We all have memories of weekend breakfast and brunch. A time for family to gather around plates of eggs, bacon, pancakes, and OJ.

However, come Monday morning, you’re lucky if you can crank out a Poptart, let alone a sit down meal.  But the work week shouldn’t mean sacrificing nutrition.

Think oats. Think simplicity and convenience.

With the Spartan pantry staple of oats and some simple recipes, you can start your day fueled right and ready to go. Oats are an incredible nutritional booster to have on hand to add vital nutrients to some of your favorite meals. Swing to the bottom of this blog for nutritious and delicious oats recipes that you can easily prepare. 

Why oats?

You you might think of oats as being plain. Flavor-wise they are a bit basic on their own. However, they are an interesting and complex food and fuel source when you come to understand what an oat is and what is provides you.

Oats contain the 3 necessary components of the grain that hold its nutrition:

The Bran: Contains antioxidants, b vitamins, and fiber

The Germ: Contains protein, b vitamins, minerals, healthy fats

The Endosperm: This is the germ’s food supply. It provides essential energy to the young plant so it can send roots down for water and nutrients, and send sprouts up for sunlight’s photosynthesizing power. It contains starchy carbohydrates, proteins and small amounts of vitamins and minerals.

Unlike other grains, oats almost never have their germ and bran removed, so you are basically guaranteed to be getting the whole grain.

Athletes need convenient food, not convenience foods.

You can’t outrun a poor diet. But with poor planning, you may find yourself running out the door with nothing in your hand but a sugary bar or the same boring protein powder. They may be convenient, but are they clean fuel for an athlete?

Both high intensity and long duration exercise require a mixture of fats and carbohydrates as fuel. The most efficient athlete is one that operates on fuel that is clean, nutrient rich, and easy to prepare in a variety of ways. 

What defines clean fuel for an athlete: As a Dietitian, I define “clean” fuel as one that the body digests easily and put a majority (if not all) of the byproduct to good use.

• Carbohydrates for replenishing lost glycogen
• Fiber to help feed a healthy microbiome (the home of all health in the body)
• Protein to generate new tissue
• Healthy fats to carry fat soluble vitamins
• Vitamins and minerals to carry out every process in the body from hair growth to muscle contraction

Oats are truly a clean fuel by these definitions. For this reason, oats are a key component of the athletes pantry.

A Recovery Aid

Oats contain 20 unique polyphenols avenanthramides, which aid in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. The oxidative stress brought on by intense training sessions can result in cell damage, more frequent illness, and delayed recovery. By incorporating oats into your weekly recovery meals you will naturally be assisting the body in recovering for your next session and preventing long term damage to your body. Simply put: oats help with recovery. 

Simple Oat Recipes

Savory Bacon, Egg, and Oat Bowl

Ingredients

• 1 strip bacon, chopped
• 1 Tbsp onion, diced
• 1/2 cup oats (old-fashioned tends to work well for this recipe)
• 1 cup water
• 1-2oz cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 large egg

Directions In sauté pan over low to medium heat, cook your chopped bacon until nice and crispy. Once ready, remove from pan and set aside. Drain ~90% of the bacon grease out of the pan, the rest will be used to cook the onion.

Add diced onion to the same pan and cook until translucent and starting to brown (this won’t take long). Use a wooden spoon or spatula to move around the onion and release some of the bacon grease.

Now add the oats, but not the water yet. Let the oats brown in the pan for just a few seconds. They will absorb some of the bacon grease, helping add to the savory flavor. Add water and let simmer, stirring often, until oatmeal is nice and creamy. Add half of the cheese in just before oatmeal is done cooking, enough for it to melt a bit.

In a separate pan over medium-high heat warm butter and start cooking your egg (the goal is for it to be over easy. The runny yolk will taste delicious mixing in with the bacon and onion). When all ingredients are ready, transfer to a bowl in this order: ½ of bacon, oatmeal/ onion mix, remaining bacon, remaining cheese, top with egg. Enjoy!

Fat fueled athlete tip: Add even more healthy fats with ¼ avocado.

Oatmeal Tabbouleh

Ingredients

• ½ cup steel-cut oats
• Salt to taste
• 1 cup boiling water
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• ¼ tsp ground cumin
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives
• 2 to 3 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 cucumber, diced

Directions

Cook oats according to package directions. Steel cut oats will hold up better than regular oats. Combine the lemon juice, salt to taste, cumin and olive oil and whisk together. Toss with the oats and let sit for at least 20 minutes or, preferably, cover and refrigerate overnight. Add the remaining ingredients, toss together and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes or longer before serving. Keep chilled.

Tip: Top with chickpeas, hard boiled eggs, or other protein for a balanced lunch

Spicy Oat Crusted Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1-½ cups quick oats, uncooked
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 Tbsp water
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast (4 to 6 ounces each)

Directions Heat oven to 375°F. In a shallow dish, stir together chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and salt. Add oats, stir well and spread evenly on bottom of dish

In a second shallow dish, beat egg and water with fork until frothy. Dip chicken into egg mix, turning a few times to make sure you have a nice even coating. This is what the oat mixture will stick to. Let excess egg mix drip off before transferring it to the oats. Coat completely in seasoned oats. Place chicken on foil-lined baking sheet.

Bake 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and oat coating is golden brown. Goes great with Serve alongside a big place of greens such as broccoli https://life.spartan.com/post/broccoli-food-week

Pear Berry Blast Smoothie

Ingredients

• 1 medium pear
• 1 cup strawberries
• 4oz low plain yogurt
• Ice cubes
• 2 tbsp oats
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• Water

Directions

Wash and dice the pear and strawberries. Add all ingredients to a blender. Add water to desired thickness and blend 60 seconds.

What Are Oats?

A whole grain is one that still contains the 3 necessary components of the grain that hold its nutrition:

The Bran: Contains antioxidants, b vitamins, and fiber

The Germ: Contains protein, b vitamins, minerals, healthy fats

The Endosperm: This is the germ’s food supply. It provides essential energy to the young plant so it can send roots down for water and nutrients, and send sprouts up for sunlight’s photosynthesizing power. It contains starchy carbohydrates, proteins and small amounts of vitamins and minerals.

Unlike other grains, oats almost never have their germ and bran removed, so you are basically guaranteed to be getting the whole grain.

3 Reasons to Eat Oats

A different kind of fiber.  Scientific studies have concluded that oats contain a special kind of fiber called beta-glucan found to be especially effective in lowering cholesterol. 

More protein and fats. Compared to most whole grains, oats are higher in protein and healthy fats, and lower in carbohydrates.

Polyphenols. Oats contain more than 20 unique polyphenols called avenanthramides, which have strong anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-itching activity.

Source: www.WholeGrainsCouncil.org