Berry blast porridge recipe

A warming start to the day with juicy fresh fruit and a delicious redcurrant compote topping.

This berry blast porridge is a great way to give the start of your day a healthy energy boost. According to the British Heart Foundation, porridge makes a good, heart-healthy breakfast. This is because the oats are a wholegrain which contain a soluble fibre called beta-glutan. It can help to lower your cholesterol as part of a balanced diet. Porridge oats also release their energy slowly, so you feel fuller straight after eating and stay fuller for longer. Keep the calories as low as possible by using water or semi-skimmed milk. And don't add a pinch of salt if you want the best heart benefits, even though it probably says to on the packet instructions.

Ingredients

For the porridge:

• 100g of porridge oats
• 500ml milk or water
• Handful of strawberries, quartered
• Handful of raspberries, whole

For the redcurrant compote:

• 100g redcurrants
• 50g caster sugar
• 1 orange juice and zest

Method

1. For the redcurrant compote: de-stalk the redcurrants, place in a small saucepan with the sugar, orange zest and juice and simmer on a low heat for 5 - 10 mins, or until the sugar has dissolved. Leave to cool slightly.
2. For the porridge: combine the oats and water (or milk if you prefer it creamier) into a medium pan.
3. Bring to the boil slowly, turn down the heat and simmer gently for 3 - 4 mins, stirring occasionally.
4. Divide the porridge into 2 bowls, spoon the redcurrant compote on top and add the strawberries and raspberries to finish.

Top tip for berry blast porridge

This breakfast is especially delicious when all the berries are in season; imported, out-of-season fruit can be disappointing by comparison. In winter and spring, we recommend using frozen fruit, defrosted before use, to get the sweetest, most delicious results.

Feel free to adapt the toppings to what you have available too. For a twist, try blackcurrant compote with fresh blueberries and raspberries.

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