It’s not as gross as it sounds! Promise!
I loved how well the frozen spinach worked in my Green Mango Smoothie yesterday, so I figured why not try it in a bowl of oats? I don’t get nearly enough veggies in my diet, so a little chopped spinach in my daily oats would be an easy, healthy addition.
I like creamy, sweet oats in the morning, and I knew that I didn’t want them tasting like spinach, so I mixed in an overripe banana to mask some of the bitterness. Overripe bananas tend to overpower a bowl of oats with their flavor, so I knew it would be a good bet.
Result: A delicious bowl of oats packed with vitamins K and A! 
Besides the appearance, my breakfast was just like a regular bowl of banana oats. I couldn’t taste the spinach at all! The texture was a little different, but not in a bad way– the chopped spinach actually seemed to make my oats smoother! I even sort of like the look of bright green spinach mixed into my oats. It looks nutritious and sort of cool! 
Approximate measurements:
- 1/2 cup dry oats
- 1/4 cup chopped frozen spinach, unfrozen
- 1/2 cup vanilla hemp milk
- 2 tbsp wheat bran
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 overripe banana, sliced
- 2 scoops of Maranatha peanut butter
Workout
Strength training: 30 minutes lower body workout
Cardio: 30 minutes elliptical
Question of the Day
What “gross” food(s) (to other people) do you enjoy eating?
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Happy Thursday! 
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Hm, I don’t know if it’s gross or not, but I really enjoy eating raw pasta, especially when I’m cooking it!
And if you ask my husband, my green smoothies every morning qualify as “gross”
I bet that oatmeal was great!
I eat all kinds of stuff that my husband & kids think is gross. I think the one they comment on the most is all the stuff I mix into my oats (coconut, AB or PB, pumpkin or banana, nuts, raisins, etc). I haven’t tried spinach…that would definitely get their attention, huh? LOL!
Everyone in my office thinks wheatgrass and green smoothies are gross, but I love them!!
I’ve started drinking green monsters this past week and my Boyfriend and daughter have been freaking out!!!! Some days refusing to kiss me goodbye! LOL mooohahahahah!! I told my daughter I was going to put some in her sippy cup without telling her and she freaked out!!
YAH! You discovered my new addiction of adding spinach or kale to my oats in the morning. This is the greatest addition, yes it may look gross, but I feel so much healthier, and it keeps me full for hours. I can’t even taste the spinach!
What a fabulous idea! I’m totally going to try this! I eat pretty much anything; there’s not much I think is “gross”! Especially if it’s good for me
Some of my friends think it’s weird I’m obsessed with seaweed salad, but if they tried it they would know how amazing it is!
That’s what my breakfast looked like yesterday, but I had strawberries and barney butter on top. I used Dani Spies’ method (http://www.danispies.com/archives/breakfast/spinach_oats.php) for my oats though. Try blending!
Mmmm Spinach…. I always try to tell people that eating peanut butter, or any nut butter really, with carrots is OUT OF THIS WORLD! But I usually just get a puzzled glance in response
I love green oatmeal and green smoothies, and my friends were making fun of my chia seeds and flax meal this weekend. Whatever, I need to feel good and have energy for everything I need to get done!
That bowl looks pretty! Maybe I’m strange but I love the way it looks!! I eat relatively normal foods but I LOVE eating with my fingers – I’m a slob haha
I don’t know if I could do the spinach+oats thing!
My husband thinks it’s very gross when I dip french fries in a Frosty at Wendy’s, but I love it!
I looooove lima beans!
I love prunes! Everyone in my office thinks I am nuts and call me an old fart when I wip them out. I truely believe in their slogan as being “natures candy”.
I am excited for the lunch post!
I think spinach in oatmeal sounds like a fantastic idea. Hey, if we are all packing spinach and kale into our smoothies, what’s so different than putting it into a hot bowl of oats?!?!
Most people think that my foods are “gross.” I had one of my co-workers try tempeh the other day, and her immediate response was “ewww, gross!”
Can’t wait for lunch!
I’m so glad to hear the frozen spinach works just as well in smoothies and oatmeal!! I’ve only used fresh because I was afraid to try frozen but now I will – thanks Tina =).
alot of my *non blog* friends are disgusted by my green smoothies and breakfast over night oats..they say it looks like barf lol
Hi Tina! Great bowl of oats! Glad it turned out for you!
I don’t know if this is gross or not but my father and I used to eat scallions (green onions) right out of the garden with some salt. Sensory overload! haha
Speaking of giveaways- check mine out! Some great Canadian goods
Lol… I love spinach so I don’t mind it at all… Maybe if you blended the spinach+banana beforehand you’d end up with less of texture change? But then that’s extra stuff to wash, so maybe not lol.
I had tried fresh spinach in my oats and loved that I could not taste them! Any of my “green” foods seem weird to people, along with many of the vegetarian options (even though I’m not vegetarian). I like tempeh, almond milk, etc.
That oatmeal actually looks delicious. I’ll have to try that!
I’ve added orange veggies like carrots, sweet potato, and pumpkin to oats, but never spinach! Maybe I’ll try it.
What do I eat that’s gross to other people? Marinara sauce on broccoli. Freaks my friend Amy out. Don’t know why.
I am embarrassed to admit I love banana and cheese sandwiches!
I love your oats this morning – the mixture of colours looks really good.
Interesting mix for sure!
spinach, prunes, and tofu are some of my favorite foods! my boyfriend likes prunes too – we’re a funny pair
Haha I think that actually looks good. Some people think it’s gross that I’ll take canned pumpkin and add some cinnamon/pumpkin pie spice, chocolate chips or cocoa powder, whipped cream, and sprinkles. I think it’s good, though! It’s like pumpkin pie without the crust.
The first time I had a green smoothie, both my parents’ reactions were something along the lines of “that looks disgusting!” My dad refused to try a bit, but my mum had some and she actually liked it. I keep telling my dad you can’t actually taste the spinach, but he’s having none of it!
Tofu is anything thing my parents and friends think I’m mad for eating.
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I can’t believe you couldn’t taste the spinach! I may have to give this a try!
I never would have thought of that!! But it looks kind of interesting! I’ll have to give it a shot!
-A
Green Monsters are my ‘gross’ food! No one else in this house will try one haha
I don’t think I ever, even in my most experimental, would have thought of that one! I am just trying to imagine my partner’s face upon realizing that I slipped some spinach into his oatmeal! Love it. Thanks for the great idea.
“Gross” or not, your breakfast sounds good to me!
I don’t think anything I eat is gross, although my family sure seems to think so. I’m a vegan and they are all omnivores, and some of my vegan food seems weird to them.
Your oatmeal could now pass for any meal. I don’t think it looks gross, just an interesting combo.
I don’t really eat anything that other people consider “gross.” That said, though, a lot of my family thinks that my eating behaviors are eccentric (eating breakfast every day! protein shakes! no white pasta! gasp!).
Awesome breakfast! I love sneaking veggies into meals.
That bowl of oats looks great!! A lot of people look at me strangely when I mix up my own salad dressings out to eat… vinegar and spicy mustard with a little salt and pepper! But it’s less calories than those creamy dressings and I think it tastes good!!
yum! that looks like green eggs and ham (minus the ham and add the oatmeal)
All my green things (smoothies, oats) and anything hemp really freaks people out.
HelpMeghanRun.com
One of my favorite foods is grilled octopus, which some people find really gross.
I love drinking milk with pizza, chinese food, steak, basically any meal, and my hubby thinks that is nasty.
I have to say, though, I don’t think I can ever sign on to the spinach oats. I’m fine with blending them into a smoothie, but seeing the chunks of spinach in hot oats makes me kinda want to retch!
A lot of people think I’m gross for doing the green smoothies, greek yogurt, hummus, falafel, you name it. My husband pretty much gags every time I go into the kitchen to cook something for myself, ha ha.
I really love sourkraut. Most people think it is disgusting and stinks. I like it on rueben sandwiches. Yum….
Wow, that is taking the green smoothie to a whole new level!!
amazing!
those oats actually look really appetizing!
I really need to try your oats one day! I made a green monster and my boyfriend thought I was insane! He also thinks I’m gross when I try to make him eat tofu!
That is the ugliest bowl of oats I have ever seen. How could you put that in your mouth?
@anon: It was easy!
i really want to jump on this “green” bandwagon. Green smoothies, green oats (probably can thank heather at heatereatsalmond butter for that haha).
question for you Tina– I’m trying to quit my slpenda addiciton! I know you use stevia for your coffee. Does it taste different than sugar??
It’s not the spinach that troubles me, it’s the banana! I really detest the taste of banana mixed into recipes (but i do like banana bread and raw bananas…i’m weird i guess). I feel like the flavor is too overwhelming and masks other flavors.
I would say that most of the food us foodies/bloggers eat is considered weird by 90% of Americans. sad.
people are always very curious about what my husband and i eat… nothing too weird, but even medjool dates seem odd to some of our friends!
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