½ cup cooked spelt berries
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup milk, or almond milk
1 cup boiling water
1 handful raisins
A pinch of salt
A handful of flaked almonds
1 cup fruits of the forest (defrosted if frozen.)
Put the first six ingredients in a pan and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for about ten minutes, or according to the instructions on the porridge pack. (I find some brands take longer to cook than others.) Stir it regularly.
Once cooked, put the porridge into bowls and top with the almonds and summer fruits. Sugar is optional.
Porridge is nice, but it can get a bit boring. Try this luxury porridge, deliciously chewy and full of flavour. Perfect for an indulgent yet healthy breakfast.
It is spelt berries which gives this porridge its interesting texture and nutty taste. The raisins cooked into it are little pockets of earthy sweetness, and the topping of summer fruits and flaked almonds bring some extra zing and a pleasing crunchiness.
Spelt berries’ name is misleading, rather than a berry spelt is a whole grain, and since discovering them a couple of months ago I’m really into them. People who eat a diet rich in whole grains such as oats and spelt have a lower risk of strokes, heart attacks and type 2 diabetes. However, if you suffer from IBS or gluten intolerance, you might find that spelt doesn’t suit you. To read more about spelt, click here.
Fruits such as blackberries, redcurrants and raspberries are very high in polyphenols, which have been linked to heart health. As antioxidants, they are thought to reduce inflammation and the risk of type 2 diabetes. Ever since finding out how important they are for health, I’ve been keeping a bag of summer fruits in the freezer.
Be aware of what you’re buying when you shop for spelt. Spelt berries are the whole grain, without the husk removed, but the packet I bought just said spelt. Spelt without the husk will cook much more quickly, but the place where I bought mine doesn’t sell it so I can’t tell you how it works in porridge. Spelt berries take ages to cook (30 minutes or more) so I make a batch of them, stick them in a Tupperware in the fridge and use them through the week.
Our youngest daughter won’t eat straight porridge, but she loves this version. Enjoy!
This recipe was inspired by a classic Greek dish called Avgolemono. It has a velvety texture which is very moreish, and it contains a whole host of vitamins and minerals thanks to the spinach and lemon. For a warming soup which is filling enough to serve for dinner, read on.
This seasonal salad will taste great all round. Sweet and crunchy, it is the perfect accompaniment for crispy tray baked chicken in a tahini sauce.
This delicious all-in-one recipe is really easy to make and is high in vitamin E. This means it’s not only for the immune system but also for your skin.
This unusual salad is full of flavour and high in fibre. Never tried red rice before? It’s a nutrient rich alternative to white rice, and it looks pretty too.
