Evidence suggest that oats are beneficial to the health because of the soluble fibre they contain. In particular, oats protect from the metabolic syndrome and its associated diseases such as diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease. Soluble fibre in oats has been studied regarding its ability to decrease the absorption rate of glucose postprandially. Mechanistically, this is thought to occur when the soluble fibre mixes with water and creates a gelatinous layer in the unstirred layer next to the enterocytes. Such a viscous layer then acts as a physical barrier to glucose absorption. Muesli is a great way to ingest a daily intake of oats, but many commercially available mueslis contain sugar or are prohibitively expensive. The following recipe negates these problems by allowing the creation of a healthy breakfast cereal, devoid of sugar, for a fraction of the cost of commercially available brands. The muesli also contains spices, nut and seeds, and so is a good source of antioxidants, micronutrients and essential fatty acids.
Ingredients:
220 grams Oats
2 large free range eggs
1.5 teaspoons ginger
1.5 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoons nutmeg
150 grams mixed chopped nuts (e.g. cashew, almond, brazil and walnut)
25 grams ground almonds
50 grams Dried fruit (e.g. cranberries and apricots)
5 tablespoons of mixed seeds (e.g. sunflower and pumpkin)
Method:
Preheat oven to gas mark 4 (180°C) and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
Add the oats to a bowl with the eggs, and mix together until the eggs cover all of the oats.
Add the ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, nuts, seeds and stir.
Add the mix to the baking tray and place in the oven checking and mixing every 5 minutes taking care to break up any large pieces.
After 20 minutes, or when the mix appears toasted, remove from the oven and enjoy.
RdB and LH