Welcome, welcome, welcome to the LAST week in the Top 10 Foods for Runners series! A monumental event, for sure. We’ve had quite the journey, haven’t we? *Reminiscing* Yes, yes, we’ve had some good times. But all good and wonderful things must come to an end. And since I made this the top TEN foods, this happens to be the end of this good and wonderful thing. Maybe you even learned something! Wouldn’t that be grand.
Anyway, oats! An awesome food to end on! Not exactly great on their own… But they are oh so easy to dress up! But don’t be fooled by just any oats. Grocery store aisles are packed with packaged foods claiming to be healthy because of oats. And let me tell you, most of them are just plain liars. Brightly-wrapped granola bars with more sugar than oats, heavily processed cereal with a few oats tossed in the mix, oatmeal packs that list most of the ingredients as artificial (I’m looking at you, dinosaur egg oatmeal. You may have shaped my childhood, but that’s no excuse). You’re a smart person, don’t let snack companies use oats against you.
Besides, cooking with oats yourself is way better! There are so many tasty things to make! Have you ever searched “oat recipes” on Pinterest? You’ll be there for hours. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s first look at how oats can help you as an athlete and human being.
Oat-tastic Benefits
Gluten-Free Carbs: As long as you get non-contaminated, pure oats, you’ve got a gluten-free nutrition gold mine. Also, runners need carbs! It’s true, I swear. If you or your body aren’t big fans of gluten, oats are a perfect way to get your fill of carbs. The carbs in oats are complex, meaning they take longer to digest and help supply the body with energy over a longer period of time.
Fiber: Keeps you full, keeps you regular. The dream combo, for sure.
Iron: So many runners struggle with low iron! Runners need even more iron than the average human. When you’re low on iron, it shows in your performance. You’ll feel fatigued and your energy will be lacking, making it impossible to run your best. Lucky for you, a half cup of dry oats contains 20% of your daily iron.
Manganese and Copper: These two nutrients greatly impact runners because they are crucial for healthy muscle function. Unfortunately, many runners do not have enough of these nutrients in their diet, which negatively affects their running performance (obviously). A half cup of dry oats contains 191% of your daily manganese (woah) and 24% of your daily copper needs.
Zinc: Zinc raises important hormones in the body that affect many aspects of performance such as strength, body fat percentage, and recovery. A half cup of dry oats contains 20% of your daily zinc.
Phosphorous: This handy mineral assists in delivering oxygen to muscles, which is kind of necessary for running. Phosphorous can also help athletes overcome fatigue. A half cup of dry oats contains 41% of your daily phosphorous.
Magnesium: When you’re low in magnesium, your heart has to work harder when exercising. This can cause greater physiological stress, and who wants that? A half cup of dry oats contains 34% of your daily magnesium.
Recipes
Sure, oatmeal is great. But what about all the other wonderful things you can do with oats? I’ve got a few suggestions below!
Parmesan oat pizza crust
Ingredients
- 1.5 cup oats
- 1/2 cup parmesan
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp water
- any toppings your heart desires
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
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In a food processor, pulse oats, parmesan, and garlic powder until a fine powder. Add egg and water and pulse until well combined.
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Scoop out the dough on a sheet of parchment paper. Press down and spread out to form a circle about 1/4 inch thick.
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Top with your favorite toppings and bake for 10 minutes or until cheese turns golden. Slice and serve.
Dark chocolate granola bark
Ingredients
For the granola
- 1 cup oats
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup pepitas
- 1/2 cup chopped almonds
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
For the bark
- 2 cups dark chocolate chips
Instructions
For the granola
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Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Combine oats, coconut, pepitas, almonds, sesame seeds, and salt in a bowl.
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Combine maple syrup and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30-second intervals until coconut oil is melted.
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Pour maple syrup/coconut oil mix into oat mixture and combine well. Spread out on a baking sheet and cook for 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and add the dried fruit. Let cool.
For the bark
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In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate in the microwave for 30-second intervals. Stir in between intervals until completely melted.
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Pour chocolate onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, spreading out until about 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle granola on top of the chocolate and press down gently into the melted chocolate.
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Refrigerate for at least three hours. Break apart and store in an air-tight container in the fridge.
Tahini granola and blood orange salad
Ingredients
For the granola
- 1/2 cup oats
- 1/4 cup pepitas
- 1/4 cup chopped almonds
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For the salad
- 4 cups torn kale, stems removed
- 1 blood orange, peeled
- 1/2 cup goat cheese
- 3/4 cup tahini granola
For the dressing
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
For the granola
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Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
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Combine oats, pepitas, almonds, sesame seeds, and salt in a bowl.
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In a microwave-safe bowl, combine tahini, honey, and olive oil and microwave for 30 seconds. Mix together and pour on top of oat mixture. Mix well and spread out of a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
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Bake for 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool.
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Divide kale into two bowls Sprinkle kale with salt and massage into leaves until it turns a bright green. Top each salad with half the orange, half the goat cheese, and half the granola. Toss lightly with dressing and serve.
For dressing
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Combine lemon and honey in a small bowl. Mix quickly while adding olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Sources
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/9-benefits-oats-oatmeal#section2
- https://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/hn-3892007
