7 Sweet and Savory Ways to Incorporate Oats Into Your Diet

When most people think of oats the first thing that comes to mind is oatmeal, but there are so many interesting ways to incorporate oats' nutrition into your diet. Loaded with healthy carbs and packed with protein, oats have been known to boost heart health, and provide numerous other benefits to an individual's health. Recently oats have been gaining more spotlight due to nutritionists and bloggers creating new and unique ways to prepare them and advertising them as fun and flavorful instead of boring and bland. We've rounded up seven of our favorite ways to prepare oats, and they are anything but boring! Smoothies We all know smoothies are a quick, easy, and nutritious breakfast for people on the go, but who knew you could add oats to them as well? Adding oats to your smoothies will give them that extra protein boost and is a great way to thicken the texture. There are multiple ways to add oats to a smoothie, they can easily be blended directly in with the other ingredients, or can even be added as a topping along with fresh fruit and nuts, to add crunch and sweetness. Homemade Granola Homemade granola may sound intimidating at first, but it's one of the easiest ways to create a flavor filled healthy snack. Often store-bought granola is high in sugar and unhealthy oils. By making your own, it ensures that all the ingredients are natural and that no harmful preservatives or fillers are used. Homemade oatmeal also allows you the freedom to create a granola entirely customized to your taste buds. By creating your own recipe, you'll be able to add in your favorite nuts, dried fruits, and even spices for much cheaper than you would be able to purchase it. Granola can easily be added to yogurts, fresh fruit, pies, smoothies, and can even be substituted for cereal! Overnight Oats Overnight oats are the perfect fast and healthy breakfast option. They are also ideal for those who plan their meals ahead of time and are incredibly easy to make. After combining your liquid of choice (i.e. almond milk, water, milk, coconut cream) with the correct ratio of oats and desired toppings, you leave the oats to sit in the refrigerator overnight. By the time you wake up, you'll have the perfect oatmeal that's both healthy and refreshing. Overnight oats are ideal for those summer months when you don't feel like making traditional hot oatmeal and the flavor combinations are endless. Baked Oatmeal Baked oatmeal is the perfect make-ahead breakfast for busy mornings. It can be served as a hot on-the-go breakfast, or cooled as an afternoon dish. With baked oatmeal you are in charge of the ingredients, and it can make it gluten free and vegan depending on your dietary restrictions. Natural sugars such as coconut sugar and agave are an excellent way to sweeten baked oatmeal, and adding fruit can sweeten the breakfast even more. Another great thing about this dish is that when cooled, the oatmeal can also be cut up into bars and be eaten a quick and healthy snack. The best part about baked oatmeal is that it doesn't take an advanced baker to make the perfect batch, all that's required is to combine the ingredients in a bowl and bake for 20 minutes. Breakfast Cookies Who doesn't dream of eating cookies for breakfast? Instead of filling that bowl of milk up with sugary cereal, why not substitute it for a glass of milk to dip your healthy breakfast cookie in? The great thing about oats is that they can be used as a binding agent and make the perfect cookie dough! By substituting oats for flour and processed sugar for natural sugar, you'll be able to create the perfect breakfast cookies that will keep your body energized all day long. Whipping up a batch of cookies at night can help you pre-plan your breakfast for the entire week and ensure that you stick to your healthy diet. If you're searching for some trustworthy gluten free oats to make your next breakfast cookies with, try out Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Oats! They're perfect for those sticking to a gluten free diet and made in a gluten free facility to ensure that there is no chance for cross-contamination. Salads We know that nuts and raisins taste great in a salad, so why not oats? Next time you're about to throw in some croutons, try substituting them for a handful of oats instead. The fiber, protein, and vitamins found in oats will be a great addition to your salad, and you'll be able to keep the crunch of the croutons without all the extra calories. The oats can also be mixed in with the dressing beforehand allowing them to soak up some of its flavors. Muffins Breakfast, lunch, dessert? Muffins are one of the sweetest snacks there are, and unfortunately store bought muffins usually contain significant amounts of sugar and unhealthy additives. By adding oats into your muffin mix and leaving out flour, sugar, and other unhealthy ingredients, this desert can be transformed into a healthy and filling snack! Baking muffins with oats is also one of the easiest ways to make them gluten free!