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Recipe | Autumn Oatmeal

Fall is a beautiful time of year. With the searing summer heat tapering into a pleasant autumn warmth, the leaves gradually changing color, and flavorful fruits and vegetables coming into the season, it’s the perfect excuse to take advantage of fresh produce by putting an autumn twist on the classic oatmeal breakfast. 

The following recipe is packed with soluble fiber in the way of oats, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin seeds, which studies have shown can help regulate blood sugar, decrease cholesterol, and possibly reduce calorie intake [1, 2]. Furthermore, beets are an excellent source of nitrates, which help to reduce blood pressure, and improve endurance performance, making this a tasty low calorie, heart-healthy meal as well [3]!

Ingredients:
Yields 1 serving

  • ¼ Cup of old fashioned oats
  • 1 small beet
  • 1 sweet potato
  • 1 TBS olive oil
  • Pinch of salt
  • Pinch of pepper
  • ¼ cup of roasted pumpkin seeds
  • ¼ cup of dried cranberries
  • 2 Tbs of maple syrup (optional)

Cooking Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F
  • Wrap the beet in tinfoil, place on a cooking sheet, bake for about 1 hour until fork tender.
  • Peel the beets and cube them into ½ inch pieces.
  • Then, raise the temperature and preheat oven to 425°F
  • Wash, peel, and cube sweet potatoes into ½ inch pieces.
  • Toss sweet potatoes in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, and pepper.
  • Spread out sweet potatoes on a baking sheet, cook for about 30 minutes, or until crispy, flipping them after 15 minutes.
  • Cook oatmeal according to box instructions and pour into a bowl.
  • Add ¼ cup of beets, ¼ cup of sweet potatoes, cranberries, pumpkin seeds, and maple syrup if desired and enjoy!

Pro tip: Prep the sweet potatoes and beets ahead of time to have a flavorful fall breakfast ready in minutes!

References:
1 Anderson JW. Physiological and metabolic effects of dietary fiber. Fed Proc. 1985 Nov;44(14):2902-6. PMID: 2996944.
2 Slavin, J., and H. Green. “Dietary fiber and satiety.” Nutrition Bulletin 32 (2007): 32-42.
3 Siervo M, Lara J, Ogbonmwan I, Mathers JC. Inorganic nitrate and beetroot juice supplementation reduces blood pressure in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Nutr. 2013 Jun;143(6):818-26. doi: 10.3945/jn.112.170233. Epub 2013 Apr 17. PMID: 23596162.