5 Oats-based Recipes for Healthy and Yummy Desserts

Oats are among the healthiest whole grains on earth. They’re gluten-free and contain vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants. But did you know you can also use them in delicious desserts? Try these recipes made using Quaker Oats.

Oats granola parfait

Ingredients (serves 2):
For granola:
3 cups Quaker Oats
¼ cup pumpkin seeds
¼ cup sunflower seeds
½ cup sliced almonds
¼ cup flax seeds
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup water
1 scraped vanilla bean
Salt to taste
For parfait:
¾ to 1 cup granola
400g low fat yogurt hung for at least 2 hours and chilled
1 tbsp icing sugar (or honey)
¾ cup diced fresh seasonal fruit

Instructions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 150°C.
2. Combine vegetable oil, honey, water, vanilla and salt in a small saucepan and bring up to a simmer.
3. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl and add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients.
4. Mix well and transfer to the baking tray.
5. Bake for about 45 mins, stirring occasionally.
6. Cool and transfer to an airtight container. Granola hardens further as it cools.

Instructions for parfait:
1. Lightly beat the hung yogurt with the sugar or honey till creamy.
2. Take 2 small glasses. Layer first the yogurt, then fruit and then the granola.
3. Repeat once more and top the glass generously with granola.
4. Refrigerate for an hour before serving.

 

Oats and Date Truffles

Ingredients (8 pieces):
4 tsp roasted and powdered Quaker Oats (roast oats for 2-3 minutes, then cool and grind in a mixer)
½ cup dates pitted
¼ cup lightly roasted almonds & walnuts
2 tsp chopped raisins, figs & apricots
2 tsp skimmed milk if required
¼ cup desiccated coconut for rolling

Instructions:
1. Grind the dates till pasty. Add coarsely ground nuts, Quaker Oats, milk and mix well.
2. Shape into 7-8 balls. 3. Roll in desiccated coconut. Serve.
Tip: The truffles can be refrigerated up to a week.

 

Oats Apple Cinnamon Cake

Ingredients (for 12):
1 cup Quaker Oats
1 cup skimmed milk
½ cup unsweetened apple sauce*
2 tbsp orange juice
½ cup brown sugar
1 grated apple
1 cup buckwheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
Salt to taste
*Method for apple sauce: Take 1 small apple, diced, combined with 2 tbsp water. Cook till apple is completely mushy. Mash to a smooth consistency.

Instructions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 200°C.
2. Soak Quaker Oats in milk for 15 minutes.
3. Mix all the dry ingredients. Squeeze out all the juice from the grated apple and add to oats mixture, with apple sauce and orange juice.
4. Add another tbsp of orange juice if mixture looks dry.
5. Pour batter into a 9” greased pan and bake for 20-25 minutes.

 

Chocolate Baked Oats with Chocolate Chips

Ingredients (serves 9):
1½ cups Quaker Oats
1/3 cup sugar
¼ cup melted butter/oil
Egg white from 2 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
¾ cup skimmed milk
1 tsp vanilla flavour
2 tbsp cocoa
1/3 cup chocolate chips

Instructions:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C.
2. Grease an eight-inch pan or line a cupcake tray with cupcake liners.
3. Mix all ingredients together.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
5. Slice and serve.

 

Oats Mishti Doi

Ingredients (serves 2):
5 tsp roasted and powdered Quaker Oats (roast for 2-3 minutes, cool and grind in a mixer)
1 cup low fat yogurt
3 tsp sugar
2 tsp caramelized sugar
¼ tsp vanilla flavour

Instructions:
1. Whisk yogurt with sugar.
2. Add powdered Quaker Oats and vanilla flavour.
3. Chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
4. Serve with chopped fruits.

First published in the August 2018 issue of eShe magazine