Summer porridge

via

I found this recipe on Pinterest late last year and have been addicted ever since. It's so easy and delicious - two important things for all great breakfasts. Most of the ingredients you can buy in bulk, reducing cost and meaning less trips to the supermarket. It keeps me full until almost lunchtime, and the recipe can be tweaked to add a bit of variety. I've adapted the recipe a bit so that it has less dairy in it, since I'm trying to reduce my intake despite my love for that food group.

(As a side note - before this, I was having Up & Go's for breakfast (for non-Aussies - it's basically a milkshake for breakfast). Not the healthiest thing in the world, but it was all I could muster when I was feeling fatigued. So that's an indicator of how easy this recipe is. It's also handy to be able to take it to work and savour it at my desk in the morning.)

my basic ingredients

• chia seeds (I get them from my local health food shop, but good supermarkets also tend to stock them - this is part of what makes this brekky so filling)
• natural yoghurt (currently obsessed with the honey & cinnamon version of five:am yoghurt but I use that as an afternoon treat instead because of the added sugar)
• rolled oats
• rice milk/goat's milk (instead of soy/cow's milk - I'm experimenting!)
• berries of some variety (expensive but worth the flavour)

optional extras

• cocoa powder (so good for a bit of a treat, a teaspoon or so will do)
• honey (again, if you want something a little sweeter)
• apple/mango/banana/whatever fruit is in season

how you do it

step 1: combine ingredients in a container

step 2: put container in fridge

step 3: sleep and have sweet dreams of the yummy breakfast you will have the next morning.

I don't measure the ingredients out anymore, but I would say that you fill the container 1/4 full of oats, then follow with the same amount of yoghurt, a few teaspoons of chia seeds, a splash of milk (enough for it to soak up), and add as much fruit as you want. If you want specific measurements check out the original recipe. They also have bunches of great ideas for other ingredients to include in this recipe.

Make sure you leave room for the mixture to expand overnight.

Tip: I've found that I've been able to make this recipe up to 3 days in advance before it goes bad.

Next up I'm going to try adding spices like cinnamon and cloves to it, and branching out and using other cow milk substitutes like coconut milk. I'm also planning on trying to make it with quinoa or quinoa flakes.

Enjoy!