My goodness, I love eating breakfast. For me, the first meal of the day has a certain je ne sais quoi that distinguishes it from other meals. Perhaps it’s the precedence it sets for the rest of the day; start as you mean to go on. Of course, life is like a bowl of porridge: you never know exactly what (consistency) you’re going to get. But when I choose a breakfast that is both nourishing and delicious, eating it in a relaxed and mindful manner, I put myself in good stead for the day ahead.

Basking in the morning sun with a podcast playing and a warm bowl of porridge in hand is one of life’s little pleasures. Not only is porridge tasty and adaptable, its main ingredient, oats, are packed with fiber, making it the perfect dish for feeding your gut microbes. Berries, an aesthetically pleasing addition, are also packed with fibre. They also boast polyphenols, micronutrients that our microbes help to transform into chemicals that we can absorb, leading to a possible reduction in cancer risk and heart disease. Dark chocolate has the ability to nourish your beneficial gut bacteria. Research suggests that certain gut microbes ferment both the antioxidants and the fiber in cocoa, the anti-inflammatory byproducts of which have desirable health benefits.

So if you’re looking for a new addition to the breakfast menu, I highly recommend a steamy, creamy bowl of porridge. You and your microbes will be very happy indeed.

Note: if you can’t tolerate any high salicylate foods such as berries, swap them out for some poached pear (peel and chop pear into quarters and place into a microwave-safe dish. Add ¼ cup water and cover tightly, allowing a corner to vent. Microwave on high for 3 minutes and stir. Re-cover and cook for 3 to 6 minutes, or until tender)

Enjoy! xx

Low Salicylate Porridge

Serves 1

Equipment

• Cutting board and knife

Ingredients

1/2 mug of oats

3/4 mug of milk 

1 square dark chocolate finely chopped (I like to use Lindt 70%)

1 heaping Tbsp of frozen berries (see note above)

1 (heaping) Tbsp of greek yoghurt

3 (heaping) Tbsp of granola

Method

1.) Combine oats and milk in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 2 minutes.

2.) While oats are in microwave, chop dark chocolate into fine pieces perfect for sprinkling.

3.) Take porridge out of microwave and sprinkle with chocolate pieces, stirring it in so the chocolate melts into the porridge. Top with frozen berries, yoghurt and granola (see below for alternate topping ideas)

4.) If your porridge is a little thick for your liking, add an extra splash of milk before eating for a creamier consistency

Porridge is wonderfully adaptable, so why not change it up throughout the week with some of these tasty toppings:

• Banana 
• Poached pear
• Toasted poppy seeds
• Maple syrup
• Cashew butter