HEALTHY OATS

Healthy oats

While oats is a very good health food choice, it doesn’t make an impression on the taste buds. Here’s a recipe to change that

Oats are one of the best foods you can have. They have a wide spectrum of food benefits. Oats also have a significant amount of dietary fibre, but more importantly this fibre is a mix of soluble and insoluble fibre. The soluble fibre contains beta-glucans, which have proven effective in lowering blood cholesterol. Oats, like all cholesterol-lowering agents, are most effective when consumed as part of a low-fat, high-fibre diet, taken together with plenty of exercise. The insoluble fibre on the other hand helps bowel movement. With low saturated fat content and a low glycemic index, it is an ideal food to have in your daily diet.

But here’s where is gets challenging – its not the most interesting foods to eat daily. So it you need to have it daily you need to make it in a variety of ways.

Oats Upma

Tasty and best eaten hot, it takes away the insipidness of eating it with just water or milk.

Ingredients

• 1 larges onion diced
• 1 green chili
• ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp oil
• 3-4 leaves of curry patta
• 1 small cup of oats
• Pinch of garammasala
• Salt to taste
• Coriander for garnish

Steps

1. Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Add mustard seeds, green chilli and curry patta till they start to sputter (about 2 minutes).
2. Add onions, and salt, sauté  the onion till the edges start to turn brown.
3. Add oats. Stir. Add water and stir till water comes to a boil
4. Close and let it cook for a few minutes till the water has been absorbed.
5. Add a pinch of garam masala and stir
6. Garnish with coriander and serve hot

To make it even more nutritious you can add boiled vegetables of your choice after the onions are cooked – peas, carrots, or french beans also go well with this recipe.