Natural Alternatives
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By Trish Barbara
November 1, 2008
YE OLDE FASHIONED BREAKFAST!
REALLY TASTY PORRIDGE
Now, now, don't roll your eyes, go eeewww or think how boring ...
Porridge doesn't have to be bland and boring. It makes a highly nutritious start to your day; it only takes 5-10 minutes to prepare and cook and you can add any number of delicious flavours to jazz it up and create a delicious morning meal.
Starting your day with a fast, easy and delicious meal such as this, will cover some very important nutritional 'm ust haves' for the day ...
Oats provides - beta-glucan (bad cholesterol fighter), fibre, skin repair and is immuno-supportive; Amaranth is chock full of - protein, amino acids lysine and methionine, dietary fibre as well as iron, phosphorus, copper, calcium, manganese and silicon. Cinnamon offers Vitamins C & K; Nutmeg aids digestion; Vanilla for the nervous system and Maple Syrup offers extras such as Potassium and Magnesium as well as Vitamins A, B2, B5, B6, Biotin, Folic Acid, Niacin. Add to that your recommended 2 serves of fruit per day and WOW ... ... what an easy, tasty and very nutritious way to kick off your day.
Bonus - You won't be looking for a sugar hit by mid morning!
NOW, THIS IS HOW YOU MAKE PORRIDGE!
The quantities in this recipe will do one or two people, or keep a serving for brekky tomorrow!
Start with: Add flavour with:
approx 1 cup Rolled Oats 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1 TBspn Maple Syrup
¼ cup Amaranth Cereal Pinch of nutmeg Splash of vanilla extract
around 2 Cups water
- Amaranth is optional of course
Cooking your porridge ...
- Place all the above ingredients into a pot
- Put it on a hotplate. Bring to the boil and then turn the heat down a little so as not to burn your brekky.
- Keep your porridge stirred. You'll know it's cooked when the oats have softened and the mixture looks creamy - around 5 - 7 minutes.
NOW THE REALLY TASTY PART ...
- Turn the heat right down and ADD YOUR CHOICE OF FRUIT. You only need to stir the fruit in for a few minutes to warm it through your porridge.
NOTE: If you are adding grated Apple and/or Pear, grate the fruit into the pot at the start with all the ingredients so it cooks well and releases some of its juice.
Adding fruit will give you the recommended one to two servings of fruit for the day depending on what you add as well as jazz up your porridge! Berries, especially blueberries are a great natural antioxidant and will sweeten up your porridge.
Some Fruity ideas:
- Grate a small apple or ½ a large apple
- Try Pear - it's just as tasty
- Add a handful of seasonal Mixed Berries or your favourite Berry - Frozen berries are always in season! Definately my Favourite
- Peaches - fresh or goulburn valley sliced peaches - roughly chop or smash up with a potato masher ... ... Goulburn Valley brand peaches have no preservatives
- ½ a passionfruit - if you don't like the seeds, just strain the pulp
- Mango - mmmmmmmmmm ... roughly chop or smashed
- Apricots - fresh or bottled - check for no preservatives - roughly chopped or smashed
- Try adding a combination of two of the fruits ie.,
- peaches and passionfruit;
- Mango & apple;
- Pear & apple;
- Peaches & mango;
- Apple & passionfruit;
- Apricots & pear
- Mango & Passionfruit
- Your favourite fruit
What about Sultanas! ... You could try Sultanas and Pecans (roughly chopped) - add with the dry ingredients so as to cook and soften a little.
... ... CREATE YOUR OWN SIGNATURE COMBINATION ... ...
Serve your brekky hot and add a little more Maple Syrup over the top if you like things sweet.
So you see - Porridge can be very very tasty.
Not only is the mix of Oats, Amaranth, sweet Spices and Fruit really yummy, it is an extremely nutritious way to start your day; full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
You will certainly kick start your metabolism and energy levels for the morning. Best of all you can cook and eat your breakfast inside of 15 minutes.
Let's look at the 'The Queen of Grains' a little closer and see just why Rolled Oats or 'Porridge' is a great breakfast and an easy way to nourish your skin from the inside-out.
OATS (Botanical name Avena Sativa)
The humble Oat is perhaps the most nutritious of all the grains and has been referred to as the "Queen of Grains'. Oats have been around for a long time, dating back to around 2,000 B.C. in the Middle East and back to around 1,000 B.C.in Germany. Recent research has focused on the ability of the oat to reduce blood cholesterol. High in fibre, oats are an effective laxative and also feature Protease Inhibitors (an enzyme that breaks down proteins) - a combination that has been found to inhibit certain cancers.
In laboratory studies reported in the August 2004, a compound discovered in Oats called Beta-glucan was found to significantly enhance the human Immune System's response to bacterial infection. Beta-glucan not only helps Neutrophils (the most abundant type of non-specific immune cell) navigate to the site of an infection more quickly but also enhances its ability to eliminate the bacteria it finds there. According to study leader, Jonathan Reichner (of the Department of Surgery at Rhode Island Hospital and Brown University), priming Neutrophilswith Beta-glucan helps these Immune defenders quickly locate the bacterial mother-load within infected tissue. This more rapid response to infection results in faster microbial clearance and healing.
Since our non-specific Immune defenses are the body's first strike forces against invading pathogens, starting your day with a bowl of oatmeal may boost your Immune response in addition to your morning energy levels.
OAT-FACTS
- Beta glucan, a soluble fiber in whole oats, stimulates repair of skin cells. It may help reduce wrinkles, protect against UV damage, help heal wounds and improve hair strength.
- Oat beta-glucan increases immune function which decreases the risk of herpes virus infection.
- Oat beta-glucan reverses chemically-induced immuno-suppression.
- Oat beta-glucan improves immune function and enhances resistance to parasites.
- Oat beta-glucan improves multiple immune functions and increases resistance to staph infection (Staphylococcus aureus).
MORE NUTRITIOUS FACTS
Amaranth - Available at Health Food Shops and some supermarkets
Amaranth is an exceptionally complete protein. It contains protein and amino acids lysine and methionine. Amaranth's amino acid/protein profile is even higher than that found in meat and other animal products. Amaranth provides a good source of dietary fibre as well as iron, phosphorus, copper, and especially manganese. It contains more calcium and the supporting calcium co-factors - magnesium and silicon - than milk. It has a cooling thermal nature, a bitter sweet flavour; it dries dampness and benefits the lungs.
Several studies have shown that like Oats, Amaranth seed may be of benefit for those with hypertension and cardiovascular disease; regular consumption reduces blood pressure and cholesterol levels, while improving antioxidant status and some immune parameters. It is especially helpful for those with consistently elevated nutritional needs such as pregnant and nursing women, children and those who do heavy physical work as well as those with auto-immune conditions such as eczema, dermatitis, allergies etc. Health workers have reported that in parts of Africa and Latin America where it is eaten, there is no malnutrition.
Amaranth was used in several Aztec ceremonies, where images of their gods were made with Amaranth mixed with Honey. The images were cut to be eaten by the people. This looked like the Christian communion to the Roman Catholic priests, so the cultivation of the grain was forbidden for centuries.
Because of its importance as a symbol of indigenous culture, and because it is very palatable, easy to cook and its protein particularly well suited to human nutritional needs, interest in the grain Amaranth was revived in the 1970s.
It was recovered in Mexico from wild varieties and is now commercially cultivated. It is a popular snack sold in Mexico City and other parts of Mexico, sometimes mixed with chocolate or puffed rice, and its use has spread to Europe and other parts of North America.
Amaranth and quinoa are called pseudo-grains because of their flavor and cooking similarities to grains and both contain exceptionally complete protein from plant sources.
EXTRA NUTRITIONAL TIPS
Cinnamon -Balances out your blood sugar levels; rich in calcium, iron, manganese, fiber and Vitamins C & K.
Nutmeg - A very good source of manganese, can enhance digestion, supports the adrenal glands and assists the nervous system.
Vanilla - Nerve stimulant and Aphrodisiac.
Maple Syrup - A source of Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium and Manganese as well as Vitamins A, B2, B5, B6, Biotin, Folic Acid, Niacin.
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The above information was sourced from Department of Surgery, Rhode Island Hospital, and other internet searches using the words ‘oats' and ‘skin nutrition.' As well as Websites - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaranto, www.alfalfahouse.org/html/PRODUCTS/SPECIFIC_PRODUCTS/amaranth.htm, www.peertrainer.com, lowcarbdiets.about.com |