Harness the power of Australian oats this holy month

From sweet to savoury dishes, their sheer versatility, as well as health-protective nutrient profile, make oats a must in your pantry.

Uttapam oats

Sometimes called semolina pancakes, made with fresh vegetables and herbs, Uttapam is a type of a famous breakfast hailing from south India. Unlike a typical dosa, which is crisp and crepe-like, uttapam is thicker like pancakes, and can be served with a wide range of toppings.

Uttapam is generally made of rice and lentils but making them with oats has become a popular healthy alternative in recent years. These oat and onion Uttapam are high in fibre and have far less gluten than the traditional recipes.

1. Throw 160g of organic oats in a blender and blitz to make fine flour. We love Aussie favourite PureHarvest Organic oats.
2. Add two tablespoons of salt, 200ml of fermented curd, 200ml of water and mix well.
3. Mix finely chopped onions and green chilis with a pinch of salt and cook over a low heat.
4. Pour the batter over and cook on one side for two minutes.
5. Flip and do the same on the other side.
6. Serve with coriander coconut chutney or tomato sauce.

Banana and oat bread

As oats are mainly a carbohydrate — made up of 13% protein, 7.5% fat, and 79.5% carbohydrates — they are often a popular choice for breakfast. But if you’re not feeling the standard bowl or porridge or a fruity overnight oat bowl, baking them into delicious breads is a great option for brekkie on the go.

Using sweet bananas can also mean you can drop the amount of sugar, honey or agave you use. Numerous studies have shown that if you eat oats on a regular basis, you can lower your cholesterol and reduce blood glucose levels.

Why do they have this ability? Mostly because they are a great source of soluble fibre, in particular beta-glucan, which is the active component responsible for the cholesterol-lowering and diabetes-fighting activity of oats.

They are also rich in plant compounds that have strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, which can help reduce your risk of developing chronic diseases.

Oat crumble

There are endless ways to include this whole grain in your diet. You can use them for breakfast recipes, such as overnight oats, add them to snack bars for extra energy, stir them into granola, mix them into baked goods, and cook with them in savoury dishes.

However, the mild, enjoyably nutty flavour, also makes them perfect for making a healthy crumble to top family desserts.

Heat the oven to 180°C. For the crumble mix 100g plain flour, 50g rolled oats, 100g butter, cut into cubes, 50g golden caster sugar, before squashing together until a crumble texture forms.

Sprinkle over a baking tray and bake for 10 mins, stirring and roughly breaking up halfway through cooking. Can be done up to 2 days ahead, and stored in an airtight container.