porridge They are the quintessential English breakfast., essential in Anglo-Saxon cuisine. It is an energetic soup based on oat flakes cooked in milk or simply in water.
There are so many variations, since it is a recipe that combines very well with a wide variety of ingredients: it can be enriched with fruit, fresh or dried, honey or maple syrup, chocolate or seeds. Really there are porridge for all tastes.
Discover with us how to prepare porridge with oat bran and apples with honey, adding raspberries, blueberries and almonds. A healthy and complete proposal, perfect to vary the usual breakfast of cookies and biscuits, ideal to start the day off right!
Porridge: a British claim
Porridge -also called porage, porridge, parritch- is the traditional breakfast dish in Great Britain. A classic recipe that hides a story as old as humanity. In fact, around 12,000 years ago, with the transition from nomadism to a sedentary lifestyle, all the “cereal-like” plants began to be cooked. Some ancient cookbooks claim that a similar variant of “rice porridge” was cooked in China as early as 2000 (and more) BC. Sometimes with quinoa.
But, What is the origin of the word “porridge”? To know the name, we have to travel quite a bit through the centuries. It was first used in the 17th century. Some say that it comes from “pottage”, from the French “potage” (soup), others from “pot”, that is, “pan”. What is certain is that porridge, as we know it, They have their origin in Scottish oats. Oats and barley were the predominant cereals in the Highlands and constituted an essential source of livelihood for their inhabitants. It was prepared with oats, water or milk, a little butter and a pinch of salt.
Until the 19th century, porridge was considered “poor man’s food”, eaten only in rural areas. Despite this – in fact, perhaps because of this – this recipe is a staple of Scottish cuisine, and today English cuisine as well.
But only in the Highlands legends and superstitions associated with this dish survive. The best known refers to the way to remove: only clockwise and only with the right hand, thus winking at luck.
This is done with a special ladle, the “spurtle”, a stick with a rounded tip that prevents the oats from sticking together.
Porridge: calories and well-being
So we understand that porridge is A very easy recipe to prepare and ideal for your diet. The oat bran and apple porridge with the addition of red fruits and almonds, therefore, they are ideal to start the day off right; a dish Full of healthy ingredients that are good for your body.
Oat bran is an insoluble fiber whose main function is to retain water to increase the volume within the intestinal lumen and promote intestinal function. Beta-glucans are also present, a soluble fiber that has the function of increasing viscosity and, consequently, retaining sugars and fats and reducing their absorption. They also have the specific function of stimulating the immune system by acting on certain cell receptors in the intestinal mucosa. In this way, by reinforcing the immune system itself, they increase the defense capacity against viruses and bacteria.
In addition to bran, this recipe contains apples, red berries, and almonds; a healthy panacea low in calories and good for the figure. A bowl of oat bran and apple porridge provides only 78 kcal.
Properties and nutritional values
The power of oats
Oats are a light cereal, easy to digest and full of benefits for the body:
- Of all the cereals, it is the one that has a higher protein concentration what is important in a healthy diet or if you follow a vegetarian diet.
- It is a truly unique food that acts as a defense for our body thanks to the presence of oatmeal, a substance that It provides a lot of energy, tones and keeps the nervous system in balance.
- It is very rich in soluble fibers, so contributes to satiety and regulates intestinal activity. In addition, oats are easily digested, making it the ideal cereal for people prone to gastritis or colitis.
- Above all, it is a source of carbohydrates that the body assimilates slowly, so they do not cause glycemic spikes and provide you with long-term energy.
- Its low glycemic index makes oats an excellent food for people with diabetes.
- Contains polyunsaturated fatty acids that They can reduce the level of “bad” cholesterol in the blood.
- This cereal can also be consumed by celiacs or those who are intolerant to gluten.
- Contains many important minerals, such as potassium, magnesium, calcium and iron.
Porridge: the original basic recipe for 4 people
- Calories per person: 205
- Total calories: 830
Ingredients
- 230g oats
- 700 ml of water
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Soak the oat flakes for an hourpreferably overnight, in a bowl full of water: they must be completely covered.
- Put them in a saucepan with the milk. (or water, or a mixture of both) and a pinch of salt.
- Cook the oat flakes over low heat for about fifteen minutes, stirring constantly, until the porridge has thickened.
All variants of breakfast with porridge
There is no single version of porridge: this dish can be prepared in many ways and customized by adding numerous ingredients. In Scotland, for example, it is made simply by cooking rolled oats in water and adding a pinch of salt. But it can also be enriched with dried or fresh fruit (the most common additions), sweet honey, maple syrup (to make it almost “stars and stripes”), seeds of various kinds or, why not, delicious chocolate.
If you like spices, you can flavor your porridge with vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom or turmeric; while if you are intolerant to milk, you can also prepare them with an almond, oat, soy or rice vegetable drink.
porridge They are a perfect idea for breakfast even while on a diet: The important thing is not to go too far with sugar and fats and bet on those that are good, that is, fresh and dried fruits. Oat flakes are very satiating, so even in small doses they will make you feel satisfied and with adequate energy to start the day off right.
Porridge with oat bran and apple
- Preparation: 5 minutes
- Cooking: 12 minutes
- Calories per person: 300
- Total calories: 300
Ingredients
- 50 g oat bran
- 150ml oat milk
- 1 apple
- 30 g of red fruits
- 20 g of flaked almonds
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Salt to taste
- Cinnamon to taste
Instructions
- Cook the chopped apples with half a tablespoon of honey and a pinch of cinnamon over medium heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the oats together with the oat milk, salt and, if desired, a teaspoon of brown sugar. Cook over low heat until the desired consistency is obtained (7 – 8 minutes).
- When it is cooked, pour it into a deep plate, garnish it with the red fruits, the remaining honey and the almond slices.
The benefits of the apple
The other ingredient in the recipe is apple. An exceptional fruit that contains water (82.5 g), simple sugars and fiber. Apple micronutrients do not have a specific prevalence: apart from a good amount of vitamin C, all the other vitamins, that is, those of group B, A, E and Kare represented in limited percentages.
The apple is also rich in minerals such as iron, calcium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium and copper. This fruit also has a low glycemic index and can be easily included in the diet of people with diabetes problems.
Numerous studies have shown, in fact, that soluble fibers, in which this fruit is rich, are useful for controlling postprandial and fasting blood glucose.
Oatmeal porridge with honey and fresh fruit for 4 people
- Calories per person: 297
- Total calories: 1188
Ingredients
- 160 g oat flakes
- 400 ml of skimmed milk
- 300 ml of water
- 1/2 vanilla pod
- 2 tablespoons of honey
At your service:
- 2 apples
- 1/2 lemon juice
- Greek yogurt to taste
- tablespoons of honey to taste
- raspberries to taste
- blueberries to taste
Instructions
- Cook the oat flakes over low heat for about fifteen minutes in the mixture of water and milk. Stir continuously until the oats are reduced to a mush, like making polenta. It can be helped by using the handle part of a wooden ladle to stir. Also add a pinch of salt.
- Once the porridge is ready, enrich it with fruit and yogurt. Wash and dry the blueberries and raspberries, place them in the bowl. Cut the apples into thin slices or dice if you prefer and add them to the rest of the porridge. Add honey and Greek yogurt to taste and serve.
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