In my dietetics practice, I frequently see patients looking to lower their cholesterol without taking medication. There are a number of foods that can help, including oatmeal, which contains soluble fiber that can reduce the absorption of bad cholesterol (LDL) in your bloodstream. Apparently, many people put butter in their oatmeal, which seems a bit counterproductive to me since butter is loaded with saturated fat that can raise your bad cholesterol. Many of my patients are surprised to learn that savory oatmeal is a thing, so I guess it needs more publicity.

This version of savory oatmeal is one of my favorite breakfasts lately and I currently eat it at least several times of week. It does have some saturated fat in the form of cheese, but it also contains one of my favorite superfoods (spinach) and one of my favorite condiments (hot sauce). It also follows one of my nutrition rules of thumb, that most meals you eat should have more fiber than saturated fat.

I can’t guarantee that eating this several times a week will personally lower your cholesterol, but I encourage you to give this recipe a try because it makes for a relatively quick, easy and satisfying breakfast that’s loaded with beneficial vitamins and minerals.

Savory Oatmeal

Serves 1 

Ingredients

½ cup dried oats

1 cup + 2 Tbsp. water, divided

2 generous handfuls of fresh baby spinach (about 2 cups)

Non-stick cooking spray

1 large egg

2 Tbsp. shredded cheddar cheese

Hot sauce (optional), to taste

Directions

1. Prepare oatmeal according to package directions.
2. While oatmeal is cooking, place 2 Tbsp. water in a large frying pan or skillet over medium heat. Add spinach and cover. Cook until spinach is wilted, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and drain off any excess water.
3. While spinach and oatmeal are cooking, spray a small frying pan or skillet with non-stick cooking spray and warm over medium heat. Add an egg, reduce heat to medium-low, and cover. Cook for 2-3 minutes, flip egg, and cook until yolk is firm, about 5 minutes total.
4. Place oatmeal in a cereal bowl. Top with spinach, egg, cheese and hot sauce (if using). Enjoy!

Nutrition:

Serving Size: Entire recipe. 310 calories. 13 g fat (5 g saturated fat). 200 mg cholesterol. 370 mg sodium. 32 g carbohydrate. 7 g fiber. 1 g sugar. 17 g protein. 160% DV vitamin A. 60% DV vitamin C. 25% DV calcium. 35% DV iron.