Plain oatmeal can seem boring. It’s dry, dull, flaky, and bland solo, but with a little effort you can turn a bowl of ordinary oats into an extraordinary meal. Follow our delicious oatmeal recipes and make breakfast more delicious and exciting!
Oats are normally sold in a few different forms. Beware because some forms are more nutritious than others. Oat groats are the whole oat grain with only the outer hull removed. They are highly nutritious, but require a lengthy duration of soaking prior to cooking.
are the runner up in the nutrition department. Oat groats are thinly sliced with steel cutters (hence the name “steel-cut”) and have a chewy texture. Steel cut oats require additional cooking times compared to rolled or “old fashioned” oats. Rolled oats are steamed and then pressed flat. They are relatively quick to cook and probably the most common form.
is the form of oats to stay away from. These oats are more processed- partially cooked before being pressed flat and usually contains added sugar, salt, and artificial flavors/sweeteners.
What makes an addition awesome?
Your body can easily identify, digest, and utilize fruits and raw nuts.
Break and post-workouts are great times for oatmeal when an insulin response can help shuttle nutrients into hungry cells. Go high-medium glycemic index- dates, raisins, bananas, mango, pineapple, watermelon, cantaloupe, and kiwi. Add protein powder or milk for additional protein.
Oats are your primary source of slow-digesting complex carbohydrates at these meals so additions that add sugars should be kept at a minimum. Low glycemic fruit is a safe bet since it won’t cause spikes in insulin levels at unnecessary times leading to fat storage. Plus it boosts the fiber and antioxidants in your meal. Berries, apples, and peaches are excellent fruit choices. Healthy fats like natural nut butter, ground flax seed, and raw nuts also make excellent additions. Fats should make up 25-30% of your total calories each day. It’s slow to digest and helps you stay full for a longer period of time.
You don’t have to always eat a warm bowl of oatmeal to get the healthy benefits. Oats can be mixed with protein powder, egg whites/whole eggs, and other ingredients to make a clean creation like pancakes, pizza crust, muffins, healthy cookies, crepes, and more. These can be made in advance, baked in bulk, and stored. They make excellent portable snacks when you’re on the go.
Add spices like cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, cocoa, stevia or truvia, honey (natural sweeteners), and vanilla extract.
It's time to start making your oatmeal extraordinary.
Cook oats (in saucepan or microwave with water). Stir in vanilla extract and protein powder. Add sliced fruit on top. Add a splash of low fat milk (or almond/soy milk). 406 calories. 34g protein. 60g carbs, 5g fat.
Cook oats (in saucepan or microwave with water). Stir in all ingredients. 297 calories. 10g protein. 35g carbs. 15g fat.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Mash banana. Add mixture to a mini loaf dish or large muffin pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Test with a toothpick to see if it’s done. 352 calories. 22g protein, 32.5g carbs, 15.5g fat.
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