Makeover Your Oatmeal: 5 ingredient Oatmeal Balls

During the winter months, oatmeal has found its way into my cabinets as a constant staple. Nothing is better than waking up on a cold winter morning and having a warm bowl of oatmeal. Oatmeal is one of those foods that you can eat without feeling bad about. Check out these health benefits:

• Oatmeal may help lower bad cholesterol levels, such as LDL cholesterol, which place a significant role in the risk of heart disease.
• Oatmeal is also rich in fiber, and can help stabilize your blood sugar and keep you full for longer.

 You can purchase quick cooking or old-fashioned oats and cook over the stove or instant plain oatmeal and pair it with some of the suggestions below for a heart healthy treat.

5 ways to makeover your oatmeal:

1. Make instant oatmeal and top with fresh or frozen fruit. Or use dried fruits, such as dried raisins, cranberries or dates.
2. Add crunch to your yogurt by adding two spoonfuls of toasted oats to your next serving of yogurt. Combine with flavored yogurt for a change.
3. Make instant oatmeal and add a couple of tablespoons of walnuts or almonds. Sprinkle with cinnamon for extra flavor.
4. Add chopped apples, cinnamon and pecans to your bowl of oatmeal to make an apple crisp like treat.
5. Try the ‘5 Ingredient Oatmeal Balls’ (recipe below). These are an excellent source of oats and are great as a snack or quick breakfast item.

5 Ingredient Oatmeal Balls

Ingredients

• 1 cup packed dates (pitted)
• ½ cup peanut butter or almond butter
• ½ cup honey
• 1 ½ cups old fashioned oatmeal
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• Optional: dried raisin, craisins, walnuts

Directions

1. Chop dates into small pieces . Place dates in food processor (or blender).
2. Blend for 1 minute or until a dough like consistency form.
3. Combine oats and pureed dates in a small mixing bowl.
4. Combine peanut butter and honey in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly until smooth.
5. Poor peanut butter and honey mixture over oats mixture and mix well.
6. Form into quarter-inch balls. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.

Note: These also work great as bars. Line an 8X8 pan with parchment paper and spread mixture evenly into pan.

Yield 18

Nutrition Facts:
*May vary based on brand of ingredient used

Calories: 165
Total Fat: 7.5 g
Protein: 4 g
Carbohydrates: 22g