The best healthy breakfast to start a beautiful day
Porridge - A Healthy Breakfast, and Cheap Too!
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por•ridge – 'porij – noun – a dish consisting of oatmeal boiled in water. Originating in the middle of the 16th century, the name for barley bisque: is a variant of "bisque".
Introduction:
This post is all about smooth oatmeal - long soaking and slow cooking. I was never a fan of porridge as a kid and thought it was weird to have little bits of porridge in a delicious mix. But then I learned to cook it slowly to get it super smooth - I was a convert and have been eating porridge every day since then, winter and summer. When oats are soaked and slow-cooked for a long time (and for a long time), they become very digestible - truly pre-digested and ready to give your body a lot of energy. This is important to us humans, and oddly enough, it has to do with the number of stomachs we have...unlike ruminants like cows, goats, and sheep, which have four stomachs, we only have one. It can be said that cows, goats, and sheep use their stomachs as fermenters. They break down food by fermentation. Chickens use a crop to grind and ferment their grains in this way.
We, humans, lack this ability, so in order to get the best value from our grains, we must pre-digest them through fermentation through long soaking and cooking. Another reason I started slow cooking and long soaking porridge has to do with the oats (Avena Sativa) themselves. What are oats before hulling and rolling? It is a seed - a way for a plant to reproduce itself. As the seed matures on the mother plant, it dries out and prepares it for the journey of its life. It has to survive the challenges of winter before it can sprout again in spring (although it can be dormant for years). This miraculous preservation takes place with the help of so-called "enzyme inhibitors" (substances contained in the grain).
One day, the oat grains will fall into the ground. If the soil is dry, it won't germinate -- its life-giving energy won't awaken until it's watered. The change happens when the oats fall on moist soil. The enzyme inhibitors that help it remain a dormant seed are reversed indefinitely, and when they do, the oat's kernel comes alive and begins its life journey in the warmth of the sun. When the grain gets wet, the enzyme inhibitors give way to a flood of "enzyme activity" that makes new shoots come alive. Understanding this process makes all the difference in a delicious porridge. Two hours after eating a bowl of instant porridge, you're hungry again.
How to cook it - soaking long and cooking slow:
Start with five cups of rolled oats (1.9 lbs = 850 grams). If possible, large oats, the less processed the better. This is enough for a week's supply for two people. Put them in a very large bowl and fill the bowl with water. Oats absorb a lot of water, so the bowl needs to be large enough to hold about 2/3 of the water and 1/3 of the oats. The bowl I used was 11 inches in diameter. Add a few teaspoons of apple cider vinegar and let it sit for 24-36 hours. The apple cider vinegar changes the pH of the water, preventing the oats from spoiling. They need to stay cool, so keep them in the fridge or in a cool room depending on where you live or the time of year. After two days: Pour off surface water and scum from the top of the bowl. In a large saucepan, I use a 10" diameter and 7" high, fill about 1/3 full of water, and bring to a boil. Add a teaspoon of sea salt.
if you don't have a large pot: the ratio of water to oats is about 1 liter of water to 1 cup of dry rolled oats. Also, put a pot of water on and bring it to a boil (you'll need this later). When the water boils, gently spoon the oats into the boiling water, using the egg slices to avoid too much splashing. Be sure to stir the oats constantly. Keep it on high heat so they cook quickly. Stirring with egg flakes or a flat wooden spoon will keep them from sticking to the bottom. They can easily burn if left unattended. Keep stirring until they thicken a bit and start to cook. This may take a while, about 10 minutes. After the porridge boils, it swells slightly due to the steam bubbles emerging from below.
At this point, I add the kettle of boiling water, which should fill the entire pot to about 2 inches from the top. Gently bring the entire pot to a boil, then turn down the heat on the smallest element on the stove to the lowest possible heat. Leave for about an hour. Check occasionally to see if it's sticking to the bottom. Experiment - low heat regulates better on some stoves than others. The porridge should be lightly cooked, and not too sticky to the bottom. You will get a feel for which settings on your cooker are best for cooking porridge particularly gently. Stir occasionally and scrape the bottom to make sure it doesn't burn there. If this is the case, reduce the heat or use a metal plate to spread the flame.
After simmering for an hour, wrap the pot in a large towel and place it in the hot box, or wrap it in a comforter and place it on the spare bed! Or sit in a chair with cushions around it. Any well-insulated place. Leave it on for about 8 hours. I usually cook porridge at night. I have a 'Hot Box', a straw-insulated wooden box with a lid, designed for long slow cooking of porridge, beans, potatoes, etc, state of the art...
Breakfast Time:
After 8 hours, open the still-hot cooked porridge. Pour the cooked porridge into a large bowl or two, cover, let cool slightly, and place in the refrigerator. Take the required amount of porridge every day and heat it on the stove. Voila, is a cheap and easy breakfast that's quick to make every morning and keeps well in the fridge. Use a whisk when reheating porridge to make it smoother and fluffier. I sometimes add a little water - a little thinner is always better than a thicker porridge. Serve with your favorite toppings—I like a little organic butter, some organic whipped cream, and some plant-based enzymes like N-Zyme from Avena.