This is my new go-to meal when I get home after a long day, tired and hungry. Five ingredients. Ten minutes. Rich, crispy strips of bacon with silky spinach quickly sautéed in olive oil, over a creamy, nutty ‘risotto’ of Hodgson Mill Oat Bran Cereal, sprinkled over with grated parmesan, a pinch of sea salt, and a grind of black pepper. It’s is an incredibly speedy way to a meal that’s delicious and satisfying without being too heavy.

The beauty of oats is that a little salt one way or a little sugar the other is the tipping point for dinner vs. breakfast/dessert. Remember when we talked about how convenient it is to make a big pot of steel cut oats for the week, and using different toppings to keep your meals exciting? It got me to thinking about other, more savory ways you can dress up a hot cereal, and this is the first dinner-worthy combo I’ve found that’s good enough to tell the world about . (Using bacon feels a bit like cheating–what isn’t delicious with bacon? But it’s just so tasty with the oats.)  And if you aren’t a fan of sweets for breakfast, it makes a fantastic start to the day, too.

I find I personally like the texture of oat bran cereal the best when I use half whole milk and half water. Feel free to experiment one way or the other; it works to make it with water, and it works to make it with all milk; I do think it is helped by a little bit of fat. If you agree, but all you have is water, you could always add a little knob of butter or a glug of olive oil. Continue reading →

Tags: bacon, dinner, milk, Multigrain Cereal with Flaxseed and Soy, Oat Bran Cereal, olive oil, parmesan, quick, savory, spinach, steel cut oats