A DELICIOUS LATIN AMERICAN FRUIT AND OAT "SMOOTHIE"

Pineapple and Oat breakfast drink

Oddly enough, oatmeal is a staple in many Latin American and Caribbean households, and it is used, most interestingly, in wonderful, cheap, healthful hot and cold beverages. I came across this concept while researching Peruvian breakfast foods for my last post. These cinnamon-flavored oat-and-/milk or oat-and fruit drinks are variously called Avena or Cuaquer (Spanish translation of  "Quaker", for the oats!), Jugo de Avena, Chicha de Avena, Atole de Avena, Colada de Avena, and Avena Caliente, depending on which country of origin. ("Avena" means oatmeal, BTW.)

It is so popular that there is a packaged version (actually several versions) called "Avena", made by Alpina, a South American company.  You can read comments about it here, but I can't find out whether it it has milk in it or not.  If anyone knows, please let me know! (There are also other brands of similar drink mixes.)

Some recipes call simply for oatmeal, a sweetener, milk and/or cream, water, and cinnamon; others contain fruit.  Some are served hot, others cold.  I was intrigued by the idea of a simple drink thickened by grain, so I just had to try it.  I made a cold smoothie-type concoction with canned pineapple, which is what I had in the house.  We love it!  I plan to experiment with other fruits and combinations of fruits (mango, papaya, banana, passion fruit, even North American fruits and berries), as well as the non-fruit version.  Similar drinks are also made with corn or masa flour, barley, and quinoa, so I have lots of experimenting to do.  I'll post future results and recipes as I go!

Do give this a try!  It is refreshing and delicious.  Below is my original recipe, which you can fortify with soy or hemp protein powder, if you wish, and then, below that,  another version made with more nondairy milk, so that it it makes a protein-rich breakfast drink or snack without adding protein powder.

Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S VEGAN PINEAPPLE AVENA (OR CUAQUER)-- LATIN-AMERICAN-STYLE OAT “SMOOTHIE” (Version #1)
Servings: 4

Use soy or hemp milk for a decent protein count. Other nondairy milks are very low in protein.  I have listed the nutrition facts for all of the variations based on the options given in the recipe.

NOTE: You need to make this ahead of time and chill it.

1/2 cup rolled oats (regular or quick)
2 cups water
1 cup soymilk or hemp milk
19 oz can unsweetened pineapple chunks with juice (you could also use about 2 cups of fresh pineapple chunks)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 tablespoons agave nectar or organic sugar
OPTIONAL:
1 oz. soy protein powder or hemp protein powder

You can cook the oats in the water in a small pot, turning the heat down when it boils and cooking it until it is thick and bubbly. I used the microwave oven-- place the oats and water (or non-dairy milk) in a 2 qt. microwave-save bowl (to avoid boil-overs) and cook on high 2 minutes, then 50% power for 3 minutes. Let it cool a bit.

Scoop the oatmeal into a blender with the rest of the ingredients. Blend until completely smooth. Taste for sweetener. Pour into a pitcher and refrigerate.

Nutrition Facts (These Nutrition Facts were calculated using 1 cup soymilk and 1 1/2 tablespoons of agave nectar, WITHOUT the optional protein powder.)
Nutrition (per serving): 150.4 calories; 9% calories from fat; 1.6g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 36.9mg sodium; 237.6mg potassium; 32.1g carbohydrates; 1.6g fiber; 23.9g sugar; 30.5g net carbs; 3.5g protein; 2.8 points.

NUTRITION FACTS FOR VARIATIONS:

If you use the same amount of sugar instead of agave, they are as follows:
159.7 calories; 8% calories from fat; 1.6g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 36.9mg sodium; 237.7mg potassium; 34.0g carbohydrates; 1.6g fiber; 25.8g sugar; 32.4g net carbs; 3.5g protein; 3.0 points.

If you use soymilk and agave, and add the optional soy protein powder, they are as follows:
174.3 calories; 9% calories from fat; 1.9g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 108.1mg sodium; 243.3mg potassium; 32.6g carbohydrates; 2.0g fiber; 23.9g sugar; 30.6g net carbs; 9.2g protein; 3.2 points.

If you use soymilk and agave and add the optional hemp protein powder, they are as follows:
182.0 calories; 14% calories from fat; 3.1g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 40.4mg sodium; 237.6mg potassium; 33.3g carbohydrates; 2.5g fiber; 24.1g sugar; 30.7g net carbs; 7.1g protein; 3.4 points.

If you use hemp milk and agave, and NO protein powder, they are are as follows:
160.1 calories; 13% calories from fat; 2.5g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 28.1mg sodium; 237.6mg potassium; 32.3g carbohydrates; 1.8g fiber; 24.7g sugar; 30.4g net carbs; 3.4g protein; 3.0 points.

If you use hemp milk and the same amount of sugar instead of agave, and NO protein powder, they are as follows:
169.4 calories; 13% calories from fat; 2.5g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 28.1mg sodium; 237.7mg potassium; 34.2g carbohydrates; 1.8g fiber; 26.6g sugar; 32.4g net carbs; 3.4g protein; 3.2 points.

If you use hemp milk and agave, and the optional hemp protein powder, they are as follows:
191.8 calories; 18% calories from fat; 3.9g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 31.7mg sodium; 237.6mg potassium; 33.5g carbohydrates; 2.8g fiber; 24.9g sugar; 30.7g net carbs; 6.9g protein; 3.6 points.

If you use hemp milk and agave and use hemp protein powder with extra fiber, they are as follows:
190.1 calories; 15% calories from fat; 3.2g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 30.5mg sodium; 237.6mg potassium; 35.6g carbohydrates; 5.2g fiber; 24.7g sugar; 30.4g net carbs; 6.0g protein; 3.3 points.




Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S SOY OR HEMP/PINEAPPLE AVENA (OR CUAQUER)-- LATIN AMERICAN OAT SMOOTHIE (Version #2)
Servings: 4

This is a higher-protein version of my original one, without adding protein powder. Soy and hemp milks contain considerably more protein than other non-dairy milks. NOTE: You need to make this ahead of time and chill it.

1/2 cup rolled oats
2 cups soymilk or hemp milk
1 cup soymilk or hemp milk
19 oz can unsweetened pineapple chunks with juice (or about 2 cups of fresh pineapple chunks)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 tablespoons agave nectar or organic sugar

You can cook the oats in the 2 cups soy or hemp milk in a small pot, turning the heat down when it boils and cooking it until it is thick and bubbly. I used the microwave oven-- place the oats and soy or hemp milk in a 2 qt. microwave-save bowl (to avoid boil-overs) and cook on high 2 minutes, then 50% power for 3 minutes. Let it cool a bit.

Scoop the oatmeal into a blender with the rest of the ingredients. Blend until completely smooth. Taste for sweetener. Pour into a pitcher and refrigerate.

Nutrition Facts (Nutrition Facts were calculated using soymilk and agave nectar.) Nutrition (per serving): 185.9 calories; 15% calories from fat; 3.4g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 99.5mg sodium; 237.6mg potassium; 35.1g carbohydrates; 1.6g fiber; 25.4g sugar; 33.5g net carbs; 6.3g protein; 3.7 points.

NUTRITION FACTS FOR VARIATIONS:

If you use agave and hemp milk, they are as follows: 
215.1 calories; 24% calories from fat; 6.0g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 73.3mg sodium; 237.6mg potassium; 35.8g carbohydrates; 2.3g fiber; 27.7g sugar; 33.4g net carbs; 5.9g protein; 4.3 points..

If you use soymilk and sugar, they are as follows:
195.2 calories; 14% calories from fat; 3.4g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 99.5mg sodium; 237.7mg potassium; 37.0g carbohydrates; 1.6g fiber; 27.3g sugar; 35.4g net carbs; 6.3g protein; 3.9 points

If you use hemp milk and sugar, they are as follows:
224.4 calories; 23% calories from fat; 6.0g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 73.3mg sodium; 237.7mg potassium; 37.7g carbohydrates; 2.3g fiber; 29.6g sugar; 35.4g net carbs; 5.9g protein; 4.5 points.

Enjoy!