How to use oats in healthy recipes

This post has been paid for by Whites Organic Jumbo Porridge Oats to share how to use oats on Slimming World.

I love the jumbo oats like these from Whites as getting a bowl full of powder with the cheap smaller oats is so frustrating! Here I will share my thoughts on how you can use oats on healthy diets.

Just Average Jen is an independent blog. It is not connected with any weight loss plan. None of the contributors have received training from them or worked for them.

It is the reader’s responsibility to check nutritional values, such as Slimming World syn values and WW points. Additionally, they must check any other allowances, as any given are approximate.

Oats are a really versatile ingredient for many cooks and on Slimming World. They are one of the healthy extra B choices so a popular choice too.

Uses for oats

There are a variety of things you can make with oats. Which are your favourites? As long as you count all the syns in the ingredients the choice is huge. I thought I would share my favourites with you.

Oats can be used in soups and casseroles to thicken them nicely. They can also be used to coat chicken or fish for a tasty alternative to breadcrumbs etc.

Aside from the obvious flapjacks and porridge, you can make them with oats. I love oats!

Porridge

Porridge doesn’t have to be boring.

If you follow Slimming World your healthy extra allowance can be made very filling by making a bowl of hot porridge.

The most common way would be to make it with milk but you would need to syn that or use your healthy extra a allowance.

Many people make it with water though. You could add a little yoghurt afterwards to make it a bit creamier which I am told is just as nice.

There are lots of low-syn ways of making Porridge tasty here are a few ideas for you with their approximate syn values.

Choc shot in Porridge

Choc shot is 2 syns for a level tablespoon (approx) or 0.5 syn for a level teaspoon (approx). It can usually be found in the home baking or hot chocolate section of the supermarket.

Apple and cinnamon porridge

If you add the apple after it is cooked this can usually be syn-free.

Fruit porridge

Add fruit after cooking to avoid counting cooked fruit syns.

Jam in porridge

if you use reduced sugar it could be as low as 1 syn for a level tablespoon (approx).

Sweetened porridge

Adding sweetener is ideal and unless you are using a tablespoon or more this is usually syn-free.

If you are happy to use syns then honey is a great, more natural, sweetener.

Chocolate orange porridge

Use choc Shot orange flavour syns as above or the original one with some orange essence.

Bounty style porridge

Coconut choc shot in the porridge makes it taste like Bounty chocolate bars. The syns are, as above, for choc shot.

Alternatively, you can use coconut essence and the original choc shot if you can not get hold of the coconut flavour.

Dried fruit porridge

Raisins or sultanas for 25g is 3.5 syns (approx) for some brands though check as it varies, add some cinnamon or mixed spice to make it extra tasty.

Cherry Bakewell porridge

This is so easy to make using almond essence and cherries (I buy frozen as they are so easy!).

Cooked cherries are quite low syn on Slimming World and I think very worth it but you could add them in after if you prefer.

Etsy for weight loss

If you are like me and like buying fun new items to motivate your weight loss, then here are my favourites. Etsy is great for items for the kitchen and weight loss goodies. I could spend hours browsing there.

There are so many great food diaries too so you can record your meal plans and track your weight loss to keep a record of the good and bad weeks. Click the photos to have a look for yourself.

Baked Oats on Slimming World

The flavour options I would suggest are very similar to the above. Just remember fruit is syns on Slimming World if it is cooked or pureed.

Baked oats are really simple to make with a couple of tablespoons of yoghurt, an egg, 40g of oats (again I prefer the jumbo ones like those from Whites) and any flavouring/fruits etc you chose. Bake for around 30-40 minutes at 200°c.

Below are some Baked oats I made in a cherry Bakewell flavour they were so tasty. It was easy I spooned the mixture into silicone cake cases and a mixture using one healthy extra allowance of 40g made three buns.

I put two cherries in each which in total weighed 24g. Slimming World says that 100g of cooked cherries is 2.5 syns (approx) so I allowed one syn but the choice is yours.

More baked oats recipes.

Overnight Oats on Slimming World

Overnight oats are really simple. It involves layering your oats with fruit and yoghurt in a glass, jar or similar and leaving them overnight to soak.

Whatever jar or bowl you use will taste the same just look prettier in a glass. The flavours then all mix well making I guess a cold porridge-type dessert which is quite tasty.

My favourite way to do these is with defrosted frozen fruit or fresh strawberries. The combinations of fruits and yoghurts are endless.

More overnight oats recipes.

Coating Chicken or Fish

Oats can be easily used in this way as an alternative to breadcrumbs.

The amount you get for your healthy extra allowance would probably coat a large chicken breast well or two smaller ones and might just be a different way to get that fibre into a meal.

In a casserole or soup

If you find it hard to enjoy your healthy extra b or just fancy a change then popping the oats into a soup or casserole could make it so much more filling in the same way pearl barley does.

It would be a good use of the second healthy extra b choice you have on a Slimming World SP day to make a lunch like soup more filling.

What do you make with oats? Do you have any flavours you could recommend? Do comment and let me know I love trying new things!

Other ingredients tips you may like

If you like to cook with different ingredients and find different ways of using them then here are a few other articles I think you might like.

All you need to know about celeriac and how to use it

Is couscous healthy, and how you can use couscous well

How to grow your own vegetables from scraps

Jackfruit – what is it and how to use it

Cranberry juice – what are the benefits of it and how can you enjoy it

Seaweed – an unusual ingredient you should consider

If you found this helpful please share!