Sunday, January 4, 2015

On Breakfasting in the New Year (Or, Here's a Porridge Recipe...)

I holidayed hard, guys.

With a vengeance.

It's not an uncommon story. Equal parts revelry and lack of time lead to sustaining oneself on hors d'oeuvres, candy canes, and whiskey for a month (note: I don't think I actually had any candy canes)(for sure the rest, though). I was more vegetarian than vegan, and I have no regrets. It was a fun month. A fun month that ended with me being not entirely sure when I'd last had a vegetable and reasonably certain that I was suffering from a mild amount of self-inflicted malnutrition.

Needless to say, when the tinsel settled, it was time to detox.

Now, "detox," is a very strong word. When some people use it, they mean they're going to embark on some kind of magic juice cleanse or fast. Good luck to them. When I use it, all I really mean is that I start paying attention to what I'm doing again. It only took about two days for my blood to stop hurting, so I have faith in my system.

For me, a decent breakfast is key to making good choices for the rest of the day. However, I'm not going to get up any earlier to make it, so breakfasts that are quick and easy - or that I can prepare in advance on the day I set aside to do my cooking for the week - are also my friend.

I kicked off 2015 with a nifty little dish I found on Pinterest last summer that happens to meet both requirements, a raw buckwheat chia porridge that is super easy and satisfying. It's also vegan and gluten free, so extra snaps if either of those things apply to you or you're having friends over for breakfast that you don't want to poison. Recipe after the jump.



Raw Buckwheat Chia Porridge
First and foremost, I love the word porridge, so this is very satisfying to me on that level.

Second, this is a really versatile recipe - once you make the base, you can top it with pretty much anything you want to make it a little more robust. Add more fruit, seeds, chopped nuts, whatever suits your fancy - just be mindful of the nutritional value and serving sizes, if health is your goal. Lately I've been using raw pumpkin seeds and about a tablespoon of homemade persimmon jam that my cousin Erin gave me for Christmas - so good! Check out the original recipe here for some ideas. 

Also, keep in mind that you're going to want to soak your buckwheat groats for at least 8 hours, so factor that in to your plans. You can do it overnight, or just toss them in a bowl with some water first thing in the morning so they'll be ready to use when you get home. Just don't forget, because there's really no quick fix.

Final note: if you're making this when pineapple is not in season (like right now), you can swap it for most other fruits or berries. Try pears. Pears are great. You can go the frozen or canned pineapple route if you want, but technically, seasonal eating is better. It's also fun.

Ingredients
- 1 cup buckwheat groats, soaked in water for at least 8 hours
- 1/3 cup almond meal
- 1/4 cup chia seeds
- 2 green apples, cored and sliced (any apples work, but green has worked the best for me)
- 1/2 cup pineapple, cubed
- 1/3 tsp ground green cardamom
- 1/3 tsp ground cinnamon
- pinch of ground nutmeg
- 1 Tbsp sweetener (I opt for maple syrup)

Drain and rinse your buckwheat groats.

Have you done that? Grand.

Now, here's the beautiful part of this recipe: take all of the above, place it in your food processor or hi-speed blender, and blend/pulse until everything is well-incorporated and smooth. That's it. That's all you have to do.

Now, that's going to take a couple minutes - there's a lot of stuff for your machine to work through. This is where the Vitamix I got for my birthday a couple years ago continues to be the gift that keeps on giving. If you have a smaller machine, you may need to blend in batches. Use your best judgment. By the end, you should have a nice, smooth, pudding-like consistency. If it's took thick for your liking, add some water a little at a time until you're satisfied.

Once your porridge is ready, you can serve it hot or cold. Personally, I think it works better cold, so I generally prep it the night before and put it in the fridge. Assembly in the morning is a no-brainer: dish out between 3/4 cup - 1 cup porridge, add your toppings, and enjoy!




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