Oats are a great source of slow-release energy and nutrients making it a nutritious and satisfying food source. Porridge (or oatmeal depending on where you live) is one of the most common uses of them so I thought I'd share some of my ideas to switch up this healthy breakfast.
I absolutely love porridge. I'll eat it any time of the year, flavoured, or plain. I'll even have it in the evening as a snack! Basically, I just find it a great meal. Some people have the view that porridge is dull and boring but there are so many possibilities with it that it's far from boring.
This is a question that can receive a variety of answers. I have had porridge which has been made with cream and sugar - this spoils the healthy nature of oats in my opinion. My basic porridge recipe is rolled oats and water. I like it that way, but you could also make it with oats and milk (or a dairy-free alternative). Another way I have cooked it before is with using half water and half milk - a 50/50 version. If using milk, my preference is using oat milk instead of dairy. It's a perfect match.
Cooking of the porridge can either be done on a hob or in a microwave. I pretty much always use a microwave now, but I use rolled oats rather than the microwave ones as the microwave oats don't keep me full for as long. A word of caution - if using regular oats in a microwave, make sure to keep an eye on it as it might end up overflowing from the bowl while cooking. Trust me, I speak from experience...
For the below porridge ideas, I have used a range of healthy, natural, ingredients to add some variety to porridge.
Top with fresh berries and Greek yoghurt
Add ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and maple syrup before cooking
Add 1 tbsp cocoa and 1/2 a mashed well-ripened banana to the oat mixture before cooking
Add desiccated coconut and make the porridge with coconut milk. Top with chopped fresh pineapple to finish off this tropical porridge.
Top with sliced banana and drizzle over some melted dark chocolate. You could also grate some chocolate over the top and the heat of the porridge will melt the chocolate - a great time saver.
Add a piece of dark chocolate in the centre before cooking (Note: only works if cooking in a microwave.) This will melt into a delicious pool of chocolate when cooked.
Top with strawberries, chia seeds, and Greek yoghurt
Make the porridge with almond milk and top with chopped or flaked almonds.
Use regular milk and a dash of honey for a naturally, sweet and creamy porridge.
Top with an assortment of seeds like pumpkin and sunflower seeds to get a source of good omega-3 and omega-6.
Hopefully these suggestions will have given you some fresh ideas for when your next bowl of porridge. But remember, it’s also great to experiment in the kitchen, so feel free to use the above ideas as a starting point and then experiment on your own.
Helen Redman is a food-enthusiast, artist, and writer. For more of her healthy food ideas and recipes, visit her blog at
www.hldc-blog.blogspot.com She can also be found on Twitter: @HelenCRedman