oats – Jen Credicott

Oaty Apple Crumble

December 4, 2015 Jen Dietitian

I am so pleased with how this recipe turned out!

Apple crumble has to be one of my all-time favourite desserts, and this is a great healthy version made with oats. The crunch you get from using walnuts means you can omit the butter and it’s much lower in sugar than other versions too. Let me know if you try it and what you think!

Ingredients
(for the filling)
Approximately 5 large apples
1 tsp cinnamon
(for the topping)
50g + 20g oats (or 50g oat flour + 20g oats)
50g walnuts
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp cinnamon

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200’c.
2. Cut the apples into bitesize chunks (no need to peal if you don’t want to!). Add the cinnamon and place in a pan with a lid on a low heat. Leave to stew for 5-10 minutes.
3. Using a food processor, blend 50g of the oats until you have a flour (this can take a while!).
4. Meanwhile, melt the coconut oil in the microwave.
5. Once the oats are ground, tip the honey and coconut oil into the food processor. Mix together.
6. Add the additional 20g of oats, the walnuts and cinnamon and blitz it all together until the nuts are chopped. You should have a mixture that resembles a crumble topping.
7. Tip the stewed apples into a dish and cover with the topping. Pop in oven for approx. 20 minutes, or until the crumble topping has gone slightly golden.

Serve with a dollop of Greek yoghurt or custard!

Nutritional info per portion
(based on above serving 6 people)
Calories: 218kcal
Fat: 10g
Saturated fat: 3.5g
Protein: 3.5g

Healthy Living, Recipes, Weight Loss

Overnight Oats

June 24, 2015June 24, 2015 Jen Dietitian

Rushed in the morning; no time to make breakfast?
Want something quick, convenient and tasty that will keep you going till lunch?
Enjoy porridge in the winter but not so keen on hot breakfasts through the summer?

It’s your lucky day!

This recipe can be prepared the night before, saving you loads of time in the morning! It’s healthy, tasty and can be varied by adding different toppings so you don’t get bored.

INGREDIENTS
Porridge oats (40g) (use gluten free oats if necessary)
Milk (120-150ml) (The nutritional values below are for semi-skimmed cow’s milk, but you could also use soy, almond or any other milk!)

METHOD
1. Put the oats into a bowl (or a sealable jar if you have one!)
2. Pour over the milk.
3. Cover with cling film or close the lid, and leave the oats in your fridge overnight.
4. The following morning, choose the toppings of your choice and enjoy. (You can also pop the bowl in the microwave for a minute if you prefer it warm.)

NUTRITIONAL INFO:
Calories: 220kcal
Carbs: 33g
Protein: 11g
Fat: 5g
Saturated fats: 2g

Topping ideas:
– Banana (or just about any other fruit!)
– Frozen berries
– Chopped apricots
– Yoghurt
– Chopped nuts
– Seeds
– Honey
– Peanut butter

Healthy Living, Nutrition, Weight Loss

Fibre

April 30, 2015February 7, 2021 Jen Dietitian

Dietitians and other healthcare professionals can often be heard talking about how we should eat more fibre. You may understand that it is “good for you” to have fibre in your diet. But have you ever thought about why?

This post explains the different types of fibre, looks at some of its benefits and suggests how you can include more of it in your diet.

Types of fibre

Fibre-rich foods An easy way to remember foods that contain fibre is that they all come from plants. Meat, fish and dairy foods do not contain fibre.
Fibre can be split into two different types, soluble and insoluble. Both have different health benefits, so we should try to include both types in our diets.

Soluble fibre
As the name suggests, soluble fibre dissolves in water. In the gut, this helps soften your stools. Consequently, if you suffer from constipation, gradually increasing your intake of soluble fibre can help make it easier to go. Soluble fibre can also help lower cholesterol levels.
Foods such as oats, pulses, lentils, golden linseeds, potatoes and vegetables are all good sources of soluble fibre.
Insoluble fibre
Insoluble fibre cannot be digested, instead it is used as a ‘food’ source for good bacteria we have in the gut, helping keep our gut healthy. Insoluble fibre also acts as a sponge, helping keep us fuller for longer and move food through our digestive system.
Good sources of insoluble fibre include; bran, wholegrain and wholemeal foods, skins of fruits and vegetables and nuts and seeds.

To help differentiate between the two different types, think about making porridge (or oatmeal) on the stove, the oats ‘dissolve’ into the liquid. When cooking brown rice, the rice does not dissolve, but rather absorbs the water and goes soft. This is because the oats are high in soluble fibre, whilst brown rice is high in insoluble fibre.

Benefits

As fibre can help you feel full for longer, it can be a useful tool when trying to manage your weight. It can also help control your blood glucose and cholesterol levels. Having a diet high in fibre can also reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer.

How much?

According to EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) adults should be aiming for around 25g of fibre per day. The British Guidelines recommend 30g a day. Most people aren’t eating enough. On average, people manage to eat around 14g of fibre per day.

Increase your fibre intake

If you want to increase your intake of fibre, it is important that you do so gradually. Increasing your intake too rapidly can result in stomach cramps and leave you feeling bloated. You should also make sure you drink plenty of water, aim for 6-8 glasses per day.

You can increase the amount of fibre in your diet by ensuring your diet contains plenty of fruit and vegetables, opting for wholegrains (brown rice/bread/pasta over white), leaving the skin on potatoes and adding beans or lentils to your soups and salads. Ensuring a vegetarian meal once per week is a great way of upping your fibre intake #meatfreemonday!

What does 30g a day look like?

IBS

People who have digestive problems or IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) may need to adjust the type and amount of fibre they have in their diets depending on their symptoms. This is something that needs to be assessed on an individual basis. You should see your doctor or dietitian for more advice regarding this.

More information

Fibre-rich foods
General information on fibre from patient.co.uk
NHS information on constipation
NHS information on diarrhoea
NHS information on IBS

Recipes

Apple & Walnut Flapjacks

February 5, 2015April 13, 2015 Jen Dietitian

I love walnuts! They taste great in salads, yoghurts, cakes and on their own! They are a rich source of many minerals, while also providing protein, healthy fats and vitamin E. It’s very easy to add them into your diet, either as a snack or as an extra ingredient.

These flapjacks are lovely, and the apple/walnut combo is a match made in heaven!

Ingredients:
200g oats
40g dried apple
130g pureed apple
90g sultanas
40g chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons honey
50g low fat natural yoghurt

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 220’c and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
2. Using a pair of kitchen scissors, chop up the dried apple into small chunks.
3. Mix together the oats, chopped dried apple, sultanas and chopped walnuts in a large bowl.
4. Stir in the pureed apple.
5. In a separate bowl, mix together the yoghurt and the honey, and then add that to the oats.
6. Make sure all of the ingredients are well-combined, add them into the pre-lined tray and press them down slightly.
7. Pop in the oven for around an hour, or until the edges begin to crisp.
8. Slice into 12 pieces and store in an airtight container.

The nutritional information below is per portion:
CALORIES: 130kcal
TOTAL FAT: 3g
SATURATED FAT: 0.3g
PROTEIN: 4g

Recipes

Apple & Cinnamon Flapjacks

January 28, 2015August 12, 2020 Jen Dietitian

These flapjacks are delicious! I’ve added golden syrup which makes them chewy and sweet. They use yoghurt in place of butter so they’re lower in saturated fat than conventional flapjack recipes. They are a filling, healthier option for when you want something sweet.
I just love how you know exactly what’s in them, if you’d prefer them less sweet, then add less syrup! Although I must say, the gooey, chewy sweetness combined with the cinnamon flavour makes this recipe one of my personal favourites.

Ingredients
200g oats (use gluten-free oats if required)
130g sultanas
40g seeds (I used pumpkin)
5 tablespooons pureed apple
70g low fat natural yoghurt (should be gluten free, but double check!)
1 1/2 tablespoons golden syrup
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 220’c and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
2. Mix together the oats, sultanas, seeds and cinnamon in a large bowl.
3. In another bowl, mix together the golden syrup, yoghurt and apple.
4. Add the liquids to the oats mix and stir the mixture until all the oats are covered and sticky.
5. Tip the mixture into the lined baking tray and flatten it down slightly.
6. Pop into the oven and cook for around 30 minutes until the top appears golden.
7. Slice into 12 pieces and store in an airtight container.

The nutritional data below is per portion based on the above yielding 12 flapjacks.
CALORIES: 130kcal
TOTAL FAT: 2.8g
SATURATED FAT: 0.5g
PROTEIN: 4g

If you like these, try my Apricot and Pistachio Flapjacks.

Recipes

Apricot and Pistachio Flapjacks

January 20, 2015August 12, 2020 Jen Dietitian

Oats are the perfect food to fill us up as they release their energy slowly, team that with the protein from the nuts/seeds and some fruit for good measure, and you’re onto a winner. This recipe contains no added sugar and much less butter than conventional flapjack recipes, using honey and apricot to sweeten and yoghurt to add the moisture.

Ingredients
200g oats
1 banana
100g sultanas
60g apricots
30g pistachios
30g pumpkin seeds
50g butter
70g low fat plain yoghurt
1 tablespoon honey

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200’c and line a baking tray with grease-proof paper.
2. Melt the butter (30 seconds in the microwave) and add in the honey, yoghurt and banana. Mash all this up.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together the oats, sultanas, pistachios and seeds.
4. Pour the butter mixture into the oats and mix well.
6. Tip the flapjack mixture into the lined tin, sprinkle on the chopped apricots and press them slightly into the mixture.
7. Pop in the oven for 30-40 minutes. You may wish to cover it if you don’t want the apricots/sultanas to crisp up.
8. Chop into 18 square pieces and store in an airtight container.

The nutritional data below is based on the above ingredients yielding 18 portions.
CALORIES: 110kcal
TOTAL FAT: 4.5g
SATURATED FAT: 4g
PROTEIN: 3g

I love receiving photos of you trying out my recipe suggestions!