Porridge is a breakfast that takes me back to when I lived in London. The first time I tried it I was puzzled — perhaps I expected a mild flavor — but to my great surprise I found it very flavorful and I therefore continued to eat it often in the morning, especially during the colder periods, which certainly aren’t lacking here in the Netherlands.
To prepare porridge you just need to cook oat flakes or another cereal in milk and add other ingredients as you like such as fruit and often cream. Obviously I have prepared a light and vegan version without cream that is still creamy, sweetened with fresh fruit and dried fruit.
In short, it’s a tasty breakfast that contains everything you need to face the day with energy and warm a winter morning, but as an afternoon snack it’s not a bad idea either. On my blog you’ll also find no-cook summer versions that are just as delicious. Let’s make it.
Other ideas to enjoy a light porridge are here:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Cooking time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 1
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup whole rolled oats (or buckwheat flakes)
- 1/2 cup soy milk (unsweetened)
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 teaspoons agave syrup (or maple syrup or 1 Medjool date)
- 1 pinch salt
- to taste blueberries (fresh or frozen, optional)
- 1 fresh fruit (as desired)
- 1 teaspoon nuts (or seeds, to taste)
- Points per serving = 5 WW points
Steps
If you like, you can toast the nuts you chose in a pan and then chop them into small pieces.
For fresh fruit, clean it and cut it into pieces.
Put the oats into a small saucepan with the water and the pinch of salt and cook over moderate heat, stirring for about 5 minutes: the water should evaporate.
Alternatively, for faster cooking you can leave the flakes in the water the night before and in the morning you’ll see that the water has been absorbed and the flakes are already softer: then you can proceed directly to the next step of the recipe.
Add the milk and, if you use a date instead of agave syrup, cut it into pieces and add it now so that by the end of cooking it will be almost completely dissolved.
Same for the blueberries: if you use them, add them now so that they open during cooking and give your porridge a beautiful color.
Cook for a few more minutes over low heat, stirring so that the porridge becomes very creamy.
Our light creamy porridge is ready to be enjoyed. Pour it into the serving bowl and finish by arranging the fresh and dried fruit and, if you use it, the agave syrup.
As you can see you can vary the porridge in many ways. My favorite is the one in the top photo where I added blueberries that give this beautiful pink color, banana and more fresh blueberries. I sweetened this one with a date: it’s delicious!
If you like, you can also sprinkle a little cinnamon on top which will leave a scent I adore. So: how good is porridge? Let me know in the comments at the bottom of the recipe or on Facebook.
Enjoy!
by Giovanna Buono
Storage
I prefer to prepare porridge fresh, but many of my readers make it in the evening and then reheat it in the morning. I’m sure you can prepare a larger quantity and keep it in the fridge for a few days and then reheat a portion when needed.
