As much as we love to complain about winter, the crisp cold mornings bring with them the opportunity to simmer a large pot of warming porridge on the stove.
Long considered the quintessential winter breakfast, porridge is high in fibre and protein and is low GI, which means it releases energy slowly and will keep you satisfied for longer.
New studies also suggest that a bowl of porridge each day can help you live longer and has protective properties against cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
It’s easy to perk up your porridge game too – these heavenly recipes will take you from an amateur to a professional. A healthy brekky and dessert in one – enjoy.
1. Apple pie porridge
If you love the taste and smell of apple pie this recipe is for you. You can have it on the go too. To keep it deliciously hot, use an insulated jar such as the Thermos Food Jar (make sure you pre-heat the jar with hot water for 5 minutes before hand).
Ingredients
1/2 cup organic rolled oats
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp cinnamon
½ green apple, grated
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp maple syrup
Squeeze of lemon juice
1 cup water or almond milk or coconut milk
2 heaped tbsp Greek yoghurt or coconut yoghurt
1 tbsp glutamine powder (optional for an extra gut repairing boost)
Method
- Mix the oats and chia seeds together in a bowl, and allow it to soak for a couple of hours in ½ cup water/milk. This can be step can be done the night before.
- Cook the oats and chia seeds mix in the remaining ½ cup milk/water in a pot on the stove until the oats become thicker in consistency (around 2 to 3 minutes).
- Once cooked, keep the stove on a medium heat. Add in the rest of the ingredients and stir. Then add in the glutamine powder to the oats, stirring it well.
- Top with crushed walnuts, cinnamon, grated apple and yoghurt for that ‘insta-worthy’ apple pie effect.
2. Nutella porridge
Ingredients
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup milk of choice (almond, coconut, dairy )
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp cacao
1 tsp rice malt/maple syrup
1 tbsp hazelnut butter (or other nut butter)
Method
- Add rolled oats, milk and water to a pot and bring to boil.
- Once boiling, reduce heat, cover and simmer until the grains are soft (approximately 10-12 minutes).
- To make the Nutella sauce; melt the coconut oil in a separate pot and whisk in cacao, rice malt/maple syrup and nut butter until combined.
- Spoon oats into a bowl (or a pre-heated Thermos Food Jar), top with Nutella sauce and chopped Crunchy Cinnamon Hazelnuts (see below)
To make a batch of Crunchy Cinnamon Hazelnuts
Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius. Combine 1 cup chopped hazelnuts with 2 tsp coconut oil (melted), 1 tsp maple syrup and 1 tsp of ground cinnamon in a bowl. Spread over a lined baking tray and place in oven for 10-12 minutes, tossing half way through. Remove from oven when golden, allow to cool.
3. Salted caramel porridge
Ingredients
½ cup rolled oats
½ cup coconut milk
½ cup water
Caramel sauce
1 heaped tbsp tahini
1 tsp carob
1 pinch Celtic sea salt
1 tbsp maple syrup
Method
- Add oats, coconut milk and water to a pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the grains are soft (approximately 10 to 12 minutes).
- In a small bowl, mix tahini, carob, salt, and maple syrup.
- When oats are done, pour into a serving bowl (or a pre-heated Thermos Food Jar) and top with caramel sauce, then add a sprinkle of pistachios and a dash of cinnamon.
4. Raspberry porridge with cacao-coconut drizzle
Ingredients
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup milk of choice (almond, coconut, dairy )
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup fresh/frozen raspberries, plus extra for topping
1 tsp coconut oil, melted
1 tsp cacao powder
1 tsp maple syrup
1/4 cup shredded coconut
Method
- Add oats, coconut milk and water to a pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the grains are soft (approximately 10 to 12 minutes).
- Once the oats are cooked, add the raspberries and continue cooking, adding more liquid and stirring if necessary, until raspberries are mixed throughout.
- In a separate bowl, combine the coconut oil, cacao powder and maple syrup to make the drizzle.
- Spoon the raspberry oats into a bowl (or a pre-heated Thermos Food Jar), top with shredded coconut and extra raspberries. Pour over the Cacao-coconut drizzle.
5. Caramelised banana, tahini and cinnamon porridge
Ingredients
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup milk of choice (almond, coconut, dairy )
1/2 cup water
1 ripe banana
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp tahini
Method
- Add oats, coconut milk and water to a pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the grains are soft (approximately 10 to 12 minutes).
- Once the oats are cooked, add half the chopped banana and the cinnamon to the pot and stir until combined. Cook for a further 2-3 minutes until the banana has softened, adding more liquid if necessary.
- Heat a pan over medium heat and melt 1 teaspoon of coconut oil.
- Cut the remaining banana in half lengthwise.
- Place cut side down on the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, until golden and caramelised. Remove from pan.
- Spoon your banana-cinnamon oats into a bowl (or a pre-heated Thermos Food Jar) and top with the cooked banana, a dollop of tahini and an extra dash of cinnamon.
6. Peanut butter and banana porridge
Ingredients
1/3 cup rolled organic oats
1 tbsp natural crunchy peanut butter ( purely grounded peanuts- no additives)
1/2 cup milk and 1/2 water
1 egg white
1 tsp stevia/honey/maple syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1/2 tsp vanilla powder
1/4 mashed banana
1 tsp ground flaxseed/chia seeds.
Method
- Combine the oats and water/milk in a heated pot on the stove and cook on low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring often and then adding the rest of the above ingredients (add more liquid if needed).
- Once cooked and plated: add more natural crunchy peanut butter if you wish, banana slices, cinnamon, vanilla powder and a drizzle of maple syrup!
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