Buckwheat porridge – it’s plummy & gluten-free

Rob sits next to me in Marketing. The other day, he bought some porridge for breakfast and was pretty excited about the whole affair. As he dug in, I saw his face change from excitement to bewilderment and suspicion. He tipped the bowl towards him… inspected it with his spoon and then sighed.

“What’s up, Rob?” – me

“It’s quinoa.” – Rob

“Quinoa’s nice, no?” – me

“No.” Rob

So, the moral of that story is, that a lot of people prefer traditionally oaty porridge. But did you know, that a lot of porridge isn’t made from the purest of pure oats, which means it does contain gluten. Nothing wrong with gluten, but if you want to mix up your morning routine and have more varied, healthy breakfasts, give this easy buckwheat porridge a go.

What is Buckwheat?

While I’m a sucker for a bit of quinoa, I do tend to agree with Rob. Porridge is meant to have that creaminess that the oats add. Quinoa doesn’t really have that texture. But Buckwheat is a bit more sticky and it works so well in porridge. It is a much better substitute for oats and despite it’s name, there isn’t any wheat or gluten in it.

Fun facts about Buckwheat

• buckwheat is closely related to Rhubarb
• buckwheat is not a cereal or a grain
• buckwheat flour is great for baking and it can also be used for salads and soups

It’s dairy-free

I thought I would pull out all the dietary stops here, so instead of using milk, I used almond milk. Really delicious, but if you want to use dairy, feel free! It’s also got sesame seeds, peanut butter (the sugar free kind) and it’s just very nutritious and delicious. I ate this this morning and I’m feeling great!

Buckwheat porridge recipe – gluten-free, dairy-free

Ingredients

• 1 large cup buckwheat
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 banana
• a selection of plums
• peanut butter (sugar free)
• sesame seeds

Instructions:

1. Boil the water in a pot and add the buckwheat. Allow to boil for 10 – 15 minutes
2. Drain the water and rinse the buckwheat in a strainer
3. Place the buckwheat in a bowl / two bowls
4. Heat the almond milk & pour over the buckwheat
5. Add plums, banana, peanut butter and sesame seeds to taste

What’s your favourite breakfast?