The other week I was invited by the amazing team at Mornflake to whip up some healthy, oat based, no bake snacks for a group of specially selected fitness bloggers who were taking part in the ‘Oat Games’ which took place in a (highly appropriate) oat field in Cheshire!
I was so excited to be a part of the day as I am a HUGE oat fan and eat them almost every day – whether it’s in a morning smoothie, as “protein zoats” (grated courgette in porridge with whey protein!) or for a healthy dessert (porridge mixed with cocoa & berries!). Seeing where the oats are grown, as well as meeting the farmers themselves, was amazing and I had such a lovely time!
And so that you don’t miss out, here are all of the reasons why I personally love oats as well as the recipes that I created – do let me know if you make any of them!
Oats are a whole-grain and as such are a great source of fibre (in particular beta-glucan). Oats are rich in vitamins; including thiamine, minerals; such as manganese, phosphorus, copper, iron, selenium, magnesium and zinc, as well as antioxidants which help to keep our hearts healthy.
One serving (1/2 cup or 40g) of oats provides 147 calories, 22.4g of slow release carbohydrate (3.6g fibre) and 4.8g of plant based protein. Pure oats are gluten free, making them ideal for people with a gluten intolerance.
Oats are a great base for breakfast as well as addition to smoothies, snacks and baking and have been shown to keep people feeling ‘fuller for longer’. They are super versatile and can be ground up to make flour for baking or can be kept whole, for use in meals such as porridge.
Below are the recipes that are created; do let me know if you make any of them too!
Power Up with an Oat Bran & Pear Energy Smoothie
- Ingredients: 1 pear (cored), 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 220ml unsweetened almond milk, 1 tbsp oat bran, 1/2 tbsp honey.
- Method: Simply add all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
- Calories: 176 Kcal (serves 1)
- Oat Benefits: This smoothie uses oat bran; the fibre rich outer layer of the grain which provides fewer calories and around twice as much fibre than standard oatmeal. Oat bran is very filling (and so satisfying!) which makes it a great addition to your morning smoothie. Unsweetened almond milk is used as the liquid in this recipe (to provide more taste than water) in combination with the warming spices ginger and cinnamon. Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties and may help to reduce muscle pain following exercise. Cinnamon can help to regulate blood glucose levels (all carbohydrates break down into glucose i.e. the pear, oat bran and honey) to provide sustained energy to fuel a workout or just your morning ahead!
Refresh with “Pre-Oat” Power; Strawberry, Banana & Oat Post-Workout Smoothie
- Ingredients: 200ml unsweetened almond, 1/2 sachet protein oats (20g), 1/2 frozen banana (peel and slice before freezing), 5 medium-large strawberries (a handful) & 2 tbsp Greek yoghurt.
- Method: Simply add all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
- Calories: 206 Kcal (serves 1)
- Oat Benefits: Protein is essential post workout to stop the breakdown of muscle and allow for muscle repair. Oats naturally provide 12g of protein per 100g and in this recipe have been combined with Greek yoghurt; another food rich in protein. This recipe also provides energy (carbohydrates) from the banana and oats to help replenish muscle stores as well as antioxidants from the strawberries for the immune system.
Restore & Replenish with Superfast Oats: Date & Oat Energy Balls
- Ingredients: 8 medjool dates or 150g of regular dates, 4 tbsp super fast oats, 2 tbsp melted coconut oil, 2 tbsp cocoa powder, 3 tbsp desiccated coconut, 1-2 tbsp water. & extra desiccated coconut for decoration.
- Method: Add all of the ingredients into a food processor or high powdered blender (except the water) and blend. Add the water 1/2 a tbsp at a time until the ingredients all blend together. Using damp hands coop out heaped tsp amounts of the mixture and roll it into a ball shape before rolling it in desiccated coconut and popping it on a plate lined with grease proof paper. Repeat until the mixture is used up. Re-roll the balls to press the desiccated coconut in more before chilling in the fridge for 30 mins.
- Calories: 88 Kcal (per 12th of the mixture)
- Oat Benefits: Dates, like oats, are a fantastic source of energy as well as fibre. They taste naturally sweet which makes them an ideal healthy alternative to sugary sweets. The cocoa in this recipe provides antioxidants and adds a lovely chocolaty taste too. These bites are great for replenishing energy levels quickly as they are super easy to eat!
Restore & Replenish with Superfast Oats: Nut Butter & Oat Protein Bites
- Ingredients: 140g almond or peanut butter, 40g protein powder (I used banana flavour from Protein Dynamix – use PDNIC as a discount code!), 40g oats, 1 tbsp honey.
- Method: Combine all of the ingredients in a big bowl and then clump together with your hands. If you’re mixture is too dry add more nut butter or honey, or if it’s too wet add more oats and/or protein powder. Pull off small amounts of the mixture before rolling it into a ball. Place it on a plate lined with grease proof paper. Repeat until the mixture is used up. Re-roll the balls to ’round them off’ before chilling in the fridge for 30 mins.
- Calories: 103Kcal (per 12th of the mixture)
- Oat Benefits: These bites are high in protein thanks to the nut butter, whey protein and oats, which help to repair muscle damage and promote muscle growth and strength following exercise, and increase satiety leaving us feeling full. Healthy fats from the nut butter help our body to absorb the fat soluble vitamins vitamin A, D, E and K. This snack is ideal for post workout and the bites are easily transportable in a plastic container.
A huge thank you to the Mornflake team for inviting me to the amazing Cheshire countryside and also to Hannah from Wedges and Weights who stopped by my outdoor kitchen to give me a helping hand when I needed it; her mixing skills are second to none!!
You can check out more pics from the day on my Facebook Page & Instagram Page – the one below is of me on a smoothie bike; possibly the best invention ever (cardio and breakfast prep all in one.. every kitchen should have one, hehehe!!).
*I worked with Mornflake for this event. All words are my own and are 100% honest. This blog post contains an affiliate link to Protein Dynamic who I personally use for my protein supplies. Please read my disclaimer page for more information.