Sometimes I get the ol’ side eye when I tell people I’m eating egg white oatmeal. “Huh??” they ask, eyebrows raised, “I didn’t know you could do that!”. I am not the first person to create this – in fact, I learned about this from health forums and by watching my favorite fitness influencers. At first, I did the same thing… Huh??? I thought it would taste weird, rubbery, and that I would have to pinch my nose the whole time I choked it down. Boy, was I WRONG!!!!
Egg white oatmeal has quickly become my new favorite breakfast. It can be sweet or savory, and the egg whites add a depth to the oatmeal that I can’t quite explain. It’s… comforting! I’ve been making egg white oatmeal nearly every morning for the past few weeks. What I love about oatmeal is how versatile it is! Stir chocolate chips and peanut butter into it for a decadent treat or top with sliced bananas and chopped nuts for a more traditional version of breakfast.
The inception of this oatmeal came from my continued learning about macronutrients and their effect on my body (Looking for a resource? Google Renaissance Periodization). After a few months of consistently getting the right amount of protein for my body, my weight distribution is noticeably different. I started getting more comments on how strong I looked (a nice perk!) and saw progress in my fitness goals.
My gym holds a 2-minute push-up test every couple months to measure fitness levels and (hopefully) improvements. About a year ago, I couldn’t do a single push-up. This month, I exceeded 30 push-ups in 2 minutes! Not bad for the previously scrawny-armed, skinny runner.
I eat 4 meals a day, so I aim for about 30g of protein at almost every meal (my last meal is a little larger). Because of this, I use about 1 1/4 cups of egg whites in my oatmeal! If you don’t have quite as high protein demands, eat smaller meals, or really want to hide the fact that there are eggs in your oatmeal, start with a smaller amount of egg whites (about 1/4 - 1/2 cup) and see what you think.
This is an awesome recipe that you can make in advance, will keep you full for hours, and is easy to make. This is best made over stovetop, though you can (patiently) make this in the microwave in a pinch – just heat everything 30-60 seconds at a time and stir at those intervals. If using the microwave method, keep your eye on it throughout the entire cooking time – otherwise it can boil over and create a mess (I know from experience)!
Resist the urge to overcook it, as it can become tough or rubbery – but heat long enough to know that the egg whites are cooked through. Thankfully, some egg white cartons have been pasteurized and are less likely to make you sick if undercooked. Look for the egg whites to turn opaque so you know they’ve cooked through.
If you do make a large batch to last you a couple days, stir a splash of milk into the oatmeal before you heat it to reduce the chances of it drying out. Heat in the microwave or over the stove. Similarly, if you’ve accidentally overcooked your oatmeal and it has become dry, remove from the heat and add a few tablespoons of milk until desired consistency.
Recipe inspired by the Clean Eating Couple.
Awesome Egg White Oatmeal
Makes 1 hardy serving
Ingredients:
1/2 cup almond milk (or your favorite milk)
1/3 cup oats
Up to 1 cup egg whites (start with 1/4 - 1/2 cup if you’d like)
Pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
Your favorite toppings, such as sliced bananas, dried fruit, chopped nuts, nut butters, cinnamon, trail mix, blueberries, raspberries, chocolate chips, heck – even whipped cream!
Directions:
***Spray a medium sized pot with olive oil
Heat almond milk on medium heat until it is nearly boiling, about 3 minutes
Stir oats into almond milk until they are mostly cooked through, about 2 minutes
Add egg whites into pot and stir continuously
Add pinch of salt and teaspoon of vanilla extract
Continue stirring until eggs have cooked through (egg whites will become opaque).
Top with whatever you like and enjoy hot!
***I recently tried making this in my crock pot and it was a piece of cake! Place all ingredients into crock pot and cook on low for 3 - 4 hours, stirring every hour. Viola!
My favorite way to eat this is with sliced or mashed banana and a few chopped walnuts. I also like to sprinkle cinnamon and monk fruit over it for days when I feel extra special!
Oatmeal with 1/4 cup egg whites:
Calories: 104 Carbs: 9g
Fat: 2g
Protein: 5g
Oatmeal with 1/2 cup egg whites:
Calories: 115
Carbs: 9g
Fat: 2g
Protein: 7g
Oatmeal with 1 cup egg whites:
Calories: 136
Carbs: 9g
Fat: 2g
Protein: 12g
Enjoy!
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