Buckwheat & oat porridge

(If excluding oats, replace oats with buckwheat )

To improve the nutritional quality of regular oat porridge, I lace it with soaked buckwheat groats. It's enough to improve the nutritional profile, with little difference in taste to 'regular' porridge. Buckwheat, a pseudo grain, has a much lower glycaemic index than oats, and is higher in the amino-acids, lysine, methionine, and cysteine, similar to typical of legumes, thus helping to balance the protein component of your meal. Oats and buckwheat however are still both high-starch foods and not the best everyday breakfast choice if you are aiming to strictly control your blood sugar. The cinnamon and hemp-seeds also play a role here.

Serves 3.

Ingredients (porridge only)

• 1 dl whole buckwheat groats

• 2.5 dl rolled oats (or another 2 dl buckwheat)

• 1 tsp Ceylon cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom

• 1 tbsp raisins/sultanas/goji berries (optional)

• 1 tbsp coconut milk (optional)

• ~ 6 dl water

Method:

1. (Night before) Soak buckwheat groats in a generous amount of water. If you forget to do this, just soak for a few minutes in the morning in warm water.

2. Rinse soaked buckwheat groats well and combine with the oats, raisins, spices and water in a saucepan. Cook on low-medium heat with lid on until it has started to bubble, then reduce heat, stirring occasionally. Add more water if needed.

3. Allow to cool with lid on until serving. Stir through coconut milk before serving if you would like a creamier porridge.

Serving: Sprinkle each bowl with 1 heaped tsp Ceylon cinnamon 1 tbsp hemp seeds, 1 tbsp stewed apple and 1 tbsp berry compot or fresh/frozen berries, and 5-6 soaked/roasted almonds. Kids (and some adults) my also like a few slices of banana. You can also sprinkle with ~2 tsp psyllium husk (for gut health). Other ideas for sprinkling on top include 1 tbsp linseed, pumpkin seeds or other seeds or nuts.

Variant: buckwheat & seed porridge:

• 1dl whole buckwheat groats soaked,

• 1 tbsp seed mix 1 (pumpkin & sunflower seeds),

• 1 tbsp seed mix 2 (linseed, chia seed, psyllium seed):

1. Soak buckwheat and seed-mix 1 overnight and rinse well.

2. Add seed mix 2, and cook up as you would porridge, or just pour over boiled water to cover. Stir and sit >10min, then add 1-2 tbsp coconut cream or 1 dl plant-based yoghurt and toppings as above.