An Asian inspired porridge and a delicious raspberry and toffee apple cheesecake have claimed the top prizes in this year's Flahavan's Challenge. This is the second year of the annual Flahavan's recipe Challenge where both winners will receive €1,500 each for their chosen dishes. The two runners up will receive €500.

Lynn McDonald from Dublin won the Perfect Porridge category award for her flavoursome Asian inspired "Pick me up" Perfect Porridge. Speaking about her recipe, Lynn said, "It is high in vitamin C, anti-oxidants and fibre and has a lovely fruity, sweet and creamy taste. So it benefits the health, body and mind."

The award for the best Oat Combo dish (best use of oats) went to Stephen Walsh from Wicklow for his stylish recipe- Flahavan's Oat, Toffee Apple and Raspberry Cheese Cake served with Oat Crunch Wafers. Stephen is delighted to have been chosen as a winner, saying; "I am thrilled my sweet dish has won the award."

The runners-up are Hester Casey also from Wicklow for her Bountiful Baked Porridge and Kevin MacNamidhe from Meath for his Flahavan's Oat Crusted Spicy Salmon with fennel salsa.

PERFECT PORRIDGE CATEGORY WINNER

Asian inspired "Pick me up" Perfect Porridge
This porridge is something special. It is high in vitamin C, anti –oxidants and fibre. It tastes sweet, fruity and creamy and is a perfect ‘Pick Me Up' treat that benefits the body and mind.

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 1 cup Flahavans Porridge oats with 20% added Bran
• Pinch of salt
• Tiny piece of ghee (or real butter)
• ½ cup low fat milk
• ½ cup single cream
• 10 cardamom pods
• Small pinch saffron
• 1 tsp. lightly toasted almonds
• 1 vanilla pod
• Pinch of ginger
• 1 tbsp soft brown sugar
• 1 tsp. cashew nuts
• 1 tsp. chopped pistachio nuts
• 1 tbsp. dried cranberries
• 1 tbsp. organic manuka honey
• 1 mango

To prepare the Mango Coulis: 1 Mango, ½ vanilla pod, drop water, all pureed and reduced over a medium heat and passed through a sieve.

To prepare Cranberry Coulis: handful cranberries, drop water and honey to taste all pureed and reduced over a medium heat and passed through a sieve.

Note: Ideally the nuts and coulis can be prepared well in advance therefore reducing the cooking time and ensuring it's a quick and easy bowl of nutrition.

1. Melt the ghee/butter. Place nuts separately on a baking tray, and drizzle the melted butter over the nuts. Sprinkle a small amount of the brown sugar over the buttered nuts and place in the oven for 10 minutes at 180 degrees celcious (or until golden and caramelised).
2. Place the milk, cream, vanilla, cardamom, saffron and ginger into a saucepan and gently heat to infuse the spices. When a gentle simmer is achieved, take off heat and sieve before setting aside.
3. Add honey to milk mixture to taste.
4. Place the oats in a pot and pour over the spiced liquid. Cook for approximately 10-15minutes or until cooked to preference.
5. Remove nuts and chop roughly (keep types separate)
6. Begin layering dish using a tall glass. Cranberry coulis and dried cranberries first-then the almonds-the porridge mix-next the mango coulis followed by the cashew nuts. Then more porridge and pistachio nuts. This is repeated until the dish is full.
7. I like to top it off with a mixture of nuts and a drizzle of the coulis.
8. Serve warm.

OAT COMBO CATEGORY WINNER

Flahavan's Oat, Toffee Apple and Raspberry Cheese Cake Served with Oat Crunch Wafers

The base of this cheese- cake is a half digestive half-oat mix. The melted butter and caramelised sugar gives the oats an extra crunch. The topping is a basic raspberry mix with the toffee apple surprise contained in the centre for an added surprise. The oat wafers are a sweet and crunchy addition to the dessert.

Serves: 8

Ingredients

Oat Wafers

• 3 oz Flahavan's Progress Oatlets
• 2 oz butter
• 1 tbsp. honey

• 4 oz (100g) Flahavan's Progress Oatlets
• 4oz (100g) digestive biscuits (Crumbed)
• 4 oz (100g) butter (melted)
• 1 tbsp. honey

• 2 medium sized Bramley apples
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 oz (50g) butter

• 8 oz (200g) cream cheese
• 100ml whipping cream
• 4 leaves of gelatine
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• 8 oz (200g) raspberries (plus extra for decoration and Coulis Mix)
• Vanilla Extract

• 2 oz (50g) Raspberries
• 1 tbsp. Water
• 1 tsp. Honey

Oat Wafers

1. Melt the butter, add the oat flakes and honey, mix well and spread thinly onto a lined baking tray. Bake at 180'C for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown

1. Crush the oats and digestive biscuits and add to melted butter and mix well.
2. Fill your individual tian rings (8) with the base mixture ensuring you press the mixture down well and leave in fridge to set and cool.

• In a pan melt the butter, add the sliced apple and simmer until it starts to caramelise, then add brown sugar to taste.

1. Place gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 minutes to soften
2. Whip the Cream, Icing Sugar, and vanilla extract to stiff peaks before folding in the cream cheese and raspberries(keeping back a few for decoration)
3. After squeezing out any excess water place the gelatine in a pot of cold water and add ½ pint of boiling water to dissolve completely. Wait until it has reached a syrup stage and allow to cool. Then add to the filling mixture.
4. Remove the cake bases and spoon a small amount of the cheese filling mixture to each. Top with toffee apple and spoon over more of the filling mixture until the rings are completely covered. Allow to set in the fridge
5. Decorate with reserved raspberries and cut the oat wafers to desired shape and serve with raspberry coulis.

1. Make the raspberry coulis by pureeing 50g raspberries with 1 tablespoon of water and 1 teaspoon of honey.

RUNNER UP PERFECT PORRIDGE CATEGORY

Bountiful Baked Porridge

A winner with kids and adults alike, this lip-smacking baked porridge takes about 3 minutes to prepare, then you can put it in the oven and forget about it until ready to serve.

Serves: 2

• 50g Flahavan's Progress Oatlets
• 25g desiccated coconut
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 25g sultanas
• 25g dried, ready-to-eat apricots, chopped
• 25g honey
• 25g walnuts, chopped

• 1 egg, beaten
• 150mls apple juice
• 50mls milk
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla essence

• Preheat the oven to 170 °C (fan)
• Place the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl, add the wet ingredients, mixing well
• Pour into a small baking dish (approximately 14cm x 14cm & 4cm deep) and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown on top.
• Serve immediately with cold milk, Greek yoghurt or cream for a decadent breakfast or brunch-perfect every time!

RUNNER UP OAT COMBO CATEGORY

Flahavan's Oat Crusted Spicy Salmon with Fennel Salsa

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. margarine, melted
• 2 tsp. chilli powder
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. garlic granules
• ¾ tsp.salt
• 175g Flahavan's Quick Oats, uncooked
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tbsp. water
• 4 salmon fillets-approximately 4cm thick
• 1 tbsp. Chopped Coriander

• 1 large fennel bulb, diced
• 1 avocado-peeled, pitted and diced
• ½ red onion, chopped
• 90g assorted peppers, finely diced (red, yellow and green)
• 3 tbsp. coriander, chopped
• 2 tbsp. Irish honey
• 3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat the oven to 190 ° C /375 ° F. In a flat, shallow dish, stir together the olive oil, melted margarine, chilli powder, cumin, garlic, coriander and salt.
2. Add the Flahavan's Quick Oats, stirring until evenly moistened. In a second flat, shallow dish, beat the egg and water with fork until frothy.
3. Dip the salmon fillets into combined egg and water and then coat completely in seasoned oats. Place the salmon fillets on a foil-lined baking sheet. Place any extra oat mixture onto top of salmon.
4. Bake for 20 minutes or until the salmon fillets are cooked through and oat coating is golden.

While the salmon fillets are cooking, combine the fennel, avocado, red onion, peppers, coriander, honey, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a bowl. Allow the mixture to sit for 15 minutes before serving.