In the cold weather I want to eat warm food for brekkie and I totally love porridge.
This is one of my favourite ways to prepare it. When the oats are soaked overnight, they become a lot creamier in texture and like all grains, they are much easier to digest. Research shows that people who eat oats on a regular basis increase their good gut bacteria. Oats are also said to lower cholesterol and they are also a source of protein and low on the glycemic index.
- If possible, soak slightly less than a metric cup (250mls) of oats overnight in a bit of coconut milk and water to cover. Cook slowly in the morning – don’t forget to stir and add a little more liquid (you can also cook in the thermo).
- When the porridge is thick and hot, turn off the heat, add a tablespoon or so of chia, vanilla paste and coconut milk/another milk or more water to taste.
- Leave to cool a bit and for the chia to expand. Serve with sliced banana and add a sprinkling of raw cocoa nibs for a bit of healthy crunch and an energy boost.
You might be interested to know that oats are naturally gluten free but they are grown usually in fields next to other crops and therefore may be contaminated. You can purchase uncontaminated oats but they are a lot more expensive and are rarely grown in Australia. It’s also the case that some people with a sensitive digestion system (that they may describe as, or believe to be, gluten intolerance or those that actually do have diagnosed coeliac disease) may find their system still won’t tolerate oats or many other grains.