Oatmeal Your Winter Friend

One of the most versatile cold weather dishes is oatmeal.It makes for a great start to the day along with being a neat and unusual ingredient for main meals.It is also loaded with all that good stuff to keep you healthy and happy during these bitter cold snaps.Best of all this centuries old classic is one of the easiest to use. We actually have the Egyptians to thank for this grain however it was the Scots who truly integrated it into their cuisine.Oats were a main ingredient in the New Year's dish ,haggis.In this country oatmeal was and still is the healthiest breakfast there is.It lowers cholesterol as well as helps to keep the heart healthy.It also lowers blood sugar and regulates diabetes.A hot bowl of oatmeal is one way to chase the chill.You can get the already flavored or make your own using either cinnamon or maple syrup for sweetening.You can also add fruits such as sliced banana or dried cranberries or blue berries.A weekend treat is oatmeal cookies.They"re not only fun for the kids to make, they're also good for them too.Add to the goodness by using whole wheat flour instead of usual white and brown sugar instead of the refined. Now here's a surprise - oatmeal can also be used as a savory dish - and not only in haggis.There are several recipes from breakfast to dinner that features this grain.You can try it with a poached egg for breakfast,breaking the yolk so that it mixes with the grains.You can also add mushrooms and onions to it as a side.For a quick lunch add any shredded cheese to plain oatmeal.For a thickener you can add oats to a watery curry to make it thicker.Oatmeal bread is one a fun thing to do on a snowy day and two, a great way of making a sandwich healthier.You can use other all natural ingredients like dark wildflower honey and whole wheat flour along with tossing in some sunflower seeds too. Oatmeal is one of the best 'winter' foods to have.It is versatile ,going from breakfast to bread along with being super healthy.Make it a cold weather must have.