Buckwheat Porridge with Cinnamon & Sultanas

Buckwheat porridge

This is just the thing to keep you nourished and balanced.

It's a bowl of such delicious flavours, you'll be in breakfast heaven - I sometimes even have this for dessert. Blackberries and pears are the perfect fruit combination for autumn and winter as they're full of antioxidants, gentle on the digestive system and yet full of fibre, vitamins C and E and other essential nutrients. Cinnamon is a warming spice, great for curbing sugar cravings and the thyme adds a delicious sweet note. Despite its name, buckwheat is technically not a grain, but a seed. It is gluten-free with a lovely nutty flavour and it has a natural affinity to pears.

Ingredients

Serves 2

200g buckwheat groats

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Small handful of sultanas

Small handful of blackberries

230ml spring water

480ml unsweetened almond milk, or your favourite raw milk

Pinch of good salt

To serve

2 big dollops of yoghurt of your choice

1 ripe pear, peeled, cored and sliced lengthways into quarters

Maple syrup to taste

Small handful of roasted and roughly chopped almonds

A few sprigs of thyme (optional but delicious)

Method

Put the buckwheat groats, cinnamon, sultanas and blackberries in a saucepan with the water, bring to the boil and then reduce the heat to a very gentle simmer. As the groats start to absorb the water, stir in half the almond milk. Cover with a lid and allow the groats to absorb more of the liquid. You will need to stir the pan regularly with a wooden spoon and, when the groats have absorbed almost all the milk, add the rest of the almond milk and a pinch of salt, stir thoroughly, replace the lid and allow them to absorb the rest of the liquid. The whole process should take 20-30 minutes - you may need to add a little more liquid if the groats start to dry out before they have finished cooking, so keep an eye on the pan.

When it is ready, divide the porridge between two bowls, top with yoghurt and the pear quarters then drizzle with maple syrup and sprinkle with the chopped almonds and some thyme if you wish.

This recipe first appeared in 'Nourish' by Amber Rose, Sadie Frost and Holly Davidson