The cold weather is upon us already in Melbourne (much to my dismay) and that means porridge!!!
It might not be the most exciting breakfast, but it can be with a little help from some delicious toppings.
But first, let me explain why I love oats so much!
OATS 101
If superfoods existed - oats would be one. You really can’t go past oats as a breakfast cereal.
They are a wholegrain, meaning that all 3 parts of the grain are intact (See picture). This means that wholegrains provide both soluble (can help lower cholesterol re-absorption) and insoluble (adds bulk in your digestive tract to keep it moving - if you get what I mean) fibre and a whole lot more vitamins, minerals and antioxidants than their refined counterparts. 1/2 cup oats contains around 4g of fibre. We require 30g of fibre per day, which means that 1/2 cup oats provides around 13% of your fibre requirements.
Oats are one of the richest sources of beta-glucan, a type of soluble fibre that can help to lower cholesterol re-absorption. A 40g serve of oats provides 1g of beta glucan. We require 3g of beta glucan per day to lower cholesterol re-absorption, in conjunction with a diet low in saturated fat. (see my blog on plant sterols for more information about cholesterol and heart health.)
Oats are a source of protein. A 40g serve of oats (by themselves, without milk) provides 5g of protein. When made with 1/2 cup milk, their protein content doubles to provide 10g of protein.
In addition, they are low in sodium (salt), a common addition to most breakfast cereals.
I totally understand that plain old oats are super boring, so I like to change mine up to keep them interesting all winter long. Here’s an example of what I like to add to my oats.
Caramelised Banana Oats
[Serves 1] [15 mins from start to finish]
Ingredients
1 banana
1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp of maple syrup
1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon
A bowl of cooked oats
Method
Heat the olive oil and maple syrup in a frypan until hot. Add the cinnamon and stir to combine
Cut the banana in half length ways and add to the frypan. Cook on both sides until caramelised.
Serve on top of your oats and drizzle with the remaining pan juices.
Add some extra maple syrup if preferred.
ENJOY!
Tip: An easy way to increase your fibre and omega 3 fatty acid intake is to add nuts and seeds to your oats. Some ideas include flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, pepitas and walnuts