‘Tis the season to make merry! Christmas is right around the corner and markets are all decked up in lights and shades of red, white and green already. People are all set to celebrate one of the biggest and year’s last festival with full fervor. From singing Christmas carols to indulging in a mouth-watering array of cakes, candies, pies and savouries, there can't be a way better to bid goodbye to the year that has been. While the pandemic has certainly limited the celebration, where we cannot hold grand Christmas parties, we can surely plan a smaller one at home with the closest of people around. And when we speak of intimate celebrations at home, food plays a huge role in it. A Christmas feast is an interesting mix of all things sweet and savories but more often than not, people love to indulge in sugary treats. Do we think it’s all healthy? No. But do we think we should completely avoid it during the festivities? Also no. But can we make it healthy so that we can enjoy it guilt-free? Yes!
One of the best ways to make your sweet treats a tad bit healthy is by using ingredients that adds value to it. Oats might be one of the best healthier options to opt for this festive season. The humble grain has multiple uses - be it using oat bran for that crunchy bite, to the oats flour for your gluten-free sponge of joy. To help you make the best use of oats this Christmas season, we’ve got 3 oats recipes from Oateo Oats that will definitely make your Christmas merrier, lighter and all the more delicious.
1. Gingerbread Cookieman
Ingredients
1¾ cup oat flour
¼ cup tapioca starch
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ cup coconut sugar
¼ cup blackstrap molasses
2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
¼ cup melted unrefined coconut oil
FOR THE ICING
¾ cup powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
1-2 tbsp milk
Instructions:
1. Whisk all dry ingredients in a large bowl together.
2. Stir the wet ingredients together in a separate bowl.
3. Mix both sets of ingredients and stir together until a dough forms.
4. Wrap the dough with parchment paper or plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or keep it overnight.
5. Once ready to bake, roll out the dough, cut into gingerbread men then bake in the oven for 12 minutes.
6. Let it cool completely, then pipe with icing and enjoy!
2. Oats Plum Cake
Ingredients
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
120g granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
100g sour cream or plain thick yoghurt
160g Oats flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground cardamom
6-8 ripe Italian prunes, halved and pitted
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 325F. Line an 8" x 8" pan with parchment paper and set it aside.
2. Whisk butter and sugar with the paddle attachment of your stand mixer until thick and pale, 4-5 minutes.
3. Beat in eggs, vanilla, and sour cream, beating 20 seconds and scraping between additions.
4. Add oats flour along with baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cardamom.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Press plum halves cut side down into the batter.
6. Bake 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
7. Store covered, at room temperature, no longer than one day after baking.
Image: Oateo Oats
3. Oatmeal Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients
Instant oats 1 cup
Whole wheat flour ¾ cup
Butter ¾ cup
Brown sugar 5 tbsp
Baking soda 1 tbsp
Vanilla essence 1tbsp
Chocolate chips ¼ cup
Salt (1 pinch)
Method
1. Combine the oats, flour and baking soda.
2. In a separate bowl whisk the butter, essence and brown sugar to form a smooth paste.
3. Add the dry ingredients in to form a dough.
4. Divide the dough into desired cookie shapes and place on a greased baking tray.
5. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 degree C for 30- 40 minutes.
6. Cool down, store in a dry container and enjoy with milk.
