One of the things I strive for as a dietitian is to find every imaginable way to sneak in some more fruits and vegetables without garnering too much hate for it. And yes, I will add it into things like breakfast, specifically my oatmeal bowls. One vegetable that I have found very versatile for this sneaky addition has been zucchini. I know, it sounds weird, but trust me, it’s so mild you don’t even taste it. Even better, if you are weirded out by the green bits, you can always peel that off and strictly use the white flesh of the veggie to grate into the oats. I personally love this fun little addition for it’s added fiber, antioxidants and the fluffiness that it adds to my oats. If you’ve ever struggled with meals not filling you up, zucchini also adds a nice boost in volume to your oats as well.
Alright then, have I convinced you yet to give these guys a go? I hope so! They are very simple to put together. the only fancy kitchen tool you need is a grater. There are no ingredients in this list that you shouldn’t be able to find and it’s all affordable (double bonus if you ask me). Depending on how fast of a grater you are, this also is relatively quick to put together too. So really, I’m giving you as few excuses as possible for why you should be making these oats as soon as possible. Truthfully, it was hardest to convince the hubby to trust me when it comes to trying these out. He’s not the biggest fan of veggies, so the fact that he said these oats were tasty literally made my heart sing.
Let me just add one last suggestion here. Get those fruits in too. They add some nice natural sweetness without having to resort to added sugar, but if you do want a sweeter version, I’ve left some instructions in the recipe below for adding a little maple sweetness to start your day. If you try this recipe, I’d love it if you tagged me via @plantbasedrd on instagram and/or use the #nutritiouslycat so I can see all of your creations!
Ginger Zoats (Zucchini Oats)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 people 1x
- Category: Breakfast
Description
One of my favorite ways to add a good dose of veggies at breakfast. Best part is that you’ll be boosting fiber and other antioxidants without hindering the taste of your oats.
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 2 tbsp ground flax seed
- 1/2 medium sized zucchini, finely grated
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 2 cups unsweetened soy milk
- 1 medium sized banana, mashed
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tsp maple syrup (optional)
Instructions
- Add oats, flax seed, cinnamon, ginger, and salt to a medium size sauce pan then evenly mix together.
- Add grated zucchini, mashed banana, maple syrup and soy milk. Stir together and place on stove top over medium to low heat.
- Allow mixture to cook for 5 minutes or until desired consistency is reach, stirring on occasion to prevent mixture from sticking to bottom of the pan.
- Remove from heat and distribute to two bowls. Top with desired fruit or nut butter spreads then serve.
Notes
If you let the cooked oatmeal continue to sit it will continue to thicken. Feel free to adjust with additional liquid to adjust to desired consistency.
I tried this (minus the marrow only because I didn’t have it in my fridge). It’s amazing! I am usually not very keen on cooked fruits, but the banana in this is very subtle. The flavours work surprisingly well together. This will definitely be a regular breakfast for me. I will definitely be trying it with the marrow in next time!