When you pick up a box of cereal at the supermarket, you might think that you're making a healthy choice. However, most packaged cereals are full of sugars and hold very little nutritional value. This oat and quinoa cereal is a much healthier alternative.
We like to eat this cereal with a selection of fruit and nuts. Adding more varieties of fruit and nuts will give your breakfast an even more balanced nutritional profile. Much better than your store-bought cereal!
Quinoa may look like a grain but it's actually a seed. It has a high protein content (8 grams per cup) that will help you to stay full and satisfied throughout the morning, in addition to keeping your blood sugars stable.
There would be few people who haven’t had oats for breakfast at some point in their lives.
Archeological findings of oat grains date back to Ancient Egypt, but the oldest cultivated oats were found in caves in Switzerland, which suggests they date from the Bronze Age. The first time oats appeared in literature was in the 1st century AD.
Scientists believe that the oat plant originated from Asia Minor, where there are many different subspecies of oats. These humble grains were introduced to North America with other grains by Scottish settlers in the early 1600s. They soon became a major crop and were recognized as a nutritious staple.
The high fiber content of oats means they’re a great way to help lower cholesterol and may even reduce the risk of heart disease.
Today, oats have long surpassed simple porridge! There are dozens of ways to prepare oats. You can try brose, a Scottish dish of uncooked or dry toasted oatmeal mixed with boiling water (or stock) and allowed to stand for a short time. It is eaten with salt and butter, milk or buttermilk.
Oats are also used in haggis, another traditional Scots dish made with sheep’s pluck (the heart, liver, and lungs), vegetables, and herbs.
Oats feature in hundreds of baked goods, especially cookies and slices. They add a chewy, fibrous texture to these products that make them even more delicious.
When oats are combined with quinoa, you get a protein-rich cereal with high B-vitamin content. Both oats and quinoa are readily available from health food stores and supermarkets. Be sure to check that no sugar has been added, as this will counter the health benefits of these ‘super grains’.
