Ultra creamy porridge

For those of you that can have gluten-free oats, this is a good staple recipe to have. On most mornings I have my porridge (not traditional oatmeal) for breakfast during the work week. Usually I make it on Sundays to have for the week. It's my staple and my go to comfort food. And it's full of goodies and good for you stuff. But it's very creamy and almost decadent. (And I'll apologize now as I don't have a picture of it.)

I have found that I much prefer steel cut oats that are gluten-free to rolled oats, to me they taste better, nuttier and give a richer feel in the mouth. I prefer the rolled oats for baking. Yeah these aren't your momma's oats!  However I will mention that the milk or milk substitute is a must as it makes it very creamy and gives that rich feeling when you eat it. I've made it mostly with coconut milk from So Delicious dairy free, and I have also used their almond milk. Either one is awesome for this.

I'm going to list some of the extra optional goodies you can add to this recipe. You can add whatever you think you'd like of course. And you can make it savory or sweet. Savory might be with cheeses, chili, or any other goodies you might creatively think of! Savory makes a good side dish in lieu of rice or potatoes too.

Creamy Porridge

1 cup gluten free steel cut oats
2 Tbl coconut oil
1/4 cup chopped or sliced nuts (optional, I like sliced almonds)
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut shreds (optional)
1/8 cup flax meal (this makes it creamier!)
1/2 cup dried raisins or other fruit, cherries etc.
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup mashed banana or other fruit (optional)
2 1/2 c coconut milk (or other alternative milk)
1 cup filtered water
2 Tbl honey or to taste, or maple syrup even!
1 tsp vanilla (optional)
1/2 cup extra filtered water if needed.

In a medium to large covered sauce pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Toast the oats, nuts, cinnamon and coconut till golden, stirring frequently, approximately 15 minutes or thereabouts.
Heat the milk and water in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. When the oats are toasted, add the flax meal,  heated milk and mashed fresh fruit. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes. If it looks like it needs more liquid, add some of the extra water. After the 20 minutes, turn off the heat, add your dried fruit, vanilla and honey or maple syrup. Let sit covered for 10 to 15 minutes until the dried fruit is plump and serve.

If you make the oats plain or with just shredded coconut, no cinnamon or fruit etc. you can make my oatmeal muffins, which I will post soon! And here's a teaser pic of the marmalade ones. :)

And yes, your kids will eat this oatmeal! You can make plenty, and it stores well in the fridge for a quick reheat for breakfasts.

A note though, if you can't have oats at all, try using flaked quinoa with 1 cup milk and 1 1/2 cups water. Don't toast the quinoa, and only cook like rolled oats in 3 to 4 minutes at a simmer.  But you can toast the nuts and coconut for them. Still creamy!

Enjoy! Do let me know if you tried it and what you thought of your endeavors, and what you added. I love to hear all the wonderful creative ideas.