Savory Parmesan Oatmeal — All Purpose Flour Child

I don't know about you, but trying to think of delicious, interesting, and nutritious breakfasts (or all meals for that matter) gets old sometimes. My day starts at 4:00am most days and I'm out the door by 5:30 so I eat my breakfast at the office, usually shoveling bites between emails. I'm usually eating some variation on granola and yogurt or oatmeal with some fruit and nuts. My work breakfasts usually ends up being more sweet than savory, since they tend to be more transportable. But sometimes, I crave something savory and hearty for breakfast. Queue savory oatmeal. Creamy, cheesy, parmesan oatmeal to be exact. The wonderful depth of flavor comes from the parmesan rinds so be sure to use a nice piece of real parmesan, not the pre-grated stuff. Feel free to swap out any vegetables and herbs you like and you could even add some bacon or a poached egg if you feel so inclined. Still trying to figure out how to get a decent poached egg to survive transport to work so if you figure that one out, lemme know.

Savory Oatmeal

makes 4 servings

1 c steel cut oats
4 c water
2 2" pieces of parmesan rind
salt + pepper to taste
1/4 c sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1/2 c freshly grated parmesan, plus more for garnish
chopped chives, for garnish
drizzle of olive oil

In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring the water to a boil. Add the oats and parmesan rind and continue boiling for 5 minutes or so until the oats thicken slightly. Turn the heat down to medium low and continue cooking, stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes, until the oats have absorbed all the water and are creamy in texture. Remove from heat, remove the parmesan rinds, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the grated parmesan. Garnish with sun-dried tomatoes, a sprinkling more of grated parmesan, chives, and a drizzle of olive oil.