Hemp, Flax & Basil Seed Porridge with Roasted Pear & Raspberry (Oat Free)
A Nostalgic Oat Free Porridge Recipe
Porridge is such a nostalgic breakfast, but not everyone can tolerate oats these days. Which is why I created this Hemp, Flax & Basil Seed Porridge. It’s the perfect recipe for anyone looking for an oat free porridge, that’s gluten/grain and sugar free, and full of plant based goodness.
In wintertime back when we were kids, Dad would always have a big pot of steaming porridge bubbling away on the stove without fail. He’d perfected his recipe over many years to make the smoothest, creamiest porridge around.
I’m sure he wouldn’t mind me sharing his secret with you now, which was to use a hand beater right at the end to whip out any remaining lumps. This would ensure there’d be no complaints of lumpiness or excuses not to finish!
At the table we’d dig our spoons deep into the sugar jar and sprinkle our steaming bowls with a generous amount of brown sugar (so generous I now cringe haha), hoping to score some brown sugar lumps that would slowly melt into the creamy oats. But we didn’t dare add any cold milk to the mix as this would dilute the sweetness, and most importantly ruin the porridge’s sugar melting ability.
Soaking Grain Free Porridge
These days eating a gluten and mostly grain free diet means traditional oat porridge is no longer on my menu, but I haven’t let that stop me from enjoying the porridge tradition.
I’ve created a couple of oat free porridges to date including this Buckwheat Basil Seed Porridge with Cardamom & Vanilla and this Activated Nutty Paleo Porridge.
Both these recipes require some preparation by way of a couple of hours of soaking time, followed by rinsing then blending, in order to activate the nuts, seeds and buckwheat and create a creamy porridge consistency.
The aim of activating these nuts and seeds is to make them more easily digestible and the nutrients more readily available. Soaking also softens them and helps to create a lovely thick porridge consistency!
Of course activated nuts and seeds don’t like heat so when using them in a warm porridge recipe it’s best to keep heat to a minimum to ensure you don’t destroy all the freshly activated enzymes.
The Quickest & Easiest Grain Free Porridge
What I love about this new recipe for Hemp, Flax & Basil Seed porridge is you don’t have to soak it for hours or even overnight if you don’t have time or simply don’t want to! There’s also no rinsing or blending required.
This new oat free porridge recipe doesn’t contain any buckwheat or nuts, which means it doesn’t require a minimum of 2 hours soaking time in order to make them digestible and soft enough to be blended into a porridge.
Hydrophilic Seeds Are The Secret
Instead, this porridge is made up of three seeds, two of which (flax and basil) are hydrophilic which means they’re water loving and are able to rapidly absorb a large amount of water in a short time.
This means if you’re short on time or didn’t remember to prep ahead, you can throw this porridge together in 10 minutes and still enjoy a lovely thick, porridge consistency.
If you do have more time or want to reap the maximum benefits of these seeds, then feel free to soak them overnight. This allows the basil and flax seeds to fully absorb all the liquid, their inherent enzymes become fully activated and their phytic acid levels decrease, allowing their nutrients to be more bioavailable.
Packed With Omega 3 Fatty Acids, Protein & Fibre
Speaking of nutrients, flax, basil and hemp seeds are all considered to be super foods which means they deliver the maximum amount of nutrients with a minimum number of calories.
All three of these seeds are high in omega 3 fatty acids which support heart health, healthy skin, hair, and nails. They’re high in fibre which is essential for healthy digestion and preventing blood sugar spikes, and are a great source of plant based protein.
Chew Your Porridge!
You’ll note I’ve specified ground flax seeds in this recipe. This is because in order to reap the maximum benefits of flax seeds they need to be cracked open before you ingest them, otherwise they’ll likely pass straight through you in their whole form!
As soon as flax seeds are ground, however, their fats start to oxidise and they can go rancid in a matter of weeks. So if you’re not grinding them fresh or you buy ready ground, be sure to store them in an airtight container in the fridge and use them as fast as possible.
Likewise with basil and hemp seeds, in order to access their full nutritional value, be sure to chew them properly – or in other words, chew your porridge! This will also get your digestive juices flowing and make the whole process more efficient.
Porridge Toppings I Love
I like to top my porridge with a warm berry compote made by simply heating fresh or frozen berries with a little water. Berries are naturally very low in sugars so by combining them to this sugar free porridge you’ll create a very healthy, low sugar breakfast.
If you’d like a more substantial fruit topping you could roast some pear or seasonal stone fruit such as peaches or nectarines. To do this simply cut them in half, remove any stones and roast in a preheated oven for around half an hour. Either keep the warm fruit half whole or chop it into bite sized pieces before placing on top of your porridge, then drizzle with pure maple syrup and sprinkle with extra hemp seeds.
Of course, toppings are only limited by your imagination so feel free to mix it up and top with whatever takes your fancy!
I hope you love this oat free porridge recipe, and if you make it let me know what you think in the comments below.
Enjoy!
Hemp, Flax & Basil Seed Porridge with Roasted Pear & Raspberries (Oat Free)
Serves: 2
Prep time: 10 minutes Soak time: 10 minutes Cook time (for fruit): 5 to 30 minutes
1/2 cup plant milk
1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp hemp seeds
2 Tbsp basil (or chia) seeds
2 Tbsp ground flax seeds
1/4 tsp vanilla powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
Topping Suggestions
1 roasted pear
1 cup raspberries
extra hemp seeds
extra plant milk
pure maple syrup drizzle
Heat the milk and water by placing in a small pan set over medium heat until it starts to simmer. Alternatively, use a kettle and milk frother. Add the seeds and spices to the warm liquid and stir to combine.
Leave the porridge mix to stand for 10 minutes (or overnight) until the seeds have swelled and absorbed the liquid. If it starts to look undesirably lumpy, add more warm liquid to get your desired porridge consistency. While the porridge is resting prepare your toppings (see recipes below).
Transfer the porridge to serving bowls and top with roasted pear and warm raspberry compote. Pour a little plant milk round the edges, drizzle with pure maple syrup and sprinkle with hemp seeds.
Any leftovers will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. This porridge can be enjoyed warm or chilled. To reheat, simply place a serving of the porridge in a small pan with a little liquid and gently heat while stirring until the desired temperature is reached.
Prep Ahead
Mix up a couple of servings of the seeds and spices and store in a jar. Simply heat your liquid and add the porridge mix. You can also make the porridge and leave in the fridge overnight to allow full activated of the seeds.
Roasted Pear
Cut 1 pear in half, place on a lined baking tray into the centre of a preheated 170°C oven and bake for 30 to 45 minutes, this will depend on how firm/ripe your pear is to start with. The pear is ready when it’s softened and juices start oozing out.
Quick Raspberry Compote
Place 1 cup of raspberries (fresh or frozen) in a small pan with a little water. Heat gently until the raspberries defrost/soften and come to a simmer. Your compote is then ready to use! Store any leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
