Chia seed porridge recipe

Try this simple & filling chia seed porridge from one of our fave books, the Vegan Pantry, £11.89, by Dunja Gulin.(Photographer, William Reavell, published by Ryland peters & Small.) Chia seeds are amazingly filling and are replacing our oats!

We Heart Living – Chia Seed Porridge, Vegan Pantry, photography William Reveall

Chia seed porridge

Serves 1

The shiny chia seeds have recently been rediscovered and are referred to as ‘an ancient American superfood’. Rich in calcium and omega-3 and -6 fatty acids, they are nutritionally very similar to flax and sesame seeds, and should therefore become part of everybody’s diet. This quick porridge will fill your tummy for many hours!

40g chia seeds
2 tablespoons raisins or other dried fruits
230ml Nut Milk (see below)
Pinch of sea salt
1/8 teaspoon bourbon vanilla powder or ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons raw or
Dry-roasted mixed nuts
Fresh fruit, chopped (optional)

In a bowl, mix the chia seeds and dried fruits. Lightly warm the nut milk in a small saucepan, add the salt and vanilla or cinnamon, and pour it over the seeds and leave it to soak for 10 minutes.

If you only have raw nuts, preheat the oven to 180°C (350° F) Gas 4, spread the nuts on a tray and roast for 10–14 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the nuts start cracking and releasing their oils, that’s when they’re done. Be careful not to burn them, as this can happen easily, so it’s best to check how they’re doing after 8–10 minutes and continue roasting for a couple more minutes if they’re not done. Transfer them onto a plate and wait for them to cool slightly. Chop them coarsely and sprinkle over the porridge, along with a little chopped fresh fruit, if desired.

Dry-roasted nuts are great as a healthy snack and as an addition to cakes, cookies, salads – to anything really!

Homemade nut milk

Preparing your own nut or seed milk will save a fortune in the long run, and you’ll be consuming a nutritionally superior drink in which all the enzymes remain intact, unlike in store-bought pasteurized milks.

150g nuts or seeds of your choosing
500ml water, for soaking
1 litre water, for blending
3 dates or 2 tablespoons rice or agave syrup (optional)
¼ teaspoon bourbon vanilla powder (optional)
Cheese cloth or nut milk bag

Begin by soaking the nuts or seeds in water overnight.

If you’re in a hurry you can soak them for an hour or so, but overnight is best. Rinse and drain, discarding the soaking water.

Add the soaked nuts or seeds to your blender (high-speed blenders are most efficient for this), together with the water. Blend for a couple of minutes, until you have a smooth liquid without chunks. Now, use a double-folded cheese cloth or a nut-milk bag and strain the milk over a big bowl or jar. Squeeze really well to extract as much milk as possible. The residue on the cheese cloth or nut-milk bag is nut or seed flour, which you can add to smoothies, raw cakes or cracker dough (but make sure to use it within 2–3 days); alternatively you can dehydrate this flour on a very low temperature in the oven and you’ll then be able to use it in bread, cakes and cookie mixes.

Raw nut and seed milk is very mild in flavour so, if you want to enhance the flavour to make it more appealing for children, for example, you can blend in a couple of dates or syrup and some vanilla.

It’s best to make the milk fresh and use it immediately.

Why not try some other delicious recipes from the Vegan Pantry? Try Pearled spelt salad with button mushrooms & watercress, Vegan sushi and Kombu broth with tempura.

We Heart Living – Vegan Pantry