Dreamy, creamy porridge that resembles the flavour of the classic British dessert, rhubarb and custard. This breakfast will have you so excited to jump out of bed in the morning you’ll be waking up before the alarm!
THE HISTORY OF PORRIDGE OATS & ME
I’ve always enjoyed eating porridge for breakfast. From a young age, my Mum would prepare me a warm bowl of the good stuff to set me up for the day. Little did she know, I’d sprinkle over a few extra tablespoonfuls (eek!) of brown sugar when she turned her back.
Clearly, I knew that large amounts of sugar were bad for me. Otherwise, why be so sneaky?
But, I couldn’t help myself. Every time I tried to eat plain porridge, it just tasted so bland and well, meh! So, I stopped eating it for a long time.
GETTING PORRIDGE OATS BACK INTO MY DIET
When my doctor told me I had high cholesterol, I knew I had to get as many cholesterol-busting real foods into my daily diet as possible. Porridge oats are high up on that list of foods. In fact, oats are so good at lowering cholesterol, I’ve made an active effort to eat them most days, one way or another.
To make porridge more interesting, I’ve been experimenting with different flavour combinations. The aim is to turn a dull bowl of gloop into something that will send the taste buds crazy, without having to add any refined sugar. Enter, Creamy Porridge Custard with a Strawberry Rhubarb Coulis.
THE MAGICAL POWER OF PORRIDGE OATS
Besides helping to lower our cholesterol, eating more oats can provide us with so many health benefits, especially when we’re trying to lose weight and lead a healthy lifestyle.
Oats will help us to…
- control our blood sugar
- stay full for longer
Oats are…
- a rich source of antioxidants
- packed with nutrients (Manganese, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Copper, Iron, Zinc, Folate, Vitamin B1 & B5)
(Source)
It’s a no brainer – we need more oats in our everyday diet.
TURNING OATS INTO CREAMY PORRIDGE CUSTARD
What can I say about the creamy porridge custard? Well, it brings a little bit of luxury to the morning breakfast routine that’s for sure.
Standard custard recipes typically include egg yolks, milk or cream, sugar, vanilla and cornflour (to thicken). There are some nutritional superstars in those ingredients (namely eggs and vanilla), but the overall combination is not ideal for a healthy lifestyle (yes, I’m talking about you, SUGAR!).
I went on a mission to find a combination of ingredients that ARE healthy and pack a nutritional punch into your morning routine. WHY? Because creamy, vanilla loaded custardy porridge is AWESOME. Let’s talk a little bit about the ingredients in this healthy yet incredibly creamy porridge custard.
EGG YOLKS
are used for their rich, creaminess and are a natural thickener. More importantly, they are full of vitamins, folate and iron.
VANILLA EXTRACT
is one of the most pleasant tasting flavour enhancers and it is a critical ingredient in making the custard flavour come to life in this recipe. Vanilla can also do wonders for our body, as well as our taste buds. Check out these facts. Vanilla is:
- a powerful antioxidant
- anti-bacterial
- anti-inflammatory
- good for boosting mental health (reducing depression and anxiety)
- helpful in lowering cholesterol
(Source)
ALMOND MILK
is used instead of milk or cream, making this custard porridge super-creamy yet DAIRY-FREE.
MAPLE SYRUP
is a natural sweetener which is a much healthier alternative to refined sugars.
OATS
We’ve already talked about the wondrous cholesterol-lowering benefits of oats. Now, I want to talk about how their natural thickening ability not only creates the basis of this porridge but also creates a thick ‘custard’ without the need for processed thickeners like cornflour. Voila, porridge that tastes like a vanilla creamy custard!
DON’T FORGET ABOUT THE RHUBARB!
We’re making a Strawberry Rhubarb Coulis to complete this tasty little breakfast. The sweetness of the strawberries pairs perfectly with the tartness of the rhubarb. You will end up with an intensely fruity sauce that compliments the creamy porridge custard so incredibly well. Just divine.
I will get to the recipe shortly, but first, I want to just geek out on the vegetable that is rhubarb. Yep, a vegetable. I can’t believe I never knew that until I was researching for this post! I always thought it was a fruit. But, no matter. I am always looking to get more vegetables into my breakfast.
Ok, so rhubarb is a nutritional powerhouse in its own right. Check out these benefits.
Rhubarb can:
- increase levels of good cholesterol
- promote weight loss
(Source)
And, it doesn’t stop there. Rhubarb also:
- eases digestion
- provides anti-inflammatory properties
- protects the brain from neurological damage
- relieves constipation and diarrhoea
(Source)
We need rhubarb in our lives!
HOW DO YOU MAKE CREAMY PORRIDGE CUSTARD WITH STRAWBERRY RHUBARB COULIS?
Check out the below step-by-step instructions, or scroll down to find the printable recipe card.
STEP-BY-STEP RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS
Strawberry Rhubarb Coulis
Step 1: Gather and prepare your ingredients for the Strawberry Rhubarb Coulis.
Wash the strawberries and chop each into four. Wash the rhubarb. Discard the leaves and the root end. Chop into 1 cm chunks.
Weigh out your maple syrup, vanilla essence and ground cinnamon.
Step 2: Place the strawberries, rhubarb, maple syrup, vanilla extract and ground cinnamon into a small saucepan. Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Note: keep an eye on your fruit. If it doesn’t release enough liquid naturally and appears too thick, just add a tablespoon of water to loosen.
Step 3: When your fruit has broken down and is lovely and syrupy, remove from the heat and leave to cool for about 5 minutes.
Step 4: When your fruit mixture is cool enough to add to your blender, blend until smooth.
Note: If you don’t have a blender you could mash the mixture with a fork. Alternatively, leave as is. All options are good, you really can’t go wrong!
Creamy Custard Porridge
Step 1: Gather and prepare your ingredients for the Creamy Porridge Custard.
If you’re using a vanilla pod, slice the pod down its length and using the edge of your knife, scrape out the seeds.
Step 2: Put the almond milk and egg yolk into a medium saucepan and whisk until the egg yolk is well incorporated. The egg yolk will turn the milk a beautiful yellow. It’s starting to look like custard!
Step 3: Add the porridge oats, maple syrup, vanilla seeds (or vanilla extract) and salt to the saucepan. Cook the oats on a medium heat stirring continuously for 5-10 minutes until the mixture has thickened.
Step 4: Once the custardy porridge oats have thickened enough to your liking remove from the heat.
Step 5: Pour into a bowl and load with your favourite toppings. I’ve added the Strawberry Rhubarb Coulis, strawberry and rhubarb slices, pistachios and chia seeds.
Dig in!
Creamy Porridge Custard with Strawberry Rhubarb Coulis
EQUIPMENT
- Weighing Scales, Measuring Spoons, Measuring Jug
- Chopping Board
- Knife
- Small Saucepan (for the Coulis)
- Wooden Spoon
- Blender (only necessary if you want a smooth fruit sauce)
- Medium Saucepan (for the Creamy Custard Porridge)
- Whisk
INGREDIENTS
Strawberry Rhubarb Coulis
- 80 g Strawberries Cut into quarters
- 160 g Rhubarb Chopped into 1cm chunks
- 1 tbsp Maple Syrup
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
Creamy Porridge Custard
- 500 ml Almond Milk
- 1 Large Egg Yolk
- 100 g Oats (Gluten-free if necessary)
- 1 tbsp Maple Syrup
- 1 Vanilla Pod (or 2 tsp Vanilla Extract)
- ¼ tsp Sea Salt
Toppings (Optional)
- Strawberry Slices
- Rhubarb Slices
- Pistachios
INSTRUCTIONS
Preparation
- Get your equipment ready and prepare your ingredients.
Strawberry Rhubarb Coulis
- Place the strawberries, rhubarb, maple syrup, vanilla and ground cinnamon into a small saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat stirring occasionally for 5-10 minutes. The fruit will start to soften. Once all the fruit has broken down, remove from the heat to cool.
- Once the fruit has cooled, add to a blender and blend until smooth. This is your Strawberry Rhubarb Coulis.
Creamy Porridge Custard
- Pour the almond milk into a medium-size saucepan. Now add the egg yolk and whisk until well combined.
- Add the oats, maple syrup, vanilla and salt to the saucepan and cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the porridge thickens to your liking.
- When the porridge is thick and creamy, pour into bowls to serve. Top with the Strawberry Rhubarb Coulis and enjoy!
NOTES
NUTRITION
I hope you LOVE this recipe as much as I do! It’s
- Creamy
- Fruity
- Nutritious
- Naturally sweet
- Warm and comforting
And as a bonus, it’s…
- Dairy-free
- Gluten-free
- Refined sugar-free
And, if you do get the chance to give this Creamy Porridge Custard with Strawberry Rhubarb Coulis a try, please drop me a note in the comment section and provide star rating. I’d love to know what you think.
Thanks so much for reading.
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