Healthy Oat Recipes

EatingWell reader Beverley Sharpe of Santa Barbara, California, contributed this healthy chocolate chip cookie recipe. She gave chocolate chip cookies a healthy update by cutting back on sugar and incorporating whole grains. To increase protein, Sharpe replaces the rolled oats with 1 cup almond meal.

Great for breakfast on the go! Golden roasted nuts, seeds and oats are enveloped by flavorful almond butter in these delectably chewy, no-fuss energy bars. Unrefined turbinado sugar adds a deep caramelly undertone. Feel free to use light brown sugar instead. Bars stored at room temperature will be softer than those that are refrigerated.

Here is an easy way to serve a crowd a hearty breakfast before facing the elements for a day of winter sports. You can assemble it in the slow cooker in the evening and wake up to a bowl of hot, nourishing oatmeal. The slow cooker eliminates the need for constant stirring and ensures an exceptionally creamy consistency. It is important to use steel-cut oats; old-fashioned oats become too soft during slow-cooking.

Traditional waffles are a butter-laden, high-carb indulgence, but they make the transition to good fats and smart carbs beautifully, yielding crisp, nutty-tasting waffles with all the sweet pleasure of the original. The batter can also be used for pancakes.

This honey-oat bread has a pleasant flavor and divinely moist, tender crumb. It requires minimal mixing and cleanup, calls for ingredients usually stocked in the pantry, and is tasty yet healthful. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.

Crisp and chewy, this bar is a good-for-you alternative to store-bought cereal bars. The secret ingredient, silken tofu, will give your day a protein-packed start. The recipe also works with other fruit-and-nut combinations.

These oatmeal chocolate chip cookies have the familiar flavors of brown sugar and chocolate, but get a sophisticated twist from tahini (sesame paste). Tahini helps to lower the saturated fat by more than 66 percent while adding a nutty flavor to an old classic.

This oatmeal-meets-muffin-tin cake recipe is perfect for having a healthy breakfast available on busy weekdays. Make a batch on the weekend and keep them in your freezer. For a grab-and-go breakfast, reheat the oatmeal cakes in the microwave for about 40 seconds.

We love the maple-nut flavor combination of this heart-healthy granola, but feel free to substitute your favorite nuts or dried fruit for your own custom blend.

These spiced molasses cookies have added applesauce to help keep the cookies moist, and whole-wheat flour and oats to incorporate whole grains.

"I was inspired by the news that chocolate can be good for you," wrote reader Jennifer Sanders of Cambridge, Ontario. "Why not eat it for breakfast?" She shared her recipe for this heart-warming chocolaty hot cereal. If you are looking for a way to get your kids to start their day with a bowl of oatmeal, this is it. The microwave is convenient, but you can also cook the oatmeal on the stovetop following package directions. Top the cereal with milk or soymilk and sweeten with brown sugar or no-calorie sweetener, if desired.

These easy cookies are a real snap to make--just stir and bake.

These soft chocolate cookies have a big peanut flavor since they use peanut butter and peanut butter chips.

These carrot-flecked, whole-grain morning glory muffins can be made ahead for breakfast or a snack so you can hit the ground running on a busy morning. Add a nonfat latte and your day will be off to a healthy start. Or make this coconut-carrot morning glory muffin recipe for a special brunch. Look for coconut oil, in jars or tubs, near other cooking oils in large supermarkets, in the natural-foods section, or in natural-foods stores.

Not only is this seeded loaf high in fiber, but the blend of seeds and grains lends it a wonderfully nutty flavor, aroma and texture. A heavy container with a tight-fitting lid works best, as the steam trapped inside the pot helps crisp the crust of the boule. Keep in mind that in a very wide-bottomed pot the loaf will spread out and be fairly flat; in a taller, narrower one it will be thicker and have more height (but may take slightly longer to bake).

This warming whole-grain hot cereal recipe pairs cooked wheat berries with rolled oats, fruit and nuts for a filling fiber-rich breakfast. Using a microwave makes preparation speedy, especially if you've thawed frozen cooked wheat berries overnight in the refrigerator.

Glistening like sticky buns, these unusual muffins are packed with wholesome ingredients--vegetables, fruit and whole grains--so you can feel good about serving them to your family. If you prefer to make simple carrot muffins for lunchboxes or breakfasts-on-the-go, omit the topping; sprinkle 2 tablespoons chopped nuts over the muffins before baking, if desired.

This recipe was inspired by chef Lars Kronmark's granola wedges from the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone. Substitute your favorite fruit, nuts and/or seeds for the sunflower seeds and/or dried cranberries in these granola bars.

Granola bars are a snap to make--keep a batch of these on hand for when hunger strikes.

Bake this healthy, seedy loaf on Sunday and you can enjoy it all week--if it doesn't disappear first. This quick bread recipe is the perfect vehicle for both sweet and savory toppings, so try it as avocado toast one day and with honey the next. Store it tightly wrapped, as all the seeds make it a little more apt to dry out than typical whole-wheat breads.