Porridge

Healthy Breakfast Porridge Bowl!

More than oatmeal! Despite its Plain Jane name, porridge is a versatile and nutrition-packed dish that’s a cinch to prepare. For thousands of years, people around the world have relied on a good bowl of morning porridge to keep them satisfied and strong until their next meal. Keep the party going—put porridge power to work for you!

The Recipe

Serving Size 1 Bowl

INGREDIENTS

½ cup grains (pick one or mix two or three: buckwheat, quinoa, millet, amaranth, brown rice, oats…)
1 ½ cups water or the non-dairy milk of your choice
Handful of raisins (for sweetness)
Optional toppings: berries, nuts, seeds; coconut flakes; dash of cinnamon or raw honey

TOOLS

Small pot

Directions

Combine water and grains; bring to a boil*
Add raisins
Simmer covered until cooked to the consistency you like (less time will leave more liquid; more time will make the grains softer and chewier). Depending on the grain, this is usually 5 - 10 minutes.
Top as desired, and serve with an additional splash of your favorite nut milk.

*Except: when preparing buckwheat, always boil the water first, then add the grains. If you don’t, you’ll get buck-mush!

NOTES

Brown rice takes the longest to cook. I like to prepare it ahead of time and keep it in the fridge, then mix it with other grains in the morning.

Pre-soaking also reduces cooking time, increases digestibility, and reduces phytic acid (a natural pesticide plants produce). I like to soak all my hardier grains—brown rice, quinoa, farro—for one to eight hours before I cook them. When they’re done soaking, rinse the grains and discard the soaking water.

Have fun experimenting with different porridge toppers! Sweet ones like raw honey, maple syrup, and chopped apple are well-known favorites, but you can also try your hand at savory or spicy additions like cardamom, walnuts, pumpkin or hemp seeds, or almond butter.

I would love to hear your thoughts!

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Enjoy!

I’m Elena Singh, founder of the Sweet Science wellness program. I’m a certified nutrition counselor, science-based health coach, and addiction survivor. I help people in recovery heal their bodies and minds so they can learn to love sober life—not just survive it.