Ingredient Spotlight: Oats 

Oats are technically oat grass seeds you can eat — they’re categorized as whole grains and are also one of the oldest cultivated crops in human history. And in case you haven’t heard yet, oats are SO good for you! 

Yes, the list of nutritional benefits oats provide runs long… let’s just hit the highlights: 

• Oats have a very high fiber content — they’re excellent for digestion and the gut microbiome and they’re also very filling.
• Especially in comparison to other whole grains, oats have a relatively high protein and fat content, which makes oatmeal itself a balanced dish that delivers all three macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein, and fat).
• Oatmeal is rich in numerous other minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants 
• Early introduction of oats to babies may help reduce asthma rates: one study, for example, found that feeding oats to babies at 5-5.5 months decreased the risk of asthma.

In short, oatmeal is seriously a great way to start the day — though our culture’s obsession with oats as a breakfast food may actually miss the mark: oats are also fantastic in savory dishes we tend to associate with lunch/dinner. Try swapping steel cut oats in for rice, risotto, or orzo next time you’re preparing any of those dishes, and let us know what you think! Oats can also work well in many soups, and I even love a bowl of oatmeal with a simple drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt. 

Point is: there are lots of ways to enjoy oats beyond the traditional bowl of oatmeal (although, that’s great too). 

Thanks to Amara’s patented nutrition protection technology, our Oats n’ Berries pouches deliver all the same nutritional benefits as *real oatmeal, without any of the added sugar that most instant oatmeal comes with (bleh). Here are three ways you can use Amara Oats n’ Berries to up your oats game: 

Three Ways To Use Amara Oats n’ Berries

No-Bake Toddler Energy Bites

This is a fun, hands-on recipe that toddlers *love to help make. Especially since it contains oats and nut butter, it’s a really great snack that really delivers: it’s nutritious, filling, and delicious. Once you get the hang of making these (and depending on your child’s age), you can also play around with other add-ins, such as unsweetened coconut, nuts/seeds, or dried fruit. 

Ingredients:

• 2 pouches Amara Oats n’ Berries
• ~⅓-½ cup water
• Banana (mashed up)
• ~¼ cup nut butter (we like peanut butter but you could use any kind)
• ~¼ cup chocolate chips
• ~1 tablespoon honey
• Optional: dash of cinnamon 

Directions: 

1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix/stir well. 
2. Spoon into ~1 tablespoon portions, forming balls as you go. 
3. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. 

Oats n’ Berries Pancakes

These healthy pancakes take mere minutes to whip up and they’re SO delicious! 

Ingredients: 

• 2 pouches Amara Oats n’ Berries
• ⅓-½ cup milk (or non-dairy milk) 
• 1 egg (if you don’t eat eggs, you can use ½ banana, smashed/whipped up) 
• Coconut oil (to grease your pan) 

Directions: 

1. Heat a pan on your stove (low/medium heat) with coconut oil. 
2. Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir well. 
3. Spoon ~¼ cup batter onto the skillet, cook for ~3 minutes (or until the batter on top begins to bubble), then flip and cook for ~2-3 minutes on the other side. 
4. Serve ‘em up plain, with fruit, or however you choose — and if you’re cutting the pancakes for your little, try this genius hack I picked up from my sister: use a pizza cutter! 

Overnight Oats

This is a fun variation on traditional (warm) oatmeal that’s very fun to pepper in on spring and summer mornings. Also: it’s *actually the easiest healthy breakfast to make ever. Seriously. It’s a little bit ridiculous to even have a “recipe” for it, LOL. 😂

Ingredients: 

• 2 pouches Amara Oats n’ Berries
• ~⅓-½ cup milk or non-dairy milk (coconut milk is a fave for this one!) or yogurt

Directions: 

• Combine & mix ingredients in a mason jar or airtight container. 
• Store in the fridge overnight. 
• Serve up in the morning! We highly encourage toppings such as (more!) berries, seeds, nut butter, coconut flakes, and a drizzle of honey.