Prana Party Porridge

How did you feel after your breakfast this morning? Nourished? Whole? Grounded? If the answer is no to any of these, it’s time for a bowl of porridge.

The first meal that you eat after waking sets the energy and intention for how you will digest not just your food but also your experiences of the day ahead. After a sound sleep, agni, digestive fire, is weaker and must be gently woken with simple, nourishing food. Grain, cooked into a soft porridge, is the perfect meal for breakfast.

​The density and sweetness of porridge is calming for vata dosha. Have a bowl during the colder & warmer months, or whenever you feel you could use some grounding. This wonderful breakfast will bring you closer to the earth.

​A prana party!

Before you reach for that box of quick oats, remember that the less processing your food has gone through, the more prana it contains. Quick or rolled oats have been processed months or years before they get to you, and this takes away some of the positive qualities and makes them harder to digest. You’ll end up getting a lot more from oats if you take a few extra minutes of preparation.

I like to soak steel-cut oats overnight this helps them cook up faster and digest much easier.

You can get creative with your porridge soaking half white rice with any other grain of your choice: barley, kamut, wheat berries. Almost any grain makes a delicious porridge. The recipe is quite simple, and if you measure out everything the night before, you can turn on your porridge as you go through your morning routine and it will be ready when you are done.

Make this porridge your own

Breakfast doesn’t have to be the same every day. It’s good for agni to have some variation in what you eat. Remember that you can substitute any grain you’d like and explore the range of tastes that can come from using different spice combinations. During winter, we’re reaching for sweet, warming spice combinations like cinnamon and fennel and in the warmer months, fresh ginger, mint and coconut oil are lovely. You can also make a delicious savoury porridge with cumin and coriander.

​Prana Party porridge:

Use steel-cut oats (these are minimally processed). If you’re using a pressure cooker whole grain will take about 12 to 15 minutes to create a lovely, creamy texture. ​

Augmenting

Serves 4

Preparation time: 20 - 45 minutes

You’ll need:

1 cup whole oats (sometimes called groats)

You'll need

3 cups water

3 Tbsp. ghee

½ tsp. mineral salt

½ tsp. cinnamon powder

¼ tsp. clove powder

¼ tsp. ginger powder

Here's how:

Over medium-low heat, melt ghee in the pot and then add the spices. Gently stir the spices in with the ghee, allowing them to simmer for less than a minute or until you smell the aroma.

Add the grains. Stir a few times to coat the grains in the spiced ghee. Add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.

Add more water for a thinner porridge or use a little less if you prefer it to be thicker.

Happy eating & healing!