How do you start your mornings? In Spain I started my morning with this, a big bowl of cherries from the fruit shop next door to the apartment, and a crusty roll from the bakery two doors down. Then I went for a dip in the Sea in 20C water. I think it wold be a lot easier to get up everyday if I lived in Spain.
Back home in Ireland I usually start my day with a bowl of cereal or toast and whatever fruit is left in the bowl never very exciting.
Sometimes I go for a run ( only sometimes)
Other days I role over in bed and come up with some excuse and not even these will work. On the ” I’ll go for a long run tomorrow” mornings, I make myself this porridge so I feel good about myself. I find porridge is so wholesome it almost compensates for the run, or lack of it.
Porridge My Way
I make porridge with pinhead oatmeal a.k.a steel-cut oats a.k.a Irish oats. They take longer to cut but I prefer the texture. You could over course use rolled oats just follow the instructions on the packet. I cook it with all water but again thats just a preference use all milk or half and half for a creamier porridge. I make a big batch of pinhead oatmeal refrigerate it and then heat it up through out the week with a little water.
Ingredients
One cup of steel cut oats
Four cups of water
Put the oats and water in a saucepan over the heat. Bring to the boil then simmer on a lower heat for 20-25 minutes. When the oats are creamy and tender, remove from heat . Serve immediately or allow to cool before transferring into air tight containers in the fridge. In the morning, add a splash of milk or water and reheat in the microwave or on the stove-top.
Toppings
For a little variety I like to serve my porrige with toppings here are some suggestions.
Nuts for Bananas porridge
1/2 a banana sliced.
4-5 almonds and hazelnuts (toasted)
3 tablespoons of toasted dessicated coconut
drizzle of maple syrup.
Arrange the slices of bananas on the porridge. Scatter over the nuts and coconut. Then drizzle with the syrup.
Blueberry Bliss porridge
1/2 cup of blueberries (frozen is okay)
1/2 cup of flaked almonds (toatsted)
drizzle of honey
Gently heat the blueberries over a low heat or microwave them for about 45-60 seconds. They should be soft but still hold their shape. Place on top of the porridge and scater over the flaked almonds. Drizzle with honey for sweetness.
Peach Melba Porridge
One peach sliced into wedges.
3-4 tablespoons of natural yogurt
4-5 raspberries
drizzle of honey
Place the yogurt in the center of the porridge. Then top with peaches and raspberries. Drizzle with honey
Apple Crumble Porridge
One apple chopped up
2-3 tablespoons of coconut
2 tablespoons of flaked almonds
1 table spoon of sunflower seeds
Fry the apple slices over a low heat with a little butter or oil to soften them. Toast the coconut, almonds and seeds until just golden. Arrange the softened apple on top of the porridge and scatter with nut topping.
Honey I'm Wholemeal 