RECIPE: CACAO + JUMBO OAT PORRIDGE
Making time for breakfast is a luxury never to be underestimated, and we wanted to share a fave making its circulation around our collective kitchens… This cacao porridge is a decadent treat for a warming morning!
CACAO & JUMBO OAT PORRIDGE
SERVES 1
YOU WILL NEED
40g or half a cup of jumbo oats (or whichever oats you prefer)
125 – 250ml milk of your preference (we’ve used soy and almond milk)
1 – 2 tsp cacao powder
A large handful of dates (Medjool are easier to chop finely)
1 tbsp nut butter or 1 tbsp ground flax or chia seeds
Whichever toppings you love (warmed frozen berries, half a banana, hemp seeds, roasted chopped hazelnuts, cacao nibs, nut butter, sliced fruit)
METHOD
Begin by rinsing your jumbo oats (this can be skipped if using smaller kinds), then place the oats and milk into a saucepan with a large cup of water from the kettle.
Bring up to a simmer, adding more water when needed and stirring occasionally; cooking the oats typically takes around 20 minutes, and the texture should be chewy but not too firm.
Meanwhile, very finely chop half the dates and add these and the cacao powder to the pan after the oats have been simmering for around 10 minutes. Chop the other medjool dates into rough quarters. Once the oats are approaching the softness you’d like, add in the seeds or nut butter and remaining dates, then continue to stir as the porridge thickens to your desired consistency.
Serve and top with your favourite treats.
Some notes for you:
Jumbo oats can easily be interchanged here; they take longer to cook than other varieties so you will need a little more time on your hands, but their chewy texture can be really addictive as well as filling
Soaking your oats overnight will make the cooking process speedier too
Adding seeds or nut butter helps to bind the porridge, as well as add flavour, for any fellow thicker-porridge fans out there
Regular cocoa powder works as well, just without the healthy benefits of cacao!
The dates add plenty of natural sweetness, but by all means drizzle with maple syrup if you have a sweeter tooth!