Oatmeal is an exceptionally healthy and hearty choice for breakfast. If you’re following a Mediterranean diet, it’s often recommended due to its health benefits.
A small bowl of oats is loaded with protein, vitamins and minerals. When combined with different fruits, vegetables, and other ingredients, it makes for an even healthier meal.
This is our guide to making the tastiest and healthiest oatmeal that’s a perfect breakfast on a Mediterranean diet.
How to Make Oatmeal
Oats make for an excellent breakfast They are quick to prepare, easy to buy in bulk, and can be changed by using different toppings.
Some people may think of oats as bland, but there are so many different ways to prep them that there is always a different variation you can try.
Whether you make a classic oatmeal recipe or opt for a batch of overnight oats, there’s a way to prep oats that’s suitable for your taste palette and lifestyle.
Can You Eat Oatmeal on a Mediterranean Diet?
Yes, oatmeal is a whole grain. Eating whole grains regularly on the Mediterranean diet is encouraged.
The Mediterranean diet focuses on the consumption of healthy food and eating oatmeal has a number of scientific studies backing it’s consumption for health.
This is primarily because it contains lots of beta-glucan, a type of soluble fiber that comes with strong health benefits.
Studies find that eating oats and beta-glucan can help with the following:
- Reduced cholesterol levels (1, 2).
- Reduced blood sugar and insulin response (3)
- Increased feelings of fullness, which can help weight loss (4).
- Improve constipation (5, 6).
What Type of Oats Should You Use?
No matter what type of oat you choose, it’s always best to choose plain, unsweetened oats.
Many packaged varieties have loads of added sugar, making them an unhealthy breakfast choice.
- Steel Cut Oats – these are the most unprocessed type of oats. They have a chewier texture compared to the other types and can take anywhere from 15 – 30 minutes to cook.
- Rolled Oats – also called old-fashioned oats. These oats have been steamed and flattened. This means they are more processed than steel-cut oats. They taste milder and have a softer, mushier texture compared to steel-cut oats. They take anywhere from 2 – 5 minutes to cook and are the type of oats used in most recipes.
- Instant Oats – also called quick oats. They are steamed and rolled even thinner than rolled oats, thus reducing the cooking time required. They also have a mild flavor and mushy texture.
The important health consideration when choosing oats is how much sugar they contain. However, the different types of oats all have very similar nutritional profiles, with similar amounts of calories, protein, carbs, and fiber.
What often makes instant oats less healthy is that extra ingredients are added that add more sugar to them. Be sure to check the labels on them to be sure.
What Toppings Can You Add to Oatmeal?
For a basic meal, all you really need are oats and water. What a missed opportunity that is though!
Extra toppings can help you hit your vegetable and fruit requirements, add more protein to your meal or simply make your oats taste even better.
Since they are so many options, we’ve grouped them up into different categories and given the most popular foods that are often added below:
- Fresh fruit – apples, bananas, cherries, pears
- Berries – blueberries, strawberries, blackcurrants
- Dried fruit – raisins, sultanas, dried apricots
- Vegetables – grated carrots, grated zucchini (courgette), cooked pumpkin
- Nuts – almonds, pecans, walnuts
- Nut butter – peanut butter
- Seeds – chia seeds, flax seeds
- Spices – cinnamon, paprika, ginger
- Sweeteners – honey, vanilla, maple syrup
Ingredients for a Mediterranean Diet Oatmeal Recipe
Obviously, there are a lot of options and different ingredients to choose from, but you can only put so many in a bowl before it becomes a bit of a mess!
If you’re prioritizing health whilst making sure it tastes great, then this oatmeal recipe is perfect for you:
- Rolled Oats – these keep their shape and absorb liquid as they sit. They are lightly-processed whole grain food and superb food to eat for their health benefits. Oats are rich in carbs and fiber, but also contain more protein and healthy fats when compared to most other grains.
- Milk – any type of milk is good in oatmeal and even yogurt works in oatmeal. Different types add different flavors to your oatmeal and is always a tastier option compared to just water. If you’re looking for the most nutritious milk, then cow’s milk and soy milk have a similar nutritional makeup with good amounts of protein, so these would be recommended. Other types of milk like coconut milk and oat milk also contain good amounts of nutrients but contain less protein.
- Toppings – as discussed above, lots of different types of toppings that can be put onto oatmeal. If you’re looking for the healthiest options, fresh fruit, nuts, berries and seeds are ideal and work well within porridge. Vegetables are obviously highly nutritious, but they might not work as well within porridge.
- Spices – these are optional, but different spices can change the
- Sweeteners – these include ingredients like honey and maple syrup. A small amount can add some extra flavor and sweetness, but on a Mediterranean diet, you should try and reduce the amount of sugar in your diet.
3 Ideas for Mediterranean-Style Oatmeal Recipes
Classic Healthy Mediterranean Oatmeal
This oatmeal recipe keeps things basic but with a bunch of different ingredients that contain lots of vitamins and minerals elsewhere.
Walnuts contain plant-based omega-3 fats and blueberries have lots of antioxidants, whilst raisins add a little extra sweetness along with a boost of iron. The cinnamon adds more citrus notes to round off the dish.
- ½ cup (40g) rolled oats
- 1 cup (240ml) 2%/semi-skimmed milk
- ¼ cup (40g) blueberries
- ¼ cup (20g) walnuts
- Handful of raisins
- Pinch of cinnamon
In a microwave-safe bowl, add the oats and milk. Heat in microwave on high for 2 – 3 minutes.
Top with the blueberries, walnuts, raisins, and a pinch of cinnamon, then let cool for a few minutes. If too thick, thin it with extra milk.
Peanut Butter Banana Flax Oatmeal
Bananas and peanut butter are a match made in heaven. With some extra flax seed for the omega-3 and some sweetening vanilla extract, this is a perfect oatmeal if you’re looking for a delicious, hearty meal in the morning.
- ½ cup (40g) rolled oats
- 1 cup (240ml) 2%/semi-skimmed milk
- ½ banana
- 1 tbsp ground flax seed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1½ tbsp peanut butter
In a microwave-safe bowl, add the oats and milk. Heat in microwave on high for 2 – 3 minutes. In the meantime cut the banana.
Add the bananas, ground flax seed, peanut butter, and vanilla extract, then let cool for a few minutes. If too thick, thin it with extra milk.
Apple Cranberry Oatmeal
This is a great way to use up any apples you have lying about. Combined with the cranberries and some vanilla extract and cinnamon, it feels indulgent whilst using healthy ingredients.
- ½ cup (40g) rolled oats
- 1 cup (240ml) 2%/semi-skimmed milk
- ½ apple, finely cut
- 1 tbsp cranberries
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
In a microwave-safe bowl, add the oats and milk. Heat in microwave on high for 2 – 3 minutes. In the meantime, cut the apple into small slices.
Add the apple slices, cranberries, vanilla extract, and cinnamon then let cool for a few minutes. If too thick, thin it with extra milk.
Mediterranean Diet Oatmeal
These oatmeal recipes use delicious, yet healthy ingredients that make for a perfect oatmeal breakfast on the Mediterranean diet.
Ingredients
Classic Healthy Mediterranean Oatmeal Group
- ½ cup (40g) rolled oats
- 1 cup (240ml) 2%/semi-skimmed milk
- ¼ cup (40g) blueberries
- ¼ cup (20g) walnuts
- 1 tbsp raisins
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Peanut Butter Banana Flax Oatmeal
- ½ cup (40g) rolled oats
- 1 cup (240ml) 2%/semi-skimmed milk
- ½ banana
- 1 tbsp ground flax seed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1½ tbsp peanut butter
Apple Cranberry Oatmeal
- ½ cup (40g) rolled oats
- 1 cup (240ml) 2%/semi-skimmed milk
- ½ apple, finely cut
- 1 tbsp cranberries
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
Step 1 - In a microwave safe bowl, add the oats and milk. Heat in microwave on high for 2 - 3 minutes.
Step 2 - Top with the rest of the ingredients depending on which oatmeal you choose, then let cool the oats cool for a few minutes. If too thick, thin with extra milk.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Yield
1Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 567Total Fat 26gSaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 20mgSodium 131mgCarbohydrates 69gFiber 8gSugar 31gProtein 22g
Want More Delicious, Mediterranean Style Recipes?
If you’ve cooked this recipe, be sure to leave a comment or review! But if you’re looking for more recipes:
- Find more Mediterranean-style recipes on our website.
- Try our free 7 day Mediterranean diet plan with 20 recipes.
- Get our 4-week Mediterranean diet plan, Med in 28 plan, that makes following the Mediterranean diet a breeze!