savory oats

If you’re starting off 2017 with little enthusiasm thanks to the gray sky and frigid cold, try this breakfast on for size. Nourishing, energizing, and strengthening savory oats are a toasty way to kickstart your morning.

As I aim for in all my recipes, each component has a purpose and this morning meal is packed with vitamins and minerals that boost the immune system, strengthen your tissues and bones, and help keep you energized and feeling satisfied until lunchtime.

Key Ingredients:

• Bone broth – Calcium and minerals like magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, and sulphur are important for the health of your own bones, dental health, and tissue strength. Phosphorus assists in energy production by helping you properly metabolize carbs and fats. Bone broth helps regulate your immune system as well, so if you’re not feeling so hot, it’ll help get you back on track.
• Oats – Oats are packed with minerals that provide antioxidant properties, aid in tissue strength and collagen production to keep your skin glowing, and assist in energy production as well. They also contain vanadium, which helps keep your blood sugar balanced so you don’t experience that late-morning crash.
• Eggs – Nutrient powerhouses! Consider that eggs are technically the beginning of a life, so it needs to pack in all the vitamins and minerals a living creature will need. Your protein source here is an immune-booster that’s nourishing for your hair, skin, nails, vision, teeth, bones, nervous system, and cell membranes thanks to Vitamins A, D, and several B vitamins, as well as choline, phosphorus, zinc, iodine, and sulphur. Eggs are also a good source of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fat.
• Ghee – Otherwise known as clarified butter, ghee is a nutritious saturated fat that gives us fuel and helps us feel satiated – the body uses it is as energy, burning the fat as it makes its way into the blood stream, keeping us fuller longer. It also contains Vitamin K2, which is essential for dental health.

Recipe
Serves 1

Ingredients:

1 cup bone broth (chicken)*
1/2 cup gluten-free oats**
pink himalayan salt + black pepper, to taste
1 tbsp ghee or organic butter
1 tbsp grated good-quality cheese (parmigiano-reggiano, romano, asiago, organic cheddar – all work well)
1 egg
Optional garnishes: Crushed red pepper flakes, sliced green onion, hot sauce

1. Heat bone broth in a small saucepan over medium, and heat a pan on another burner over medium-low for the egg, using oil or butter to coat the pan (I like Chosen Foods Avocado Oil spray).
2. Once broth is boiling, lower heat to medium-low and add oats, stirring occasionally until cooked, about 5 minutes. Stir in ghee, and add salt and pepper to taste.
3. While oats are cooking, crack an egg into the other pan and cover, cooking until the egg white is set. Do not cook the yolk!
4. Assembly: Top oats with grated cheese, add egg on top with salt and pepper to taste.
5. THE FUN PART: Pierce the yolk with your spoon or fork, then stir quickly into the oats to get extra creaminess without cooking the yolk.

*Vegetarian option: Swap bone broth for vegetable broth.
** Oats are naturally gluten-free, but not always produced in a GF facility, so make sure the designation is clearly labeled (Bob’s Red Mill is easy to find).