Janaury Superfood: Oats!

Jamie Lee, Nutrition Consultant and Kristi Tamamki, OAC’s  Dietetic Intern,  join us today to share some of tips on starting your New Year off right by starting your day off right with oats, January’s superfood!

Oats made history in 1997, becoming the first food with an FDA-approved health claim: linking oats with heart health. Whole oat sources (oats, oat bran, and oat flours) are one of the best foods you can eat to lower total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol; for every 3 grams of oats, about 1.5 cups of cooked oatmeal OR ¾ cup uncooked oats consumed daily, cholesterol is lowered by 8-23% in just two months.

Oats are packed with many important minerals, including: 

• Manganese, critical for calcium absorption and the production of sex hormones
• Selenium, plays a role in thyroid function and functions as a powerful antioxidant
• Phosphorus, aids in muscle pain reduction after physical activity and builds strong bones and teeth
• Zinc, supports wound healing, the immune system, taste, vision and smell

As a whole-grain, oats are also a great source of dietary fiber. The slow digestion of oats helps you feel fuller between meals and may help blood sugar regulation. Oats are a practical way to add texture and flavor to your foods. Consider a warm bowl of oatmeal (steel-cut oats rate high for taste) topped with nuts, fruit and cinnamon in the morning to boost your health and fullness factor.

Enjoy your oats in these January Superfood Recipes:

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Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

• 1 cup uncooked oatmeak, instant or regular
• 1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk + 1 teaspoon white vinegar)
• 1 egg (or substitute) or 2 egg whites
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ cup canola oil
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 to 1 ½ cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
• Optional:  ¼ teaspoon nutmeg or cinnamon

1.  Preheat the oven to 400F.  Prepare 12 muffin cups with cooking spray or paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl, combine oatmeal, buttermilk, egg, sugar, and oil.  Beat well; if time allows, let the batter stand for 5 to 10 minutes for the oatmeal to soften.
3. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt (and nutmeg or cinnamon).  Mix well, then combine with the wet ingredients.  Stir just until moistened.
4. Gently add the blueberries.
5. Fill the muffin cups.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out dry.  Cool for 5 minutes, then remove from the pan. 

Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook

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Honey-Oat Bread

• 1 ¾ cups warm water (105F to 110F)
• 1 Tablespoon dry yeast
• ¾ cup quick-cooking oats
• 1/3 cup honey
• 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 ½ teaspoons salt
• 5 cups all purpose flour (plus more as needed)
• 1 large egg, beaten to blend
• Additional quick-cooking oats

1.  Stir ¼ cup warm water and yeast into a large bowl.  Let stand 10 minutes to dissolve yeast.  Sir in remaining 1 ½ cups water, ¾ cup oats, honey, oil and salt.  Stir in enough flour to form soft dough.  Coat another large bowl with oil.  Transfer dough to oiled bowl and turn to coat.  Cover with plastic wrap, then kitchen towel and let rise at room temperature until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. 
2. Oil two 8 ½-by-4 ½- by 2 ½-inch loaf pans.  Punch down dough; shape into 2 loaves.  Place 1 loaf in each pan.  Cover and let rise in warm draft-free area until almost doubled in volume, about 20 minutes. 
3. Preheat oven to 350F.  Brush tops of loaves with egg; sprinkle with additional oats.  Bake until brown on top and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.  Cool completely.  (Can be prepared up to 1 day ahead.  Store airtight at room temperature.)

Epicurious.com

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Granola (3 ways)

• 2 cups old-fashioned oats
• ½ cup wheat germ
• 2 Tablespoons dark brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup Extras*(see options below)
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 3 Tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
• 1 Tablespoon water
• Flavoring**(see options below)

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position, and heat oven to 275F.  Coat a 9-by-13-inch metal pan with cooking spray, and then set aside. 
2. Mix oats, wheat germ, brown sugar, salt, and *extras—except dried fruit—in a bowl. 
3. Bring syrup, oil, water, and any flavoring to a simmer in a saucepan over low heat.  Drizzle over oat mixture, and stir to combine. 
4. Pour mixture onto prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes.  Stir in dried fruit.  Continue to bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes longer.  Let cool and store in an airtight tin for up to two weeks. 

Recipe Additions:

Classic

• *Extras:  1/3 cup chopped walnuts, 1/3 cup sweetened flake coconut, 1/3 cup dark or golden raisins
• ** Flavoring: ½ tsp ground cinnamon; maple syrup can be replaced by 2 Tbsp of maple syrup and 2 Tbsp molasses.

Orange-Flavored Granola with Pistachios, Mangos and Dates:

• *Extras: ½ cup chopped, roasted pistachios, ¼ cup chopped dates, ¼ cup chopped dried mangos
• **Flavoring:  ½ tsp finely grated orange zest and ¼ tsp allspice

Granola with Cherries and Almonds:

• *Extras: 1/3 cup sliced almonds, 1/3 cup flake coconut, 1/3 cup dried cherries
• **Flavoring: ¾ tsp almond extract

USA Weekend

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Quaker Oats Meatloaf

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 cup tomato sauce, ketchup, or salsa
• ¾ cup Quaker Oats
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 Tablespoon soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and pepper

1.  Preheat oven to 350F
2. Mix all ingredients, place in a loaf pan and bake for 1 hour.
3. Drain off the fat.

Food.com

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Jamie Lee, RD, LD

President and Owner |  HealthFull Nutrition

Kristi Tamaki

Dietetic Intern | Oregon Health and Science University

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