One of my go-to breakfast foods is oatmeal with egg whites cooked in. You may or may not think this sounds totally weird, but hear me out: aside from being delicious, the addition of egg whites makes for a fluffy, filling bowl of oats that won’t weigh you down. I recently wrote a tutorial for Azumio, so I thought I’d share a version on here too, since it’s been a while since I’ve posted any oatmeal recipes.
zucchini bread oatmeal
I usually use rolled oats because I find them more versatile, but feel free to use instant or steel cut—just note that cooking times will vary. Most packages of rolled and instant list 1/2 a cup as a serving (1/4 cup for steel cut), but I prefer to use 1/3 cup (3 tablespoons if you were using steel cut), as it’s closer to the one-ounce USDA serving and leaves a little extra room for a tablespoon of ground flax for an extra boost of fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. I am all about variety, so much flavors, more texture, and more nutrients for the same number of calories is a win-win situation in my book.
Here’s what you need for a very basic bowl of oats:
- ⅓ cup rolled oats
- 1 tablespoon ground flax
- ¼ cup liquid egg whites (or 2-3 whites from whole eggs)
- ⅔ cups water
On the stovetop
- Bring water to a boil. Lower heat and add the oats and flax.
- Cook until liquid is almost fully absorbed.
- Add egg white and stir in vigorously until mixture begins to look fluffy (about 2 minutes). Cover pot and let sit 5 minutes before serving.
In the microwave
- In a microwave-safe bowl, mix egg/whites, water, oats, and flax.
- Microwave on high in 30-second intervals until cooked through, stirring between to prevent clumping.
Now the fun part—variations:
*Use milk instead of water (or half-milk, half-water) for a creamier texture.
*To add sweet flavor without adding sugar, mix in cinnamon, pumpkin pie spices or cocoa powder, plus vanilla extract. You can also use savory spices if preferred. Here’s my favorite basic savory oats recipe.
*Some alternatives to ground flax: wheat germ, coconut flour, chia seeds, and hemp seeds can be cooked in or mixed in after cooking.
*Mix in fruit or veggies. Berries, apples, bananas, pear…grated zucchini and grated carrots are also great.
*Top your bowl with nuts, seeds, or nut or seed butter. Fruit also makes a great topping, or you can use savory oats as a vehicle for leftover veggies, hummus, and/or goat cheese
*Make a larger batch and portion out into single servings. When you’re ready to eat, microwave in 1-minute intervals until oats reach the desired temperature. I do this all the time in my day-to-day life so I can eat once and enjoy two or three days in a row.
Store cooked oats in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
What’s your favorite way to eat oatmeal?
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This post has been part of the Sprint2TheTable‘s Strange But Good link-up. Thanks to Laura for hosting!
