Harvest Savory Oatmeal

The best part about Thanksgiving is the leftovers, right?

While epic turkey sandwiches are definitely a family favorite, I was looking for a fun brunch idea to start next Friday off right. And my mind instantly went to savory oatmeal. You can cook up a whole pot of oatmeal and then set out different toppings… and then let everyone have at it. (I love DIY breakfast bars!)

We always have arugula in my fridge (it’s my lettuce of choice) and always have leftover roasted butternut cubes (my favorite Turkey Day side!). So I decided to use them as the topper for my Harvest Savory Oatmeal.

And guys, this may be just as good as the Thanksgiving meal itself!

Savory oatmeal starts with the cooking liquid.

I combined low sodium chicken broth, black pepper, and some fresh thyme leaves in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil and then add in the star!

The steel cut oats.

They cook up to a thick, yet toothsome, consistency… I prefer this to regular oatmeal even though it takes 25-30 minutes to cook completely. (PS: oats are a great source of soluble fiber too, which is important for heart health!)

When the oats are tender, remove them from the heat.

And portion into a dish. (see the pretty thyme flecks?)

Top the oatmeal with some arugula.

And decorate it with some roasted butternut squash cubes (cubes of butternut squash tossed with olive oil + salt + pepper and roasted in a 350-degree oven until golden and tender) that have been re-heated.

Add some pomegranate seeds for freshness, tartness, and beautiful color.

YUM.

While this is absolutely delicious by itself, I added an optional step which bumps up the sweetness a bit.

I drizzled over some balsamic vinegar glaze (basically thick balsamic vinegar). It was SO. GOOD. It added a little something that pushed it over the edge.

The perfect harvest brunch item for the holiday season!

So, what’s your favorite way to use up holiday leftovers?

oxox,

Catherine

Harvest Savory Oatmeal

 

Save Print

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

Simply A (RD) Fact: Butternut squash is a good source of vitamin A, which is essential for eye health!

Serves: 1 serving

Ingredients

• 1½ cup low sodium chicken broth
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• Leaves from 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme
• ¼ cup steel cut oats
• 1 cup baby arugula, washed and dried
• 1 cup roasted butternut squash cubes
• ¼ cup pomegranate arils
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar glaze, optional

Instructions

To cook the oats:

1. In a small saucepan set over medium-high heat, bring the chicken broth and black pepper to a boil. When the broth comes to a boil, add in the oats, stir, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 25-35 minutes until the oats are tender. While the oats are cooking, prepare the toppings.

To assemble:

1. Pour the oats into a swallow bowl.
2. Top with the arugula and butternut squash cubes.
3. Sprinkle pomegranate arils over arugula and squash. Drizzle over the balsamic vinegar glaze. Then dig in!

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 1 serving Calories: 305 calories Fat: 3gm Saturated fat: 0.5gm Carbohydrates: 62gm Sodium: 122mg Fiber: 12gm Protein: 11gm Cholesterol: 0mg

3.5.3226