I do love a winter porridge. And I do love the earthy taste of buckwheat. Combining the two is, therefore, a no brainer and if for whatever reason oats – gluten-free or not – don’t work for you or you just want some variety: Welcome to a new breakky option on a cold winter’s morning. In terms of what you top it with, it really is up to you. I love giving my son a few options on what to use to top the porridge so he feels he gets to exercise a bit of creativity and control – something we know kids really enjoy! This is a great fussy eating diminishing tactic, too, in that you provide the boundary and non-negotiable: “We’re having porridge” but you provide them with the creative control for the toppings “What would you like to top yours with”.
From a nutritional perspective, buckwheat delivers pretty darn well, especially if you then top with a few extra berries and nuts. It’s got about 13g of protein to the 100, containing all 8 essential amino acids, including lysine not often found in other grains (a great anti-viral!). It also contains quercetin and rutin, two wonderful histamine degrading flavonoids, and contains a little B2, B3, copper, magnesium, zinc and manganese in the mix. It’s not a grain, it’s a fruit seed related to rhubarb, although it’s used as one as a flour, often – I LOVE it in traditional French galettes, which are a more hearty form of crèpe, stuffed with savoury fillings. Miam, miam!
Anyhoo, kids or no kids, I could eat this bowl of comfort any day of the week. I hope you enjoy it too!
Here’s the last one I made at home this past weekend where I topped with stewed berries, cream and toasted buckwheat groats whole for a bit of crunch on top:
Enjoy making it your own with delicious toppings and be sure to tag me when you post pics @lowtoxlife on Instagram.
Real Food. Healthy People. Happy Planet.
Alexx x
Creamy buckwheat porridge
Equipment
- Saucepan - Cast Iron, enamel, ceramic or stainless steel
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup rough ground buckwheat groats I pop mine in a blender on high for just 2 seconds to roughly grind it. You still want them coarse, but not whole.
- 1 cup almond or coconut milk
- 1 cup filtered water
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or powder optional
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
- 2 teaspoon maple syrup or rice malt syrup optional
TOPPING OPTIONS - ALL OPTIONAL, JUST USE WHAT YOU HAVE
- 1 cup frozen berries, thawed gently in a saucepan on low while the porridge cooks
- 1 sprinkle chopped nuts or seeds
- 1 sprinkle toasted shredded coconut
- 1 sprinkle toasted buckwheat groats whole, for crunch
- 1 sliced banana, divvied up across the two bowls
- 1 sprinkle ground flax seeds
- 1 scoop whey or pea protein, stirred into the porridge before serving for extra nutrition.
Instructions
- Pop your milk, water, buckwheat and vanilla/cinnamon/syrup if using, into a pan on medium heat.
- Once it comes to the boil you can turn down to low/medium and stir occasionally. If for whatever reason it is looking really thick and gluggy or dry, just add a splash of your chosen milk or water to let it continue cooking the full 10 minutes.
- Once it's cooked and creamy, divide into the two bowls and top with your favourite porridge toppings - it can be a new adventure every time and great for kids who like a bit of control over what they eat: Give them the plain bowl and a few topping choices for them to 'choose their own sprinkles on top'.
- You're done. Enjoy!
Comments 1
This was delicious!!!! Will make this fish a regular