Welcome back to the second round of my “What’s for Breakfast?” posts, where I’m focusing on getting you motivated to prepare some make-ahead nutritious, filling breakfasts.
Last week was all about the protein-packed Egg Pot, which is definitely my go-to savoury breakfast when I’m busy during the week. But you might be more of a sweet brekkie person, which I can understand, as I get that way too sometimes.
So, this week we’re looking at the make-ahead Porridge Bake, in various forms (yes paleo/grain-free folk, I have thought about a way you can try this one without using oats!)
When I can, cooking a serving of gluten-free, steel cut oats over the stovetop is my favourite way to enjoy porridge; preferably with the grains having been soaked overnight for easier digestion. Sometimes I use buckwheat or quinoa instead of oats to mix things up a little and because these “pseudo-cereals” (buckwheat and quinoa are actually both technically seeds, not grains) have an excellent nutrient profile, being particularly high in quality protein for a grain-like food.
As much as I love this little stovetop porridge routine, I have encountered the occasional morning where this has seen me absolutely bolting the entire way to work because I took so long making breakfast. Not fun, and an unnecessarily stressful way to start the day. So, I’ve come up with this Porridge Bake to save time. It even packs in a serve of veggies (because I just can’t help putting vegetables in everything).
Porridge Bake
What you need (for 5 breakfasts):
- 1 and ¼ cups rolled oats (I use gluten-free oats – you could try using buckwheat or quinoa flakes instead)
- 1 cup mixed nuts/seeds/coconut (chopped raw nuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, shredded or flaked coconut – pick your favourites)
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 and ½ cups grated vegetables (I alternate between carrot, zucchini, pumpkin or sweet potato)
- 2 cups milk of choice (I like coconut milk – the kind you buy for drinking as a dairy substitute, not the canned variety)
- 4 eggs
- 1-3 tbsp sweetener of choice (I use rice malt syrup; you could use maple syrup, coconut sugar, raw honey, etc. You can also use a few drops of stevia)
- 1 cup chopped fruit or berries (frozen berries are fine. You can use ½ cup of dried fruit instead)
What to do?
- Preheat oven to 180 C.
- Take a large baking dish (I typically use a rectangular glass dish, about 20cm x 25cm), and grease it lightly with coconut oil, olive oil or organic butter.
- Combine the oats, nuts/seeds/coconut, cinnamon and baking powder. Then, stir through the grated vegetables. Arrange this all evenly in the greased baking dish.
- Whisk together the milk, eggs and sweetener. Pour over the dry ingredients.
- Scatter the chopped fruit/berries over the top, pressing some fruit deeper into the mixture.
- Bake for approximately 40-45 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed and the top has turned golden brown.
- Allow to cool, then slice the bake into 5 pieces. Serve hot or cold, with toppings if you like (a spoonful of natural yoghurt, some coconut cream, a drizzle of nut butter or tahini) – though this makes decent-sized portions so you should not need to add too much!
This porridge bake keeps well in the fridge. Pack a slice into a container and that’s it – breakfast to go.
I want a vegan (egg free) version!
Swap out the eggs for chia or flaxseed “eggs”:
- 1 chia egg – 1 level tablespoon of chia seeds combined with 3 tablespoons of water, let it sit for 10-15 minutes to form a gel.
- 1 flax egg – as for the chia egg except with a tablespoon of ground flaxseed.
I want a paleo (grainfree) version!
Swap out the oats for a 1 and 1/4 cups of a mixture of a few of the following items:
- grated apple,
- grated pear,
- shredded coconut,
- ground flaxseed,
- almond meal
…and reduce the milk added to one cup (as the mix won’t absorb as much as the oats). For a firmer texture you can also add 3 tbsp of coconut flour to the mixture.
If you’d like a specific recipe, I have just popped up my recipe for a Carrot and Raspberry Porridge Bake, click here to check it out.
Next week in my “What’s for Breakfast?” Series we will cover off another one of my high protein, egg-based favourites and talk a little bit more about the benefits of eating eggs. Don’t forget to tag me if you try one of my breakfast creations, either on Instagram (@nourish_everyday) or over on Facebook (facebook.com/nourisheveryday)!
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