Has anyone used oats to bulk out mince?

[RabbitSaysWoof]

Does it taste weird? I'd like to get a cottage pie and spag bol out of the one mince beef block. I always use grated carrot and onion I'm not crazy about lentils. I read on here somewhere I think about bulking out with porridge, I wondered what the quantities should be as well.

I've made a Levi Roots Carribean shepherds pie before that had porridge oats along with lamb mince and sweet potato. Bloody lovely and you wouldn't have known there were oats unless you read the recipe it it IYSWIM?

You seem to use a lot of frozen veg. Why don't you use fresh?

I use minced mushrooms as others have suggested. No one notices here.

Bunbaker, frozen veg is more nutritious, cheaper and often involves less waste. Frozen peas and sweet corn also seem to be almost universally eaten by children, which is great especially when you have other peoples children round for tea!

Pearl Barley adds a lovely texture to a casserole

Because it's only me and ds here, I used to but I found it expensive we have more variety now.

I have a great recipe for burgers with a big handful of oats in the mince and it works really well

i use rolled oats in burgers too. Let it sit a little to soak up juices .

Baked beans are good addition to Shepard pie

I use baked beans, red lentils grated carrots AND oats in my mince. (plus all the other manky veg from the fridge). Tastes fine.

I find that grated carrot in bolognese you don't really notice, I use veggie mince so I'm not sure if its different with proper mince, it means extra portion of veg and cheaper meal with no noticeable difference - total winner

With Shepard's pie I prefer diced carrots, peas, onion and possibly sweet corn. Baked beans are good, I usually make cowboy pie when I use those which is slightly less gravy (you have bean juices) and a touch of chilli powder. Makes a different meal so we don't get bored, would serve with veg but not gravy

Many years ago when I did the Rosemary Conley diet she recommended adding fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs to mince to bulk it out without adding fat - although the diet was a fail, I do remember that it didn't harm the taste of the spag bol/cottage pie/meatballs and made it quite moist too.