Overnight Oats

Overnight Oats

If you've read my 'benefits of breakfast' post then you'll already know about the fantastic health benefits of a good breakfast.. my personal favourite is porridge (or oatmeal for you US readers!). In the summer though, I find hot milk too warm and so I turn to 'overnight oats' for my oat & fruit pick-me-up!

Overnight oats are 'oh so' simple to make .. you simply mix together milk, yoghurt and oats and leave the mixture overnight in a fridge. The oats soak up the moisture which makes them perfect to eat the next day. Why not try the following toppings (just add them in the morning!) ..

• Chopped banana & cinnamon
• Blueberries & poppy seeds
• Chopped peach & brown sugar
• Sliced strawberries & walnuts
• Grated apple (bircher style!)

Sound tempting? Here's what you will need and step-by-step what to do!

2/3 cup (160ml) Almond Milk (any milk will work though!)

1/2 cup (40g) Porridge Oats

1/2 cup (100g/125ml) Vanilla or Fat Free Greek Yogurt

A pinch of Cinnamon

1) The night before mix together the above ingredients - I mix mine in an air tight jar for ease!

I love measuring cups as they make measuring ingredients super quick - I got mine from eBay!

Mix !!

2) Refrigerate overnight... cover the mixture to make an air tight seal (you could use clingfilm)

Overnight oats with banana and cinnamon

The oats take a minimum or 3 hours before they're ready..

3) Wait for morning time, add your chosen ingredients and enjoy!

Cheesy Pic..

So there you have it, porridge in the winter and overnight oats in the summer.. I just can't get enough of those whole grains :)

Overnight oats with frozen blueberries & poppy seeds

Nutrition Per Serving: 244 Kcal, 16g Protein, 37g Carbs, 5g Fat*
(Above excludes toppings)

Nutritional Benefits: Rich in soluble fibre & beta-glucan (to lower LDL-cholesterol), high in protein (to help keep you fuller longer)

For other healthy breakfast ideas [click here] !

Nic x

 

*Nutritional information provided by Firecracker

Cholesterol Lowering Muffins

Cholesterol Lowering Muffins

You've probably heard of cholesterol before.. but do you know what it is? Cholesterol is a type of fat known as a 'lipid' and it is vital for bodily functions such as producing hormones and making vitamin D. Cholesterol is carried around the body as lipoproteins known as LDL (bad) and HDL (good).. too much LDL can lead to blocked arteries (with HDL helping to reduce this risk!).

So, enough science.. where do these muffins come in to play you ask?! Oats are fantastic for health and so when I came across this 'oat bran' muffin recipe I was more than pleased! Oats and oatbran are rich in beta-glucan soluble fibre which has been shower to lower blood cholesterol - which reduces risk of heart disease. To get your daily intake of oats you may like to try oat cakes, oat bran (in yoghurt, salads etc), 50:50 oatie bread or oat-based breakfast cereals or porridge oats.

Oats aren't the only thing you can eat though to reduce blood cholesterol.. the main thing you can do is to reduce the amount of saturated fat in the diet (found in fatty and processed meats, butter, whole milk, hard cheese, cakes, chocolates and pastries) and replace them with healthier options such as lean meats, oily fish, vegetables/olive oil based margarine/oils, low fat milk/yoghurt/soya alternatives, lower-fat cheese e.g. cream cheese or Edam etc and choose fruit/veg (5 a day!), nuts and seeds for snacks. Choosing wholegrain foods (oats are a wholegrain) is also recommended as well as having beans and pulses daily e.g. adding them to stews and spag bol!

And back to the muffins.. I saw the recipe for these oat bran muffins on the Mornflake website [click here].. they were extremely tasty.. and I nick-named them my 'cholesterol lowering muffins' !

So what do you need to make them?

250g / 9ozs Mornflake Oatbran

50g / 2ozs Raisins

50g / 2ozs Soft Brown Sugar

5 ml / 1 teaspoon Cinnamon

15ml / 1 tablespoon baking powder

290 ml / 10 fluid ozs Skimmed Milk

2 egg whites

30ml / 2 tablespoons Vegetable oil

And what do you need to do?

First, heat the oven to 220 degrees C / 425 degrees F / gas mark 7

1) Mix together the oats, brown sugar, baking powder, raisins and cinnamon..

2) Mix together the milk, oil and egg whites..

3) Pour the liquids in to the dry oat bran mix and leave for 5 minutes to absorb.. I then blended this mixture for a few moments with my hand blender.. however this step isn't essential!

4) Divide between 15 paper bun cases..

5) And pop in the oven for 12 - 15 minutes (or until pale brown)

6) Eat and enjoy!! Each muffin is just 106kcal and is packed with oaty-soluble fibre goodness!!

Nutrition Per Bun: 106 kcal

Nutritional Benefits: High in soluble fibre & antioxidants

Happy baking! - for more healthy recipes click here

Nic x