Oats - Healthy and versatile ingredient that can be enjoyed in many ways

 

Oats are an understated ingredient that sit at the back of so many cupboards just waiting and hoping to be one day turned into a delicious meal. Oats have a great multipurpose and so many people are unaware of how many great and simple recipes you can make with them.  

 

Porridge/Oatmeal

Perhaps the most notable recipe for the use of oats is porridge/oatmeal. Porridge is a versatile meal, that is not specified for any particular part of the day. It can act as an acceptable breakfast, snack, smaller dinner, or even lunch.

Depending on how much you have of porridge oats it can act as a lighter or heavier meal. Organic porridge oats can be found ready made in most shops, or packed as rolled oats for plenty of portions so it can be an on-the-go option too. Just mixing oats with water or milk and heating till its simmering and its mostly good to go.

 

Shapeshifting Breakfast Oats

A popular time of the day to enjoy oats is in the morning. With a common sweet touch, breakfast oats tend to have a sweet flavouring to it. Whether it’s turned into a warming porridge, crunchy oats granola, a filling cereal bowl, a healthy, protein packed oat bran, or delicious overnight oats; a little bit of fruit, jam or spread can go a long way in adding that extra bit of treat to your meal.

Known for its adaptable recipes, oats also come with compliant cooking/baking routines. Whether you want to spend lots or little amount of time on your oats, using your oven, microwave, air fryer or simply the fridge. There is a recipe for anyone and everyone!

Breakfast Oats are a great way to start your day, not only because of the sweet dopamine kick you can get from them. But also because of the easy nutritional benefits that comes with eating them.

 

Health and Oats

Oats are filled with plenty of vitamins and minerals that help you with your daily wellbeing, and nutritional goals. Oats are an impressive natural antioxidant which have plenty of benefits, such as: helping towards lowering blood sugar, insulin and cholesterol levels.

Filled with protein, oats are a typically dense ingredient. Therefore, providing you with that satiated, full feeling in your digestive system. This is something that you need in the morning to help you start your busy day. This, along with a healthy all-round diet, and plenty of daily activity could prove to be a great weight loss meal.

An extra fact that could be helpful for those who live a gluten-free lifestyle, is knowing that unrefined oats do not contain gluten. Those who suffer with coeliac disease, however, might still dodge oats that are pre-prepared in case of any accidental contamination with other gluten inclusive products.

 

Overnight oats

A more contemporary breakfast hack in the oat world is ‘overnight oats.’ And silly enough this contemporary recipe involves absolutely no cooking or baking. Instead, you simply put together an oat base, that… as you guessed, you leave ‘overnight.’

An oat base consists of oats and either milk or yoghurt. And it’s up to you what milk you use, any type gets the job done. Then after that, the fun part comes. All you need is a preferred topping (or two) to go with the oats and the flavouring and extra texture hit is sorted. Your toppings could range from fruit, nuts, or chia seeds to chocolate chips, a spoon of honey, or even peanut butter. And that’s only to name a few!

This conveniently quick recipe is also very nifty because it can be a great snack, dessert, breakfast or even a on-the-go lunch. There’s absolutely no label that states when overnight oats has to be eaten!

 

Oat Milk

Now, on top of these simplistic recipes comes another great use of oats: oat milk. This alternative milk is a great solution for those living a lactose free diet as it is completely dairy free. No more black coffees and teas!

Uncomplicatedly, oat milk is made from soaked oats (soaked in water) that are then blended and strained. It begs the question with the oats being blended and strained-

Nutritional value of oats

Oats have nutrients and minerals that come in fine particles that stay throughout the process of shifting into milk. The fine particles also give the milk a creamy texture and sweet flavour that makes oat milk so favourable in the modern world of coffee shops. Barista oat milk coming right up! This also works well for the use of oat milk in breakfast cereals. No need to give up the quick and easy meal when you have a tasty dairy-free milk to hand.

 

Organic Oats

In our venture into the world of oats and the benefits of oats, it’s important to note that organic oats are your best way at gaining all the nutrients mentioned so far in this article.

Organic oats are simply steel-cut oats that don’t contain any sort of preservatives, flavourings or sugars that many on the shelf bags do contain.

Of course, your everyday supermarket oats are great for those busy, inconvenient days where you don’t have the time or energy to find organic products. However, if you want the most effective oats for your gut health and digestive profits then investing in organic jumbo oats is the best way forward.