15 Healthy Oats Recipes For The Lazy Cook
Adding oats to our diet can be beneficial in many ways. Oats are an excellent source of both soluble and insoluble fibres which are effective in lowering blood cholesterol and controlling the glucose and insulin levels in the blood. It is also good for reducing hypertension, regularising bowel movement, controlling weight and generally promoting good health and longevity. Therefore, it is a good idea to have a helping of oats as a part of our daily diet.
Recognising the health benefits of oats, more people are adding it to their daily meals. Oats is a versatile food grain. It can be prepared in many ways and can be combined with lots of other ingredients to make tasty food. The best thing about oats is that it is quick and easy to cook and good to eat- a win-win for lazy cooks.
Oats is available in many forms, as whole oat groats, steel cut oats, rolled oats, oatmeal and instant oats. Whole oats take the longest time to cook while instant oats cook the quickest, but the nutrition value of both are similar as they are whole grains.
Below are some easy, tasty and healthy recipes with oats.
1. Fruit and Nuts Oats: This is the easiest recipe using oats as it requires no cooking at all. All that is needed is an airtight container and the ingredients.
Ingredients: ¾ cups quick oats, assorted broken nuts (walnuts, almonds cashews), milk, dry fruits (dates, raisins, cranberries)
Method: Add oats, nuts and some of the dry fruits to the container. Cover with milk. Cover container and refrigerate overnight. Serve topped with some more nuts within two hours of taking out of the fridge.
2. Masala Veggie Oats: This is a preparation of oats with vegetables and semolina.
Ingredients: oats, semolina, curry leaves, onion, green chillies, carrots chopped, potato peeled and chopped, capsicum chopped, tomato finely chopped, ginger garlic paste, cinnamon stick, green cardamom, garam masala powder, fresh coriander leaves finely chopped, oil 1 tbsp. lemon juice 1 tbsp.
Method: Add a tbsp of oil in a heavy, flat-bottomed pan. Temper with cardamom and cinnamon sticks. Then add the curry leaves, green chillies and onion. Sauté till the onions are light pink. Add ginger garlic paste and sauté for a few minutes. Add chopped carrots, potato and capsicum. Cook on low flame for five minutes. Add tomato and cook till tomato loses its raw flavour. Add salt and garam masala. Then add three cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce flame and add the roasted semolina. Then add the oats and some ghee. Mix well. Cook on low flame for three minutes. Turn off the flame and add lemon juice. Garnish with coriander leaves and masala veggie oats is ready to serve.
3. Oats Soup: This soup is an easy way of getting oats on the menu. This can be had any time and is a filling dish.
Ingredients: oats, onions, green chillies, garlic, salt, pepper, water, milk, a sprig of coriander for garnishing.
Method: Heat oil in a pan and sauté the onions, garlic and green chillies till they sweat. Add oats and cook for a few minutes. Add salt and water and bring to a boil. Add the milk and pepper powder and let it boil for a few more minutes. Serve hot garnished with coriander.
4. Oats Idli: Idli, when made with oats, can add a surprising twist to this popular South Indian breakfast item.
Ingredients: quick/ instant oats, rice, cooked rice (optional), urad dal, fenugreek seeds, salt
Method: Soak urad dal and rice (separately). Soak fenugreek with the rice. Grind the urad dal. Soak oats for five minutes and grind with the rice and cooked rice (if using). Mix the pastes with salt to make the idli batter. Cover and leave it to ferment, preferably overnight or at least four hours. Steam the batter in an idli steamer for ten minutes and serve with chutney.
5. Oats Dosa: Here is another all-time favourite, but with oats.
Ingredients: quick/instant oats, yoghurt, cumin seeds, pepper, onions (chopped), ginger (grated), curry leaves, salt, oil
Method: Soak the oats in water for five minutes. Grind to a fine batter with yoghurt. Add cumin seeds, crushed pepper, grated ginger, curry leaves and chopped onions to the batter. Fry the dosas on a tawa with a little oil and serve with the chutney of your choice.
6. Oats Uttapam: The dosa batter can also be used make this variant.
Ingredients: quick/ instant oats, rice, cooked rice (optional), urad dal, fenugreek seeds, salt
Method: Make a smooth batter by grinding the urad dal and soaked rice separately and mix together. Add an equal amount of oats to the mixture. Heat oil in a non-stick Tawa and pour a spoonful of batter. Spread it out with the back of the spoon to make a thin uttapam. Serve it topped with chopped onions, tomatoes and green chillies.
7. Oats porridge with vegetables: This is a variation of porridge made with rice, black grams and vegetables. Substituting rice with oats makes a healthy dish even healthier.
Ingredients: oats, black grams (soaked), fenugreek seeds, garlic, onions, grated coconut, salt, oil and water.
Method: Heat oil in a deep pan and temper with fenugreek seeds. Add chopped garlic and onions and saute till they sweat. Add water and bring to a boil. Add the grams and boil till they are almost done. Add the oats and boil for another few minutes till oats are cooked. Adjust the water to bring in desired consistency. Add salt and grated coconut.
8. Spicy lemon oats
Ingredients: oats, roasted peanuts, green peas, turmeric powder, salt, coriander leaves, lemon juice, oil, mustard seeds, green chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida
Method: Heat oil in a flat, heavy bottomed vessel and temper with mustard seeds, green chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida. Add the turmeric powder and mix. Add green peas. Then add water and bring to a boil. Add the oats and cook till done. Take off the fire and add salt and lemon juice. Garnish with roasted peanuts, coriander leaves and serve while hot.
Continue reading on the next page for 7 more sumptuous recipes!
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