Bowls of oats now sported bacon, sprouts, goat cheese! Hipsters were falling for it, and chefs were eager to oblige. It was becoming the standard gluten-free option in fine-dining restaurants, and recipes were appearing in reputable food publications.
But sometimes a trend can become unhinged. Amid the excitement, oats were now forced to play the role of pasta or risotto, sauced with tomatoes and basil or wild mushrooms. They were standing in for polenta, showered with Parmesan. Sriracha and oats were casually commingling. I could understand the intent, but an oatmeal recipe that mimicked huevos rancheros struck me as a seriously flawed interpretation.
I didn’t object in principle to the concept of using oatmeal as a neutral canvas as a counterpoint to savory elements though, so I decided to come up with a version of my own. I wilted a fistful of spinach leaves in olive oil with some hot pepper and garlic while the oats finished on the stove.
It needed something crunchy, so I made a savory granola-like topping with oats, almonds, hemp seed and pumpkin seeds. (This granola, by the way, is easily prepared in 15 minutes, keeps for two weeks and has all sorts of other possible uses.)
Now the oatmeal cried out for a dab of creamy sour yogurt. Bulgarian is my preference, but any good plain yogurt would do.
Verdict? It was, admittedly, rather scrumptious. Currently, oatmeal with greens is trending in my home kitchen.
Savory Oatmeal with Greens and Yogurt
Yield: 1 serving
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup slivered raw almonds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup hemp seeds or sunflower seeds
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup oats
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small clove garlic, finely diced
Pinch of crushed red pepper
5 ounces spinach leaves, about one large handful washed and drained
Plain full-fat yogurt, preferably Bulgarian yogurt, for garnish
Preparation
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Make the toasted oat and nut topping: Mix the oats, almonds, pumpkin seeds and hemp seeds together in a small bowl with salt and olive oil. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, or just until fragrant and lightly toasted.
3. Make the oatmeal: In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a boil, then add the oats and a pinch of salt. Reduce to a low simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally. Turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let steam for an additional 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the greens: Heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the garlic and crushed red pepper. (The garlic should just sizzle but not brown.) Then add the greens, salt to taste, and briefly wilt for around one minute (but no longer than two); turn with tongs to evenly cook.
5. Place the oatmeal in the bowl, surround with greens and pan juices, and garnish with about 1 tablespoon toasted oat and nut topping. Finish with a dollop of yogurt and freshly ground pepper. Sprinkle with a little salt and a drizzle of olive oil if desired.
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