Core Muesli Bar Base - Oven or Slow Cooker

Serves: 12
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients:

Basic recipe

• 4 cups rolled oats
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup stewed apples
• 150ml non-fat milk
• 100ml water
• 2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 tsp vanilla
• sweetener, equivilent sweetness of 1/2 cup sugar

Method A:
Mix all base ingredients together.
To here is Core for a meal (32 pts if not Core)

Additional non-Core Ingredients:
Add your choice of dried fruits, nuts and seeds and calculate the Points.
I added 1/2 cup sultanas, 1/4 cup craisins, 1/2 cup pepitas and 1 TB linseeds (12.5 pts of non-Core ingredients, or 34.5 pts total)

Method B:
Press mix down into sprayed pan or slow cooker insert.
Oven - Bake in moderate oven until the slice begins to brown around edges.
Slow Cooker - cook for 2-3 hours on high until the slice begins to brown around edges. Turn off and allow the insert to cool before slicing up. If you have a lot of condensation inside the lid, you might want to wipe the lid. I cooked mine in the slow cooker.
To here is Core (32 pts if not Core)

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe is 34.5 pts with listed additional ingredients or 3pts each serving 12.
On Core, you'll need to add 1 pt per serve for fruit and seeds as listed.

Almost CORE Apple, Yoghurt and Sultana Slice

This is similar to those yoghurt slices - I think they were called Alaskan Slice.

Serves: 3 for breakfast or dessert

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 TB gelatine
• 1 x 175g or 200g tub of diet yoghurt - natural, vanilla or your favourite
• 100g (1 cup) Rolled oats
• 3/4 cup water
• liquid sweetener (or powder) to taste (I used unsweetened natural yoghurt and 20 drops liquid stevia. This is approx 8-10 tsp worth)
• 50g (3 TB) sultanas *
• 1 cup of stewed apples (no sugar)
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• sprinkle cinnamon

Method:
Dissolve gelatine in 3/4 cup boiling water
Add oats and sultanas
Microwave on high for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes to cook oats
Add yoghurt (is OK if still hot) and rest of ingredients and stir
Pour into 3 small or 1 large rectangular tub about 1.5 cm deep and smooth off
Set in fridge overnight
Run a blunt knife around edge to loosen, tap out onto a plate.

This sets quite firm, you could wrap in Gladwrap and eat in hand on-the-go, rather than on a plate. If you want to eat as a 'bar', I suggest you do it about 2cm thick.

On Core, you will need to count the sultanas at 1.5pts for all, or 0.5 pts per serve

Not on Core? The total Points for this is 9, or 3 pts per serve

CORE Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats

Easy 'creamy' overnight Steel Cut Oats made in the Slow Cooker. I converted the slow cooker to a bain marie (water bath) so oats don't get burnt with long cooking time
This recipe reheats well. I make a batch and put in 4 tubs. Note - this is fine in the fridge for 4 days as long as you use fresh milk with at least 6 or 7 days date on it.

If you don't have a slow cooker, click here for conventional 30 min stovetop method

What are Steel cut oats?
Steel cut oats are whole grain groats (the inner portion of the oat kernel) which have been cut into only two or three pieces. Also known as Scotch or Irish oats. They look like a chopped up rice grain. Steel cut oats are different in texture and taste from rolled oats. They are a little chewier, have a nutty flavour and need to be cooked longer (like brown rice compared to white). They also take longer to digest and keep you full a lot longer!

Rolled oats have usually been steamed, rolled and toasted (sometimes more than once), so steel cut is significantly less processed than traditional rolled oats or quick oats.

Steel cut oats are generally not in supermarkets, but cheap from health food shops ($3-ish for 500g) or loose in bulk from grain/organics type places.


Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 cup steel cut oats
• 1 cup non fat milk
• 3 cups water

Optional - *40g dried fruit (1.5pts)

Method:

Find a 6 cup capacity bowl or casserole which will fit in your slow cooker, allowing the lid to seal. (My slowcooker is small, so I used a 1.1L pudding bowl, and did 3/4 cup oats, 1 cup milk, 2 cups water.)
Pour water into the slow cooker bowl until it comes about 3cm below the level of your inner bowl/casserole. This 'water bath' is a super gentle moist cooking cooking method.
Put ingredients into inner bowl, stir and put lid onto slow cooker.
Put on low and go to bed.
In the morning you'll have breakfast ready and it will keep warm with the SC off for some time.

Serve with yor favourite sweetener - Splenda, sugar, honey, maple syup (extra pts)

On Core? If you added fruit, allow 0.5 pts

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe without fruit is 13.5pts, or 3.5pts per serve
Add 0.5 pts per serve for the opional fruit

CORE Filling Oat Pancake

Quick to make. Very filling. Not very pretty :)
Great cold as a breakfast when you're on the go.

Serves: 1

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup quick oats
• 1 egg
• 1 x 140g tub of two fruits
• sprinkle cinnamon

Method:

Mix all together.
Spray a small nonstick frypan with oil (the bread and butter plate size) and heat.
Pour in mix and flatten with spatula.
Cook on medium (eg 3/10) until it starts looking toasted around the edges.
Flip carefully and cook other side until golden brown

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe is 6

CORE Slow Cooker 4 Grain Porridge

Serves: 6-8

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup long grain brown rice
• 1/2 cup steel cut oats
• 1/2 cup burghul
• 1/2 cup pearl barley
• 1 400g tin apricot halves in juice (I didn't drain)
• 4 cups water
• 1 cup Tone milk
• a dash of vanilla essence (about 3 tsp)
• 1 tsp mixed spice

Method:

Spray inside slow cooker bowl with cooking spray.
Throw all in on low at 9.30 pm, off at 7:00 am.

It came out really thick and "creamy". I added about 1/4 cup of milk on top of my serve and some Splenda as I like porridge slightly sloppy rather than like glue LOL

You could use other grains, but keep the proportions the same. I suggest using whole grains or steel cut grains, rather than the rolled type or it might all go to a mushy paste.

If leaving out the fruit, add another cup of fluid (proportion is 1 cup grain to 3 cup fluid, I figured the tinned fruit made up 1 cup).

BTW - the juice from the canned fruit is not technically Core, but was only 1/2 cup juice in the can, or 1 pt between 6-8 serves...

CORE Steel Cut Oats Porridge

I have recently been exposed to steel cut oats and they are fabulous!

What are Steel cut oats?

Steel cut oats are whole grain groats (the inner portion of the oat kernel) which have been cut into only two or three pieces. Also known as Scotch or Irish oats. They look like a chopped up rice grain.

Rolled oats have usually been steamed, rolled and toasted (sometimes more than once), so steel cut is significantly less processed than traditiional rolled oats or quick oats.

Steel cut oats are different in texture and taste from rolled oats. They are a little chewier, have a nutty flavour and need to be cooked longer (like brown rice compared to white). They also take longer to digest and keep you full a lot longer! When I eat Steel cut, no snacks necessary between meals.

Generally not in supermarkets, but cheap from health food shops ($3-ish for 500g) or loose in bulk from grain/organics type places.

This recipe reheats well. I make a batch and put in 4 tubs.
I put 1/4 cup milk on the cold oats and microwave for 2-3 mins.

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy
Time: about 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup steel cut oats (200g)
• 1 TB olive oil (oil is optional, dry toasting works well in non-stick pans)
• 1 tsp mixed spice or cinnamon
• 1 cup nonfat milk
• 3 cups water

Method:
Warm a large non-stick pan with 1 TB olive oil.
Note, if you have a good non-stick pan you can dry toast without the oil (ie a pan which is black inside - eg Circulon, or any of the new post-Teflon breeds)
Add 1 cup steel cut oats and toast for a few minutes (go by smell and colour).
I like to add 1 tsp of mixed spice or cinnamon when toasting.
Then turn down to lowest heat, add 3 cups boiling water, cover and simmer for 20 mins WITHOUT STIRRING (hence the nonstick).
Stir, add 1 cup milk and simmer for another 5-10 mins.
Serve with a splash of nonfat milk and your favourite toppings.

Click here for lots of flavouring ideas

NB - if in a hurry, don't toast, but flavour is greatly improved by this
Not on Core? The total for this recipe is approx 15 points (4 points for serve)

CORE Porridge with 26 Variations

Pictured - Chocolate Porridge topped with Banana

I love porridge, especially in winter - it's warm and filling :) but it can get boring if you have it the same way over and over again.

Here are some great ideas to "jazz up" porridge

Also try: Steel Cut Oats Porridge

Serves: 1

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients - Basic Porridge (Small Serve)

• 1/3 cup (30 g) quick oats
• 1/2 cup nonfat milk
• 1/4 cup water (or extra milk)

Microwave all for 2 mins

Not on Core? Total points = 2.5 pts

Ingredients - Basic Porridge (Medium Serve)

• 1/2 cup (50 g) quick oats
• 3/4 cup nonfat milk
• 1/4 cup water (or extra milk)

Microwave all for 2 1/2 mins

Not on Core? Total points = 4 pts

Not a microwave fan?
Cook on stovetop for 5-10 mins in a non-stick pan, stirring frequently.
Apparently cooks nicely in an electric rice cooker while you shower / run

Flavour with:

• pinch of nutmeg, cinnamon or mixed spice
• a few drops of vanilla essense (or another flavour)
• artificial sweetener (eg Splenda)
• some people add a pinch of salt prior to cooking

Variations:

Core - NonCore variations are marked by a * with a notation about additional points

Points - for simplicity, Core variations do not have points marked. Most are 0.5 - 1 point on top of basic recipe

1. Chocolate Porridge
   Add 1 TB of cocoa, sweetener to taste. Optional - top with a banana
   


2. Berry Porridge
   Add 1/4 cup of frozen berries, increase time by 30 secs
   


3. Seasonal Berry Porridge
   Top with 1/4 punnet chopped seasonal berries (strawberries, blueberries etc)
   


4. Apple or Pear Porridge
   Add a snack pack of apple or pears and a sprinkle of cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla, omit 1/4 cup water, increase time by 30 secs (eg Goulburn Valley 110g tubs/cans)
   


5. Apple II Porridge - by EKKO63
   Add finely chopped small appleand add a sprinkle of cinnamon, increase time by 30 secs
   * If I'm feeling the need, I add 1/2 tsp of brown sugar - you get 2 tspns for 0.5 pts so you get 4 days for 0.5 pts at that rate.
   


6. Porridge with Brown Sugar *
   Top with 1 tsp brown sugar (0.5 pts)
   


7. Maple Porridge
   Drizzle 2 TB sugar free maple on top (0 pts for 2 TB, 0.5pts for 70ml)
   


8. Honey Porridge *
   Drizzle 3 tsp honey on top (0.5 points)
   


9. Caramel Porridge - by CAFFY24
   Add 2 TB diet caramel topping (0 pts)
   


10. Banana Caramel Porridge
    Top with 2 TB diet caramel topping (0 pts) and a sliced banana, or add at start and increase time by 30 secs
    


11. Peach or Apricot Porridge
    Add a snack pack of peach or apricot and a sprinkle of cinnamon, omit 1/4 cup water, increase time by 30 secs (eg Goulburn Valley 110g tubs/cans)
    


12. Sultana Porridge *
    Add 2 TB sultanas (30 g = 1 pt), a sprinkle of mixed spice, increase time by 30 secs
    


13. Banana Porridge
    Top with a sliced banana and sweetener or sugar free maple (or add banana at start and add 30 secs)
    


14. Hawaiian Porridge
    Add 2 pineapple rings in juice, or 100-150g pineapple pieces, 1/2 tsp coconut essense, increase time by 30 secs
    


15. Stewed Fruit Porridge
    Add 1/2 cup stewed fruit (plum, apple, peach, apricot, pear etc) omit 1/4 cup water, increase time by 30 secs
    


16. Passionfruit Porridge
    Top with pulp of 1 or 2 passionfruit (or the 100% fruit passionfruit topping)
    


17. Carrot and Pineapple Porridge
    Add 1 grated carrot, 100-150g pineapple pieces, sprinkle mixed spice, increase time by 30 secs
    


18. Porridge in a Jam *
    Add 1 TB of sugar free jam on top and swirl through (WW Jams are 0.5pts for 1TB)
    


19. Date Porridge - by LISAJ130
    Lisa's avourite is adding a couple of dates cut up in her porridge.
    Fresh dates are Core, dried are not (3 dried dates = 0.5 pts)
    


20. Nutty Porridge * - by KAZFROMTAS
    Add some chopped walnuts (10 g = 1 point)
    or pecan (6 for 1 pt), almond (6 tsp TB flakes or 8 nuts = 1 pt), cashew (4 for 1 pt)
    


21. Fruit Salad & Yoghurt Porridge
    Top with a big dollop of nonfat vanilla yoghurt and tinned or fresh fruit salad
    


22. Warm Fruit Salad Porridge
    Add 1/4 of a 400g tin of fruit salad at start, making sure there is at least 1 cherry and grape, increase time by 30 secs
    


23. "Tipsy" Fruit Cake Porridge *
    Add 2 TB sugar free maple (0), 1/2 tsp brandy essence (0), 2 TB sultanas (30 g = 1 pt), a sprinkle of mixed spice, 1/4 tsp grated orange/lemon peel (0) or 2 TB mixed peel (0.5 pts) and increase time by 30 secs
    


24. Pear Extract Porridge * - Elaine
    Elaine's favourite is Melrose's Pear Juice extract, which gives a sweet tang to the porridge. (add points)
    


25. Porridge with Apple Sauce *
    Top with 3 or 4 TB apple sauce (0.5 pt), a pinch of cinnamon and swirl through. Sugar free apple sauce is available
    
    
26. Porridge with Peanut Butter * - Maigan
    Maigan stirs 2 tsp of peanut butter (1.5pts) through her porridge and say it makes it more filling and creamy
    


27. Your idea here
    email your porridge variation to dazeydee@adam.com.au
    

Other oats for brekkie ideas:

• Bircher Muesli (fridge porridge)
• Apricot and Pineapple Cake / Muffins
• Berry Pancake
• Oats and Yoghurt Slice
  

CORE Farmhouse Beef and Veg Stew

Serves: 16-20 cups

Difficulty: Easy

Method:

Make Farmhouse Beef and Veg Soup.

Add 1 1/2 cups rolled oats and simmer 10 mins. Stir so it doesn't catch on the bottom

Not on Core? The total for this recipe as stew is 32 points

Core Apricot and Pineapple Cake / Muffins

Serves: 12+
This mix makes enough for :

1 x 20cm square/round tin or
1 loaf tin and 6 American muffins (the 1 cup type) or
12 large American muffins
24+ regular muffins

These keep well in the fridge, as the fruit keeps them lovely and moist. 30 - 45 secs in the microwave and brekkie is ready.
I double bagged the muffins in freezer bags as rough edges of the oats can snag the cheap freezer bags (OK, it was a medium bag, twisted, pulled back over and tied - for some reason I can't buy homebrand small freezer bags and mediums are cheaper than the small namebrands?!?)
Also freezes well - thaw on bench for an hour or 2, or microwave on LOW or DEFROST (high setting will make the fruit too hot and you might burn yourself)

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 200g oats
• 200g All bran
• 1 x 410 g tin apricots in juice
• 1 225 g tin pineapple pieces in juice
• 1 3/4 cups skim milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 TB baking powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 TB vanilla essence
• sweetener, equivalent of 1/4 cup sugar

Method:
In a large bowl, combine the oats, All bran, milk and juice from the cans and leave to sit for 20 mins to soak
Meanwhile, turn on the oven to preheat at 180*C and cut the fruit pieces into quarters
Add the eggs to the bran/oats mix and stir with a wooden spoon, then add other ingredients.
Spoon mix into oiled tin(s)
Cook at 180*C for approx:
35 mins for muffins
45 min for loaf
50-60 mins for large tin

Two "are they ready" tests - (1) stick a skewer/toothpick in, should come out clean (2) if you press gently on the top with your finger, it should bounce back.

Not on Core? The entire recipe is worth 30 points (1 "serve" = 2.5 pts)

CORE Oats and Yoghurt Slice

This is similar to those yoghurt slices - Alaskan Slice??

Serves: 2 for breakfast or dessert

Difficulty: Easy

Alternatives: Mix up your flavours. I used peach and apricot because that's what I had.
Try raspberry jelly and strawberry yoghurt, melon jelly and vanilla yoghurt, port wine and vanilla yoghurt, orange-mango jelly with mango yoghurt, lemon jelly and vanilla yoghurt (it's "almost" a lemon cheesecake)
I don't recommend lime - bright green is so wrong if you are out of junior primary school!

Ingredients:

• 1 peach apricot diet jelly sachet
• 1 x 175g tub Yoplait Forme Apricot (or 3/4 cup of Core yoghurt)
• 75g Rolled oats
• 1 cup water
• liquid sweetener (or powder), equiv 2tsp sugar

Method:

Dissolve jelly in 1 cup boiling water
Add oats and sweetener
Microwave on high for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes to cook oats
Add yoghurt (is OK if still hot) and stir
Pour into a rectangular tub.
Set in fridge overnight
Run a blunt knife around edge to loosen, tap out onto a plate.
Cut in half and eat.

This sets quite firm, you could wrap in Gladwrap and eat in hand, rather than on a plate

Not on Core? The total Points for this is 5, or 2.5 per serve

CORE Berry Pancake

Serves: 1 for breakfast
This is a very filling breakfast, the equivalent of a big bowl of porrige for brekkie

You could make in egg rings as a dessert and serve with low fat ice cream (points)
NB - Cereal is limited to once per day. If you've already eaten cereal, you'll need to count the oats

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 egg
• rolled oats or quick oats - 1 x 34g sachet or 1/3 cup
• 1/2 cup diet berry fizzy (I use DietRite Cranberry Boysenberry) or 100ml diet lemonade and 25ml diet cordial (maybe a splash of the diet Ribena?)
• 1/3 cup frozen berries
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1tsp olive oil
• 100g Yoplait Forme Vanilla to serve

Method:

Mix egg, soft drink, baking powder and oats with a stab mixer.
Add the berries, still frozen, reserving a spoonful or 2.
Mix with Spoon - do not blend the berries!
Put pancake mixture in fridge overnight, same for remaining berries.

In the morning:
Heat a small nonstick skillet to medium high, add the oil and turn back to medium.
(I use a skillet about the size of my hand with the fingers spread)
Stir the pancake mixture and pour in
NB - these are moist pancakes (not stodgy) and take longer to cook than normal pancakes. The batter is also "heavier", so turning them too early will break them.
It's time to turn when there is a 2cm "ring" around the outside, and when you tilt the pan, the batter moves very little. (You'll see what I mean)
Use a wide egg flip, slide it gently under to make sure it's not caught, then flip quickly and cook the other side. It will not take as much time as the first which cooks about 75%. Second side will also not be as brown.
Serve onto a plate, add the reserved berries (including the berry juice), 1/2 tub vanilla yoghurt.

Optional - sprinkle with artificial sweetener (1 tsp equivalent) to tone down the tartness of the berries

Feedback from Almost Hubby:
"Mmmmm.....doesn't taste like diet food. You could feed this to my nephew [9 years old] and he'd love it."

Not on Core? The total Points for this is 5

This recipe is based on a lemonade pancake recipe posted by MTHERESEN

CORE Bircher Muesli

Serves: 3-4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 100 g rolled oats
• 200 g non fat flavoured yoghurt (I use Yoplait ForMe)
• 1 cup nonfat milk
• fruit - frozen berries, fresh, stewed or canned fruit

Optional - add sweetner to equivilent of 3 tsp (or sprinkle the spoon-for-spoon type over top when serving)

Method:

Mix all except fruit together in a airtight plastic container and put in fridge overnight. (If using timmed fruit, can mix through)
Serve into bowls and top with fruit.

Not on Core? The total of this recipe is 9 points