This month we took a look at the health benefits of oatmeal. There are a number of ways you can enjoy oatmeal for breakfast; with fresh berries, with stewed fruit, like apple, and cinnamon, or with a teaspoon of honey. We love oatmeal so much that we have come up with a recipe that will let you enjoy the cholesterol busting, low fat, food all day long!

By replacing rice in a risotto with oatmeal you get the delicious creaminess of a traditional risotto with more fiber and all the added benefits that oatmeal gives you. We tried a chicken, squash and spinach combo but you can use any of your family favorite risotto recipes and modify them to include oats instead.

Nutritional value per serving (1/4yield) approx:
Calories: 356 Carbohydrates: 20g
Fat: 7g Protein: 25g

Ingredients
2 cans fat free chicken broth (or 2 cups homemade broth)
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp curry powder
½ butternut squash, cubed
1 cup spinach, shredded
1.5 cups oats (preferably steel cut)
1 cup cooked chicken (this is a great way to use left overs), chopped.
Salt and pepper to taste

Method
Heat the chicken broth and simmer on a low heat. Add the squash cubes to the broth to soften.
Heat a large heavy based pan and add the olive oil and butter. Add in the onions and fry until softened. Stir in the cumin and curry powder and cook for 2 more minutes.
Add the oats and stir for a few minutes until they are coated in the oil and spices, the trick is to make them a little toasted rather than soaked in oil.
Take the softened squash out of the broth and chop it into small pieces.
Add the chicken, squash and spinach to the oats and stir until they are all combined.
Adding a small amount at a time, gradually stir in the broth, stirring constantly, until the broth is absorbed. Remember, rolled oats don’t take as long to cook as rice so this will only take about 15 minutes; add more broth or water until you get a constancy you like. Steel cut oats will take a little longer.
Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Enjoy with a crisp salad.

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