Crack An Egg Into Your Oatmeal For An Unforgettably Creamy Breakfast

A hearty bowl of oatmeal is a stellar way to start your day since it's thought to deliver a wealth of benefits, from providing antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to helping to reduce your bad cholesterol. There are lots of tips and tricks to help improve the taste of your homemade batch and avoid the common mistakes everyone makes with oatmeal – like not toasting your oats first or using only water when cooking them. But the simplest way to up your grain-based breakfast game is super easy: Just mix a whisked egg into your oatmeal. The results will surprise you.

You'll end up with a richer, creamier oatmeal because of the fat in the egg yolk. They'll also be silkier and lighter due to the added air from whisking. Beyond that, this dish will keep you feeling full for longer than oatmeal alone thanks to the added protein from the egg. And, since enriching your oatmeal this way isn't going to affect the flavor, it allows you to go towards the sweet side or the savory, depending on your preferences.

This simple breakfast hack can be used in whatever kind of oats you prefer — rolled, steel cut, even instant – and your favorite cooking method, including the microwave. But for the best results, old-fashioned rolled oats cooked on the stovetop is the way to go. It doesn't take that much longer and the results are worth it.

Cook your oats as you normally would, and when they've reached a simmer, turn down the heat (you don't want it to overcook) and slowly add the whisked egg into the pot, stirring as you go until it's thick and creamy. In the same way that a slowly cooked, whisked egg is essential for making custard (like the kind enjoyed in banana cream pie), this method yields an extra-luscious bowl of grains.

From there, you can throw in some secret ingredients to help elevate your oatmeal even more. If you're hankering for something on the sweet side, whipping up a batch of apple-cinnamon slow cooker steel-cut oatmeal isn't a bad place to start. If savory is more your style, you can top your oats with everything from cheddar to sauteed kale to sliced avocado.

Egg-enriched oatmeal is creamier thanks to the additional fat from the yolk — around 5 grams. The triglycerides (a kind of fat) in the egg give a creamy texture to foods; its protein will also help you stay satiated by lowering your hunger hormone (ghrelin) and boosting another hormone (peptide YY) that makes you feel full. The egg also adds a plethora of nutritional advantages in one little package, packing in plenty of protein without much fat while being rich in vitamins — including B, D, K, and A — plus micronutrients like calcium and zinc.

If you're careful about your calorie and fat intake, you can still get similar results by adding whisked egg whites to your oatmeal. While the egg-white-only version will still be fluffy, it won't taste as creamy, and you'll lose some of the nutritional benefits, including antioxidants and vitamin B, if you choose this option. Next time you're looking for a powerhouse breakfast, crack an egg into your oatmeal. Your body and taste buds will thank you. You'll also want to be sure to pick the right bowl for eating your oatmeal. Choose a deep soup bowl, which will help keep the creamy oats hotter longer than a shallow one in order to stretch your enjoyment of this delicious breakfast.