apple, cinnamon & date porriage

We love porridge in our family. It's a great way to have a break from cereal, particularly in the middle of winter when you have the added bonus of warming your bellies!

This recipe combines two of my favorite ingredients: apples and cinnamon. It is sweetened with dates, meaning it is refined sugar free. Did you know that rolled oats don't actually contain gluten, but because they are grown in the same fields & packaged on the same machines as other ingredients containing gluten they can't be labeled as 'gluten free'. I am currently not eating gluten in my diet, not because I'm celiac but because of the direct link found between gluten and auto-immune disorders. I've decided to have a period off of it to try and give my gut a rest and hopefully get on top of my autoimmune disorders. I have found a significant difference since stopping gluten including less bloating and increased energy. I do continue to have oats in my diet as I have not found them to affect me in any way. I tend to buy organic oats in bulk from my health food shop as there tends to be tighter controls & less chemicals on their production in this manner. 

apple, cinnamon & date porridge

(serves 4)

60g dried dates

1 apple, skin on, quartered, cored

160g oats

2 Tb protein powder, optional (recipe here)

1 tsp vanilla bean paste (recipe here)

1 tsp cinnamon powder

pinch salt

850g filtered water

topping:

1 apple, skin on, grated

half of dates from above

1 tsp cinnamon powder

2 tsp raw/rapadura/coconut sugar

yogurt to serve (recipe here)

Thermomix method

Place dates in thermomix and chop 5 seconds/speed 7. 

Add 1 apple and chop 3 seconds/speed 5

Add remaining ingredients and cook 11 minutes/90/reverse/speed 2

While porridge is cooking prepare the topping by grating the apple with a grater or madoline. Place into a bowl and add cinnamon & sugar and stir to combine. 

Serve porridge with topping and yohurt.

Non thermomix recipe

Cut dates and reserve half and place them into a medium saucepan. Grate both apples and place approximately half into the saucepan and place the other half into a seperate bowl for the topping.

Add add oats, salt, cinnamon, protein powder, vanilla and water to the saucepan along wits the apples and dates. 

Bring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes until soft and broken down, stirring frequently so it doesn't stick to the pan. 

While porridge is cooking finish the topping by adding sugar, and cinnamon to the reserved apple and dates. Once porridge is cooked, serve with topping and yoghurt.