Porridge can seem like gruel for many people but we like to think of it as a blank canvas which can be decorated and made to be a delicious work of art that will leave you looking for more!
Takes
Serves
Instructions
To make wonderful porridge you want to think texture, colour and flavour. For example berry compete will bring a brilliant bright purple colour, caramelised banana will bring a slight chew, a caramel note and a lovely banana sweetness.
Here are 5 principles to making beautiful porridge/ oatmeal
Know your oats – Oats come in many forms from:
Oat groats – these are the wholegrain before being steamed and rolled – these take longer to cook and are a little like short grain brown rice
Steel cut oats where the oat groats have been cut into smaller pieces – like oat groats but in smaller bit size
Rolled oats – they normally come in 2 forms – jumbo meaning the flake size is larger and the porridge ends up coarser porridge with a little texture OR oat flakes or smaller oat flakes which normally cook quicker and result in a thicker more smoother, baby food like porridge
Creamy porridge is always better
Part of the reason why many people see porridge as gruel is that its cooked on water and served with completely plain so it really does taste one dimensional. If you try cooking your porridge with half of your milk of choice and half water it results in a creamier porridge that tastes much more satisfying!
One of our favourite milks to cook our porridge in is rice milk. Rice milk is naturally quite sweet and mean your porridge end up creamier and sweeter.
Other ones to try are half hazelnut milk half water as its gives a slight ‘nutella’ like note
For a more indulgent porridge try cooking your porridge on half coconut milk from a tin and half water.
Go with what you like – If you’re like our mom and dad they just prefer their oats cooked with water so make sure to go with what you like.
Think texture and colour when topping and decorating your porridge – porridge itself is quite one dimensional so its important to add variety of texture. Think crunchy, creamy, fruity, nutty and any other texture you like. More below on toppings on point 5.
Sweet or savoury? Our good friend Mark always likes avocado and seaweed in his porridge or in Japan they have a savoury rice porridge with miso and mushrooms for breakfast. Porridge or oatmeal is a wholegrain that can be seasoned to your liking.
Toppings are key and a real game changer:
Crunch – granola – its pretty easy to make – we have lots of recipes here or else we make lots available nationwide
Nutty – peanut or almond butter or toasted seeds
creamy – we love coconut yogurt or yogurt of choice
fruity – try making some fruit compote or stewed fruit of choice
caramelise bananas – this is so easy to do and is worth while – ensure your bananas are ripe, heat a non stick pan on medium heat, peel and slice the banana lengthwise and place flat side down on the pan, fry till it starts to caramelise, turn and repeat. Serve warm on your porridge for a wonderful treat!
The infamous British dessert when toffee, banana, & cream are brought together on a buttery biscuit base. Here we recreate a healthier breakfast version that makes a fabulous snack or healthier dessert. Steve’s wife Justyna eats them for breakfast lunch and sometimes even dinner!
Serves 4
Takes 10 mins
Takes 10 minutesminutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
Date caramel
150gPitted Dates
350mlof boiling water
1/2tspof Vanilla extract
2tbspof almond butter
Pinchsalt
Bircher muesli
250gOats
40gRaisins
20gof chia seeds
600mlOat milk
pinchground cinnamon
Caramelised almond sprinkle
50gflaked Almonds
2tbspMaple syrup
200mlof Coconut yogurtfat content approx 10%
2Bananas
Instructions
Full and boil the kettle. Cover the pitted dates with boiling water and leave to soak for 5 mins.
Mix all the ingredients together for bircher muesli and leave to soak for either 30 mins of else overnight.
To make the caramelized almonds simply heat a non stick pan on medium heat, once hot add the almonds and cook for 4-6 mins until they start to golden ensuring to stir regularly to avoid burning. Once they are golden, remove the pan from the heat and add the maple syrup and stir quickly to ensure that you coat each nut. Continue to do so for a minute until the maple syrup has started to harden.
Drain the dates and add to a food processor along with the almond butter, vanilla, water and pinch of salt and blend until it reaches a smooth caramel-like texture.
Slice the bananas
To serve
We like to serve these in clear glasses where we can see the layers.
At the bottom of each glass add the caramel (divide the amount between 4 glasses)
Next divide up the bircher muesli, followed by a serving of banana, if you can it look great if you put the bananas facing out around the glass on the inside so you can really see its a banoffee. Add a generous dollop of coconut yogurt and top with some caramelised almonds.
A great way to get a serving of veg for breakfast – carrot cake was always one of steves favourite cakes so he decided to extend his love for carrot cake and see if he could come up with some way to enjoy a healthier version for brekkie – this was borne out this idea and its really works. For any carrot cake lover this one’s for you!
Our favourite way to serve is like a double layered carrot cake with a dollop of chia pudding, some coconut yogurt, another dollop of carrot cake chia pudding and then a generous serving of coconut yogurt on top, with a sprinkle of chopped walnuts.
Takes 10 minutesminutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
Chia pudding
40gchia seeds
300mlalmond milkor rice milk
30graisins
30gof walnuts
Pinchof cinnamon
Pinchof allspice
2tbspof cacao powder
30gof carrots
30mlof maple syrup
To serve
300mlof coconut yogurtfind one with under 15% fat content
Instructions
Method
Roughly chop the walnuts into small pieces. Finely grate the carrot, then roughly chop.
In a large bowl mix together all the ingredients for the chia pudding including the grated carrot and the chopped walnuts (leaving 1 tbsp walnuts aside to garnish). Leave to soak for 30 minutes or overnight in the fridge. Give it a good stir before serving.
To serve:
In a jar or clear glass fill it ¼ full of chia pudding, ¼ full of coconut yogurt, ¼ full with another layer of chia, ¼ full with coconut yogurt to top off, sprinkle with chopped walnuts and Enjoy!
This works perfect as a light snack just eaten on the go, served with almond milk as a breakfast, with coconut yogurt or fruit as a cooling summer brekkie or else served on top of piping hot porridge to add a crunchy and sweetness. Easy to make and really delicious! If you can get some freeze dried raspberries they really add to the colour, subtle undertone and vibrancy of this granola.
Takes 40 minutesminutes
Serves
Ingredients
400gof Gluten free jumbo oatsUse Gluten Free for HG
40gof sunflower oil
60gof date syrup or maple syrup
50gof dessicated coconut
Pinchof salt
Pinchof cinnamonleave out if you dislike
Dried fruit to serve once granola is cool
30gof goji berries
10gof freeze dried strawberries
30gof raisins
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 160 degrees
In a large bowl mix together the oats, oil, syrup, dessicated coconut, salt and cinnamon until well mixed. Pour onto a baking tray approx (insert dimensions 36 x 27cm ).
Bake for 30 mins at 160 degrees C in fan oven, open once or twice and stir the granola around the tray so that it bakes evenly.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 15 mins.
Add the dried fruit and and mix well.
Store in an airtight container. It will keep fresh for 6 weeks. Enjoy!
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