Savory Oatmeal

Me with my sweet tooth and I've discovered I actually like my oatmeal savory rather than sweet. I have to admit, when I first read about the idea of using savory toppings on oatmeal from food writer Mark Bittman, the idea sounded gross.

But bear with me...and keep an open mind, as I did. Oatmeal is a pretty bland palate and if you think outside the box and jazz it up with savory condiments, trust me, you'll be rewarded. And like me, you may never want to turn back.

The picture is my savory oatmeal from this morning. It was filling, scrumptious, and I'm certain much healthier and lower in calories than if I had doused with it with butter, half and half, maple syrup and brown sugar, as I would have back in the days before I got wise to how good oatmeal can be with less-than-traditional toppings. Here's today's variation, but you should feel free to try it out with whatever sounds good to you or whatever you have on hand--cheese is a great addition, so are leftover veggies, chicken.... The possibilities are endless.

Savory Oatmeal

Ingredients
Oatmeal for one serving, prepared according to package directions (I use McCann's quick-cooking steel-cut oats and just zap it in the microwave in a big bowl).
1 scallion, sliced
Soy sauce
Sriracha sauce (Asian hot sauce--look for it in the aisle with the soy sauce, etc.)
1 poached or fried egg, cooked according to your tastes

Directions
Cook oatmeal (I always add a pinch of Kosher salt to the liquid, even if I'm making sweet). Halfway through cooking time, add in all of the white parts of the onion and most of the green, save a few green tops for garnish. When done, stir in a generous splash of soy sauce (if it's too thick, you can add a little more water, broth, or even butter). Top with your egg and reserved green onion. Drizzle sriracha artfully over all.