When the gals at The Recipe Redux sent us another recipe contest, this time by National Dairy Council & Quaker Oats Center of Excellence, the first thing I did was to do research on both. I like to know what I am cooking with, eating and because the group is mostly dietitians and nutritionists, the nutrition facts.
This time around we were asked to create recipes using both oats + dairy in one dish.
“By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by National Dairy Council and the Quaker Oats Center of Excellence and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.”
I was aware that many people do not get enough whole grains (8g/.75oz) and dairy (2T/.75oz) into their daily diet because I was one of them. I am also someone who should have known better. For the last 4 years I have struggled with sticking to a diet that included no processed foods, ingestion of minimal white foods (white rice, pasta & potatoes) and posting my results on my blog (right here). While I do not have a degree in health education, my Mom did and lucky for us, she gave us a good background in what to eat and what to pass up on, but she could not force us, as we grew, to eat her words. Like most people my age, if we knew than what we know now............
This contest will probably change my life more than any before, and if you read on, might also change yours.
Type 2 diabetes patients given foods high in oat fiber or given oatmeal or oat bran rich foods experienced much lower rises in blood sugar compared to those who were given white starch foods.
Keep reading, I will get to the "know now" part.
Starting out your day with a blood sugar stabilizing food such as oats can make it easier to keep blood sugar levels under control. As a diabetic, don't you just think that that's the best news you have read all year?
You probably are saying, "But I don't have diabetes, why should oats be important to me?"
Oats and other whole grains are a rich source of magnesium, a mineral that acts as a co-factor for enzymes involved in the body's use of glucose and insulin secretion. Whole grain oats substantially lower the risk of Type 2 Diabetes. I would say that's a great reason for "feeling your oats".
Eating dairy was easy for me (i love cheese and yogurt) and now that lactose-free dairy products are wildly available, I can drink milk and eat ice cream. Listen to me, when you get to be post menopausal, your body slows down in the absorption of calcium in foods so exceeding the daily recommendations are, yes, recommended. You need your dairy for strong bones.
For children, a combination of both oats and dairy is an easy way to ensure a nutritious start to the day. It has been proven that kids who eat a high protein breakfast do better in school. Thank you Mom, once again.
You might think that because the sales of oatmeal in many restaurants and fast food establishments are on the rise, 99% of Americans still do not meet the daily whole grain recommendations and 85% don't meet the daily dairy recommendation. Think about that. Supermarkets have devoted whole aisles for just yogurt.
Some consumers still haven't gotten the word.
So maybe you don't like oatmeal or yogurt. There are many other ways to eat a serving of oats + dairy.
Make a batch of Oat Biscuits with a schmeer of PB&J and you have a great breakfast or after school snack. I start my day eating PB&J in one form or another at breakfast, and on an Oat Biscuit is a no brainer.
Wrap them to go for a snack when the days of school and sports are long (homemade is always better). Give them something substantial to eat and they will have more energy to go the distance. Show them that nutrition can be tasty.
Empty nesters, you say? Do what I did. Make biscuits with sawmill gravy and top with an egg. Protein, fiber, dairy, tasty, satisfying and something you probably already like to eat. Anything with an egg on it has to be good.
Not into biscuits & gravy? Make a strawberry shortcake oat biscuit topped with whipped cream.
I have been known to splurge on a breakfast egg biscuit, ham & cheese sandwich and now I make my own on a loaded biscuit.
Yes, protein (for lean muscle), Fiber (for digestive health), Calcium, Vitamin D, Phosphorous, Magnesium (for strong bones), Potassium (for healthy blood pressure), Iron (for healthy blood cells), Riboflavin & Vitamin B12 (for converting food to energy) and Vitamin A (for eye and skin health).
Now that's a POWER MEAL!!!
Yeasty Oat Biscuits
Makes 8 large biscuits
* 1 tablespoon yeast
* 1/4 cup warm milk
* 2 tablespoons honey
* 1 cup quick cooking oats, 10 pulses in a processor or nut chopper
* 2 1/2 cups flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup shortening
* 1 cup buttermilk
1. Dissolve yeast in warm water (bath temperature) with the honey.
2. Mix dry ingredients and cut in shortening until the size of edamame.
3. Stir in buttermilk and yeast mixture.
4. Cover bowl with towel and let sit until ready to use (1-2 hours).
5. Scrape dough onto a well floured board.
6. Flip over and knead lightly (4-6 times). I pressed the dough and folded it three times, as you would a piece of paper for an envelope and repeated that 4x.
7. Roll the dough to a 1 1/2" thickness and cut with a 4" biscuit cutter (for large biscuits) or a 3" for traditional size. Rework the scrapes and cut until there is no more dough.
8. Place on a prepared pan (spray or parchment) and let rise slightly (15-30 minutes).
9. Bake at 400° until light brown, 10-12 minutes. Cool and eat.
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