While the reputations of many foods have fallen out of favor in recent years, buffeted about by many different and often conflicting diet claims, oatmeal has weathered the nutrition and diet storm pretty well.

Women's World Weekly recently gave this blond grain the nod as one of the top 12 'miracle weight-loss foods' primarily due to its soluble fiber. Soluble fiber slows down the rate at which carbohydrates are absorbed into the blood stream and this helps to prevent sharp vacillations in blood sugar that trigger cravings.

All of the following recipes also include wheat germ É another food that receives kudos as the only low-fat food that supplies a lot of vitamin E (20 IU per quarter cup)
Recommended by the

as a healthy food.

Comfort Food

It is a comfort food like meatloaf or apple pie, but it doesn't have to be mushy, blah, or drowned out by sugarÉthat's just poor preparation and bad press! And it is particularly appealing to have a warm bowl of oatmeal in the wintertime.


Recipes

The following six recipes provide spiffy contemporary versions of an old-fashioned favorite, and take less than 10 minutes to prepare. All recipes are for one serving and are of course scaleable. My favorites are the first two: Cran-Raspberry and Peach Oatmeal.


Tips

ΠI recommend the thicker cut oatmeal you can buy at health food stores, but the grocery store variety is fine, just avoid the quick versions.
Œ Stir minimally to enable oats to retain their individual shapesÉonce when you pour the oats into boiling liquid, and again toward the end of the cooking process when most of the liquid had been absorbed.
ΠAdded sugar is unnecessary, but if you must, add a teaspoon of brown sugar on top.

Basic Recipe

1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup juice
salt to taste
2 tablespoons (T) dried fruit
toasted wheat germ for topping
fruit or fruit sauce for topping
milk or soy milk (vanilla preferred).

Instructions:
Pour water and juice into saucepan and turn to high heat.
Bring to a boil.
Add oats and dried fruit. Stir and turn heat to medium.
After about 4 minutes, stir again and turn to low.
When all liquid is absorbed, turn off heat and mix in fruit sauce.
If using fresh fruit, do not mix in, just use as a topping (on top of wheat germ).
Heap in bowl and top with toasted wheat germ to taste.
Surround mound of oatmeal with a moat of milk and serve.

 

Cran-Raspberry Oatmeal

1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup cran-raspberry juice (all juice versions much preferred)
salt
2 T dried cranberries
toasted wheat germ
2-3 T cran-apple sauce
milk or soy milk.

Follow instructions for basic recipe above.

 

Peach Oatmeal

1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup peach nectar
salt
2 T white raisens
toasted wheat germ
5 slices of lite canned peaches
milk or soy milk.

Follow instructions for basic recipe above.

 

Cran-Apple Oatmeal

1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup cran-apple juice
salt
2 T dried cranberries (or chopped dried apples)
toasted wheat germ
2-3 T cran-apple sauce, or just applesauce
milk or soy milk.

Follow instructions for basic recipe above.

 

Apricot Oatmeal

1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup water
1/2 apricot nectar
salt
2 T dried chopped apricots (or white raisens)
toasted wheat germ
1 canned apricot half for topping (optional)
milk or soy milk.

Follow instructions for basic recipe above.

 

Apple Oatmeal
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup cider (or apple juice)
salt
2 T raisens
toasted wheat germ
2-3 T applesauce (unsweetened with cinnamon) or dollop of apple butter
milk or soy milk.

Follow instructions for basic recipe above.

 

Banana Oatmeal

1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup banana nectar
salt
2 T white raisens
toasted wheat germ
1/2 -1 sliced banana
milk or soy milk.

Follow instructions for basic recipe above.

Snack Attack

Here is another way to use oatmeal in an easy-to-prepare snack without butter, eggs or added sugar:

Oatmeal Granola Bars

3/4 cup oatmeal
3/4 cup granola
1-1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas
1 tsp. vanilla
1-1/4-1/2 cups dried fruit (such as raisens, cranberries, apricots, etc.) and nuts
1/2 cup chocolate chips

• Add everything together in large bowl and mix well.
• Spray cookie sheet and form mixture into flat loaf on sheet, pushing mixture together so it is bound together.
• Bake in preheated oven at 350 for about 25 minutes. -Cool before cutting into squares.
• Freezes well.

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