Creamy Hazelnut Porridge with Healthy ‘Nutella’
Roasting nuts makes them unbelievably delicious as it enhances their full flavour and aroma. Hazelnuts are a particular favourite of mine for their bold flavour, which is complemented perfectly by the chocolatey cacao. This porridge is full of healthy, skin-loving fats and a good dose of antioxidants and trace minerals such as iron, magnesium and calcium from the cacao (not to mention its mood boosting properties). Raw honey is antibacterial and anti-fungal and especially if you choose to include the extra protein, this will keep you fueled for hours. Enjoy a decadent, nutrient-filled breakfast to put you in a great mood any day of the week!
Serves 1
Porridge:
1 tsp. butter/coconut oil
¼ cup steel cut oats OR 1/2 cup rolled oats (gluten or wheat free)
50g hazelnuts (skinned and roasted)
1 cup almond milk (or milk of choice)
Pinch of sea salt
15g vanilla protein (vegan pea/rice OR grass fed whey protein OR 1/2 tsp. vanilla)
Dash of maple syrup
Healthy ‘Nutella’:
50g hazelnuts (skinned and roasted)
1 tsp. raw honey or maple syrup
1 ½ tsps. raw cacao
1/tsp coconut oil
1 ½ tbsps. almond milk
Sea salt
20g roasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped, to serve
* NOTE: If you're using rolled oats rather than steel cut oats, you will need 1/2 cup per person and 1 1/2 cups milk. Steel cut oats expand more and therefore, you need less of them) *
(Note: If roasted hazelnuts are unavailable, roast raw ones in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 180c and rub the skins off in a tea towel).
Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the oats and toast for 2-3 minutes. Meanwhile, blend 100g of the hazelnuts in a food processor or coffee grinder until they turn into nut butter (save the extra 20g for on top of the porridge). Remove the oats from the heat and add half of the hazelnut butter to the saucepan with ¾ cup of the milk plus the salt and whisk until combined. Add the other half of the hazelnut butter to a small bowl with the cacao, honey, coconut oil, almond milk and a small crack of sea salt. Stir it all together with a fork and set aside.
Pop the oat mixture back on the stove over medium-high heat until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer with the lid on for 10 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. Whisk the remaining ¼ cup of milk with the protein and maple syrup and add it to the pan while its on low (high heat will damage the protein). Once the porridge looks creamy, serve it topped with the healthy ‘Nutella’ and roughly chopped hazelnuts. Sit back and enjoy!