Every once in a while I stumble across a recipe that I know will become a go-to meal for our family and that earns rave reviews from anyone willing to give it a try. (Like my Lentil Soup with Lemon.) Simple, nutritious and cheap, this recipe is a giant serving of comfort food for one person, though you won’t pay for it after with a stomach ache. If you think of it like a risotto, it’ll make sense despite the odd combination of ingredients.

Simple, Savory Cheez-y Oats*

Add the following to a large microwaveable bowl (capacity ~4 cups or more).

1/2  cup    quick oats
1/2  cup    non-dairy, unsweetened milk (I used almond)
1      cup    water
1/2  tsp.    turmeric
1      Tbsp. nutritional yeast
1      cup    chopped fresh broccoli
1/2  tsp.    veggie bullion powder (optional if you’re avoiding Sodium, or use homemade unsalted veggie stock)

Stir and microwave on high for 2.5 minutes. Stir again and cook another 2 minutes on high. (Your microwave time will vary but aim for a chili-like consistency.) Serve sprinkled with lemon pepper to taste.

As-is, this provides 311 calories, 11 grams of fiber (of which 4.9 is cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber), 15.6 g protein, 6.3 grams of fat. It also provides 100% or more of your daily requirements for Manganese and Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, C and K. (For more detailed nutritional analysis, you can use a tool like Chronometer.)

I’ll play with this in the future and intend to try variations like garlic and mushrooms/sun-dried tomatoes and asparagus/curry with cauliflower and peas.

How Old Are You, Really?

Are you curious about your metabolic age and how it compares with your chronologic age? Dr. Pamela Peeke–internist, marathoner, and  exercise guru–is promoting a free research tool which can calculate your VO2Max. That’s a technical term for your body’s ability to make use of oxygen during peak activity. The higher your VO2Max, the younger your appearance and function. Here’s the link to check it out.

Remember, if you get a number that’s not what you desire, it’s never too late to take control of your health. For instance, as one simple measure, you could drop eggs and bacon for breakfast and substitute them with Cheez-y Oats. 😉

*Adapted from recipe shared on Dr. McDougall’s forums.