Jun 13, 2016

5 guilt-free oat desserts for the health-conscious individual

Eating oats is a great way to start your day! It fills you up and gives you the energy to make the most of your day. But besides that, oats can also be used in a variety of ways – such as adding it to your favourite desserts – which allows you to reap the benefits of oats in creative ways. Bake cookies with oats for a whole grain-rich crunch. Add oats to muffins, or make an apple pie with oats for a delicious finale to your meal. Delve into our top 5 mouth-watering desserts you can prepare under an hour!


Coco and Nana Mini Cakes

You can have your cake and eat it! These mini cakes will have you clamouring for more. Chocolate, after all, is a well-deserved treat after a hard day’s work. With this recipe, you also get all the added benefits that oats bring: fibre, vitamin B1, vitamin B12, iron and magnesium.


What you need
Method
·         1 tsp unsaturated cooking oil to grease the muffin cups
·         1 ¼ cups whole wheat flour
·         1 cup Quaker Instant/ Quick Cooking Oats
·         ½ cup granulated sugar
·         ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
·         2 tsps baking powder
·         ¼ tsp baking soda
·         2 medium ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
·         ¾ cup low- or non-fat milk
·         4 tbsps unsaturated margarine, melted
·         2 egg whites, lightly beaten
·         1 tsp vanilla essence
·         4 tsps chocolate chips
·         Pre-heat oven to 205°C
·         Lightly grease the bottom of miniature muffin cups with oil and set aside
·         In a large bowl, mix flour, oats, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda
·         In another bowl, blend mashed bananas, milk, margarine, egg whites and vanilla essence with an electric blender
·         Add in the dry ingredients and continue blending until dry ingredients are moistened. Do not over-mix
·         Fill the muffin cups almost up to the top
·         Sprinkle half a teaspoon of chocolate chips on each muffin
·         Bake for 10 to 12 minutes
·         If a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, the muffins are cooked
·         Let muffins cool for a few minutes. Remove from pan onto a wire rack to cool

Nutty Brittle Cookies

Nuts for nuts? These nutty cookies with a twist are easy to make! With a touch of oats and a layer of chocolate, these crunchy desserts will leave you feeling sated. Peanuts are a source of vitamin B3, vitamin E, folate, fibre and protein, among others – adding to the goodness of oats!


What you need
Method
·         1 tsp unsaturated margarine for greasing the aluminum foil
·         2 cups Quaker Instant/ Quick Cooking Oats
·         1 ¼ cups whole wheat flour
·         ½ tsp baking powder
·         1 cup unsaturated margarine, chilled, cut into pieces
·         1 cup icing sugar
·         2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
·         1 ½ tbsps. water
·         1 tsp vanilla essence
·         1 cup peanuts, lightly salted, dry roasted, coarsely chopped
·         ½ cup semisweet chocolate pieces
·         Pre-heat oven to 180°C
·         Line two cookie pans with aluminum foil and grease the foil with a little margarine and set aside
·         In a bowl, combine oats, flour and baking powder and mix well
·         Add margarine and beat mixture on low to medium speed with a blender until mixture looks crumbly
·         Add icing sugar, brown sugar, water and vanilla essence
·         Beat again until dough starts to form
·         Slowly add chopped peanuts and mix the dough again
·         Divide the dough into two
·         Place half the dough on one cookie sheet and flatten with light-floured hands into a rectangle
·         Repeat with the other sheet
·         Bake the cookies for 20 to 25 minutes or until slightly brown, rotating cookie sheets after 12 minutes
·         Sprinkle chocolate pieces over each large hot cookies, let it soften and then spread melted chocolate pieces over each cookie
·         Remove cookies from the sheets, break into pieces and serve


Whole Grain Fruit Bars

On the go? Prepare these fruit bars the night before – easy to make, easier to eat! Contrary to popular belief, dried fruits still holds nutrition, and is a rich source of carbohydrates and is low in fat. Besides being a great source of fiber, vitamins and minerals.


What you need
Method
·         ¾ cup brown sugar
·         1 cup low- or non-fat plain unsweetened yogurt
·         2 egg whites, lightly beaten
·         3 tbsps unsaturated cooking oil
·         3 tbsps low- or non-fat milk
·         2 tsps vanilla essence
·         1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
·         1 tsp baking soda
·         1 tsp cinnamon powder
·         ¾ tsp salt
·         3 cups Quaker Instant/ Quick Cooking Oats
·         1 ½ cups dried mixed fruit, raisins or dried cranberries
·         Pre-heat oven to 180°C
·         Grease a 13” x 9” baking pan with oil and set aside
·         In a large bowl, combine sugar, yogurt, eggs, oil milk and vanilla essence and mix well
·         In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon powder and salt and mix well
·         Add the flour mixture to the yogurt mixture and mix well
·         Still in oats and dried fruits
·         Spread the dough onto the botoom of the prepared baking pan
·         Bake for 30 minutes or until slightly brown
·         Cool completely on a wire rack
·         Cut into bars and store in an air-tight container


Strawberry Shortcakes

No one can resist the pull of strawberry shortcakes. With whole grain wheat and oats, it offers fibre-rich wholesome goodness packed in with the delicious taste of strawberry jam. The shortcakes are truly a treat made for everyone!


What you need
Method
·         ½ cup whole wheat flour
·         ½ cup all-purpose flour
·         1 cup Quaker Instant/ Quick Cooking Oats
·         2 tbsps sugar
·         1 tsp baking powder
·         ¼ tsp salt
·         ½ cup unsaturated margarine
·         ½ cup low- or non-fat milk
·         8 tsps strawberry jam
·         Pre-heat oven to 220°C
·         In a bowl, combine flour, oats, sugar, baking powder and salt
·         Add margarine and milk
·         Mix well until dry ingredients are moist
·         Roll the dough into a boll and knead on a light-floured surface
·         Patt the dough to about half inch thick
·         Using an oval-shaped cookie cutter, cut the dough into oval-shaped shortcakes
·         Using a smaller oval-shaped cookie cutter, make an indent in the center
·         Place the shortcakes on an ungreased cookie sheet
·         Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until brown
·         Serve shortcakes with strawberry jam



Oats and apple pie

An apple a day keeps the doctor away! Apples are rich in dietary fibre and flavonoids. Combine it with whole wheat and oat goodness and you end up with a pie that’s not just nutritious, but delicious too.

What you need
Method
For the pastry:
·         8 tbsps whole wheat flour
·         8 tbsps Quaker Instant/ Quick Cooking Oats, grind to a powder
·         1/8 tsp salt
·         6 tsps unsaturated cooking oil
·         8 tbsps low- or non-fat milk

For the filling:
·         2 tsps unsaturated margarine, melted
·         3 tbsps low- or non-fat milk
·         1 tbsps sugar
·         10 tbsps Quaker Instant/ Quick Cooking Oats
·         6 tbsps raisins
·         1 medium apple, diced into 1cm cubes
·         1 tbsp lemon juice
·         2 tbsps honey
·         1 tsp cinnamon sugar
·         1/8 tsp salt

For the pastry:
·         Pre-heat oven to 180°
·         Soft flour, oats and salt into a bowl; rub in oil and milk until mixture resembles breadcrumbs
·         Knead the mixture into a soft, but not sticky dough (Add more wheat flour if dough is sticky; or a little more milk if dough is not soft enough)
·         Place the dough in a covered glass dish and refrigerate for about 1 hour
·         Roll out the pastry to line an 8-inch pie plate
·         Bake for about 30 minutes or until slightly brown

For the filling:
·         In a bowl, mix melted margarine with milk, sugar, oats, raisins, apples, lemon juice, honey, cinnamon sugar and salt and dish out over the pastry base



Orange juice with oats

Oranges are rich in vitamin C and super refreshing. Your body will thank you when you stay healthy, energetic and refreshed with a boost of fiber, vitamin B1, Iron and magnesium from oats.


What you need
Method
·         2 cups of freshly squeezed or 100% orange juice
·         5 tbsps Quaker Instant/ Quick Cooking Oats, grind to a powder
·         ½ cup crushed ice cubes
·         Add orange juice, oats and ice cubes into a blender, blend well, and serve


Oats and banana shake

Besides being a good source of potassium, bananas are a good source of fiber. With fiber rich oats and a double fiber benefit, you’ll not only feel full, but fiber is also good for your digestive system.

What you need
Method
·         5 tbsps Quaker Instant/ Quick Cooking Oats, grind into a powder
·         2 bananas, peeled and sliced
·         1 tsp vanilla essence
·         2 tsps sugar or low-calorie sweetener
·         2 cups low- or non-fat milk, chilled


·         Add oats, bananas, vanilla essence, sugar or sweetener and milk into a blender, blend well and serve



Rich mango oats shake

Mangoes are an excellent source of vitamins A and C. They taste great and are easily available at your nearest supermarket. 

What you need
Method
·         5 tbsps Quaker Instant/ Quick Cooking Oats, grind into a powder
·         1 large mango, peeled and diced
·         1 cup low- or non-fat milk, chilled
·         1 tsp sugar or low-calorie sweetener
·         ½ cup ice cubes



·         Add oats, mango, milk, sugar or sweetener and ice cubes into a blender, blend well and serve


Rich choco-oats smoothie

Need some pampering? Do it the healthy way - add chocolate, bananas, oats and yogurt into your smoothie. Not only will you satisfy a chocolate craving, but you’ll nourish your body and stay full for longer too.


What you need
Method
·         3 tbsps Quaker Instant/ Quick Cooking Oats
·         1 cup low fat unsweetened plain yogurt
·         1 small banana, peeled and sliced
·         ½ tsp cocoa powder
·         ¼ cup ice cubes
·         1 tsp sugar


·         Add oats, yogurt, banana, cocoa powder, ice cubes and sugar into a blender, blend until smooth and serve immediately


Peanut butter smoothie

Looking for something filling, nutritious and delicious? Toss in peanut butter for a protein and fiber boost; and an extra nutty taste and flavor.


What you need
Method
·         5 tbsps Quaker Instant/ Quick Cooking Oats, grind to a powder
·         2 large bananas, peeled and sliced
·         1 tbsp peanut butter
·         1 cup low- or non-fat milk, chilled


·         Add oats, bananas, peanut butter and milk into a blender, blend well and serve

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