Here's my clean eating oatmeal recipe! Rolled Oats are a healthy start to your day because they help lower your cholesterol and regulate blood sugar. It's a superfood for athletes because it's a slow releasing carb so it will give you long lasting energy. It's also packed with vitamin B and iron. If that's not enough to convince you they're it's cheap if you buy it by the tub!
I don't use those prepacked instant sugary oatmeal, instead I buy Whole Foods brand 365 Organic Old Fashioned Rolled Oats. The difference is that they are larger and have a fuller taste; which also means they take longer to cook than instant oatmeal. So to avoid having it cook forever in the morning I soak the oats in water overnight.
I know you've heard of the Ch-ch-ch-chia Pet, but did you know chia seeds were a staple in the diet of the Aztecs and Mayans? Chia seeds are packed with healthy Omega-3, fiber, calcium and antioxidants. It helps curb your appetite with the fiber slowing your digestion. Definitely a key food for weight loss!
If you
add a liquid to chia seeds you can easily make a gel! I make chia seed gel the night before (which by the way you can use a substitute for half the butter in any baking recipe to cut the fat). I find this really thickens up the oatmeal and makes it more filling.
I find chia much easier to use than flaxseed because with flaxseed you have to grind it first so you body can absorb it but you can only grind one serving at a time because it goes rancid fast. Chia seeds you can swallow whole and your body will still absorb it and a package can sit around for 2 years and not go bad. They have no taste on their own so it makes it easy to add into any food you make. Chia seeds are a great super food because you get the maximum vitamins with minimum calories. Chia is one of the amazing ingredients in
shakeology.
I've made it dry, with lots of liquid, or in between
Ingredients:
1/3 cup oatmeal
2 ts wheat germ (adds protein, fiber and vitamin B)
2 ts chia seed
3 tb almond milk (more if needed)
½ tb maple syrup or raw agave nectar (optional)
½ scoop protein powder
pinch of cinnamon
Directions:
The Night Before
In a small pot combine 1/3 cup oatmeal, 1 cup of water and pinch of cinnamon. (This may not seem like a lot of oatmeal, but it grows in volume over night plus you're adding other volume ingredients to it.)
Mix 2 ts chia seeds with 3 tb almond milk, shake it up real well, then come back 20 min later and give it another shake so it doesn't settle unevenly. Refrigerate overnight.
In The Morning
Turn stove on high under the pot and come back in a couple minutes when it's boiling and turn it down to simmer. Then set the timer for 8 minutes.
If I don't have fresh berries on hand I will put frozen peaches in the pot and it defrosts in the 10 minutes it takes to cook this oatmeal.
Once done pour oatmeal into a bowl that already contains the chia seed gel, wheat germ and protein powder and mix well. If you want a more soupy oatmeal boil another 1/4 cup of almond milk and pour that on top of your bowl.
Nutritonal Info
With the fruit it ends up being about
250 calories, 14 grams of protein, 9 grams of fiber and that fiber really keeps me full!
Competitors
Quaker Weight Control Instant Oatmeal only has 7 grams of protein, 6 grams of fiber and it's made with sucralose (a poison I try to avoid).
Quaker Instant Peaches and Cream only has 3 grams of protein, 2 grams of fiber, the second ingredient is sugar and it's made with colored dehydrated apples and artificial peach flavor, so no actual peaches.
McDonalds Oatmeal is 290 calories with 5 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber. It also has a ton of brown sugar and added "cream" which has 7 ingredients, I thought cream was supposed to be just milk? The fruit and maple flavor has 32 grams of sugar, that's insane! Two Reese's Peanut Butter cups only have 21 grams of sugar.
It’s crazy you think you are making good choices but in reality there are hidden ingredients and sweeteners. It’s best to just buy a big tub of rolled oats which is the cheapest choice anyway.
