we’re in the deep of winter right now in canberra. it kind of feels like we’ll never make it out. every day i wake up, aching to see some warmth of sunlight through my curtains, instead i see an uninspiring white-grey sky stretching as far as i can see. it was okay in the beginning, and it’s okay when it’s raining. at least then the weather has some personality. this achingly cold, still winter is getting the better of me and making me wish for warmer days in a way winter has never done before. so i make porridge.
porridge is one of my favourite meals. it warms me from within, making me feel cosy, full and energised in a soothing way. it almost makes this winter worth it. almost. as a child, my dad used to make porridge for breakfast in the winters. we’d top it with loads of brown sugar and almost drown it with milk. since we’re both so busy, my dad and i haven’t been able to spend much time together recently. so today, we made a morning of our porridge eating.
i stirred the pot of slowly thickening, creamy oats and dad added fun bits and pieces to the mix and prepared the fresh toppings. porridge is like muesli, it is almost ALWAYS more about the toppings than the actual porridge. it’s really a vessel for a variety of flavours and textures. i like to add things into my porridge while it cooks as well, which is what i did today.
ingredients:
porridge
oats (on an average morning i use about 1/4 of a cup, but it really depends how hungry/how much you can eat)
water (double the amount of oats)
1 tsp cinnamon (or more is desired)
1 tsp vanilla extract
small handful of dried cranberries
1 banana, sliced
toppings
strawberries, sliced
peanut butter
coconut yoghurt
chopped nuts
plant milk
chopped up bliss ball
method:
in a small saucepan, add the oats, water, cinnamon, vanilla, dried cranberries and banana. cook over a low heat, stirring constantly. continuously stirring porridge is essential for it to become smooth and creamy, the more you stir while it cooks the creamier it will become! when desired consistency is reached, serve in bowls (it’s a good idea to warm them up with a little warm water first, as the porridge is likely to go cold really fast if you don’t!). top with fresh fruit, nut butter, dried fruit, chopped nuts, chopped bliss balls, maple syrup, coconut sugar, coconut yoghurt, seeds ANYTHING YOU WANT! You’re an adult and can make your own decisions!
all my love,
charlie
