Are there any other Cream of Wheat fans out there? Cream of Wheat is a type of breakfast porridge made from wheat with an appearance and consistency very similar to grits. The flavor is quite mild, making it perfect for loading up with your favorite fresh berries, chopped nuts or creamy nut butter. Cream of Wheat and the little packets of flavored oatmeal were two of my favorite breakfasts when I was in high school. (Okay, Toaster Strudels were, too… with an extra icing packet, of course.)
For some reason my love for Cream of Wheat seemed to die when I went off to college. I never bought it after high school and never really thought about it much until this little gem of a recipe came into my life and reminded me of a sweeter (and healthier!) version of my childhood favorite. This paleo oatless oatmeal with zucchini is the perfect healthy swap for Cream of Wheat.
If you guys happened to read PBF a year or two ago, you may remember me falling in love with a recipe for oatless oatmeal. I have absolutely nothing against traditional oatmeal but love the way the oatless version seems to keep me feeling satisfied for longer thanks to an extra punch of protein from egg whites and a dose of healthy fats from ground flaxseed.
The other day, in an effort to break out of my all-frittatas-all-time habit (which I’m still totally loving, by the way), I decided to incorporate a little more variety into my morning meal in the form of my old favorite oatless oatmeal. When I shared a past oatmeal recipe on the blog (I think it was my three-minute egg white oatmeal?), Chelsea chimed in and encouraged me to add zucchini to the mix for an extra punch of nutrition.
Chelsea swore I wouldn’t be able to taste the zucchini and I decided to give it a go in my favorite oatless oatmeal recipe. The verdict? It was fantastic and totally undetectable. Heck yes!
Oatless Oatmeal (with Zucchini!)
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 Large Serving 1x
- Category: breakfast, recipes
- Cuisine: Breakfast
Description
Made with egg whites, ground flaxseed and almond milk, this recipe for oatless oatmeal is a nutritious and tasty alternative to traditional oatmeal for those who may be gluten-free, Paleo or simply looking for a satisfying high-protein breakfast.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup egg whites (I use egg whites from a carton)
- 3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1 1/2 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 1/2 large (very ripe) banana, mashed
- 1/2 zucchini, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Combine mashed banana and zucchini in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Combine egg whites and almond milk in a small saucepan and stir with a spatula over medium heat. Add flaxseed and continue stirring until mixture begins to slightly thicken. Make sure to use the spatula to continually scrape the sides of the saucepan so mixture doesn’t adhere to the pan.
- Add banana-zucchini mixture and stir constantly as oatless oatmeal begins to thicken. (Do not walk away!) Add cinnamon, reduce heat and continue to stir until oatless oatmeal reaches desired level of thickness.
- Top with desired toppings (berries, nuts, nut butter, unsweetened coconut) and enjoy!
Notes
Recipe adapted from Joelle’s Paleo Oatmeal
This oatless oatmeal recipe is a great one to try if you’re looking for a voluminous, satisfying breakfast similar to oatmeal, but happen to be following a gluten-free or Paleo diet. It’s naturally sweet thanks to the banana and the consistency is very similar to Cream of Wheat thanks to the egg whites and ground flaxseed. (Side note: Do not leave the ground flaxseed out of this one! It’s key and must be ground!) I love topping my oatless oatmeal with peanut butter, fresh blueberries, unsweetened coconut and cacao nibs, but you can obviously play around with your favorite toppings and make it your own.
If you decide to give this one a try, I hope you love this recipe as much as I do!
More Oatmeal/Oatmeal-Inspired Recipes
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Wow – this was amazing – definitely enough for 2 people, and probably took me 10 minutes from start to finish (including prep). I am brand new to the Whole 30 thing and this is going to save me because I really miss my oatmeal in the AM. I am going to put the other half in the fridge and have for breakfast tomorrow! Thank you!!!
Loved this! I did not have flaxseed so I substituted 2 tablespoons of chia. The texture was probably not a match but they did a great job in helping the “oatmeal” set up. Thanks for a great Whole 30 breakfast!!
Have had this almost every morning for breakfast the past couple mornings—and my 9 month old loves it too 🙂 Has anyone made a large batch on Sunday and reheated throughout the week?
That is supposed to say the past couple WEEKS!
I used ground almond instead of flax, added vanilla extract and pumpkin spice and it was sooooo good! Creamy and just enough sweet from the banana.
Not sure if you are doing the Whole30…but wanted to let you know that vanilla extract is not allowed.
Vanilla Powder is an acceptable substitute. You can get it on Amazon.
I LOOOOOVE this recipe – oats don’t sit well in my stomach so this has been a game changer. Today we didn’t have flaxseed meal so I used hazelnut meal and it gave it a really nice sweetness if anyone wants to play with that :)!
Quick question – could I make a few days worth of this and freeze it – reheat in the AM? Just not sure how well it would reheat so wanted to ask for your take on it, thanks!!
Can this be made ahead? I usually wait to eat breakfast at work ?
Thanks!
Can you give some ideas for additional flavor? Mine did not have much flavor at all, possibly because I used plain almond milk instead of vanilla. I liked the texture, the warmth, the idea of eating all these healthy things, but it just didn’t have enough taste. I want to make it work, so suggestions are welcome! Also, answers re pre-making would be helpful.
Is flax meal allowed on Whole 30? I know chia seeds aren’t.
hi! chia seeds actually are whole30 according to the whole30 website
https://whole30.com/2013/06/the-official-can-i-have-guide-to-the-whole30/
can you use whole egg instead of just egg white. after awhile, don’t know what to do with all the yolks.
thank youfor sharing this topic got some tips in mind ..great one
I absolutely LOVE this recipe, but I always have such a hard time cleaning the saucepan afterwards as the egg/almond milk leaves a tough-to-clean film at the bottom of the pan. Any tips?
I love the idea of this recipe! I just started the whole 30 so til is gonna be great! One Question: can I use light coconut milk instead of almond milk? I’m allergic to almonds
Hi Julie! Just wanted to say that I love all your recipes and each one has been a success so far! Couple of questions about this one – Is the zucchini vital to this recipe or can it be skipped? It’s just a bit of a hassle to grate/shred when there isn’t much time in the morning. And also – would this keep for a couple of days in the fridge and reheat well? Very eager to hear your thoughts. Thanks!
You can definitely leave out the zucchini — I’ve done that a number of times to save time in the morning and it always turns out well. As for making it ahead, absolutely! You’ll just want to stir it a lot because it can kind of get liquidy/separate but after stirring and microwaving it, it should be good to go!
this looks good! have you ever tried to freeze this recipe? if you have, how did it turn out?
Yummy and quick to make, easily two servings. I added a teaspoon of vanilla to the banana and zucchini mix and a pinch of salt to the mixture while boiling. I love adding hemp seed, coconut, chia, peanut butter and fruit. This is a delicious and cozy way to start the day as it’s full of protein, and a good serving of veg.