CREAMY CARROT QUINOA PORRIDGE
If I get my breakfast right, the rest of my day flows more easily. This is a recipe that absolutely satisfies and gives me a steady start to the morning thanks to all that protein. Since it uses whole quinoa it's not a recipe that you can whip up at a moment’s notice (soak the quinoa the night before!) though you can experiment with a quarter of quinoa flakes instead, but I prefer this flavour and texture. Carrot, cinnamon, raisins, nutmeg and gently toasted pecans gives this the fragrant taste of carrot cake for brekkie. A splash of milk and I’m in heaven. Depending on the sweetness of the plant milk you use (I like coconut drinking milk), you can up or reduce the jaggery (maple syrup is also great here). If you’ve got cinnamon bark or sticks you can sub them in for the usual powder since quinoa requires a good long simmer, which draws out the flavour and medicinal properties of the cinnamon. If you like this recipe you can try upping the amount of carrot as well.
INGREDIENTS
Serves 2
½ cup white quinoa
150g (2 medium) carrot, grated on wide tooth
¼ cup raisins
2 tsp of jaggery or maple syrup
1 tbsp ghee or coconut oil
Pinch nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon or use a cinnamon stick
2 cloves
1½ cups water
Tiny pinch sea salt
To serve
Handful chopped pecans
Glug plant milk* (e.g almond milk, coconut milk, hemp milk)
*If using dairy milk, leave out the salt from the recipe and make sure to simmer the milk for at least 10 minutes with a grind of black pepper before pouring over (Ayurveda does not recommend cold milk for digestion and simmering the milk with spices makes it easier to digest).
METHOD
Soak the quinoa overnight in double the amount of water.
The next morning, rinse and drain.
Place the quinoa in a medium saucepan with the rest of the ingredients except the pecans.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 25 minutes, lid on.
Meanwhile, toast the pecans in a dry pan for a few minutes until lightly toasted, and set aside.
Check the porridge, adding a splash more water if necessary. When the quinoa is very plump (I like it when it’s just starting to lose its bite, which might take a further 10 minutes), divide between 2 bowls, pour over some plant milk*, dust with cinnamon and sprinkle with the pecans.
Taste and add a little jaggery or maple syrup if needs be - always taste first because some shop bought plant milks are really sweet!
East by West tip: To make the porridge creamy, insert an immersion blender and rough blitz to vary the texture. You can also make this in a slow cooker overnight.
