January is national oatmeal month. There are so many ways to eat oatmeal, cold, hot, overnight, baked, savory and/or sweet. We eat oats in some form most days of the week. Oats are one of the best breakfast foods out there, in my opinion. I make a large pan of this baked oatmeal with apples, pears and hemp seeds on my meal prep days for those crazy week day mornings. You should too! This baked oatmeal with apples, pears and hemp seeds is nutrient dense, hearty, and delicious to keep you going all morning long.

As a dietitian mom, I love oats for many reasons. Oats are super versatile and healthy. You can make oatmeal, baked oatmeal (our favorite), granola, granola bars, cookies, and smoothies.

In this recipe I used apples and pears but if you don’t have any pears you could double the portion of apples. I prefer to leave the peel on them for added fiber. I added hemp seeds to the oatmeal. Hemp seeds are a source of fiber, omega 3 fatty acids, and protein. If you don’t have hemp hearts or like the taste you could add pumpkin seeds. Finally, we top our oatmeal with plain yogurt.

Why are oats so healthy

Not only do oats taste good but they are good for you! Oats are a good source of soluble fibre to help you feel full, stabilize blood sugars, and control cholesterol levels.  Apples and pears are also a great source of soluble fibre.

Choosing the right oats can be a bit confusing with many varieties to choose from instant, to quick oats, to steel cut oats. When it comes to oats you need to read the ingredient list. Instant oats are highly processed and usually full of sugar, fillers like guar gum and artificial flavours.  Large flake oats ( also known as old fashioned oats) are quickly steamed and rolled, like steel cut oats, have their germ and bran intact, the most nutritious part of the grain. Steel cut oats are the winner when it comes to oats, they are whole grains and will keep you full all morning long, downfall they take the longest to cook. If you follow a gluten free diet check the label to ensure sure they are certified gluten free and uncontaminated.

Enjoy!