Oatmeal – breakfast of champions

Oat flakes, like groats, are slowly coming back to our tables. Runners and athletes quickly completed their menu with oatmeal, which is a lightweight but very nutritious breakfast. It delivers a dose of slowly released energy, richness of elements, and most importantly, it can be combined with many extras, creating countless variations. Thanks to this, oatmeal can never get bored.

Oatmeal may as well be prepared with milk and water. Depending on the weather, our mood or time of year, we can prepare completely different combinations. In the summer I love to combine it with fresh fruit and honey or jam. In the winter, I prepare a warming version with peanut butter, whole nuts, banana and spices. The possibilities are endless, and all very healthy and filling. Nuts, dried or seasonal fruit, honey, jams – every time you reach into the cupboard, you can create a completely new variation. The only thing that remains the same are proportions of oatmeal and liquid – to 1/4 cup of cereal (approx. 20-25 g) you use a glass of water or milk (vegans can use oat or soy milk), and after a short moment we get thick and smooth oatmeal – my favorite.

The following recipe is a version with with cranberries and blueberries, with addition of coconut chips to intensify the milk flavor, sweetened with honey and a splash of jam.

OATMEAL – NUTRITIONAL VALUES

1. The oat is one of the oats with highest protein content (approx. 10%), and combined with milk provides a full range of amino acids.

2. Oatmeal contains the supreme ammount of fiber. Full grain consists of 1/3 fiber, of which 1/5 is soluble in water – best proportions to lower cholesterol effectively. Soluble fiber is mainly beta-glucan, which in the digestive tract assumes consistency of a gel lining the gastrointestinal mucosa and form a kind of „bandage”. It slows down the absorption of sugar and strengthens the immune system. Insoluble fraction improves intestinal function, causing a feeling of satiety for longer, so it is very helpful to people on a diet.

3. Oatmeal is rich in vitamins E and B1. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant, postponing premature aging and protecting our cells. Vitamin B1, on the other hand, improves the functioning of muscles and nervous system, prevents fatigue and irritability, improves the rate of wound healing.

4. Oatmeal contains valuable unsaturated fatty acids (UFA), which prevent blood clots formation and participate in the prevention of atherosclerosis, soothe irritation caused by allergies and moisturize the skin. After only two weeks of eating oatmeal you will notice a clear difference in skin condition – it smoothens, gains shine and various imperfections disappear.

OATMEAL – RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 tbsp (30 g) oat flakes
• 1/2 cup water or milk
• handful (50 g) blueberries
• 1 tbsp (12 g) dried cranbberies
• 1 tbsp dessicated coconut
• 1 tbsp honey, splash of favourite jam

PREPARATION:

1. Pour water or milk over oat flakes, add the cranberries, coconut chips and honey.
2. Cook over low heat, occasionally stirring, until the flakes absorb the liquid and oatmeal gets thick and silky.
3. The hot porridge transfer into a bowl and add blueberries, and a splash of jam if you wish.

DIFFERENT VERSIONS

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