Some people shudder when they hear the word oatmeal. Oats are to many the typical diet food—utterly bland and devoid of taste. But they are not only super healthy as well as helpful in losing weight—oatmeal can also taste fantastic if you prepare the following recipes!
First of all, oats are a natural appetite suppressant. They ensure that the pounds come off faster. This is not only because of their low energy density, but rather due to the generous concentration of unsaturated fatty acids as well as high magnesium content. This increases metabolism and helps your body to burn fat more quickly.
Consuming oatmeal (i.e. porridge) also aids the digestion and can help with intestinal problems. The high proportion of dietary fiber, protein, minerals, and vitamins B1 and E also ensures that your blood sugar and cholesterol stay at low levels.
Oats also help to maintain beautiful skin, strong fingernails and shiny hair, since they contain high levels of iron, zinc, manganese and copper. The high magnesium content also reduces the risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke. In 2002, a study showed that daily consumption of oats or oatmeal lowers high blood pressure and improves insulin secretion in only six weeks.
The following three recipes are a delicious alternative to the standard uses for oats such as with fruit and milk or cottage cheese:
Peanut butter and oat shake
For two servings, you will need:
2 1/4 cups of oats
1 cup milk (1% or 2%)
1 tablespoon peanut butter
2 teaspoons milk protein powder (vanilla flavor)
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon linseeds (powdered)
6 ice cubes
Here’s how:
Add all the ingredients to a blender and mix well. Now you have a scrumptious shake for in between meals or as a substitute for breakfast.
Apricot muesli with walnut cinnamon crunch
You will need:
4 tablespoons of oats
1.5 tablespoons of walnuts (chopped)
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 pinch of cinnamon
2/3 cup pitted and sliced apricots
1 cup milk
Here’s how:
Mix one tablespoon of oats with the sugar, cinnamon and chopped walnuts. Caramelize the mixture in a nonstick pan. Add the apricots and the remaining oats to the finished mixture.
Porridge with pumpkin seeds, nuts and honey
You will need:
1 1/4 cups oats (soft)
1 cup milk (1% or 2%)
2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
1 teaspoon pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon nuts (your choice!)
1 squeeze of honey (liquid)
Here’s how:
First boil the oats with milk, stirring regularly, until the mixture has a mushy consistency. Then add the pomegranate seeds, pumpkins seeds, nuts and honey. Your power breakfast is ready!
If these aren’t enough to satisfy your newly found love affair with oats, and you’d like to take some along to snack on throughout the day, check out this original recipe for these no-bake energy balls. Snacking with a clear conscience—how awesome is that?