CREAMY PORRIDGE MINUS THE COW’S MILK  Return to Top
Give your body a break from all of that cow’s milk and treat it with some health-promoting coconut milk that won’t add to your congestion.

You will need:

  • 1 cup whole oats
  • 1 cup of the coconut milk you just made*
  • An additional cup of water
  • pinch of celtic sea salt
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ cup walnuts
  • Poached quinces or fruit of your choice

Directions:

  1. Place the oats, coconut milk, celtic sea salt, cinnamon and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
  2. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and stir continuously for 5 minutes.
  3. Pour the porridge into bowls and serve topped with walnuts and quinces and a little splash of extra coconut milk. If you don’t like walnuts or quinces why not try 1 tablespoon of LSA and perhaps some poached rhubarb?

Serves 2

*Tip – MAKE YOUR OWN COCONUT MILK – Buy a can of coconut cream (Ayam is a great brand): decant it into a glass bottle and add two parts of water and there you go, you have your own coconut milk to use on your cereal, in your curries, and, of course, your porridge. It will last 3-4 days in your fridge.

BIRCHER MUSELI – MIX UP YOUR BREAKFAST!  Return to Top
You know porridge is good for you but the weather is still not quite cold enough for porridge. How about you try Bircher instead?

You will need:

  • 1 cup whole oats (organic is preferred)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped nuts (unsalted and unroasted) and seed mix or LSA (linseed, sunflower seed and almond meal)
  • 3 tablespoons natural yoghurt (some great brands include Paris Creek, Meredith Dairy Sheep, Barambah, Elgaar Farm, Marrook, Goats Alpine and Jalna)
  • 1–2 tablespoons dried fruit
  • squeeze of half a fresh lemon and a little of the rind if you want some extra nutrition
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon and/or nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon shredded fresh coconut
  • water and/or milk

Directions:

  1. Place all ingredients into a container/bowl and mix well.
  2. Add just enough water or half water/half milk so the liquid covers the mix by 1–2 cm, stir again and cover.  Place in the refrigerator and leave overnight.
  3.  In the morning, the ingredients will have absorbed the liquid.  Stir again and serve. (This quantity should make enough for 2 servings.)
  4. Add freshly grated apple or seasonal fresh fruits and a little more yoghurt and milk if desired.  A drizzle of maple syrup or honey is a tasty addition.

If your yoghurt and milk has a long use by date this breakfast is great to make on a Sunday as it will keep really well in the refrigerator and become a very quick, easy and nutritious breakfast for you to have at home or take to work.

You will notice in many Bircher recipes they call for orange juice for the liquid part. I believe this makes the Bircher too sweet and it adds unnecessary sugar calories.

  • Don’t be afraid to vary the ingredients.
  • There is a plethora of delicious nuts e.g. pistachios, almonds*, brazils*, pecans, hazelnuts, walnuts* and cashews.
  • Always try to have linseed in the Bircher for extra fibre.
  • Rosewater provides a lovely flavour if it is added last.
  • Be careful with the dried fruit and add a sensible quantity as it still contains natural sugars. There are heaps to try here too: figs, cranberries (ensure they are dried using natural juice sugar), sultanas, currants, apricots and dates.
  • Sometimes the simpler the better: choose perhaps only 1–2 nut and seed varieties and leave the dried fruit out.
  • Add a scraping of real vanilla bean for those special breakfasts.

*Indicates the most nutritious.