Eat Your Oats!

Hello my fellow food lovers,

Sorry I have missed last week's blog. It was a crazy busy week of an E.R visit for me (boo), creating recipes, and of course my dear friends' Christina (of redlipgloss.ca) and Allan's spectacular wedding! Creating recipes is proving difficult this few weeks, as it is supposed to be fall weather in BC, but we are experiencing quite the extended summer; with high heat and sunny days. This is wonderful and all, but it makes it confusing when that dash of cinnamon hits my Maple Walnut Oatmeal and my olfactory senses tell me it's Fall, but really the fans are blowing and it's blazing hot outside. Nevertheless we must EAT OUR OATS. And I'm not talking about "Instant oats people" I am talking about the nutritious, hearty and much more delicious Old Fashioned Oats and Steel Cut Oats, that only need about 10 minutes of cooking time.

So many people have a negative connotation with oatmeal; and I have to admit, up until I started making it myself I was guilty of that. With just a little finesse, you will get over your possible childhood recollection of "porridge" and "oatmeal" as an overcooked mushy, tasteless, bowl of sludge, and earn a new respect for the highly beneficial world of Oats.

I am preaching today as, through my research for clients concerned with things like weight loss, high cholesterol, diabetes, high BP,heart disease and general good health, oats are a reoccurring nutritional item in terms of helping these ailments significantly. It is the dietary fiber, insoluble and soluble that is making the difference. If you have high cholesterol for instance, the soluble fiber breaks down in the digestive tract, turning into a sort of gel which traps certain cholesterol-containing substances; allowing it not to be absorbed in the blood stream. This leaves the bad cholesterol (LDL) trapped and doesn't lower the good cholesterol!

I'll leave you all with a really YUMMY oatmeal recipe, enjoy.

Happy Eating XOXO

 

 

Recipe: Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

Serves: 3 (About 1 Cup Cooked Portions)

 

Amt	Unit	Ingredients	Procedure
2 ½	Cups	Water/Milk (I prefer milk or a mix of both) You could also use almond milk.	Bring the liquid to a boil
1	Cup	Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
2	Med-Lrg.	Apples	Diced
1	Tsp.	Margarine/Butter
½	Tsp.	Cinnamon	Add more to your taste
1	Tbsp.	Light Agave Nectar/100% Pure Maple Syrup	Add more to your taste
½	Tsp.	Pure Vanilla Extract

 

 

 

 

1.       Bring the milk/water to a boil and add the oats (with a pinch of salt) a little at a time, stirring constantly.

2.      Allow to cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3.      While the oats cook, in a small pan heat the margarine/butter on medium high and then add the diced apples. Sautee until they are tender and golden but not mushy, about 10 minutes.

4.      When the oats are cooked and have absorbed all of the milk/water, add the apples, cinnamon, agave/maple syrup, and vanilla.

5.      Taste and see if it is sweet enough for your preference. If not, add another Tbsp. of agave or maple syrup.

*Note- This is a wonderful “make- ahead” breakfast, especially if you make it with milk. You can make a batch and have some for breakfast, then store the rest in the fridge in individual Tupperware containers to enjoy for breakfast for up to 3 other days. Simply re-heat the works in the microwave and you have your own “instant oatmeal” but with all of the nutrition and flavour of old fashioned rolled oats.

*Options:

1.       Add some raisins when you serve this for more complexity, sweetness and fiber.

2.      Make this oatmeal extra special. When re-heating, create an almost Brule-like affect by putting a portion of cold oatmeal in a ramekin into the oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, then add equal parts sugar and cinnamon (roughly ½ tsp. depending on the width of cooking vessel), and broil for 2-3 minutes. Do not walk away while broiling, as you do not want the sugar to burn, just caramelize. Remove from oven and allow ramekin to cool, if you wish to transport; cover entirely with foil and place in Tupperware. Enjoy!