Perfect Porridge

My porridge (or oatmeal, I'll let you pick what you call it) essentials are rolled oats, a ripe banana, chia seeds, other whole fruits and quite simply, tap water. Everything else is just an extra little addition and to change the oatmeal game up a bit. This could be spices, like cinnamon and turmeric, cacao nibs for a rich, chocolate kick, nut butter or almond milk for a creamier taste. I love it so much I could eat it for any meal, be it first thing in the morning, half way through my day, or as the sun sets, and quite frankly, porridge really is a healthy meal for any of those times!

Cinnamon-spiced oatmeal topped with strawberry hearts, diced Granny Smith apple, mango, whole almonds and chia seeds. 

Banana porridge decorated with a sliced kiwi, strawberries, frozen raspberries, blueberries, flax and chia seeds.  

One Bowl Job

Whilst you can make oats on the stove, the easiest and fastest way to do it is in the microwave. Taking merely a few minutes, your oatmeal will be ready before you know it, and this method even saves on the washing up! If you've seen or heard those scares about the dangers of microwave radiation, I highly recommend reading this article to convince yourself it's all just a big myth! Overall, one bowl of oatmeal topped with fruit and seeds will provide you with a great source of slow and fast release energy, fats, protein and all your vitamins and minerals. 

Frozen Berries?

A lot of people ask me how I can eat frozen berries, and the simple answer to this question is, frozen food melt believe it or not! And with a bowl of warm porridge, the fruit will melt even quicker. Regardless however, even when the fruit is still frozen it tastes super good, so I recommend you try it. Just pop a frozen raspberry in your mouth, wait for it to ever so slightly melt and then enjoy its soft, subtle sweetness. The benefits of buying frozen fruit is that it also costs quite a lot less compared to its non-frozen counterpart. 

SPICES

In the cold winter months my favourite combination of spices is turmeric and cinnamon. At first, you might think that sounds absolutely awful, and I'll warn it, it does turn a rather strange yellow colour! It's probably a bit like marmite, you'll either love it or hate it, however at least you can say you tried. 

Water or Milk?

As a lover of oats, I absolutely adore their taste alone, and I often don't need any extra sweetness. Hence, I usually make my porridge using tap water as the liquid, instead of plant based milk, and a mashed banana is simply enough to sweeten it up. Again I think just find what you enjoy, because with oatmeal there certainly aren't any rules! 

Home-grown apple oatmeal with frozen berries, more diced apple and a very generous sprinkling of chia seeds. 

Cinnamon-spiced apple porridge loaded up with a sliced yellow plum, diced apple, mixture of frozen berries and shredded coconut. 

Even though I eat oats in one form or another each day, I never seem to formally write down a recipe because it's just second nature to me. Personally, I also love my oats really thick, whilst someone else might like it rather runny. So it's all just about finding what works best for you really! However, a recipe will be coming soon. For now, here are just some of my favourite ingredients and toppings. 

CARBs

Oats are a complex carbohydrate, and in my opinion total superfood, because not only will they provide you will slow release, long-lasting energy, they also have so many incredible health benefits. Eat your oats people!

FATS

I always add chia seeds to my oats without doubt, however other healthy sources of essential fatty acids include flaxseed, hemp seeds, nut butter, nuts and nut-based milk. 

PROTEIN

Did you know: oats contain roughly 12% protein by weight and contain a relatively high proportion of this particular macronutrient compared to most other grains. 

FRUIT

Berries are my go-to topping for oatmeal, whether that be raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, hand-picked blackberries, you name it. I also love to sometimes mix apple through my oats when I make it instead of dicing it on top, as well as kiwi, plums and mango.