This recipe from Leela Cyd's Food With Friends offers 9 delicious variations on the perfect steel cut oat base. Porridge is a great breakfast - very nourishing and cozy and so full of potential variation. As she describes so well "A great bowl of oatmeal depends on the proper toppings: I like different textures, flavors, and even temperatures. Feel free to change this recipe based on season, weather, and your appetite in any specific moment. Once you master this mindset, you'll never think of oatmeal as a boring, ho-hum breakfast -- rather it's a canvas in which you can make your mark, and set the tone for the rest of your day".... We couldn't agree more!
INGREDIENTS
OATS
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 cup steel-cut oats
- 1 1/2 cups almond milk or whole dairy milk
- 1/4 teaspoon himalayan pink salt (or fine sea salt)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon Saigon Cinnamon (or Indonesian Cinnamon)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds
TOPPINGS
- 1 cup chopped fresh fruit
- 1/2 cup chopped toasted nuts
- 1/4 cup toasted unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped dried fruit (such as figs or apricots)
- 2 tablespoons sesame, pumpkin or hemp seeds
- 2 tablespoons rich dairy such as whole-milk yogurt or sour cream
- 2 tablespoons nut butter (such as cashew, peanut, or almond)
- Fleur de sel
- Warm maple syrup, honey, or brown sugar to taste
PREPARATION
Cook The Oats:
- In a medium pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the oats and cook, stirring occasionally, until the oats produce a toasty, popcorn-like aroma, about 5 minutes.
- Add the milk, salt, and 1 1/2 cups water. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and coot the oats, stirring occasionally to scrape up the oats from the bottom of the pot, for about 20 minutes longer, until cooked through but still a little toothsome.
- Stir in the vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and ground flaxseeds. Cover the pot and remove from the heat, and let stand for 3 to 5 minutes.
Serve The Oats: Ladle the oatmeal into 2 bowls. Arrange the toppings as desired in each bowl and serve immediately.
1. The Tropics // coconut, pineapple, passion fruit, cashews
2. Americana // blueberries, strawberries, yogurt, and bee pollen
3. The Cozy // apple slices, cranberries, almonds, and cinnamon
4. Viva Mexico // pear, pepitas, dates, and chile
5. The Crunch // granola, sunflower seeds, and shredded coconut
6. The Health Nut // blackberries, toasted walnuts, and flax seeds
7. The Greek // dried figs, pomegranate seeds, pistachios, and Greek yogurt
8. The Sexy // plums, dark chocolate, dried cherries, honeycomb
9. The Childhood Special // whole milk, peanut butter, strawberry jam, banana
Source: Leela Cyd, Food With Friends