Sunday Brunch: Savory Oatmeal with Veggies

If you think that breakfast food is the best of all the food then we are probably already best friends. Either that, or you are Leslie Knope— and I'm really okay with both of those situations.
I generally reserve breakfast for the weekends when I have time to make a full southern style meal— biscuits + gravy, pancakes with fruit, and a side of fried potatoes. But I realized recently that my lack of breakfast during the work week was putting a pretty big damper on my brain function. That, and I would feel ravenous by lunchtime, which generally led to overeating and feeling like crap— no matter how wholesome the meal was.
So I decided to make a change. I've been getting up early enough to eat breakfast in the morning [gasp!] and it's been making a world of difference! I'm less hungry (and grumpy!) the rest of the day (duhhhhhh, Jenna!) and it's a lot easier to make better food choices. Don't worry, I still eat cookies. Because eating cookies is a good choice. I just don't eat ten cookies anymore ;-)
Since I work at a candy factory, the last thing I want first thing in the morning is something sweet. That's why most breakfast and smoothie recipes don't really work for me— I can't eat a ton of sugary + fruity things early in the morning. And I mean, one can only eat so many fruit + oatmeal combos before getting bored.
Enter stage right my newest obsession: savory breakfast oats! I wanted something wholesome, filling, and minimally processed. I already love oatmeal and honestly, I had some vegetables that needed to be used up. I also wanted an option that's highly customizable— think of the endless combinations: kale + black bean,  carrots + peas, celery + potato, veggie sausage + mushroom, apples + gouda. . . anything you like, really!
I've been making some version of this recipe several times a week + I've really been wanting to share more food ideas on the blog so posting this here was kind of a no brainer— I hope you all enjoy!
SAVORY OATMEAL WITH VEGGIES

1 cup veggie broth
1/2 cup oats*
1 tbs butter or oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tsp garlic
1 1/2 c veggies**
salt + pepper + hot sauce to taste
1 tbs nutritional yeast
1 handful fresh spinach

1. In a small saucepan, bring veggie broth to boil. While waiting, melt butter/oil in another pan and cook onion + garlic until translucent. Add onion, garlic, and uncooked oats to the boiling veggie broth. Cook about 5 minutes over medium heat; stir occasionally.

2. While the oats are cooking, sauté veggies in the same pan used for onion + garlic— about 5 minutes. Season liberally with salt, pepper, and hot sauce.

3. Stir nutritional yeast into oats and top with a handful of spinach. Don't stir— allow oats to slightly steam the spinach. When spinach is wilted, stir in and remove from heat. Serve topped with sauteed veggies.

*I use old fashioned because I'm impatient. **I use squash, zucchini, and mushrooms.
Alternative Method: If you prefer steel cut oats but are low on time, you can cook a large pot of them ahead of time to keep in the fridge and reheat later— then just sauté whatever veggies you like each morning!

Bonus tip: serve in a travel coffee cup if you're eating on the go! I have a thirty minute commute and if I'm low on time then I will throw these oats in a travel mug and eat it when I get to work—this breakfast stays hot the entire time if you keep it this way!
xoxo, jenna

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