Superfood porridge (with quinoa, chia and flax)

I make porridge all the time, especially in the winter, but I’m not usually very adventurous with it. Oats, milk, water, and maybe a bit of honey or maple syrup drizzled over the top. This superfood porridge is much more exciting, and is absolutely full of goodness.

As well as the oats, I cooked some quinoa, flax seeds and chia seeds right into the porridge. They give the oatmeal a more interesting texture (slightly more gelatinous than normal porridge, though not in a bad way!), and also give a really lovely, nutty flavour – not to mention the extra magnesium, calcium, iron, and fibre.

To up the superfoods even more, I topped my porridge with pumpkin seeds, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. When you stir them through, the berries leave beautiful red and blue streaks across the porridge – it’s incredibly beautiful, super healthy, and unbelievably delicious all at once. Not a bad way to start the day.

Since quinoa takes a bit longer to cook than oats do (about 20 minutes), this superfood porridge isn’t quite as quick to make as normal porridge, so it’s the perfect thing to save for a weekend brunch – cook up a big panful and let everyone add their own toppings. I made a nice big batch in this gorgeous gold and silver saucepan from Marks and Spencer’s new Chef range. It’s super stylish and well-made, and the oven-proof lid and handle mean it’s really versatile too. I can’t wait to experiment with it more.

The lovely bowl you can see in the photos, in that gorgeous dusky blue-grey colour, is also from M&S. They have some really pretty stuff! Perfect for a winter breakfast.

You can check out the rest of the M&S Chef range on their ‘Super Brunch’ page, where you’ll also find some gorgeous recipes made using the products. I’m loving the look of the ‘bowl that’s big enough for a proper brunch’!

Print Recipe

Superfood porridge with quinoa, chia and flax

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time25 mins

Course: Breakfast

Servings: 4

Calories:

Author: Becca Heyes

Ingredients

• 70 g quinoa (~ 1/4 cup)
• 100 g oats (~ 1 cup)
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 tbsp flax seeds
• 500 ml milk, any kind (~ 2 cups)
• 500 ml water (~ 2 cups)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
• Handful fresh berries, to serve

Instructions

• Add the quinoa, oats, chia seeds and flax seeds to a large saucepan, and add the milk, water, vanilla and maple syrup. Mix thoroughly, and place over a medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring regularly, for around 20 minutes, until the quinoa is very soft and the mixture has reached your desired consistency.
• Serve topped with pumpkin seeds and fresh berries.

Note: Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on exactly what ingredients you choose.

If you’re not feeling quite so virtuous, my coconut oats with brown sugar bananas are pretty amazing too: