Celebrating a Decade of Oat-Based Culinary Innovation in Mexico

Since 2014, Emerging ag has been supporting the Prairie Oats Growers Association’s (POGA) engagement in Mexico by proudly hosting annual recipe contests, rewarding talented Mexican cooks for their exceptional oat-based creations. Over the years, we’ve been thrilled to receive more than 550 creative recipes, many of which are showcased on the website, Avena Canadiense. Each year, the enthusiasm and culinary brilliance displayed by participants continue to inspire us.

Introducing New Categories 

This year we introduced new contest categories, which were met with tremendous excitement and participation. The five categories for the contest were: 

• Inspired by Mexican Cuisine 
• Vegetarian and Gluten-Free 
• Oats and Diabetes (inspired by our fruitful collaboration with the Mexican Diabetes Federation) 
• Creative 
• Oat Champions (giving past winners another chance to shine) 

The response was overwhelming, with a diverse array of inspired recipes that made the selection process incredibly challenging for our panel of judges. The high quality and creativity of the submissions truly stood out. 

Showcasing Our Winners

The 13 winners of this year’s contest will have their recipes professionally photographed and promoted across the platforms we have setup for POGA, including the Avena Canadiense website, Instagram, YouTube, and the Facebook page, which boasts over 430,000 followers and up to 2.5 million impressions per month. This exposure is not only a reward for our winners but also a source of culinary inspiration for our entire community. 

One of the most exciting aspects of this contest is witnessing how oats are being seamlessly integrated into Mexican cuisine. The winning recipes beautifully blend traditional and contemporary culinary practices, and we are excited to share these innovative dishes with all of you. 

Embracing Mexican Food Culture 

We’ve always admired the rich and diverse food culture of Mexico, and it’s been heartening to see the enthusiastic adoption of oats, thanks to their numerous health benefits. After a decade of organizing this contest, we are more convinced than ever of the importance of these opportunities for engagement.  

We extend our heartfelt appreciation to everyone who participated in the 10th Annual Recipe Contest. Special congratulations to the 13 winners for their extraordinary work. They are the ambassadors of Mexican cuisine and oats, showcasing their talent and creativity in developing new and healthy recipes. Viva Mexico! 

Here is the list of winning recipes for 2024: 

Category 1: Inspired by Mexican Cuisine

• Nopal Huarache with Oat Picadillo 
• Low-fat Oat Cochinita Pibil 
• Chiles Rellenos with Dried Fruits

Category 2: Vegetarian and Gluten-Free 

• Oat and Aloe Vera Flower Patties in Pasilla Chili Sauce 
• Oat and Mushroom Longaniza 
• Gluten-free Brioche Ring filled with Cheese

Category 3: Oats and Diabetes 

• Fresh Tropical Aceviche on Baked Oat, Poblano Chili, and Cilantro Tostadas 
• Oat Flower Soup 
• Oat Meatballs

Category 4: Creative

• Chicken Wings Breaded with Oat Flour and Spices, Drizzled in Mango and Habanero Chili Sauce 
• Crunchy Thai Salad 
• Yellow Molotes 

Category 5: Oat Champions

• Mexican Artisan Triflavored Ice Cream made with Oats, Cempasuchil, Red Mole, and Corn 

We thank them for joining us on this delicious journey. We look forward to many more years of effective engagement through culinary creativity and healthy eating.