In an effort to be a good Dad, I made my kids eat oatmeal when they were little. I was so proud of myself - but it didn’t last long. Once they discovered other breakfast foods, it was over. I wanted to dig in my heels, but the problem is oatmeal is bland and boring. Even the mascot is an old man with a wig! Pretty soon, even the mention of oatmeal and my kids think they are being punished.
Oats have been around for thousands of years, starting with Hunter-gatherers during the stone age, long before farming started. Today, oatmeal is considered a breakfast staple, considered by many health gurus as the real “breakfast of champions.” I’ve been eating oatmeal for breakfast for over 15 years because this boring grain packs a healthy punch. Here are some of the health benefits:
- Lowers blood sugar levels
- Good source of antioxidants
- Promotes healthy bacteria in your gut
- Helps you feel full to manage weight
- Eases constipation
- Relieves skin itching and irritation
- Lowers your chance of colon cancer
To appreciate this phenomenal grain, here are some of our favorite recipes that make use of oats and of course Dignity raw coconut oil.
VANILLA COCONUT OATMEAL BOWL RECIPE
Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups Organic Almond Milk Vanilla
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1 Tbsp. coconut oil
- 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- pinch of salt
To Serve:
- yogurt (plain or flavored)
- frozen berries
- shredded coconut, unsweetened
- chia seeds
- almond butter (or your favorite nut butter)
- honey or maple syrup, optional
Instructions:
In a small saucepan, bring almond milk to a slow simmer over medium heat.
Stir in oats and bring the mixture back to a simmer and let simmer for 10 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally.
Remove the saucepan from the heat, cover, and let rest for 5 minutes.
Stir in coconut oil, cinnamon, and salt. Serve immediately with desired toppings.
OATMEAL COOKIE RECIPE
Ingredients:
- All-purpose flour and whole rolled oats are the base of the dough.
- Baking powder and baking soda make them nice & puffy.
- Brown sugar adds the perfect caramelized sweetness.
- Sea salt offsets the sweet sugar and raisins.
- Cinnamon and vanilla extract give them that delicious warm, spiced oatmeal cookie flavor.
- Coconut oil adds moisture and richness. Coconut oil made these taste wonderfully buttery just the same!
- 1 large egg + an extra egg yolk give them a rich, thick dough and a moist, light final texture.
- Raisins dot them with chewy pops of sweetness.
- And walnuts add nuttiness and crunch.
Instructions:
Making this oatmeal raisin cookie recipe couldn’t be easier. Here’s what you need to do:
In separate bowls, whisk together the dry and wet ingredients.
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Fold in the oats, raisins, and walnuts. The mixture will be thick! Let the dough rest for 20 minutes. Then, roll it into balls. Bake the balls at 350 degrees for 10-11 minutes, until nicely golden brown.
When you take the cookies out of the oven, they should look slightly under-baked. Don’t worry, though – leave them on the hot baking sheets for 5 minutes out of the oven, and they’ll be delectably soft and chewy. After 5 minutes, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely, and enjoy!
Try out these awesome recipes and enjoy the health benefits of oatmeal along with Dignity Raw Coconut Oil not just for this month but for the whole year round.
P.S. Make your oatmeal bowl and oatmeal cookies healthier with Dignity Raw Coconut Oil. Get your jar here.
