An Ode to Oatmeal

It seems to me that whenever people (and by people, I mean people that eat the standard American diet, or rather SAD) talk about eating breakfast on a whole food plant-based diet, or even a vegan diet, they always end up talking about oatmeal. Somehow this devolves into disparaging oatmeal for being bland or boring or repetitive.

First of all, plant eaters have just as many breakfast options as SAD eaters, without having to resort to carcinogen-classed meat products or cereals colored with petroleum. Fruit, for one, but also smoothies, pastries, burritos, hashes, waffles, pancakes, and the list goes on. Personally, I make a mean tofu scramble that has more vegetables in it than many adults could even name.

But putting aside the stereotype of the “restriction” of plant-based eating for a second, what the heck is wrong with oatmeal? Oats, like most whole grains, are a great source of fiber and protein, naturally low in fat, and chocked full of vitamins and minerals, including manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, iron, zinc, folate, B1, B5, and others.

Additionally, they contain an antioxidant that has been linked to increasing the production of nitric oxide, which dilates blood vessels and can help with hypertension and arterial health. In case you’re not a supplement person, many of the leading pre-workout drinks and pills aim for this goal, with significantly more additives and much higher cost per serving. This is also the mechanism of action for many of the leading erectile dysfunction medications on the market, so eat up, fellas.

All of those health benefits clock in at the incredible price of roughly 6.5 cents per ounce, according to my local big box grocery chain, and there are very likely cheaper options, like ordering in bulk, which is a very viable option no matter how often you eat them, because their shelf life is estimated at a modest two years.

“But WFP Babe, none of those things matter because bland and boring, remember? Healthy and cheap don’t matter if the food is TERRIBLE!!”

Hold on, overstimulated reader. Let me pose this question. If your car breaks down a week after buying it, would you say that all cars in general are terrible? No, you’d say that whoever built that car did a crap job, and the same is true with food. Blame the cook, not the ingredient.

Oats are chameleons in the kitchen. You stack them with just about any add-ins, and they will slip right into those colors and flavors without complaint. My personal favorite involves heaps of berries and a teaspoon of hibiscus powder, which transforms the porridge into a sort of dark purple brew of sweet antioxidant goodness.

And you may rebut with, but what about those super mysterious ancient grains? Don’t they impart the magical powers of the Incans or the Bantu? First of all, don’t be so ignorant, reader; you are better than that. Secondly, I do love some grain varieties (quinoa and brown rice are regular staples in my lunch prep), but when I compared the fiber, protein, calories, and micronutrients in all the major whole grains, there wasn’t any contender that I felt had such a huge advantage over oats and brown rice that I’d recommend it strongly, especially keeping in mind cost and availability.

I will undoubtedly go into the minutiae of the other grains of the world in another post, but for now here’s what I’ll say: if you want to swap in a different grain, the different cook times and liquid ratios will be listed below. Just keep in mind it will slightly alter the taste and texture, and you may find that it affects how much of other ingredients you’ll want to add. Proceed bravely, and let me know if you stumble across some new, delicious grain alchemy.

The other ingredient you should always put in these bowls if you can find it is ground flax seed. Our digestive system doesn’t break down the whole seeds well, so it is definitely preferable to buy the flax meal, or grind it up and store it if you’re feeling crafty.

Flax has been shown to reduce high cholesterol and hypertension (even better than some of the standard hypertension medication). They’re also a rock solid source of omega-3 (as much as a serving of most fishes, except with fiber instead of mercury), and lignans, which may reduce your risk of several types of cancer. In fact, flax seeds have so many proven health benefits that Dr. Greger of Nutritionfacts.org recommends eating them everyday as part of his Daily Dozen recommendations (which I think everyone could benefit from following).

So, without further preamble, here are a selection of my favorite ways to make oatmeal on a weekday morning. Ten minutes or less, I promise. And keep your eye out for the upcoming part two, “The Great Dessert Experiment,” where I will show you a series of oatmeals/grain bowls inspired by America’s favorite desserts.

Other Grain Choices

Grain Type	Brown Rice	Pearled Barley	Quinoa	Millet	Amaranth
Cook Time	45 min (I would highly recommend using leftover, then prepare as above, with just a splash of water to reheat)	25-40 min (I would highly recommend using leftover, then prepare as above, with just a splash of water to reheat)	15 min	25 min	25 min
Grain to Water Ratio	1:2	1:3	1:2	1:~4	1:2 1/2