For staying fit, healthy eating is a hard-and-fast principle one needs to adhere to without fail. However, eating right does not mean you can’t make room for taste.

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MasterChef Pankaj's take on oats recipes is both easy to make and healthy.MasterChef Pankaj’s take on oats recipes is both easy to make and healthy.

Among the many ingredients that fall into a mindful diet, oats have become a household staple as a go-to healthy food primarily because they are a complex carbohydrate packed with essentials like fibre and protein. Since carbs form the base of most meals, choosing the right ones is very important.

Consistency is critical when it comes to diet. To eat right, you also need to make it accessible and doable, in other words, less complicated. Another concern with health-friendly ingredients is the assumption that they are low on taste. But when you prepare them well, they can be just as delicious.

Circling back to oats again, have you ever found that a tad bit too bland? The secret lies in how you make them! We asked MasterChef Pankaj Bhadouria for tips on making oats tastier and easy to incorporate into a daily routine.

Chef Pankaj, too, believes that the blandness you taste in oasts is not a flaw, but rather a product of the preparation. She said,“If oats have ever felt plain, you are probably just one small tweak away from enjoying them. Treat oats like you would your everyday meals, and you will see how easily they fit into your kitchen.”

The first step towards healthy eating begins with a mindset shift, where you don’t see healthy ingredients as a health food obligation, something you are stuck with forever. But when you realise you can experiement, endless possibilities open up for you. Oats are generally labelled as a breakfast staple, usually appearing in watery breakfast bowls. But with the right culinary approach, oats can be made fun, flavourful and tasty.

Speaking about how oats fit perfectly into Indian savoury meals, the chef remarked, “Oats work beautifully with Indian tempering. Once you add mustard seeds, curry leaves, and spices, they stop feeling bland and start feeling familiar.” It is high time you challenge the conditioning of oats being seen only as a sweet dish.

The traditional Indian upma can also be easily made with oats. Likewise, the oats cheela, Pankaj observed that the batter with the addition of oats feels more effortless, while flavours can be adjusted as per need.

Moving away from breakfast, oats also work in the snacks category. Chef Pankaj recommended adding them to veggie cutlets. “When oats are combined with vegetables and spices, they take on a completely new personality. It becomes a snack everyone enjoys,” she added.

Those who enjoy sweet treats and, in general, prefer sweeter taste notes, oats have something for them too! Chef Pankaj revealed cosy, sweet dishes can be cooked with oats, especially with warm spices like cardamom and fresh fruits.

Here are the 5 unique oats recipes Chef Pankaj shared with HT Lifestyle, along with her special hack for each to take the taste a notch up:

1. Masala oats upmaIngredients1 cup oats1 tbsp oil1 tsp mustard seeds1 onion, chopped1 tomato, chopped1 cup mixed vegetables1 green chilliSalt to taste2 cups waterCurry leaves and coriander.MethodDry roast oats and keep aside.Heat oil, add mustard seeds, curry leaves, and chilli.Add onions, then tomatoes and vegetables.Pour water, add salt, and bring to a boil.Add oats and cook till soft.Chef’s special hackAdd a squeeze of lemon at the end.Lifts the flavour and balances the spices.2. Oats cheelaIngredients1 cup powdered oats½ cup curdWater as neededChopped onion, capsicum, and corianderSalt and spicesMethod:Mix into a smooth batter.Spread on a hot pan like a pancake and cook both sides till golden.Chef’s special hackLet the batter rest for 5 to 10 minutes before cooking.Improves texture and makes the cheela softer.3. Oats vegetable cutletsIngredients:1 cup oats2 boiled potatoes1 cup of vegetables1 tsp garam masalaSaltMethod:Mix everything in a bowlShape into cutletsCook in a pan till crisp.Chef’s special hack:Chill the mixture for 10 minutes before shaping.It helps the cutlets hold better and crisp evenly.4. Banana oats porridgeIngredients:1 cup oats2 cups milk1 bananaJaggery or honeyCardamomMethod:Cook oats in milk till creamy.Add banana, sweetener, and cardamom.Mix and serve warm.Chef’s special hackMash the banana well before adding.It blends smoothly and gives natural sweetness without extra sugar.5. Oats khichdiIngredients1 cup oats½ cup moong dal1 tsp cumin seeds1 cup of vegetablesTurmericSalt3 cups waterMethod:Cook dal and vegetables with spices.Add oats and cook till soft and slightly creamy.Chef’s special hack:Finish with a spoonful of ghee.Enhances aroma and gives the dish a rich, comforting finish.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.