Spiced autumn porridge

Autumn's here and the leaves are turning golden. Porridge is the perfect autumnal breakfast and this spiced version mirrors the colours outside. It's also warming and energising to prepare you for cooler days ahead.

Turmeric and ginger are great additions to your diet at this time of year. They support the immune system with their anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Both are also warming spices that support circulation. Cinnamon adds spicy sweetness as well as supporting blood sugar balance.

While this porridge is made of oats, other grains like buckwheat, amaranth or quinoa would work well too. I've stuck with oats, as I really like their steady release of energy and soluble fibre, which soothes the gut. They also contain B vitamins and a number of minerals including iron, magnesium, zinc and manganese. For this recipe, I used gluten free pinhead oats which are coarser than the jumbo or rolled kind, but any oats will do. If you're using other varieties, you may need to adjust the cooking time. 

Adding grated apple gives some crunch and sweetness. Apples also contain pectin, another kind of soluble fibre that supports digestion and the production of good bacteria in the gut.

Spiced Autumn Porridge

Serves 2

Ingredients

1/2 cup oats (I used gluten free pinhead oats)- soaked overnight
1 cup water
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
2cm fresh ginger - finely grated
1/2 cup unsweetened full fat coconut milk (I use Biona) or almond milk
1 apple - coarsley grated
Handful of coconut flakes
1 tbsp bee pollen

Soak the oats overnight in 1 cup of water. Drain, rinse and add to a saucepan with 1 cup of fresh cold water. Cook on a low heat for around 15 minutes stirring regularly, until most of the water has absorbed and the mixture has formed a thick consistency. Add the turmeric, cinnamon, ginger and apple and mix in the coconut milk. Remove from the heat and serve sprinkled with the coconut flakes and bee pollen.

Beet soup with punchy cashew cream

I've been under the weather this week. Now that I'm out the other side, I wanted to make a nourishing soup that would energise me and boost my immune system.

After seeing beetroots piled high at the market, I decided it would have to be a colourful beet soup. A cashew cream with horseradish would give some extra punch.

The base

Soups are a great way of packing lots of vegetables into a meal, and the stock you cook the veg in is an important component. Try making your own stock instead of using a ready made cube or powder - just throw everything into a big pan with water and leave it to do its thing. I chose to include red cabbage in mine for its anti-inflammatory properties. Combined with onion, garlic, mushroom and carrot it provides a hearty and soothing base for the soup.

The beets

Beets have an intense, pinky purple colour and a sweet earthy taste. A good source of blood-building iron, they also contain vitamin C, folic acid, zinc, calcium and magnesium. Beets support the liver and have a cleansing effect on the blood. As a high fibre food, they keep the intestines lubricated. The leaves of beetroots are also nutrient dense, containing vitamin A, iron, manganese and calcium.

The punchy cream

For the topping, cashews add creaminess along with anti-oxidants and magnesium.  I've added horseradish to bring heat and some punch. Part of the brassica family of vegetables, horseradish's bitter taste helps to stimulate digestion and sulphur compounds support detoxification. It also stimulates the immune system and is anti-bacterial. 

Beet soup & cashew cream

Serves 2

Ingredients

For the stock
1 onion
1 carrot
1/2 red cabbage
1 clove garlic
50g mushrooms
1 bay leaf
1L water

For the soup
500g beetroots ( 3 medium beets) - peeled and roughly chopped with leaves chopped and reserved
1tbsp butter/ghee
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 onion, chopped
600ml veg stock (see above)
Pinch of salt

For the cashew cream
50g cashews (soaked for at least 4 hours in clean water)
 2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp water
Juice & zest of half a lemon
1cm piece of horseradish, peeled and grated

Optional garnish
Beetroot sprouts and pea shoots - washed well in cold water

To make the stock, roughly chop (except the garlic clove, which you can add whole) and add all ingredients to a large saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer with a lid on for 2 hours. Strain and set aside the liquid.

Heat the butter/ghee in a large saucepan on a low heat, add the mustard seeds and then the onion. Cook until translucent, then add the garlic followed by the beets. Add the veg stock and salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Add the beet leaves, cover and simmer for an extra 5 mins. Pour the soup into a food processor and blend until smooth. Check the texture - you may want to add a little boiling water if it's too thick.

Drain and rinse the cashews. Add to a blender with all the other ingredients for the cashew cream and blend on high speed until completely smooth. Spoon on to the soup and sprinkle some beet sprouts and pea shoots on top.