We've been porridge devotees for many years and we wanted to come up with something a bit more experimental- one which could be eaten any time of day and also one that uses another highly nutritious but different ingredient other than just oats.

Buckwheat is such a brilliant alternative- packed full of so much goodness including protein and fibre and it has a satisfying texture  and mouthfeel as well. We loved including seasonal puréed pumpkin to this dish, as well as banana and a whole range of lovely winter spices. We used cinnamon, ginger and pumpkin pie spice mix but we reckon cardamom, nutmeg and allspice would also work brilliantly here.

We home-made the seasonal pumpkin purée but you can find tinned pumpkin in quite a few places now. For home-made purée you can slice a pumpkin in half and roast with a little oil and salt, then scoop out the flesh and blitz in a blender or food processor. We then topped the porridge mixture with juicy fresh plum slices, coconut chips and dried cherries. You could add anything you like here really, our only advice is to try and be as seasonal as you can!

We were delighted with the results of both porridge experiments. Our savoury  recipe can be enjoyed at any time of day- it feels similar to a risotto and is incredibly warming and satisfying. We cooked up some shitake 'bacon' which gives it an intensely umami flavour, as well as mixing in some miso paste- which  has long been one of our absolute favourite ingredients.

We had loads of pumpkin purée left over so we dolloped that on top as well which added a subtle sweetness to nicely balance out the saltiness of the shitake. We also topped it with kimchi which is great for gut health and is an interesting additional flavour here, and crunchy Zaa'tar infused pumpkin seeds from the pumpkin we roasted- all part of our efforts to use every part of most of the vegetables we use. We hope this recipe inspires you to experiment yourself with alternative porridge recipes! We were delighted with the results.

Spiced Buckwheat Porridge with Pumpkin Purée, Banana and Sliced Plum

For the topping:

 

Chia seeds, sliced fresh plum, dried fruits of choice- we included dried cherries and then a mix of toasted nuts and toasted coconut chips.

 

Method:

 

Place sprouted buckwheat groats in a small-medium sauce pan with enough almond milk to cover the groats. Add banana slices and a pinch of salt and cook over a medium heat until the buckwheat has absorbed the liquid and become soft. This should take 7-8 mins. 

 

Stir in the pumpkin purée, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, ginger & cinnamon. Cook until the texture is to your liking. We like ours nice and thick.

 

Divide into two bowls, sprinkle on toppings and enjoy!

Shitake Umami Porridge recipe for anytime time of day!

Makes 1 large bowl or 2 small bowls

Ingredients:

1 tbsp of olive oil

1/2 a small red onion, finely chopped
2 minced garlic cloves

80g rolled oats
750ml vegetable stock
1 tbsp tamari
1-2 tbsp white miso paste

For the Topping: Crispy Shitake mushrooms, kimchi, toasted Zaa'tar pumpkin seeds, mashed pumpkin/pumpkin purée

Method:

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a medium-sized sauce pan.

Add the red onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about two minutes.

 

Add the oats, broth, soy sauce, and pepper to the pan.

 

Stir in the miso paste

 

Ladle or pour into one large bowl or two smaller bowls. Top with Shitake 'Bacon', kimchi , Pumpkin Seeds etc 

Shitake Bacon Recipe (Adapted from  Minimalist Baker's website)

1/2 tsp oil (if oil-free, omit)

450g sliced shiitake mushrooms 1/4 inch thick)

3 tsp tamari 

1 ½ tsp maple syrup

1 tsp Mesquite Powder or Liquid Smoke

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp smoked paprika

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 fan

Heat a large rimmed oven-safe cast iron skillet over a medium heat. Once hot, add oil, then mushrooms, tamari, maple syrup, mesquite powder (or liquid smoke) black pepper, and smoked paprika. Stir to coat.

Sauté, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes. Then transfer to preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until browned, dried, and slightly crispy.