Oaty McOat Oats
Whether you want to cook up a batch of wild oats or seven grain cereal, or quick oats, the cereal to liquid ration should remain the same…about 1/3 cup cereal to 1 cup of liquid for one serving.
I personally cannot handle eating porridge plain, although some people can stomach it. I’m just not one of them. It has to be made more interesting, or it clogs in my throat; and most importantly, it has to be hot. Cold porridge can make even the hardiest Scot gag. So be sure to eat that bowl of mush piping hot.
We are always being told by the so-called “professionals” in the diet world to increase the amount of whole grains we eat every day…according to Canada’s Food Guide you should be getting 5-12 servings a day. I’m not a big believer in the Food Guide, although the changes made to it recently have somewhat softened my feelings towards it. I truly believe that next to raw, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains are the most important thing to our bodies; especially in our colder Canadian climate. What better way to increase the amount of fibre in your diet than to scarf back a tasty bowl of oats in the morning? Emphasis on the word “tasty” there. Try these porridge variations. Even if you are not an oatmeal lover at heart, these just may change your mind.
Mom’s Banana Bread Oats
1 serving of hot, cooked cereal
1 banana, peeled
1 tbsp maple syrup (more or less, according to your tastes)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
a drizzling of non-dairy milk (optional)
Mash the banana in the bowl you intend to eat out of, and mix thoroughly with the hot cereal. Stir in the remaining ingredients and enjoy!
Serves 1
Apple Extravaganza
1/3 cup uncooked oats
1 cup pure, freshly squeezed apple juice
1 apple, cored and diced (peeling optional)
1 tsp cinnamon
dash nutmeg
1 tbsp maple syrup (more or less, according to your tastes)
drizzling of non-dairy milk (optional)
Cook the oats in the apple juice. Stir in the remaining ingredients, and serve.
Serves 1
Trail Mix Oats
1/3 cup oats
1 cup water or apple juice
2 tbsp natural peanut butter (or other nut butter of your choice)
1/2 cup mixed, dried fruits, chopped (raisins, apple rings, pineapple chunks,
apricots, dates, whatever your heart desires)
1/4 cup raw nuts or seeds, or combination
Bring the water or apple juice to a boil and stir in the peanut butter until it is well-combined. Stir in the uncooked oats and remaining ingredients and cook until water is absorbed and oats are tender.
Serves 1
Fresh Fruit Salad Oats
1 serving cooked, hot cereal
1/4 cup fresh apple, diced
1/4 cup banana, mashed
1/4 cup strawberries, diced
1/4 cup pear, diced
Stir all fruit into the hot cereal and enjoy! You, of course, can add or delete the fresh fruit that you like for the above suggestions. Peaches, blueberries, pineapple, or grapes would all be just as delicious.
Serves 1
Peaches and Cream Oats
1 serving of hot, cooked cereal
1 fresh, ripe peach, diced (peeling is optional)
1/4 to 1/2 cup non-dairy milk
1 tbsp maple syrup (more or less to taste)
Mix all ingredients in a bowl, and serve.
Serves 1
A final tip
Try stirring in a tablespoonful of essential, cold-pressed oils into your hot cereal once it is in your bowl to add to the nutritional content.