Porridge
A simple vegan porridge recipe from The Plant Power Doctor makes a great base for all kinds of toppings and flavourings, from chocolate to autumn fruits.
From the book
The Plant Power Doctor
A British GP breaks down the science behind plant based diets
Accessible information, meal plans, and simple ingredient switches
Tasty, nutritious and easy recipes to fit around your daily life
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Introduction
Gone are the days when porridge was stodgy or boring – oats done right are the breakfast of champions!
Ingredients
| 40g | porridge oats |
| 360ml | plant-based milk (preferably oat) or water if you want to do it the Scottish way |
| salt | |
| For chocolate porridge: | |
| 1 tbsp | cocoa or 1 square of vegan dark chocolate |
| 1 tbsp | maple or date syrup (optional) |
| For porridge with toasted almonds or large seeds: | |
| 1 tbsp | almonds, walnuts, coconut flakes or pumpkin seeds |
| A drizzle of | maple or date syrup. |
| For porridge with grains: | |
| 1 tsp each of | as many different seeds as you like – quinoa (well rinsed), flax seeds, chia seeds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds |
| For porridge with frozen fruits: | |
| Around 2 tbsp | frozen fruit |
| A sprinkle of | cinnamon |
| For porridge with autumn fruits: | |
| A chunk of | pumpkin, an apple or pear |
| A pinch of | cinnamon and ground ginger |
| 1 tbsp | dried fruit (dates, raisins, prunes) |
| 1 tbsp | powdered lucuma (optional) |
| For overnight oats: | |
| chia seeds |
Method
Put the oats and the milk or water into a saucepan and set over a low to medium heat. Let the liquid gradually come up to just under the boil, stirring regularly, then continue to cook, stirring constantly until the oats have swelled and thickened the liquid – the consistency should be thick but pourable.
Chocolate porridge:
Add either 1 tbsp cocoa to the saucepan with the oats and cook as above, or serve the porridge with 1 square of vegan dark chocolate to be stirred in. Add 1 tbsp maple or date syrup, if you like.
Toasted almonds or large seeds:
Toast 1 tbsp almonds, walnuts, coconut flakes or pumpkin seeds in a dry frying pan, stirring until they smell very nutty and have lightly browned. Scatter over or mix into the finished porridge. Serve with a drizzle of maple or date syrup.
Grains:
Add 1 tsp each of as many different seeds as you like – quinoa (well rinsed), flax seeds, chia seeds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds – to the saucepan with the oats. Toast for several minutes until they give off a nutty aroma then add the milk. Continue as above.
Frozen fruit:
Frozen berries, either singly or in mixes (e.g. fruits of the forest), can be defrosted and stirred into porridge. Add around 2 tbsp defrosted fruit per serving. Add a little cinnamon for extra sweetness. Or simply add a couple of tablespoons of fruit compote.
Autumn fruits:
Grate a chunk of pumpkin, an apple or pear and add to the porridge at the beginning of the cooking time with a pinch of cinnamon and ground ginger. Scatter over 1 tbsp of dried fruit (dates, raisins, prunes) to serve. Some powdered lucuma is really good with this too – add around 1 tbsp per serving.
Overnight oats:
Soaking your oats overnight in your chosen plant milk helps the starches to break down and may help you use their nutrients more effectively as well as giving a creamier taste. Soaking chia seeds overnight in the oats will also thicken the oats and add some omega-3s to your morning meal! Best of all, this will last several days in the fridge so you can tuck in whenever you want. Adding in a favourite teabag to soak, such as a chai blend, will add even more flavour. Try your favourite and see.
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