Where I live, we’ve had a few weeks of beautiful weather the past while – after the long, cool, and frequently rainy summer, it was pretty wonderful. I enjoyed cycling to work in shorts and a tank top. Enjoyed going for walks in the sunshine after supper…
This morning, the weather shifted back to cold and rainy. My kids were clamouring for a nice, hot, home-made breakfast – so I made a delicious pot of porridge. I’ve actually never been a porridge-person – I don’t tend to like the texture much – but I worked with what I had, and ended up with a pot of porridge that got thumbs-up from everyone in the house.
‘What I had’ started with a big pot of cooked quinoa. My husband volunteered as kitchen-staff at a friend’s wedding last night, and was rewarded at the end with a bunch of leftovers, including the quinoa sitting in a large pot he’d brought along because they needed an extra one. And I had a bag of dried oatmeal (not instant). Some raisins. Dried cranberries. Apples. Sunflower seeds. Almonds…
Quinoa porridge recipe (serves 4 hungry people)
1 cup cooked quinoa (or 1/2 cup dry quinoa with 1 cup water)
1 cup dried oats (not instant)
2 cup skim milk (or coconut milk or almond milk, if you prefer lactose-free)
1 apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup dried sweetened cranberries
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tbsp cinnamon (or more, to taste)
1/8 cup dry-roasted sunflower seeds
1/4 cup flaxseed (ground, or soaked in 1/4 cup water for at least 30 minutes before using)
(optional) 1 cup shredded dried coconut (unsweetened)
Toss all ingredients into pot, cook over medium heat about 15 minutes. Serve. Enjoy. As my son says, “Savor it!”
Note – after not making this in several years, I made it again a few days ago, and again this morning. Over the past several years, my kids have gotten a lot bigger, so I’m now doubling the recipe to feed four hungry people. Still a great recipe.
Nutritional breakdown [nutritiondata.com]
This food is low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Dietary Fiber and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Manganese.
Glycemic load – 36 (fairly low – that’s good)
Calories – 425
Fat – 11 grams (LOTS of Omega-3s)
Protein – 14 grams
Fiber – 11 grams
Thiamin – 39% RDA
Riboflavin – 14%
Vitamin B6 – 15%
Folate – 21%
Iron – 22%
Magnesium – 42%
Phosphorus – 46%
Zinc- 20%
Copper – 32%
Manganese – 139%
I love quinoa. I never would have thought to use it for porridge. Actually, I have never made porridge at all. Maybe I will give it a try!