20 Savory Oatmeal Recipes For a Flat Belly
Since it's so easy to make and packed with nutrients, so we're definitely in favor of eating oatmeal around-the-clock. The only challenge: Consuming it plain isn't that tasty, and sweet toppings like honey and fruit aren't typically what we crave for dinner. And we're not the only ones who feel that way; to fight taste bud fatigue, plenty of healthy foodies have been making bowls of savory oatmeal and sharing images of their creations on Instagram.
To help you get in on the savory oat trend and fuel your brinner inspiration, we've rounded up some of these most delicious-looking creations on Instagram. And if you want more ways to try oatmeal, next up try the best overnight oats recipes!
EGGS + AVOCADO + PEPPER
This bowl is filled with some of the most potent fat-blasting ingredients Mother Nature has to offer. While the egg yolks provide choline, a nutrient that promotes the breakdown of stored fat, the avocado lends a healthy helping of monounsaturated fats and oleic fatty acids, which have been proven to spot-reduce abdominal flab.
ONIONS + PEPPERS + CELERY + SAUSAGE
Oatmeal is just another grain, like rice or grits, so it's no surprise that it fares well as a Jambalaya-style dish. To create a similar bowl at home, combine oats with andouille sausage, red peppers (one of the best veggies for weight loss), onions, celery, olive oil, garlic and some spices of your choosing.
SPINACH + TOMATOES + EGG + HEMP HEARTS
We love that this savory dish calls for hemp seeds. Not only are they super-trendy right now, but they can ward off heart disease, obesity, and metabolic syndrome, likely because of their high fiber and omega-3 count. Hemp also carries all nine essential amino acids, making it a stellar vegan source of protein. Delicious and nutrient-filled veggies round out the meal, making it one you don't want to miss out on.
SUN-DRIED TOMATO + PESTO + PARMESAN
The pesto and cheese provide the majority of the flavor, while the tomatoes bring the bulk of the nutrients. The sun-dried fruit is rich in stress-busting vitamin C and lycopene, an antioxidant that lowers risk of cardiovascular disease, skin damage, and certain cancers.
VEGGIES + CHICKEN STOCK + PARMESAN + EGGS
Chicken stock imparts plenty of flavor with a negligible calorie cost, while the eggs, avocado, and veggies provide a host of healthy fats and filling nutrients like protein, fiber, and water. This risotto-like dish is perfect for fall.
PAPRIKA + ROSEMARY OLIVE OIL + ARUGULA + EGG
Before you head out for the day, combine rosemary, olive oil, water, and oatmeal in a Tupperware container and store it in the refrigerator. Then, right before you're ready to enjoy your meal, heat up the oatmeal and then top your bowl with a fried egg and a handful of arugula. Making a quick and easy healthy meal has never been easier!
SPICES + VEGGIES + SWEET POTATO FRIES
Instagrammer JessWentBananas takes her oats from drab and drool-worthy by adding ingredients like sautéed veggies, grated zucchini, leftover sweet potato fries and a generous serving of chili powder to her bowl. Not only does chili powder add a hot and spicy zing to the dish, but it also helps boost metabolic rate and decrease appetite. It's such a powerful waist-whittler, it's one of the Healthiest Spices on the Planet!
BROTH + SPICES + VEGGIES + VEGGIE BURGER + SRIRACHA
This vegan-friendly bowl relies on vegetable broth, nutritional yeast and a plethora of spices for its robust savory and cheesy flavor, while greens, avocado, rice crackers and a crumbled veggie burger add satiety-boosting bulk and added nutrients.
BACON + CHEDDAR + SCALLIONS + EGG
The classic BEC—bacon, egg, and cheese, that is—gets a flat-belly makeover by switching out the blood-sugar-raising white flour bun for a satiating bed of oats. With the magical satiating trio of protein, fat, and fiber, consider adding this dish to your breakfast routine to keep your hunger pangs at bay all morning long.
MUSHROOMS + CARAMELIZED ONIONS + BACON
Savory does not even begin to describe this dish. Sweet, caramelized onions, salty bacon, and earthy mushrooms combine to form this risotto-like baked oatmeal. The steel cut oats contribute an extra chewy, crunchy texture because they resemble a whole grain—which also contributes to their lower glycemic index and longer staying power.
LENTILS + SPINACH + NOOCH
This is a simple meal you can make on a budget, as shown by Insta pro TheFullHelping. Even on the food stamps challenge, where you only have $40 to buy groceries for the week, she was able to knock out this nutritional dish full of protein-packed lentils, iron-rich spinach, and some cheesy, nutty "nooch" or nutritional yeast.
OLIVE OIL + ASPARAGUS + SUN DRIED TOMATOES
Asparagus and sun-dried tomatoes join with extra virgin olive oil, a fat that helps boost satiety, to create this must-try dish. If you love risotto, you're sure to be a fan!
AVOCADO + SPINACH + PARSLEY
Avocados are a great addition to any meal because of their high monounsaturated fat content. These heart-healthy fats are great for reducing bad cholesterol levels and helping to lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. What's better is that these fats contain oleic acid, which can help quiet feelings of hunger. These unsaturated fats also help with the absorption of the spinach's and parsley's vitamin A content, which supports the skin, immune system, and mucous membranes.
GINGER-CHILE KALE + 7-MINUTE EGG + TAMARI + SESAME SEEDS
This Asian-inspired savory oat bowl is topped with a heaping portion of kale sauteed with ginger and chiles. Both of these are two of the healthiest spices on the planet because of their ability to speed up gastric emptying—to beat your bloat—and to burn fat by boosting your metabolism.
PESTO + ARUGULA + PANCETTA + EGG
Take a trip to Italy with this oatmeal bowl. Just saute up some pancetta—Italy's version of bacon—add oats and chicken broth. Top with some spoonfuls of nutty and herby pesto, egg, and some arugula. Buon appetito!
TURMERIC + SPINACH + CHICKPEAS
It may look like a bowl of scrambled eggs, but this turmeric-spiced savory oatmeal has nearly twice as much protein. Just a quarter of a cup of chickpeas contains almost 10 grams of vegetarian protein. Add on the protein from the oats and spinach, and you're topping almost 20 grams total, or 40 percent of your DV of protein. A bowl of 2 scrambled eggs? A mere 12 grams.
KALE + SPINACH + ZUCCHINI + SCALLIONS + DILL
This bowl of green is packed with the micronutrient vitamin K—via the kale, spinach, and zucchini. Vitamin K is a triple threat that helps with cell growth, blood circulation, and keeps your bones strong, which is why it's one of the best healthy foods for women. Boost your green game even further with some crisp scallions and dill.
PORTOBELLOS + SPINACH + CRUSHED RED PEPPER FLAKES
If you're looking for an energy and metabolism boost, this bowl is for you. Just a cup of portobello mushrooms is full of 50 percent of your RDI of niacin. Also known as vitamin B3, niacin is important for the conversion of carbohydrates, protein, and fat into energy. As for your metabolism? The capsaicin in crushed red pepper can rev up the metabolism by causing your body to produce extra heat and burn more calories.
BEANS + CHICKPEAS + CABBAGE + AVOCADO + NOOCH
A medley of musical fruits tops these oats. All beans are good for your heart, but none can boost your brainpower like black beans and clean your gut like chickpeas. Black beans are full of anthocyanins, antioxidant compounds that have been shown to improve brain function, and chickpeas contain soluble fibers, which both slow digestion and help feed your healthy gut bacteria to keep your digestive system happy.
TAHINI + ZUCCHINI + CHIA SEEDS
Dubbed "zoats" or "zoatmeal," these zucchini oats are a delicious halfway option in your savory oatmeal arsenal—not too sweet and not too savory. Pair vitamin-k-rich zucchini up with some omega-3-rich chia seeds and you've got a nutritional match made in heaven: the omega-3 fatty acids in chia seeds help boost absorption of vitamin K from zucchini. Top it all off with some creamy tahini and you're good to go.
