When I first posted my Best Basic Porridge recipe, I did promise that I would share some of my favourite ways to jazz up your oats, and following a conversation with a colleague this morning, I realised that I’ve been remiss in doing so. At this time of year, there is often a lot of chocolate flying around, but this is a much healthier and filling way to get your fix – even the ambassador would approve *snort*.

This recipe brings together the flavours of chocolate and hazelnut in a truly delicious (and nutritious) way. The porridge itself is rich and creamy and the nuts add texture and crunch. This is also a nutritional powerhouse which will add a portion of fruit, slow release carbs, soluble fibre, protein and good fat to your breakfast and keep you going until lunchtime.

Yeah, I know, I’m really spoiling you 🙂

 

Ingredients:

28g porridge oats

1 banana

1 egg

1 tsp cacao powder*

100ml milk of choice*

15g hazelnut butter*

10g blanched hazelnuts, roughly chopped (optional)

Sprinkle cocoa nibs (optional)

 

Method

Use a blender (stick or otherwise) to whizz up the banana, egg, cacao powder and milk

Add to the oats in a pan

Heat gently, stirring constantly (you don’t want scrambled egg)

Once thickened, stir in the hazelnut butter

Top with the hazelnuts and nibs if you like

 

  

Raw cacao is like cocoa powder, but as it hasn’t been heat treated and is less processed, it contains many more micro nutrients and antioxidants than cocoa powder. You can buy it on Amazon and little goes a long way. You could you use normal cocoa powder if that’s what you have.

 

You can use any milk for this recipe, but Rude Health do a good Hazelnut milk which just intensifies the flavour. I wouldn’t use nut milks in tea, but I do like them in smoothies and porridge so normally have a carton open in the fridge. It’s quite easy to make your own if you have a powerful blender, but if you’re going to buy them, Rude Health are a better option than many as they don’t contain the many weird ingredients some of the other brands have.   Normal milk will work just as well though!

 

Meridian foods do a good range of natural nut butters, including a hazelnut one. It’s free from palm oil (good news for the Orang-Utans) and doesn’t contain anything other than, well, nuts.