Savory Turmeric Oatmeal with Caramelized Onions
this healthy breakfast is hot! literally...
Hellloooooooo from your inbox, it’s me!
I hope you’re having an incredible start to December. This week, I got back from a trip to New Zealand where I, overnight, transformed from the chef and dating expert you expect, into the most active person you know. Hiking, kayaking, river rafting, bungee jump considering*? They said it couldn’t be done…
*Okay, so yes, I considered bungee jumping for a brief moment, but then my sister showed me videos of the whole thing on TikTok where I realized you have to dive head first to your death because they strap you to the cord by your ankles?! And you can enjoy the OPTION of dunking your head into the water at the bottom? Are we all okay? Um, no thank you, but I will skydive for sure any day over this… at least they physically attach your, oh, I don’t know, PRECIOUS LIFE THAT YOU ONLY GET ONCE to a professional. We also looked up the chance of dying from bungee jumping and it’s 1 in 11,000 which honestly seems like pretty high odds to me?? I digress…
You’re not really here for my grievances on bungee jumping (unless you are, in which case you can definitely reply to this email if you’d like to discuss and I would welcome it). Anyway, it is decidedly winter in New York which I was definitely not prepared for as I was just enjoying the brink of summer on the other side of the world. Yesterday, I woke up and it was both sunny and snowing, which doesn’t even really make sense to me, logistically.
All this to say, it’s cold. It’s that time of year where I put on my big fleece robe every morning (which I won’t show you a photo of because I’m afraid you’ll see me differently).
It’s also the time of year where I imagine you’re wanting to trade in your smoothies and yogurt for something more comforting, warm, and hearty. Even in the ancient Ayurvedic system of medicine, it’s encouraged to eat for the seasons, trading in chilled foods and salads that are typically consumed in the summer for cooked veggies, stews, soups in the winter to aid your digestive system, and support your health during the transition to colder and dryer temperatures.
which brings me to…
Savory Oatmeal! You may have never thought to try a savory application of oatmeal because we are pretty consistently conditioned to seeing sweet versions, but trust me - this is worth a try. Savory oats sort of freaked me out at first, mostly because I am a creature of habit (read: oatmeal with peanut butter and banana) with trust issues (not the place to discuss), but this recipe really changed my mind and made me believe in love again. It’s hearty and comforting and kind of reminds me of an Indian khichdi but of course, with a base of oats instead of rice and lentils.
I like to prepare this oatmeal with warming spices like turmeric and and cumin, and while you can certainly exercise your freedom of toppings rights, I highly suggest avocado, finely chopped chives, and a crispy fried egg (if you’re vegan, you could sub a different protein choice like seasoned, baked tofu or a mix of pumpkin & hemp seeds).
To give this oatmeal maximum flavor, I start by caramelizing onions until they are sweet and fragrant — we do not want the onions to be raw or undercooked here because that’s not cute and honestly kind of gross at any time, but especially first thing in the morning. They should be jammy and completely tender so they add more of a grounding sweetness to compliment the savory spices, rather than a sharp, aggressive bite.
To add something fresh, I also like to stir in some arugula — its peppery notes will give the dish a layer of flavor that makes it a little more complex and bright. I always suggest topping with herbs - you can do parsley or cilantro, but I also love chopped chives here. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, top with flaky salt and pepper…and you have a shockingly low-maintenance breakfast that gives the vibe that you spent way longer on it than you actually did.
I hope you enjoy this recipe!! Please let me know if you make it, bonus points if you send me a picture of you eating it in your embarrassing robe too…
As always, hit me with any questions samah@dadaeats.com or reply to this email! I am here for you!
Happy weekend… xx
Recipe: SAVORY TURMERIC OATMEAL WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS.
(serves 1)
Ingredients
1/2 cup rolled oats
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