Oatmeal

 

If I hadn’t moved to Denmark, I would maybe never even consider having oatmeal for breakfast. Back at home, in Slovakia, I would always have a piece of bread with either a butter and a jam, or some kind of a bread spreading and cut veggies on the side. During the summer, I would sometimes have a bowl of freshly cut fruit and dried nuts, topped with a cinnamon. But oatmeal got close to my heart in Denmark, where everyone around me would have it for a breakfast.

And so I tried different version of it and tried to make it as healthy as possible.
Oatmeal is very healthy for our cardiovascular system, as oats lower arteriosclerosis and heart disease hazards. It also helps lower the bad cholesterol (there is a ,,bad,, and a ,,good,, cholesterol) and the blood sugar thanks to compounds known as beta-glucans, (polysaccharides). The amount of fiber in also high, which is good for our gastrointestinal health. The good bacteria in our guts love fiber and fiber coupled with a proper water-drinking habits helps the bowel movement. Oats were one of the first cereals that were ever cultivated and the first notion about a porridge comes from Greece. They are inexpensive and there is also a gluten-free option. In my opinion, it´s a waste of money and health to buy already premixed morning cereals, usually full of added sugar. Therefore, always check the sugar content before you decide to buy any cereal mix.

My ways of preparing the oatmeal has changed since I started to incorporate it as my breakfast. Firstly, I wouldn´t cook the oats, I would just pour a bit of water (no one could understand that I don´t use a milk) on it and let it soak, add some honey and pieces of banana and maybe sprinkle a cinnamon on top. Now, I cook my oats in the water (1 part of oats + 2 parts of water) until the water gets soaked up, then I hide 2 pieces of 80% chocolate at the bottom of my breakfast bowl and pour the hot oatmeal on top. Then I cut and apple or a banana on top of my oatmeal and sprinkle with organic sunflower seeds and two big spoons of grinded flex seeds (for circa daily intake of omega 3 fatty acids). This way I have everything that a good breakfast should have: fiber, carbohydrates, antioxidants, healthy fats and proteins.

I love my oatmeal and honestly, every evening, I already look forward to my breakfast 😀

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