We all know that we should be eating our five a day, cutting back on fat and drinking more water but sometimes it all seems just too much effort.  To make things easy, Oatly oat drinks have got together with cookery expert Lorna Rhodes to give you 14 simple and delicious ways to help you and your family eat healthy meals without giving up on your favourite recipes.
 
"Nature has given us a range of delicious foods which not only taste good but are good for us as well: so all we need to do is make sure that we eat enough different foods and swap some of the more calorie laden choices for healthier options.  Oatly is a healthy and tasty alternative to milk and soya.  Free from added sugar and low in saturated fat, it contains oat fibre which, when eaten as part of a healthy diet, can help lower your cholesterol levels.  Try these ideas for a couple of weeks and see if anyone notices the difference apart from to their waistband and general health" explains Lorna.
 
¨      Giving up sugary drinks and junk food will reduce the risk of becoming obese.  While drinking plenty of water is always a good thing, why not try whizzing up a delicious Oatly raspberry and banana smoothie when you need a snack: all the benefits of fruit and the oats in Oatly will help stabilise your blood sugar and keep you feeling full.
¨      When making a sauce, instead of using butter and flour, or eggs and cream to thicken, use pureed vegetables instead.  Not only will you be adding extra vitamins and fibre, but also a great way to sneak in extra vegetables for children’s meals.  Choose vegetables such as cauliflower, potato or carrot to brighten up a dish.
¨      Swap a 50g bowl of crunchy nut cereal for a 65g bowl of sugar free muesli, and with Oatly and chopped banana it will become a better balanced breakfast. By making your morning porridge with Oatly oat drink, you’ll get a double dose of cholesterol lowering oats in one bowlful.
¨      Try to eat more pulses, dried or canned beans are an excellent source of protein as well as soluble and insoluble fibre.  They can easy replace half or all the meat in many dishes such as shepherd’s pie or chilli. And being low in total fat, they contain no saturated fat or cholesterol.  Check out Indian and Mediterranean recipes which make the best use of pulses.
¨      Satisfy your chocolate cravings without ruining your diet with a glass of Oatly Chocolate.  It contains only 55 kcal per 100ml.
¨      Cut down on salt in food preparation and add extra flavour with onions, shallots, garlic, wine, dried or fresh herbs or spices.  Avoid ready made sauces which are often high in salt and sugar.
¨      Grab a delicious soup made from Oatly for lunch: a simple way to get soluble fibre into your daily diet without having to chew for hours. Oatly contains dietary fibre, betaglucanes, which helps keep the gastrointestinal tract in tip-top condition. Remember that rice and soya milk don't contain dietary fibre.
¨      Baked potatoes are a great filling and healthy food to eat, but top with beans and a large salad, instead of having one with cheese and butter, not only saving calories but a whole lot of saturated fat.
¨      To beat snack attacks, keep a bowl of prepared fruit and vegetables in the fridge to grab any time you feel like reaching for the biscuits or crisps.
¨      Enjoy a creamy pasta sauce for dinner without overloading on the calories:  Oatly Dairy-Free Alternative to Cream contains just 150kcal per 100g compared to 445kcal per 100g for double cream.
¨      Did you know that three tablespoons of hummus contains 168 calories? Save 100 calories by eating 20 olives instead.
¨      A great way to cut down on oil in home-made salad dressings is to substitute one-third of the oil with wine, tomato juice or orange juice.
¨      When making desserts such as rice pudding or custard, add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg, or vanilla extract, and the dish will taste sweeter without adding extra sugar.
¨      Nibble on an Oatly apple and cranberry muffin for tea: a treat which won’t burst the waistband.
 
Try these delicious recipes from Oatly:
 
PEA SOUP WITH CRAYFISH TAILS
Serves four.
Ingredients:
500 ml water
500 ml Oatly Oat Drink (Enriched or Organic)
2 chicken or vegetable stock cubes
600 g frozen peas
Salt and pepper
Creamed horseradish to taste (optional)
 Approx 200 g crayfish tails or prawns (cooked)
Instructions:
1. Bring the water and Oatly Oat Drink to the boil, and then add the stock cubes.
2. Add the peas and let them cook for around 5 minutes until they are soft.
3. Blend the mixture (or press the peas through a sieve).
4. Season with salt, pepper and, if you wish, the creamed horseradish to taste.
5. Pour into a dish and top with the prawns or crayfish tails.
 
BERRIES WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE SAUCE
 
Serves four.
 
Ingredients:
 
250 ml Oatly Dairy-Free Alternative to Cream
100 g white chocolate
300 g frozen berries eg strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries etc.
 
Instructions:
 
1. Gently heat the Oatly Dairy-Free Alternative to Cream.
2. Chop the chocolate into small pieces and add to the Oatly. Stir until the chocolate has melted.
3. Divide the frozen berries in four bowls or glasses. Spoon the hot sauce over the berries and serve immediately.
 
 
Oatly oat drinks come in four varieties (Oatly Chocolate, Oatly Enriched, Oatly Organic and Oatly Dairy-Free Alternative to Cream) and are lactose, milk protein and soya free so they’re great for anyone who suffers from milk protein allergy, lactose intolerance and/or an allergy to soya.
But you don’t have to have a food intolerance or allergy to enjoy the great taste and health benefits of Oatly.  Oatly is high in fibre, low in saturated fat and is cholesterol lowering:  just one 250ml glass of Oatly provides a third (1g) of the daily requirement of beta-glucans (soluble fibre) for cholesterol reduction.
Available from Waitrose, selected Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Morrisons and ASDA stores as well as Holland & Barrett and independent health stores, Oatly Organic and Oatly Enriched cost £1.39  for a 1 litre pack, Oatly Chocolate is £1.49 for a 1 litre pack and Oatly Dairy-Free Alternative to Cream is 79p for a 250ml pack. Oatly stays fresh for 4-5 days in the refrigerator after opening.
 
Further information about Oatly and more recipes can be found at www.oatly.com.