All about Oats + a recipe

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Bonjour beautiful people and welcome to another food highlight blog. It’s tradition on this series that whenever I highlight a food I include its benefits, how to prepare it to get the most out of it, and then finish with a recipe. On the menu today is the humble oat (avena sativa). This cheap and versatile grain has been around for centuries and packs a potent mix of nutrients into a tiny package. 

Let’s take a closer look at exactly what the oat offers:

  • They are incredibly nutrient dense with 13g of protein, 8g of fiber, and 191% RDI of Manganese and 34% Magnesium per 1/2 cup (75g) of oats [1].

  • High in anti-oxidants (e.g. avenathramides) which help lower blood pressure and improve blood flow [1].

  • Great for skin care. Oats have anti-inflammatory and anti-itch properties when applied topically so take advantage and make a quick at home face or body mask out of coconut oil, oats and water [2]:

Recipe:

1. Measure 1/4 cup warm water into a mixing bowl.

2. Add 1 tablespoon coconut oil and stir until completely melted.

3. Sprinkle in 3 tablespoons of oatmeal.

4. Stir until the ingredients have formed a paste.

How to apply:

1. Wash your face and neck with warm water and a cleaner to remove makeup and open the pores.

2. When the mixture has cooled enough, apply it to your face and let it sit for fifteen minutes. 

3. After fifteen minutes, gently massage the mask into your face using small circular motions for another 2-3 minutes.

4. Rinse the mask off with lukewarm water.

5. Then splash you skin with cool water and pat dry with a soft, clean towel. 

  • Versatile. They can be made savory or sweet, the former most commonly seen in the U.S, as oatmeal sweetened with cinnamon and honey, but I will include a funs savory recipe down below :)

  • Interesting oat fact: Oats are used primarily as food for livestock, with only about 5% of the world crop being consumed by humans.

So now that we know how good oats are for us, let me show you a simple recipe so that you can start incorporating oats into your household menu:

Savory Spanish Oatmeal Bowls [4]

Prep time: 15 min

Cook time: 15 min

Total time: 30 min

Serves 4

Ingredients

Oatmeal:

1 cup (90g) old fashioned oats

2 cups (500ml) water or almond milk

1/4 tsp salt, divided

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Chorizo:

1/4 T olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1/2 pound (250g) uncooked chorizo

Sauce and toppings:

1/2 cup (2 peppers) roughly chopped roasted red peppers

1 T tomato paste

1 clove garlic

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1 T red wine vinegar

1/4 cup toasted almonds

2 poached eggs

Fresh chopped parsley as garnish (optional) 

Instructions:

  1. Combine the oats, water (or milk), ¼ teaspoon salt, and pepper in a large saucepan of medium-high heat. Once the mixture starts to bubble, turn down to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  2. While the oats are cooking, add the oil to a sauté pan over medium heat. Once heated, add the onion and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add in the garlic and cook for another minute. Add in the chorizo and break up into pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook for about 5 minutes until the meat is cooked through. Take the pan off the heat.

  3. Combine the red peppers, tomato paste, garlic, paprika, cayenne, vinegar, and almonds in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is chunky and pasty.

  4. Add equal portions of oatmeal to 4 bowls. Top with about ¼ cup of the chorizo mixture, 1-2 tablespoons of romesco sauce and 1 poached egg. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.

Notes

Serving size: 1 oatmeal bowl

Nutrition Information (per serving) from Caloriecount.about.com

Calories: 415 Fat: 21.4g Carb: 34.3g Fiber: 6.2g Protein: 19.7g Sugar 3.5g Sodium: 573mg

Thank you all so much for stopping by this week for another nutrition blog. I hope that you all learned something new about oats and can start incorporating this uber grain into your weekly repetoire.

I’ll see you all here next Tuesday for a fresh blog!

Xoxo,

Alexandra 

Sources: 

1. Palsdottir, Hrefna. “9 Health Benefits of Eating Oats and Oatmeal.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 19 July 2016, www.healthline.com/nutrition/9-benefits-oats-oatmeal#section4 

2. “6 DIY Oatmeal Face Masks For Flawless Skin.” SIO Beauty, 2019, www.siobeauty.com/blogs/news/oatmeal-face-masks 

3. “Oatmeal Fun Facts: Mobile Cuisine.” Mobile Cuisine | Food Truck, Pop Up & Street Food Coverage, 31 Mar. 2017, mobile-cuisine.com/did-you-know/oatmeal-fun-facts/.

4. Krista. “Savory Spanish Oatmeal.” Destination Delish, 9 Feb. 2017, www.destinationdelish.com/savory-spanish-oatmeal/