Dave is always talking about eating healthily. He finds recipes or articles and either reads them to me or forwards them to me. This is his subtle way of telling me that we need to get back on track. It’s not often that we stray from a healthy diet, but we all falter sometime. Anyway, this article was in my “in” box and I thought I would share it with you.
AARP article on Top 15 Super-foods for People Over 50
The article focuses on the Super-foods that help protect our eyes, lungs, heart and brain. Two of the super-foods are Blueberries and Oatmeal. According to the article, blueberries are high in soluble fiber, which can help lower cholesterol and slow the uptake of glucose, helping you maintain healthy blood sugar levels. But there’s much more packed inside those blue skins: Vitamins C and K are the major players, as are antioxidants and the mineral manganese. Blueberries also appear to lower blood pressure. And their anthocyanins, which give the berries their color, may promote brain health and aid memory. While, according to the same article, Oatmeal’s top benefit comes from its high soluble-fiber content, which helps lower cholesterol. A compound in oatmeal helps scrub the arteries and may protect against colon cancer. Oatmeal also satisfies hunger, so you eat less later, a recipe for weight loss. Oatmeal is low-fat, high in protein and loaded with iron and other minerals.
If you read our blog you know we are fanatics about exercising. We are hoping to stay active well into our 80’s but in order to do that we need to always eat well and take care of ourselves. A recipe I found on the blog Crazy for Crust has two of the super-foods in it- blueberries and oatmeal, and it freezes well. I made a batch of the oatmeal and cut them into squares. I put them in baggies so Dave could take them to work as a breakfast or a nutritious snack.
BLUEBERRY BAKED OATMEAL
INGREDIENTS:
2 eggs
1/2 cup applesauce (unsweetened)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray an 11×7 or a 9×13 pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Whisk eggs, applesauce, brown sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. Stir in oats and milk. Gently fold in blueberries. Spread in prepared pan.
Bake for 28-34 minutes until oatmeal is browned. Cool slightly before serving.
Serve with syrup and/or fruit or vanilla yogurt.
The squares are great on their own, never added syrup or yogurt. Enjoy!
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