Give Your Oatmeal Breakfast A Boost With This Savory Addition

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When thinking of an oatmeal breakfast, your mind probably jumps straight to one indulgent affair – sweet parfait-like toppings like fresh berries, honey, or maybe a light dusting of cinnamon and brown sugar on top. There's nothing wrong with being enthusiastic about your strawberry overnight oats, but if you're looking to break the routine, here's a trick that'll flip how you enjoy your breakfast upside down: Add a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil on your oatmeal.

Look, we know exactly what you're thinking: Olive oil is usually reserved for salad dressings or drizzling over finished savory dishes. But hear us out. The subtle grassy and fruity flavor of quality extra-virgin olive oil will be a tasty twist on the palate. The key is using the right type of oil for the job. Rather than regular olive oil, which, since it's been refined, has little to no taste at all, you ought to use extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), such as this Pompeiian Smooth EVOO. EVOO still retains the flavors of the olives it was pressed from; that's what makes this breakfast hack so special.

Beyond the taste factor, EVOO is packed full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, along with vitamins and heart-healthy unsaturated fats. With just a drizzle, you can boost the taste and nutritional value of your breakfast in one fell swoop, which is as good an upgrade as it can get.

Probably the best thing about oatmeal is that it's a super versatile ingredient. Once it's prepped, you can throw just about anything on top that your appetite desires. But here's the thing: Not all ingredients will "sing" on your palate when you mix them. Olive oil is going to taste pretty out of place when you drizzle it on top of warm, sweet cinnamon apple baked oatmeal. Instead, you'll want to think Mediterranean.

As a Mediterranean staple, olive oil naturally pairs well with other ingredients from that region. So set your sights on feta cheese, dried figs, apricots, and fresh herbs as potential toppings. These flavors were basically made for one another and should make for one heck of a savory start to your day.

Your oatmeal can do way more than breakfast duty. It makes a killer lunch or dinner, too. Load it up with cherry tomatoes, avocado, eggs, sautéed onions, and feta. With some olive oil on top, it's going to become a dish so tasty, we're sure you'll jot down the recipe right away.