Porridge is one of my children’s favourite breakfast foods. Both of them enjoy digging their spoons in a big, hearty bowl of porridge each time I make it. I try to rotate breakfasts so that we get a variety of foods every week and not get bored eating the same foods each morning. However, I am sure that my children would be happy to eat porridge every morning for many days in a row if I would make it that often.

I never ate porridge growing up, so I had to learn how to make it when I moved to Canada. Initially I made it just for my husband and me. Over the years, my recipe changed, as I had to make it gluten- and dairy-free 3 years ago so that my son can eat it too. Also, I added more protein and fruit to it as I wanted to pack as much nutrition as possible and not just offer my kids a sugary breakfast.

This Loaded Delicious Porridge is rich in:

  • Healthy fats from coconut milk
  • Vitamin B6, vitamin C, manganese, potassium, and fiber from bananas
  • Manganese, molybdenum, phosphorus, copper, biotin, magnesium, and fiber from oats
  • Manganese, calcium, and fiber from cinnamon
  • Protein, iron, magnesium, healthy fats, and zinc from hemp seeds
  • Healthy fats, vitamin B1, copper, manganese, and fiber from flax seeds
  • Healthy fats, copper, and manganese from walnuts
  • Vitamin C, manganese, fiber, and copper from raspberries
  • Antioxidants, vitamin K, vitamin C, and manganese from blueberries

It takes less than 30 minutes to make this packed-with-nutrition breakfast porridge. Having a nutritious breakfast that is naturally sweetened and rich in proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats is a great way to start the day. It does not spike the blood sugar so kids stay calm and happy for many hours. A perfect breakfast to eat before they go to school!

Porridge

 

Tasty Tuesday: Loaded Delicious Porridge
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Loaded Delicious Porridge
Ingredients
  • 400 ml coconut milk
  • 2 cups water
  • 3 medium-sized bananas
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • ⅓ cup dried blueberries (dried cranberries also work well)
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 4 teaspoons hemp seeds
  • 4 teaspoons flax seeds, ground
  • ⅓ cup walnuts (*)
  • blueberries and raspberries as a topping (**)
Instructions
  1. In a small bowl mix the hemp seeds, the flax seeds, and the walnuts.
  2. In a 3-quart pot mash the bananas with a fork or a potato masher. Mix in coconut milk, water, oats, dried fruit (blueberries or cranberries), and cinnamon.
  3. Warm everything on the stove (no boiling needed).
  4. We like our porridge runny, but if you prefer it with less liquid, then add another ¼ cup of oats.
  5. Divide the porridge into 4 bowls and top each bowl with a little bit of the walnut mixture.
  6. Top everything with blueberries and raspberries.
  7. Serve right away.

*I break the walnuts into small pieces with my fingers. If you have a small child that can't chew pieces of walnuts, grind them in a food processor.

*You don't have blueberries or raspberries? Any berries (blackberries, strawberries, Goji berries) work really well.
 

Are you looking for another breakfast recipe full of nutrition and flavour? Here are two more:

What are your child’s favourite porridge toppings?

 

Sources:

www.whfoods.com

www.nutritiondata.self.org