Creamy Morning Porridge

As the summer fades and the crisp air wakes to a new morning, all I crave is a delicious warm bowl of creamy porridge!  The last few mornings have been uncharacteristically chilly and gloomy for a San Francisco Indian summer.  But with that comes my favorite excuse to enjoy breakfast for almost every meal!  I love breakfast.  I could eat bowls upon bowls of stewed fruit mingled between sweet almond milk and creamy oats.  This is my go-to porridge for the crispy winter mornings.  It really is such a delicious porridge that warms the body with notes of cinnamon throughout.  But what gives this breakfast richness with just a touch of sweetness, is cooking the porridge together with a ripe banana and cashew butter.  Cashew butter is my favorite as it tastes a tad sweeter than most nut butters.  

On mornings where I feeling like I could use a boost in energy, I’ll through in a teaspoon of maca powder.  Maca powder works lovely as it lends a caramel taste, melding beautifully with the sweet stewed banana and cashew butter. 

The best part about this porridge is that it is very quick to whip up and it provides you with so much energy for a long day ahead!  Cashew butter is an excellent source of plant-protein, which is a great energy giver!  Cashews have one of the lowest fat contents in nuts, making it a great snack during a hunger craving.  It is rich in copper, which has an enzyme that gives hair its beautiful color.  Copper also has properties for rejuvenating skin and preventing free radical damage.

This really is a delicious and warming porridge for the coming winter months.  Feel free to add your favorite toppings to this porridge – fresh fruit, especially pomegranate seeds (in season), currants and raw cacao nibs are all delicious! 

Serves: 1

Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 8-10 minutes

Ingredients for the Porridge:

- 1/3 cup oats

- 3/4 cup almond milk

-1/2 cup water

- ½ of a banana

- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

- 1 teaspoon maca powder

- 1 teaspoon cashew butter

-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 tsp honey

Instructions:

Simply add the oats, water, slices of banana and almond milk to a saucepan and allow to heat on medium-low for about 8-10 minutes, until all the liquid has been absorbed and you are left with a creamy porridge. Now stir in the cashew butter, maca powder, cinnamon, vanilla and mix well.  Pour into a bowl and enjoy with your favorite toppings!