SAVORY OATS, TWO WAYS

Oatmeal has been a favorite breakfast for as long as I can remember, but in the last two years savory oats have become a full-blown obsession. I start with a basic mixture of oats, nutritional yeast, and fi nely chopped greens, then top them with those tiny leftover bits that aren’t substantial enough for other uses—that last scoop of lentils, a few stray cubes of tempeh, and so on—along with a drizzle of dressing, a dollop of hummus, or a handful of chopped fresh herbs.

Great

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Combine the oats, water, nondairy milk, salt, and pepper in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower the heat to maintain a simmer.

Step 2

Add the spinach (if using baby spinach, layer it on top of the oats, then cover and cook for about 1 minute, until the spinach wilts).

Step 3

Stir in the spinach and any desired seasonings (see the suggestions below) and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the oats are thick and creamy. Stir in the nutritional yeast, then taste and adjust the seasonings if desired.

Step 4

Serve right away, topped with any of the ingredients suggested below or others you like.

Step 5

Add ½ to ¾ teaspoon ground turmeric to the oats as they simmer. Top each bowl with about ⅓ cup (55 g) cooked chickpeas, along with a dollop of tahini, chopped fresh cilantro or scallions, chopped cashews, or any combination of those ingredients.

Step 6

Once the spinach has been stirred in, add ¼ teaspoon garlic powder and ½ cup fi nely chopped sun-dried tomatoes (25 g if dry-packed, or 55 g if oil-packed). Top each bowl with about ⅓ cup (60 g) cooked white beans or lentils, chopped fresh parsley, Smoked Paprika Hummus (this page), Cheesy Hemp Seed Topping (this page), crumbled crackers, Savory Tempeh Sausage Crumbles (this page), or any combination of those ingredients.