Oatmeal is a classic but it is also a superfood that has its own superpowers, including lowering cholesterol and reducing the risk of heart disease.
But when prepared bland and soggy, this high-fiber superfood doesn’t really have the appealing taste.
Made right, the oatmeal can really be awesome. These are some cool ideas how you can really make your oatmeal very delicious:
1. Berries
Keep it simple and add a handful berries to your oatmeal. They add flavor and texture, and berries are also very rich in antioxidants. Mixed with oatmeal, they are the ultimate power breakfast. Together with berries, you can combine especially well yogurt, cheese or cream. You can use raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, or any other kind of berry in season. Dried fruits also work really well with oatmeal and a whole different kind of fruity flavor.
2. Nuts and seeds
Nuts make an awesome addition to oatmeal, but they are not great not only for the added taste but for the added crunchiness. Almost any kind of nut will taste good in oatmeal, especially with the right chosen other ingredients. Walnuts go very good with tofu and berries. Seeds of any kind, like ground flax or chia, are tasteless so you may want to add a splash of stevia for sweetness and vanilla for flavor, while hemp or ground flax naturally add a luscious, slightly nutty taste.
3. Coconut
Due to its high saturated fat content, coconut used to be seen as an unhealthy food. But, many studies now show that mono saturated fat (the type found in coconuts, avocados, olive oil, for example) is actually good and healthy for you!
The most common way is adding the coconut flour in oatmeal, but besides just using the coconut flour, you can also add some coconut milk to change its flavor. Swap your regular milk for coconut milk or water if you use it to prepare oatmeal and mix in some shredded coconut and dark brown sugar.
4. Bananas
Oatmeal is low in calories but high in minerals, vitamins, and fiber. Adding banana to your oatmeal not only adds flavor and sweetness, but it increases the number of calories and significantly enhances the nutritional benefits. Bananas contain moderate amounts of calories and quite a bit of carbohydrate, but they are exceptionally high in potassium.
Combining oatmeal with bananas for breakfast provides many nutritional benefits. Together the bananas and oatmeal are relatively low-calorie food, but the high fiber content is likely to keep you feeling full for longer and reduce your need to eat until lunch, which can be helpful for losing weight.
5. Baked oatmeal
If you are not a fan of oatmeal because of its taste and texture, try baking it instead! It will taste like a mix between a creamy bowl of oats and a chewy snack bar. Try baked oatmeal for an unexpected morning treat. But, the baking possibilities do not end there, because oat muffins and oat bars are always delicious.
By combining some oats with cinnamon, brown sugar and butter, you can make a fruit crisp. Layer over some fresh fruit in a pie dish and bake until golden brown. It is a mix between traditional creamy breakfast and oatmeal bar. There are tons of recipes for different types of oat bread, including cinnamon raisin oat bread, oat bran bread, and oat soda bread.