Ever since I moved to the UK and discovered porridge(!), it’s always been my go to breakfast when I need a warming, simple and lasting fuel. But I never liked it plain. When I was studying in Rochester, my best friend was cooking porridge the 5 elements way, adding the ingredients in a specific order and cooking it for a very long time. It was packed with spices, nuts and seeds and so delicious! And that’s when I learnt it needn’t be just water and oats. D’oh!

Then I started experimenting with savoury options – from wild garlic, spring onion and tamari sauce – they’ve all landed in my porridge! It’s so versatile and easy to make.

I’ve never had a specific recipe for porridge. There’s only one rule: always have oats in the house. 🙂 So that means I gathered countless recipes so far, because each time there’s a different outcome. 

So today I want to share with you a golden, healing porridge that is heaven when you need that comfort food in your tummy!

This is a simple, warming recipe that can be batched cooked and saved for the next day. 

What are the benefits?

1 cup(156g) of oats contains :

Add to that coconut, hemp oil, ginger, turmeric and fruits and you have a power house! 

Here we go! 

This is what you’ll need 

GOLDEN, HEALING PORRIDGE

– makes 2 – 

Ingredients:

– 1 cup oats */soaked quinoa/soaked millet or gluten-free flakes 

– 500 ml coconut milk (You can make your own by blending 100g coconut flakes with 500ml water for two minutes and strain through a nut milk bag or sieve. I don’t bother anymore straining it)

– 1/4 cup anti-inflammatory golden tonic (turmeric, ginger, black pepper, lemon – see recipe below)

– 1 banana, mashed

– 1 handful frozen cherries or berries of your choice

– 1/2 spoon nut butter or tahini (can be left out for a less caloric recipe)

– hemp oil to drizzle on top 

How to: 

1. Heat up a small saucepan on medium and add the oats/quinoa/millet in there to dry toast slightly for a couple of minutes. Continue stirring them.

2. Add the coconut milk  and mashed banana and mix everything up.

3. After 2 minutes add the cherries and golden tonic. The colours will merge now into a golden, yellow shade from the turmeric. 

4. Mix in the nut butter if you decide to use it and leave to simmer for 5 minutes. 

5. Transfer to a bowl and ornate with fruits and other bits you have at hand. I used goji berries, coconut flakes and cacao nibs this time. Remember you also eat with your eyes 🙂  

Enjoy! 

GOLDEN ANTI-INFLAMMATORY TONIC RECIPE

I make a bigger batch of this, keep it in a bottle in the fridge and use it throughout the week by adding it to my morning warm water. This is a fantastic anti-inflammatory drink  that you can have every morning if you have joint pain or are feeling cold all the time. It also helps with digestion in my experience.  

Ingredients:

-for one portion-

-1 knob fresh turmeric or a teaspoon turmeric powder 

-1 thumb size piece of ginger, peeled

-1/2 lemon, skin removed

-2 cups lukewarm water

-1/2 teaspoon coconut oil – this will also keep it from separating since there’s no soluble fiber in there.

How to:

1. Add these to a blender and pulse slowly so that the lid doesn’t fall and throw sunny splashes your kitchen walls.

2. Blend to consistency. If your blender doesn’t make everything smooth, use a sieve to strain the liquid. Keep in a glass jar in the fridge if not consumed straight away.

It keeps for 3-4 days in the fridge and you can add some every day to your morning water or breakfast.