Rolled oats can be substituted for the barley and whole wheat flakes, which, along with flax seed, are available in bulk and health food stores.
Sweet-tart cranberries add something special and festive to this cake. You can switch up the almonds with walnuts, pecans or hazelnuts, or go totally nut-free with large-flake rolled oats.
A chewy, buttery centre and a crisp edge make this the ultimate oatmeal cookie. Quick-cooking rolled oats are the key to the well-loved, homey texture, so be sure to avoid instant oats, which will cause the cookies to spread too much.
Multigrain flour, rolled oats and wheat germ give these quite chewy pancakes a wholesome flavour. Multigrain flour is a combination of all-purpose and whole wheat flours, cracked wheat and rye and whole flaxseeds. For a less chewy version, substitute whole wheat flour for the multigrain.
Nothing says comfort food more than a piping hot slice of meat loaf served with mashed potatoes and gravy. Of course, the fat in a slice of meat loaf alone amounts to about 17 grams, even when you use lean ground beef. To lighten it, this uses extra-lean ground beef, rolled oats and vegetables for increased fibre plus a salsa topping instead of the usual high-sugar ketchup or chili sauce. Cooking the loaf free form on a baking sheet drains away the fat, which results in only 206 calories and 7 grams of fat per serving.
Bananas help reduce the amount of fat needed both to make this loaf and keep it moist. Let bananas ripen fully, even to the brown-skin stage, for ultimate flavour.
You can slice, wrap and freeze individual pieces of this dense loaf for a portable breakfast. Spread it with light cream cheese and add some fresh fruit and a glass of orange juice for a satisfying breakfast.
