Alternative to porridge

suzyb

I know it's a good energy food but both times I've tried porridge it's looked like wallpaper paste and taster marginally worse.

What would be a good alternative.

EKE_38BPM

Try adding something for flavour. Raisins or some other dried fruit. Honey tastes good too and is better than sugar.

meanredspider

How have you made it? Which oats did you use?

I have mine with sliced banana and a dash of maple syrup - fantastic and so good for you.

I use Tesco Organic rolled oats - they're thicker - and use one cup of oats, one cup of semi-skimmed mik and one of water - then just stick in the microwave (8.5 mins for those quantities)

weapons

If you're organised, soak your oats the night before in milk - much creamier that way!

prj45

suzyb wrote:

What would be a good alternative.

As above, better porridge.

Difficult to get just right, but when it is done right it's very good.

andy83

Jordans oats best i found apart from ones from farm shop in shropshire

lastant

meanredspider wrote:

I have mine with sliced banana and a dash of maple syrup - fantastic and so good for you.

I use Tesco Organic rolled oats - they're thicker - and use one cup of oats, one cup of semi-skimmed mik and one of water - then just stick in the microwave (8.5 mins for those quantities)

Listen to the Scot, they know best*!

* - Apologies if you're not a 'local', meanredspider! By the by, thanks also for your route recommendation through Inverness for my LEJOG...very much appreciated and was a pleasantly simple navigation in and out following your route!

rml380z

A lavish helping of good quality jam is the only way to make porridge edible.
If you choose the right flavour and quantity, you can end up with pink, or even blue porridge which pleases my inner child

suzyb

It was Scotts porridge oats I used (the blue box). That plus water into the microwave as per the box instructions. I'm not sure whether I over cooked it as it had boiled over a bit (where it became as sticky as wallpaper paste and damn difficult to remove from the outside of the bowl) but I can't see my bad cooking making it that bad.

garrynolan

Sorry suzyb - boiling it over and sticking it to the outside of the bowl! Of course it's going to be gank and it is down to your cooking... sorry. Try the advice of those above and it should be OK. Personally, I make mine on the hob in a pot - more control over consistency.

tjwood

Cereal works for me. Bran flakes or fruit and fibre usually.

Nutritionally they're not that different from porridge, taste better, are quicker to prepare and eat.

Stevo_666

Weetabix with plenty of semi-skimmed milk & a bit of dried fruit. Works for my 12 mile commute in.

itsbruce

suzyb wrote:

I know it's a good energy food but both times I've tried porridge it's looked like wallpaper paste and taster marginally worse.

What would be a good alternative.

What kind of porridge was it? Sounds as if you were being fed American-style oatmeal or instant oats, which I agree is close to wallpaper paste, but then it starts out with oats that have been ground nearly to powder. Jumbo oats or steel-cut oats give a much better consistency. Raisins or other dried fruit can add more variety and flavour - though I quite like my porridge plain (well, a little salt), so you may not want to trust my judgement.

If you just can't stand it, granola or muesli is an alternative, if you avoid the heavily sugared varieties or make your own.

jairaj

Another vote for good quality oats, doesn't have to be the most expensive just not supermarket value brand. And try to add flavour using dried or fresh fruit and nuts. You can use spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger to give it an extra

find a few combinations that you like and alternate them every few days. stops things getting boring.

CiB

Porridge. I dump a good fistful into a bowl, cover with milk and microwave it for a minute or two, and it's fine. Add sugar as necessary.

I love the stuff so also add a bit on top of weetabix with cold milk as added filler, or just have a cup full of it with milk & sugar stirred in cold. Lovely. Porridge is awesome however you cook it. It's impossible to do it wrong. Unless you add gravy or Lee & Perrings sauce maybe.

The big sack of the stuff for about 70p at Asda works fine. Let's not be precious about this. Porridge is porridge. Sorted.

itsbruce

tjwood wrote:

Cereal works for me. Bran flakes or fruit and fibre usually.

Nutritionally they're not that different from porridge

The other points are a matter of taste, but I'd question that. Most breakfast cereals would have almost no nutritional value if it weren't for the added vitamins, and they're held together with way too much added sugar and salt. Porridge doesn't need those additives, has protein, a healthy amount of fat, soluble fibre and a significantly lower GI, which means it delivers the energy over a longer period rather than the energy spike you'll get from a more processed cereal.

None of which helps if you hate the taste or consistency, of course.

suzyb

We've got some of those porridge sachets now. I may give it another go and try piling the blueberries we've got into it.

Christophe3967

suzyb wrote:

We've got some of those porridge sachets now. I may give it another go and try piling the blueberries we've got into it.

Sorry, the sachets are going to be really nasty - processed, yukky, horrid. Possibly OK for making flapjacks but that's all. As a few others have said, try the organic stuff and perhaps try making it with soya milk, cinnamon, a dessert spoonful of ground linseed (ideally from Borough Market), and a small handful of raisins, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds.

Then you can use the blueberries with some natural yoghurt, apple juice, a banana (and some honey if you have a sweet tooth) to make a smoothie, and you'll have a very nice breakfast...

sc0tsman

suzyb wrote:

We've got some of those porridge sachets now. I may give it another go and try piling the blueberries we've got into it.

No to the sachets - its just as quick to make proper porridge

takes about 7 minute to make

50g jumbo porridge oats

300ml water into a frying pan, bring to a boil, simmer until thick

then mash a banana through it

perfect

larfingravy

Buy the best quality oats that you can. I like Sainsbury's Taste The Difference Scottish jumbo porridge oats myself. 1 equal measure of oats, milk and water boliled to your consistency of preference in a non stick pan and you're away.

Myself, I always like to add some honey and if I'm planning a ride that day, then chop in some banana.

I don't have a microwave but still find it's a breakfast ready in 10 minutes.

meanredspider

larfingravy wrote:

Buy the best quality oats that you can.

+1 I'm convinced that this is why the Brits have such a poor reputation for our food because we pay very little attention to the quality of ingredients. Oats AREN'T oats and these convenience versions always produce a gooey yuk that Polycell would be proud of - don't confuse that with porridge.

Equally, agree that other cereals don't do the same job. I can vouch for porridge's ability to reduce cholesterol for instance. I'm a little sceptical about the science but porridge certainly does the job.

Try one of the better quality types listed above - the jumbo oats make for a more chewy version and take a bit longer to cook but you can fine-tune the consistency according to your taste. The great thing about microwaving is that you just chuck it in a bowl, stick it in the microwave and forget about it until the ping. Start by undercooking a bit and then extend. Be aware that they continue cooking a bit after you stop so aim for a slightly sloppier consistency and it will firm up by the time it's cool enough to eat.

And do add something to lift the flavour - banana is perfect and probably gives a hit of energy for the ride in - but it's all down to taste.

The milk you use changes the flavour & texture quite a bit. Full-fat makes for very creamy porridge. I use 50:50 semi-skimmed and water. Personally I hate the edge of flavour that skimmed milk gives.

One final thing (jeez - this makes me seem such a porridge nerd) is that the source of oats in the good quality stuff obviously changes over the year and I find I have to adjust cooking time accordingly.

CrackFox

Good quality oats, a couple of teaspoons of ground cinnamon, a fistful of frozen blueberries and a sliced banana. Semi-skimmed or soy milk. Perfetto!

jeepie

Does no one put Tate and Lyle's Golden Syrup in their porridge? I used to loathe porridge before the addition of that magical teaspoon! Try that!

prawny

Jeepie wrote:

Does no one put Tate and Lyle's Golden Syrup in their porridge? I used to loathe porridge before the addition of that magical teaspoon! Try that!

I do on occassion, usually go for local honey and dried mixed fruit tho.

My favourite oats are the Jordans jumbo ones, bit more expensive but worth it IMO.

Maxticate

Lots of oat snobbery going on in this thread.

As has been previously written.

One fistful of porridge oats into a bowl (I use Mornflake super fast oats).
Slow in with the semi skimmed milk in till it just covers the top of the oats.
Microwave for 1 minute. Stir
Then back in for another minute.
Stir through some honey or maple syrup.

If it's summer and I don't want a really hot porridge I just microwave it for the initial minute.

There is no better breakfast than porridge. Stick with it.

meanredspider

I'm a dash of maple syrup man myself. I haven't got time in the morning to wait for the stringy bit of golden syrup to finish

wgwarburton

Hi,
Don't forget salt. I like my porridge with salt & cream (traditionalist that I am!) but even if you prefer your porridge sweet it tastes better if you cook it with a little salt.

Too much salt is currently thought to be bad for you, but equally you can suffer from too little if you are sweating it out. Unless you eat a lot of processed food, or tend to add a lot of salt when cooking, you probably won't do yourself any harm by adding a little to your breakfast.. especially if you tend to "glow" in warm weather.

Cheers,
W.
PS IANAL, or a doctor, dietician, nutritionalist etc...

jeepie

meanredspider - I haven't got time in the morning to wait for the stringy bit of golden syrup to finish

HA HA - that is my favourite bit. The stringy bit means you can distribute the syrup precisely over the entire surface of the porridge without using a bucket full (which would be fine too of course).....[/b]

suzyb

I'd rather not buy more porridge oats when I still may not like the stuff.

Anyone else have an answer to my original question?

(if I sound a bit harsh, it's because I've just been rudely awakened by an inconsiderate parent after quite a sleepless night and I'm in a bad mood)

mapryan

larfingravy wrote:

Buy the best quality oats that you can. I like Sainsbury's Taste The Difference Scottish jumbo porridge oats myself. 1 equal measure of oats, milk and water boliled to your consistency of preference in a non stick pan and you're away.

Myself, I always like to add some honey and if I'm planning a ride that day, then chop in some banana.

I don't have a microwave but still find it's a breakfast ready in 10 minutes.

I'll second that. These oats are the best.

In summer, I switch to the Dorset Cereals Muesli - nice chknky bits of fruit and nuts.

daviesee

suzyb wrote:

It was Scotts porridge oats I used (the blue box). That plus water into the microwave as per the box instructions. I'm not sure whether I over cooked it as it had boiled over a bit (where it became as sticky as wallpaper paste and damn difficult to remove from the outside of the bowl) but I can't see my bad cooking making it that bad.

Try using a deeper bowl as it does rise and then settle down again.
Add whatever flavours take your fancy.
Personally, I add a pinch of salt to the water and oats mix and then when ready add milk and put sugar on top but apparently that is wierd :?

The tastiest I have had was in a hotel made by using cream instead of water and honey on top. Yum, yum.

PS:- This is a serious post