I'm not keen on Porridge but I'd like to start eating it as it's good for you. I'm don't like hot milk and you can't really eat it cold, I wondered if you could make it with soya or rice milk. Can these alternative milks be heated up though. I think it would taste very bland made with water and without sugar added. Any suggestions for making it more tasty. I suppose you could put honey in or dried fruit or nuts. I know you can even buy milk made from oats now, that would be interesting as you'd be eating something comprising entirely of oats.

I find if i cook the porridge with water then serve & pour over the soya milk and sprinkle some brown sugar or a teaspn of golden syrup.(the best soya is the one in marks & spencer or one that is vanilla flavoured)

You can heat soya milk - my flatmate is allergic to milk and makes her porridge with it.
She also adds chopped banana, cinnamon and honey.

I love porridge made with enough water to cover it, lexia raisins from the health food shop, dried cranberries, ground cinnamon (appetite suppressant?), ground ginger and sometimes ground nutmeg. In the microwave for 3½ minutes, leave for about 15-20 minutes so it's solid! Lovely with blueberries, milk and goji berries on the top and very filling! Before I started my healthy eating/weight loss regime (1lb a week) I made it with skimmed milk but I've found the water ok.

I make porridge with half oats, a quarter millet and a quarter quinoa. The grains add texture (I hate gloopy porridge that you get in hotels!) but you have to cook it much longer. I use water but put Alpro Light soya milk on it.

I must try adding cinnamon or nutmeg - that sounds good.
Fiona

I'm very partial to porridge with semi-skimmed milk, brown sugar, cinnamon and raisins. I know it's not the healthiest way to eat it, but it's a really filling sweet treat for brekkie (and considerably better than the pastries from our local bakery which would be my alternative choice )

Ali

My sister eats porridge and she only uses Soya milk, then puts rasberries
on the top.

Issy

Porridge yum! I make it with water (18g to cup of water) 2 mins in the microwave on high.... then drizzle maple syrup very lightly on top.
Getting the consistency right is the key slightly sloppy not stodgy.

I used to eat it with a dollop of double cream and brown sugar really yummy

You can make porridge with water instead of milk, or maybe try half water half soya. You also may like porridge more if you find the right type of oats for you. Different types make different consistencies and tastes. Fine rolled oats make the smooth type you usually buy in a packet, but if you use whole oat flakes it's more hearty and tasty.

You could try blueberries, raspberries, banana, sunflower seeds, raisins, figs, prunes, anything like that.

I make mine with a mix of large and standard oats and oatmeal, half water half skimmed, then add banana, sliced dried prunes, almonds and manuka honey. I don't feel hungry til lunchtime, and it's delicious.

If you don't eat sweet stuff at breakfast like me - try my tip
a boiled egg
3 oat cakes with marmite

Keeps me going til Lunch and hey I still eat oats which is what porage is about and the marmite is full of vitamins.

I soak my porridge oats in water overnight, with sultanas added (not too many, just a sprinkle).
Add some milk/soya milk and a chopped apple or banana in the morning and nuke for a minute. No need for sugar.
I never "fancy" it (would always rather have buttery toast) but it fills me up and I'm always glad I did it.

It cooks even more quickly if you bring it to the boil the night before then it begins to cook overnight as it cools. My porridge takes quite a long time to cook because I use millet and quinoa as well.

I don't use a miocrowave - dreadful things - so my method means my porridge is fully cooked while I'm in the shower in the morning.

Bruce Forsyth quoted porridge as one of the secrets of his longevity when asked about it earlier this week.and he also said plenty of fruit and water. Just thought I'd throw that in.

Porridge is horrible (unless with loads of syrup) but I have Ready Brek every morning and it has the same effect of keeping you fuller for longer while being tasty enough, even with skimmed milk, to eat with nothing on it sugar-wise.Well worth a try.

I have porridge every morning, but made with water - and as a Scot I recoil at the idea of syrup or brown sugar ; it's the only thing I add salt to!

Having said that, I really like it with plain yogurt and blueberries on top...

I have porridge every morning, except Sundays, when I treat myself to scrambled eggs with bacon, in bed, with good coffee and the Sunday papers!
Take my porridge with skimed milk, blueberries and vanilla yoghurt. Keeps me going to lunchtime easily.

If you have a slow cooker sitting in a cupboard, it makes wonderful porridge. 1 mug oats to 2 mugs water and a tiny pinch of salt. 3 hours on low using a timer plug. We prefer it without milk, but in any case it might go sour overnight. We add a little milk and sugar/honey to serve. There is an added benefit that it is not too hot to eat straight away, as it cooks very gently.

Porridge is fab, when cooking it, add a spoonful of museli, and use honey to sweeten. Yummy. I don't like soya milk but use it on porridge as you tend not to tast it.

For several years now I have had porridge uncooked, just add semi-skimmed milk and a small sprinkling of sultanas, either leave for 5 mins to soften a little or microwave for 40 seconds. It keeps me going from 8am till gone 1pm. I now can't stand cooked porridge. Have tried it with Rice dream alternative milk, equally as nice.

I cannot tell the difference between porridge made with skimmed milk and made with water so I usually use water either with dried fruit or homemade elderberry jam, or fresh fruit in the summer.

For those who like a bit of sweetness with their porridge, try prune yoghurt. Always make it (the porrdige) with water, rather than milk. Good luck.

Even better James try it just with prunes, great for the digestion! Dont forget to soak the porridge for at least 10 minutes before you cook it as its meant to be better for you. Anyone know why? Will think of you all in the morning!

I bought some stoned prunes in the health food shop the other day so shall give those a go tomorrow. I was also recommended sunflower seeds last night so in they went this morning (along with currants, ginger, cinnamon, dried cranberries, water, topped with blueberries, goji berries and skimmed milk)!!
Will the nation all be trying our concoctions of porridge soon?

Jaki

... just thought I'dbring porridge up to the top of the list especially for Jaki!

Now what can I say? Forgot to soak my special ingredients the other night so have just had plain old (organic) porridge oats for the last couple of mornings and I have to say it was a bit bland.

Must get organised and cook the quinoa and millet the night before - my favourite combination.

Well my porridge is used in making my own muesli.
I buy the ordinary oats plus some rolled oats, which are larger, and add nuts and dried fruit...raisins, apricots, prunes, figs, cranberries especially, plus linseed, pine kernals, some bran, plus sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds poppy seeds and any others to be found in health food shops, this all goes to make a much more interesting and agreeable taste.
I keep a large tub of this dry mixture and when I want it for breakfast, take a bowl and add soya milk and wait 5 mins (time for a shower) before eating it.
I find it really keeps the hunger wolf away till lunch time and hubby has it at 4.15am before he goes off to work at 5am...It keeps him going all morning until 12 noon lunch time.
But on high days and holidays I make real porridge with milk and add whisky and homemade marmalade...mmmm....yum yum!

Golly that sounds really good Elizabeth. Can you keep porridge mixture for a long time?

I don't know how long it would keep but I only make enough for the week and keep it in an airtight container. It works for us.

Thanks Fiona!

Everyone's porridge recipes sound so nice, I'll give them a try. I use organic jumbo oats with cinnamon and vanilla extract, which stops it tasting bland, the jumbo oats also give a nice texture.

I swear by Quaker Oats which is what my grandparents have always had too. I've tried others but I always seem to return to these - maybe it's the comforting reminder of my childhood! I did have lashings of golden syrup on top in those days