One of the most versatile foods in the kitchen is a surprisingly boring breakfast staple.

Oatmeal is my favorite food.

I’m not joking. People think I’m joking. 

I have some food sensitivities. There have been weeks where oatmeal was the only thing I could eat. Nothing makes you get creative with food like having one food that settles. 

I never got bored of it because you can make it into so much more than boring old oats. And once I could eat other food again, there were even more options. 

What makes oatmeal healthy? 

One 1/2 cup serving of oats has a decent amount of fiber, protein, and iron. Protein and iron are fundamental for energy. Fiber benefits digestion. It speaks for itself. Oatmeal has been regarded as one of the healthiest breakfast options around for a reason. 

One quick note about typical oatmeal recipes:

I hate sugar first thing in the morning. I swear it makes me feel horrible almost instantly. The usual oatmeal fixings of brown sugar or maple syrup never sat well with me. 

Here are my favorite ways to eat oatmeal (that aren’t sugary.)

Make Overnight Oats

I have a minor obsession with this method. 

It’s easy, it’s healthy, and I can make it in advance. Win, win, win. 

I like to make mine with an energizing twist. My favorite method is to combine oats, yogurt (dairy-free, in my case), some salt, and my favorite protein powder in a mason jar. My favorite protein powder is a sugar-free matcha that packs a solid amount of caffeine. Shake it up and then stick it in the fridge. This makes it fantastic for breakfast and for a little extra energy. Matcha protein oats may not be everyone’s cup of tea. (Haha.)

Make It Into Bread

I like a good egg sandwich. 

I also periodically avoid gluten. Store-bought gluten-free bread is a nutritional nightmare, usually made with countless unpronounceable ingredients. 

I learned about this little trick to turn oats into flatbread a few years ago. Grab a blender and combine 1/2 a cup of oats with some salt and 1/4 a cup of whatever milk is on hand. (Add a couple extra tablespoons of milk if it’s too thick.) 

Heat a pan and cook the batter, flipping halfway through so both sides get done. I usually split it into two pieces of bread, leaving it a little thicker. And then make it into a sandwich with farm fresh eggs. 

Make It Savory

This is a little bit basic. 

One other favorite of mine is to cook some oats normally. Instead of sweet ingredients, I add sautéed spinach or miso paste. I pretty much treat it like I would a bowl of ramen. 

It’s a million times better than it sounds. 

(I did freak everyone in my house out pretty bad once by turning my oats into a salmon bowl, but I could eat salmon three meals a day and still enjoy it.) 

More uses than expected 

The gist of it is this.

Oats are healthy, versatile, and can be delicious. But they get a bad rep because most think it has mildly sweetened mush.

I am always looking for more ways to mix up how I eat this food. Besides the recipes above, I have turned them into breakfast biscuits, protein bars, crepes, pancakes, and even bagels. (Not “real” bagels, which is an important distinction. I’m a purist about bagels, though.)

A good rule of thumb is that if you can make a recipe with flour, there’s probably a way to make it with oatmeal instead.