Thursday 4 June 2015

Nutty Coconut Porridge


Nutty Coconut Porridge with Raspberries

When winter kicks in, porridge is one of those comforting foods that warms me and keeps me satisfied for ages. I got to thinking though that I would like to devise a recipe that retains the creamy consistency and comforting nature of porridge, whilst reducing the carbs and adding some healthy fats and extra nutrients. I was amazed at how few oats were needed in this porridge to maintain the same texture. And it’s even yummier than standard porridge. Well that’s my opinion anyway. Try it and see what you think. Please don’t substitute the pecans for other nuts though as I think their flavor is integral to this recipes success.

Serves 2-3.

Suitable for:
Gluten free*, dairy free, soy free, sugar free, low fructose, egg free, vegetarian/vegan and carb conscious eaters.

Conscious content:

·      ¼ cup of non-contaminated Instant Oats*
·      cup of Desiccated Coconut
·      ½ cup of Ground Pecans (I use a coffee grinder)
·      ¼ cup of Slivered Almonds
·      270ml can of Coconut Cream (or coconut milk if you prefer)
·      Approximately ¼ cup of Almond Milk (or other milk)
·      2 teaspoons of Norbu/Natvia/Xylitol (or other sweetener of your choice)
·      Fruit for topping

The Creative Phase:

1.     Place oats and coconut cream in a saucepan and stir on low-medium heat for 1 minute.
2.     Add desiccated coconut, pecans, almonds and sweetener and continue stirring for another minute.
3.     Add almond milk gradually until you reach your desired consistency.
4.     Place porridge in a bowl and add your choice of fruit.  I personally love frozen raspberries warmed up or sliced banana with cinnamon sprinkled on top.

Do oats contain gluten?


*There is major controversy around whether oats contain gluten. The consensus appears to be that non-contaminated oats (i.e. ones that have not been grown, processed or stored near gluten grains) are fine in small quantities for the vast majority of coeliacs. However, although oats do not contain the gluten that is in wheat, rye and barley, they do contain a protein called Avenin that a small number of coeliacs react to. It’s probably worth seeking advice about how to test if this is a problem for you if you are a coeliac. It’s also worth noting that they have discovered some oats cause more reactions than others, so find a brand that suits you and stick to it! If you do not have coeliac disease but you are gluten sensitive, you should be ok with oats if you buy them from a company which farms, processes and stores their oats away from gluten grains and tests for gluten content (but no guarantees; we’re all different). For those of us just trying to minimize gluten, but who have no obvious adverse reaction to it, normal oats are fine.

1 comment:

  1. Such a lovely idea Carla, I eat a lot of porridge especially in winter but never tried mixing in ground nuts! Can't wait to try it! Pecans sound great!

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