Oatmeal Tea Bread
1-1/4 cups sifted flour
1 cup quick cooking rolled oatmeal
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2 large eggs
1-1/4 cups applesauce
1/2 cup raisins
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup milk
Streusel Topping:
2 tbl. firmly packed brown sugar
2 tsp. chopped pecans
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350F. Mix flour, oats, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg together in a large bowl. Set aside. Combine eggs, applesauce, raisins, oil and milk in a bowl. Make a well in reserved flour mixture. Stir applesauce mixture until flour is just moistened. Grease a 9 by 5 by 3 inch loaf pan. Turn the batter into the pan.
Streusel Topping:
Mix brown sugar, pecans and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Sprinkle on top of the batter. Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
Breakfast Made Easy With Oatmeal
By Kathy Ferneau
Here's one resolution you'll want to make: Eat breakfast every morning.
One of the biggest mistakes dieters make is not eating breakfast. It's a bad way to start the day. Dieters say they are in a hurry, but you can prepare a bowl of oatmeal in just a minute or two.
And what better food to consume than oatmeal. Simple to make, cheap to buy, and so nutritious. It even tastes good!
We've all heard about the health benefits of the fiber found in oatmeal. Oatmeal also contains:
high levels of selenium reported to prevent cell damage and aid arthritis
vitamins B, C, and E
calcium
and it's low in calories!
Since January is National Oatmeal Month, you have an even better reason to chow down on oats.
Mix in a 2-to-1 ratio of water to oats; for example, half a cup of water to one-fourth cup of oats. Then microwave for about 1-2 minutes. Keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't boil over the sides of your bowl.
That's it! It doesn't get much easier. Make sure you buy the quick-cooking oats.
Want to get more creative with oatmeal? Check out the web site of one the largest packagers of oats, Pepsico subsidiary, Quaker Oats, at http://www.quakeroatmeal.com. Their site is loaded with health information and tons of recipes.
While Quaker has done plenty to promote the humble oat, your best bet price-wise is the generic or store brand oats. It's the same thing!
Buying individually packaged oatmeal is like buying flavored bottled water. Maybe you don't have the peaches or strawberries to flavor your oatmeal that day, but you'll be paying a hefty price for those tiny, dried bits of fruit. You certainly want to avoid artificial sweeteners and preservatives, too.
It's a simple matter to measure out the oatmeal from the container and stir in a little brown sugar to flavor the mix. It doesn't take much more effort to buy a piece of fruit at the grocery store and slice it into your bowl. Eat half of that peach or bunch of strawberries, and add the other half to your oatmeal.
Virtually any fruit makes a good accompaniment to oatmeal. Toss in a handful of your favorite nut, walnuts, pecans, almonds, or try raisins.
But why stop at breakfast? Oatmeal serves up a fast snack any time of the day.
Start the New Year with a healthy new habit. Eat breakfast every day, and make it oatmeal!
Looking for diet and weight loss tips? Kathy Ferneau has created an excellent resource for information on diets, healthy eating, and exercise. Click here: http://www.lose-weight-diets.com
