It is January and I need to get fit. I have spent the winter almost hibernating, staying indoors as much as possible next to the fire, which was very comfy, but a no no in my long ignored fitness plans.
But before any decent plans happen – I need to make sure we have a decent breakfast. If my hero, Buzz Aldrin, had oats before he stepped to the moon, then porridge was the order of the day. Just check out this fun, inspiring TV campaign telling you about it.
Oats are good, filling and set us up for a healthy start*. And popular too – my youngest really loves Quaker “oaks”. And you should have seen her face when I told her that these particular oats have really been into space – that made her demand them before school so she could tell her friends that she ate “space oaks” for breakfast. That must have given the teacher something to think about!
This blueberry pistachio porridge recipe is very slightly adapted from a galactic swirl Quaker Oats recipe – a bowl of cinnamon porridge topped with a delicious swirl of fruit. I didn’t have all the fruits they suggest – but I think it worked pretty well with what I had (what do you think) and anyway – it was polished off fast enough!
Well that was breakfast sorted – next was my fitness plans, aka my first major winter bike ride. Why? Because last weekend the weather was fine (in a clear, sharp and rather beautiful way, not in preferably 30 degrees Celsius African kind of way). And what do you do on a fine day – your whole family goes for a bike ride.
Or, at least the others were going on a bike ride and ignored me thinking that I would do my usual “are you crazy, it is winter!” But I decided that I really did need to get out, get fit and break in that new bike Freddy had got me last year.
Seems almost embarrassing that I haven’t’ done it sooner, but there you are. And it was glorious. Cold to start with, then warmish as we went up hill and then down-hill (which my eldest says is faster than a roller coaster) again. I had forgotten what fun it was. And I even managed to go a whole 5 miles without a single complaint about the cold. Peeps, me not whining about the cold is a BIG thing.
So – I did my first winter family bike ride on a bowl of Quaker Oats. What about you? What mighty new things have you done fueled by a bowl of oats? And what new recipes would you whip up if you have your very own bowl of space oats?
Oh and peeps, if you want to find out more about Quaker Oats, along with some really innovative recipes then please visit Quaker.co.uk or visit them on Instagram or Facebook.
Now here is how to make a rather lovely , creamy, vegan blueberry pistachio oatmeal. Enjoy every mouthful.
- *Oats contain oat beta-glucan which has been shown to lower blood cholesterol. High cholesterol is a risk factor in the development of coronary heart disease.
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Blueberry Pistachio Porridge & Awesome Space Oats (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 100 g (3.5 oz) blueberries divided
- 1 sachet oats so simple
- 180 ml (3/4 cup) almond milk
- A pinch of ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp pistachio kernels chopped
- Any other toppings of choice.
Instructions
- Place half the blueberries in a blender and blend into a puree.
- Place the other half of the berries in a saucepan with a tsp of water and simmer for 5 mins until the berries have softened.
- Place the oats in a microwave bowl with the milk and cinnamon and cook according to the packet instructions.
- Using a tsp to drizzle a spiral of puree on top of the porridge. Use a skewer to drag out the lines all around the spiral. Scatter the cooked blueberries in a galactic curve pattern, followed by the pistachios and any topping of your choice.
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These look SO COOL. My preschooler likes to refuse most food right now but he loves space and I wonder if this might tempt him into eating oats. The rest of us love oats for breakfast (or honestly, for lunch or dinner).
It’s great to have a warm breakfast in winter and makes such a difference. I love all the lovely flavors in the porridge!
Those oats look phenomenal! I am a big believer in oatmeal, it’s healthy and keeps you full. This bowl looks absolutely amazing! Nicely done!
Those oats look phenomenal! I am a big believer in oatmeal, it’s healthy and keeps you full. This bowl looks absolutely amazing! Nicely done!
Certainly a twist on my oatmeal -definately give this one a go
Those oater space oats are so fun! Oats are one of my go-to breakfasts, and this looks so tasty. And bravo for going out in the cold for a bike ride! I really need to get out and move more, but the cold has kept me inside. Maybe I need to make a bowl of these mighty oats to get up the courage!