Oats are ‘eaten by people in Scotland, but fit only for horses in England’

In Samuel Johnson’s dictionary, oats are defined as ‘eaten by people in Scotland, but fit only for horses in England.’  Of course, the Scotsman’s instant reply is, ‘That’s why England has such good horses and Scotland has such fine men.’  Bata boom.

One of my favourite things, oats.  If you have never been that excited about oats, then read on, because this might just change your world.  The people I know who love oats, really LOVE oats and wouldn’t be without them.  Our household is in minor crisis if we run out (and I keep a case of them in the cupboard).

Details of oats in history go back to around the time of Christ.  They have historically been used as human and animal food.  Unlike fussier crops, oats will grown in difficult soils, don’t need too much sun and handle rain (hence the ease of growing them in Scotland).

Soak your grains.

Our ancestors, who understood the vital importance of eating whole grains, did not eat 10-minute porridge or other quickly prepared wholemeal products.  They would soak or ferment them first.  This is because every grain holds phytic acid in its outer layer.  When we eat phytic acid, it binds with calcium, copper, iron magnesium and zinc in our bodies – so we are unable to absorb these minerals.

Soaking oats in warm water with a spoonful of yogurt or kefir for at least seven hours at room temperature allows the enzymes – like lactobacilli – to break down and neutralise the phytic acid.  And it doesn’t take any more time – you just need to think ahead.  You can put the ingredients in the saucepan the night before and leave it on the hob overnight.  In the morning, simply stumble out of bed and cook the porridge for 5 minutes.  It is creamy and delicious – and even better for you than unsoaked porridge.  The general rule is 1 cup of oats to 1 tablespoon of yogurt/kefir.

Porridge & Oats at Planet Organic.

In our Porridge & Oats sections, we have porridge oats, pin-head oats (great for making oatcakes), gluten-free oats and jumbo oats. And some ready-mix fruit porridges like Rude Health Organic Fruity Date Porridge and Alara Dreamy Oats Vanilla Organic Porridge.

There are gluten-free oats?  Well, yes. Through history, oats have been harvested, transported and processed by machines that handle other grains that contain gluten.  Oats themselves don’t contain gluten, but have been ‘contaminated’ by other grains, so people with allergies have always stayed away from them.  (Oats do contain a gluten-like protein to which very sensitive people will react.)

What makes oats so great for us?

Oats are high in soluble fibre.  After harvesting, they are hulled, but without removing their bran and germ, thus leaving fibre and a concentration of nutrients.  Because oats are a complex carbohydrate, they slow down the digestive process, allowing us to feel full for longer and releases energy slowly – as opposed to a bowl of sugary cereal that will have you tired by the time you get to work or school.  Oats are also a good source of protein and iron, which is important for everyone from kids to adults.

Oats can do the following:

• contribute to a healthier metabolism
• stabilize blood sugar levels
• help with weight control
• normalize blood pressure
• reduce the risk of heart disease

Oats are a benefit to the following:

• Babies
• Children
• Diabetics
• Heart patients
• Overweight & Obese

Why oats are great for Type 2 diabetes.

When many people think of handling or preventing Type 2 Diabetes, they think, ‘Oh, we must avoid sugar.’  Yes, but, what many people forget is that white flour is the other sugar.  In order to prevent diabetes and to eat well as a diabetic, your diet should include little or no white flour and be rich in wholemeal flours and grains.  Research has proven that eating oats reduces the risk of Type 2 diabetes because it moderates blood sugar levels. Oats, with their mild flavour and amazing range of uses, are an excellent food to have at hand.

Not crazy about porridge?  Oats are more than just a breakfast cereal.

If you have oats in the cupboard, there is always a way to use them up.  Not just a breakfast food, oats can also be enjoyed for lunch, dinner or dessert.  You could eat porridge many days of the week by varying the toppings, but beyond porridge, you can make muesli, cookies, flapjacks, sweet breads with oats and oaty burgers.  Oats can also be used to thicken soups and desserts.

Here are two of my favourite oat recipes:

Soaked Apricot Porridge

On cool autumn or cold winter mornings, there is nothing so inviting and satisfying as a steaming bowl of creamy porridge.  You can try it plain, mixed with a couple tablespoons of Greek yogurt, seeds and/or nuts.  Don’t think you always have to eat it sweet – but if you do, agave or rice malt syrup is a better choice.

SERVES: 2 adults and 2 children

PREPARATION TIME: 10 minutes, plus at least 7 hours soaking

COOKING TIME: 5 minutes

STORAGE:  Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

• 270g/6oz/1½ cups porridge oats
• 3 dried apricots, finely cut
• 1½ tbsp yogurt or kefir
• 1litre/35fl oz/4 cups warm water
• 3 tbsp flaked almonds
• 1½ tsp linseeds

1. Put the ingredients in a small saucepan and leave to soak, covered, overnight or for 7 hours at room temperature.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until thick and creamy.
2. Divide between four bowls (smaller amounts for the children), sprinkle with almonds and linseeds, and serve hot.

Oatmeal, Apricot, Chocolate-Chip Cookies

It’s always great to have homemade, healthy snacks in the house.  These cookies combine the goodness of oats, wholemeal flour and apricots – with a little decadence from the chocolate chips.

MAKES: 40-50

PREPARATION TIME: 30 minutes

COOKING TIME: 20 minutes

STORAGE:  Keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

• 250g/9oz butter, softened
• 150g/5½oz/ ¾ cup cane sugar
• 125m/4fl oz/½ cup oat milk, rice milk or water
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 230g/8oz/2 cups porridge oats
• 240g/8½oz/2 cups wholemeal spelt flour
• 140g/5oz/1 cup chopped apricots
• 100g/4oz/1 cup chocolate chips
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tsp baking powder

1. Heat the oven to 200C/400F/gas 6. In a small mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugar, oat milk, eggs and vanilla extract until blended.  In a medium bowl, mix the oats, flour, apricots, chocolate chips, salt and baking powder. Add the butter mixture to the oat mixture and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon.
2. Drop by tablespoons onto a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes until lightly browned.   Serve warm or at room temperature.

Eat well; live better.

Renée Elliott

Founder, Planet Organic

Tags: cookies, oats, porridge

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 6th, 2011 at 9:30 am and is filed under Autumn Recipes, Dietary articles, Grains, Recipes, Renée's Blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.