Have I sung to you the joys of oats?  Have I told you how much I love oats and especially eating porridge in the morning?  (Or at lunch or dinner or for a snack?)


Hear me singing:  

The "OAT" to Joy

Joyful, joyful, I adore Thee

Grain of wonder, Grain delight

Heart disease will bow before Thee

Diabetes will lose the fight.

Melting pounds of fat and sadness

Driving hunger pains away

Giver of immortal fullness

What a way to start the day!

Yes, good old rolled oats are one of nature's superfoods.  Just look at what it can do for you:

• Oats contain oodles of soluble fiber -- much more than in whole wheat or corn.  This fiber absorbs water in your body which means you will feel fuller for longer!  A great aid to anyone wanting to lose weight.  
• Also because of that lovely soluble fiber, it reduces high blood pressure and lowers cholesterol & heart disease.
• That same lovely soluble fiber can reduce your risk of diabetes; it helps your body to control blood-glucose levels and is actually recommended by the Canadian and American Diabetes Associations.

Hmmm!  This has me looking
at Mr Quaker in a whole
new light!

• Research links fiber and other nutrients found in oatmeal to  reducing the risk of some cancers.

• If you add them to your diet, you're adding many different vitamins and minerals that your diet should contain; they are also an excellent source of protein and iron.
• If you eat it regularly, it can help boost your immune system and even your libido!   

• They are totally natural (unless you buy those pre-prepared or sweetened oats which may contain other stuff).  Read your label!



Here is a recipe for Nova Scotia Oatcakes

• They are cheap, cheap, cheap!  Everyone has a bag or box of oats in their cupboard, right? 

• They are tres versatile!  Pancakes, muffins, cookies, breads, granola, fillers for meatloaf, and on and on and on.  Oh --- and let's not forget about ............... oatcakes!  (Can you hear celestial choirs?)  

I too look as gorgeous as this
when I'm scrubbing the top
layer of skin off my face.

• Oatmeal is also good for you inside and  outside!  There are oatmeal masks for your face, scrubs for your body, oatmeal in your bath to soothe itching and irritation, oatmeal soap.  

It's the olive oil of the grain community!

Now, some of you are probably thinking:  "OMG!  How boring are oats!  How old fashioned!  I'm a modern, with-it gal!"

I am here to say "Au contraire, mon amie"!  Today's new fangled porridge is colorful and multi-flavored.  You spruce up porridge by adding fresh fruit, sweetener, spices and cocoa powder or chocolate chips.  You can cook your oats with other grains such as  flax seeds, quinoa or wheat berries.  And you can use regular milk or soy or almond milk.  You can create an oatmeal connucopia of awesomeness!

You can see my bowl of goodness in the first picture.  My oatmeal this morning started with 1/2 a mashed banana, hot 'n' chewy large flake oatmeal (my fave!), a drizzle of Agave syrup and a handful of blueberries.

RAWR Oatmeal!

And that's all I have to say about that.