Oats make a perfectly wholesome and nutritious breakfast. Cheap and extremely versatile, you can add them to thicken smoothies, make a warming porridge, or soak them overnight for a quick grab-n-go breakfast. Oats are rich in fibre – a particular one called beta-glucan – which takes much longer for our bodies to digest and therefore releases energy slowly, keeping you feeling satisfied for longer.  They also have a very low glycemic index meaning they are a carbohydrate with very little natural sugars. This also means that you won’t crave sugar half-way through the morning. 

Ingredients:

 (adjust the quantities of milk or water depending on how thick you like your porridge)

½ cup of oats

1 cup of milk or water (you can also use dairy-free milk such as soy, rice, almond, walnut etc.)

 Possible options to add to the mixture –

1 tsp of cinnamon

1 tbsp of chia seeds

1 tbsp of ground flax seed

½ grated apple

1 tbsp of raisins, cranberries or sultanas

Method:

1.     Put the oats and water/milk in a pan and cook it on a low heat, stirring all the time until it starts to thicken.

2.     Add more liquid if you like it runnier and stir some more. Also if you have added chia seeds, you might find you need extra liquid as they will soak up a lot of it.

3.     Spoon it into a bowl and top it with any of the following combinations (or you creations)

-        1 tbsp of peanut butter and a sliced-up banana

-        a handful of blueberries/raspberries/strawberries (sliced)

-        a tsp of honey and a handful of almonds