Recipe: Top 10 Ways to Eat More Oats

TOP 10 WAYS TO EAT MORE OATS

Looking for more ways to add whole grains to your diet? Here are 10 easy ways to eat more oats.

1. Add oats whenever you bake. Substitute quick or old fashioned oats for up to one-third of the flour called for in recipes for pancakes, muffins, biscuits, quick bread loaves, yeast breads, cookies, bars and coffeecakes.

2. Make your own granola. Bake 3 cups oats in large shallow pan at 350 degrees F until golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool completely. Stir in favorite dried fruits (chop large pieces) nuts and sunflower seeds.

3. Use oats in place of bread or cracker crumbs in meatloaf and meatball recipes. Add 3/4 cup oats per pound of lean ground beef or turkey.

4. Add a flavor and nutrition "boost" to commercial refrigerated cookie dough. Gently knead 1 cup oats into one (18 oz.) tube of refrigerated sugar, chocolate chip or peanut butter cookie dough. Follow package directions for baking.

5. Add a crunchy topping to muffins. Spoon batter into muffin cups and sprinkle with old fashioned oats. Bake according to recipe directions.

6. Make a crunchy salad topping with toasted oats. Bake 1 cup oats in 13 x 9-inch pan at 350 degrees F until golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Cool. Sprinkle over tossed salads, fruit salads, tuna or salmon salad, and egg salad.

7. Substitute oat flour for all-purpose flour. Place 1-1/2 cups oats in a blender or food processor. Blend or process for about 60 seconds. Makes about 1 cup oat flour. Store in tightly covered container in the freezer for up to 6 months. Substitute for up to one-half of all-purpose flour when baking.

8. Spread it on! Add 2/3 cup toasted oats to 1-1/4 cups peanut butter and 1/2 cup honey. Spread on apple and pear slices or whole-grain crackers.

9. Substitute ground oat flour for bread or cracker crumbs when coating chicken and fish. Process oats in blender or food processor until finely ground. Dip chicken pieces or fish fillets in egg white and water beaten until frothy in shallow dish, then dip in oat flour to coat completely. Repeat. Transfer to baking sheet and spray lightly with no-stick cooking spray. Bake as usual. (Tip: Add favorite seasonings and/or grated Parmesan cheese to oat flour.)

10. Power up your favorite fruit smoothie. Add 1/4 to 1/3 cup quick or old fashioned oats to blender container with fruit, low-fat yogurt and fruit juice. Blend until smooth. (For a thicker smoothie, use frozen fruit.)

Source: Quaker Oatmeal