Hearty Breakfast Porridge

Say ‘porridge’, and the word conjures up images of children sitting at a big kitchen table with spoons ready, and Mother at the stove, serving up big bowls of delicious steaming warm goodness before the little ones trod out in the snow for their daily chores and the long trek to school.  After all, a good hot breakfast means you’ll have a great day, right?

Well, if we could only be so lucky!  But a warm breakfast does help to put a good start on things, so why not take the opportunity to make it healthy as well as good?  There’s no time, you say?  Well.. here’s a recipe you can make ahead and then do a quick warm up in the mornings while the kids are waking up, and it wont take up the entire morning!

This porridge recipe is simple cooking, very wholesome. There are just a few prep things to make it more delicious.  For example, making this porridge with chicken broth instead of just plain water, packs such a flavor punch plus the added nutrition of good home cooked bone broth.   I make a big crock pot of broth after a chicken dinner, when I have bones left over,  let it simmer a 34-48 hours, then freeze a cup or two in ziplock bags or ice cubes for convenience.  I also pressure can it in pints, so I always have some handy. (Pressure canning is a must for any bone broth or meat product).

Grains, lots of grains!

I shop in bulk, so when I go to the Co-Op (they have the best grains in my area), I buy a pound or two of as many grains as I want, store them in mason jars. Freeze for a day after you bring them home to eliminate the chance of pesky critters later. Kamut, wheat berries, amaranth, quinoa, spelt, pearled barley, steel cut oats, chia, and especially flax.  Each one has a nutty flavor and so good mixed together.  Choose your favorites, or all of them!

I also dry a lot of fruits from my orchard and vineyard, especially apples and Asian pears as a base for other fruits, since they are plentiful in my area. I get the best seedless grapes from a neighbor’s vineyard and dehydrate some awesome raisins.  But we do a lot of foraging and I can, dehydrate or freeze a lot of blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, mulberries, elderberries, etc.  Just make sure your foraging areas are safely accessed and haven’t been sprayed.  Or make a day event with the kids to an orchard for a box of your favorite fruit and put it up for recipes like this. And your favorite nuts. I also keep chia seeds and flax seeds for sprinkling and adding a little extra protein and Omega fats to lots of dishes.  All these things take a little planning, not a lot, and they make such a big difference when you have them on hand!

So try this simple recipe, let the kids dress their bowls the way they like, with jams, fruit honeys, nuts, dried fruits, and a little cream or homemade yogurt.  You’ll know they will get that good start that your very own storybook family needs!

Porridge (This makes a large pot, enough for several servings):

Measure out ingredients or use more or less of each, to your tastes:

1-2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup each of your choice of as many grains as you want; kamut, quinoa, amaranth, barley, spelt, flax, stone ground oats, any others you like.  3 cups total, so adjust each amount if you have more kinds of grains
Water to cover the grains for boiling, about 2-3 cups.
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon good cinnamon
½ teaspoon each of allspice, nutmeg, or clove
1 cup milk, optional

Dressing the bowl:  Sprinkle in chia seeds, flax seeds, nuts, dried fruits, home canned syrups and fruit, jam, yogurt, or a little cream.  Maple syrup or brown sugar, yum.  Molasses!  And a dollop of butter!  Anything you like.

Put all the grains in the broth and water, except for the steel-cut oats.  Most grains will take a little boiling to get soft and tender, and oats cook faster.  Let the grains come to a rolling boil, then turn down to a good simmer for about 30 minutes.  Remember to stir fairly often so they wont stick in the pot.  Watch the water level, if it begins to thicken too much, add half a cup to a cup of water to keep it simmering.  Taste test the grains for softness to make sure they are done.  When each type of grain has softened (wheat berries seem to take longest for me), Add the oats.  Add a little more water if needed, and let simmer for about five minutes with a good stir.

When the porridge is done to your liking, pour in half a cup to a cup of milk, let it simmer for a minute, then  spoon up in warmed bowls (I just run them under a little warm water at the sink, same as my coffee cup so my coffee doesn’t get so cold so fast!) and dress the bowl each to his or her liking.

Store leftovers in a large ziplock bag or other container.  Tomorrow, just spoon out enough into a saucepan, add a little milk and water, enough to smooth the porridge, and heat on low.  Repeat the good breakfast process!

I hope this warm hearty breakfast keeps you going!  It’s a nice way to make a little early morning family time.

To make raisins and other dried fruits, click here

For recipes for canned fruit syrups, click here

For chicken broth directions, click here

To use leftover porridge in other ways, click here