Porridge: Oats

Oats are only boring if you don't make them interesting. Try this topping of baked plums to spice up your oats. Oats are a great source of dietary fibre and will help reduce dietary cholesterol. Oats are available all year round and are a cheap stable to always have in the house to make a quick meal at any point during the day. If you find yourself always getting hungry quickly after eating oats, try adding some protein, such as a little nut butter, yogurt, seeds or protein powder.

Note, I make this with oat milk.

Serves 1

Ingredients:

50g oats

300ml cows milk/plant milk/water

Topping+:

6 plums, halved

1tsp. cinnamon

1tbsp maple syrup

1/2 orange zest

+Note: this topping makes more than for one bowl of porridge but I just think if the oven is on you may as well make more and save the rest for another time, if not making multiple bowls of porridge.

Method:

1). Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4. Place the ingredients for the topping into a bowl and mix together (Note I leave the stones in the plums until after they are cooked as they are easier to remove then). Pop into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.

2). When the plums are almost cooked, blend the oats in a food processor or blender into a coarse powder*. Then cook as per you would jumbo oats; add the milk and cook over a low-medium heat until the liquid is absorbed and the oats are cooked.

(*Note: I find this makes for a creamier consistency and this is not necessary).

3). Then when ready to serve, pour the cooked oats into a bowl and top with however many plums you see fit to eat. Pour over some of the juices from the baking tray and top with a little maple syrup if you like. 4). Enjoy!

Nutritional Composition (per serving):

Energy (kcal): 345

Fat (g): 6.2

Saturates (g): 1

Carbohydrates (g): 58.7

Sugars (g): 18.3

Protein (g): 8.9

The Sports Chef