Sunday, March 06, 2011

Okay, I eat oats

I am not a big fan of oats.  I know that might be considered blasphemous to some.

So many of my friends are oatmeal fiends and they eat it, in some form or another, every morning.

Now I know that there are many kinds of oats, and you can cook them in a variety of ways, or even eat them cold... but honestly, OATS?  Every morning?  Even with all the different delicious toppings I can think of, I am not going to eat oats EVERY morning.

And on the rare occasion I do eat oats, I know that I am going to need a mid-morning snack, cause oats just don't keep me full for more than a couple of hours at the very most.

I admit it.  I have been flirting with other grains these past few months.

I have learned to love quinoa, even cold, with yogurt and fruit.

I have been favoring farro, cooked al dente, with cinnamon and milk.

I have munched on millet, with yogurt and berries.

I have grooved on groats, with chocolate chips and almond butter.

And, I have just purchased a bit of organic amaranth seed, which I hear is wonderful, toasted and popped.

But just in case anyone thinks I don't like oats... I really do, and my favorite way to eat them is to bake them in scones.  This recipe came from the Boot Camp Buddies board on healthdiscovery.net, and I have been making these for more than a few years now.  They freeze very well and make a great, tasty, portable snack.  Feel free to add more spices.



Oat Scones
  1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
  2. Heat 1 cup fat free milk till scalded.
  3. Add 1-1/2 cups regular oats and let sit a few minutes.
  4. Spray large pie pan with non-stick spray.
  5. Add 1/2 cup fat free plain yogurt to oats, along with 1 egg and 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce.
  6. In another container mix:
          2 tsp baking soda
          1 tsp baking powder
          1/2 tsp salt
          3 pkts Splenda (optional)
          1 tsp cinnamon
          1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or cloves, all spice, nutmeg, ginger mix)
          1 cup oat bran

  7.  Stir 2 mixtures together and pour into the pie pan and put into preheated
       oven.
  8.  Bake approximately 30 minutes or until browned.
  9.  After removing from oven, let cool a few minutes and turn out onto a
       cooling rack.
 10. Let sit 5 minutes and then cut into 8 portions.


Weight Watchers P+ = 3.  Not bad for a filling and delicious serving.
Calories 122; Protein 7g; Carbohydrate 22g; Fat 3g; Fibre 4g.

I like to have mine with yogurt and fruit, or slathered with Laughing Cow cheese. Mmm.