Porridge is my go to breakfast all year round. I mix it up with seasonal fruit, have it hot, or cold, depending on the weather and what I am doing.

My basic mix;

• Jumbo oats
• Dried fruit; sultanas, sour cherries, cranberries
• Seeds; pumpkin, chia, sunflower
• Nuts; walnuts, cashews, pecans
• Honey
• Liquid; I usually use water but sometimes dairy milk, or plant milk, if I have any. I don’t buy any kind of milk just for porridge.
• Fruit; in winter I stew cooking apples, or rhubarb, in a batch (keeps in the fridge in a tub) and add a couple of spoon fulls per day. In summer I chop up seasonal berries. 
• Nut butter; for a bit of extra decadence I sometimes add a spoonful of nut butter. Sounds random but I love it. 

For hot porridge 

• Mix ingredients together (except honey and any fruit), cover with water or milk and leave for 30 mins or more.
• I normally mix the dry ingrediants together before I meditate and practice yoga, so it’s ready when I am done.
• Put in microwave on full power for 1 min, mix, put on again full power for 1 minute.
• Add a teaspoon of honey. If available, seasonal fresh or stewed fruit.

For cold porridge (also called overnight oats)

• Mix ingredients together, in air tight container, with liquid (water or milk), honey and fruit of your choice.
• I find the Klean Kanteen steel containers are a good size and leak proof.
• I make it the night before so I can grab my container straight from the fridge on the way out.
• If using water, or plant milk, I don’t need to worry about keeping it cold. 

Nutritional informational of basic mix

Data taken from the Carbs & Cals app.

Note; measured due to working out nutritional information, normally I just spoon or tip!

• Jumbo oats 50g
• Sultanas 1 teaspoon 5g
• Sour cherries 1 teaspoon 6g
• Pumpkin 1 teaspoon 5g
• Chia 1 teaspoon 4g
• Walnuts 10g
• Cashew 5 whole nuts (9g)
• Honey 1 teaspoon 
• Oat milk if used 150ml 
• Dairy milk if used 150ml 

Cost of basic mix using above quantities

• All items are organic unless stated;
• Jumbo oats £1.95 per kg = 10p
• Sultanas £3.90 per kg = 2p
• Pumpkin £11 per kg = 5.5p
• Linseeds £3 per kg = 1.5p
• Chia £5.43 per kg = 2p
• Walnuts £17.50 per kg = 17p
• Cashew £17.50 per kg = 16p
• Honey (Fairtrade not organic) £4.90 500g pot = 10p
• Oat milk £1.50 per litre = 23p
• Dairy milk £1 per 500ml = 30p
• Totals; Oat 87p , Dairy 94p, Water £64p
• Items sourced from Get Loose Foods, Hackney City Farm (except Oat Milk)

Nutritional information for optional extras

• Stewed apples (no sugar) approx 50g = 5g carbs & 22 cals, 1/2 portion of 5 a day
• Stewed rhubarb (with sugar) approx 50g = 6 carbs & 24 cals, 1/2 portion of 5 a day
• Peanut butter 1tsp 15g = 2 carbs & 91 cals
• Almond butter 1tsp 15g = 3g carbs & 96 cals
• Hazelnut butter 1tsp 15g = 3g carbs & 103 cals
• Strawberries approx 50g – 3g carbs & 15 cals, 1/2 portion of 5 a day
• Raspberries approx 30g – 1g carbs & 8 cals

Cost of optional extras 

• Stewed apples (no sugar) £2.95 1kg = 15p
• Stewed rhubarb (no sugar) £4.15 400g = 52p
• Peanut butter £2.45 250g jar = 15p
• Almond butter £3.51 for 175g jar = 30p
• Hazelnut butter £4.40 for 175g jar = 38p
• Strawberries £3.60 375g = 48p
• Raspberries £3.15 150g = £1.02
• Fruit sourced from Farm Drop, (cost will vary depending on season) nut butters from Get Loose Foods, Hackney City Farm.

Photo Credit; Agne Nemanyte

How do you like your porridge? Share your favourite additions in the comments below.