PORRIDGE with ALMOND MILK

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Made with California almonds and locally grown quinoa and kañigua, cereals that originally come from the Peruvian Andes, which I grew up eating. A highly nourishing cereal drink specially created to energize you and help you to perform your best during athletic practices. These cereals were in Chasqui’s diet, who would run up to 240 kilometers a day and at elevations of 14,000 feet. These cereals were my own breakfast growing up and what sustained me, as well, on` 15 hour kitchen marathons in my culinary journey in California.

Easy breakfast to have ready on the go during a busy morning or as a quick snack pre or post workout. Fuel for your body and mind

Portions: 8 cups 

Preparation Time: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup rolled oats

3 cups almond milk

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½ cup quinoa

½ cup KAÑIGUA

2 apples

2 cinnamon sticks

6 cloves

½ cup or 8 oz. Panela (unrefined whole cane sugar) Available in Mexican or latin markets. 

        Sweetener replacements: ½ cup of maple syrup, honey or agave nectar

PREPARATION: 

Boil quinoa and kañigua in 4 cups of water, use a 3 to 4 quarts cooking pot. Once the water boils for 3 minutes, drain the water (this is to also get rid of enzyme inhibitors that do not taste very good) and add 5 cups of water. Add the apples, cinnamon sticks and cloves. Mix continuously so that the quinoa and kañiua do not stick to the bottom of the pot. Keep at high heat and once it starts boiling reduce to medium to low heat for about 8 more minutes. While that is boiling, blend the panela with almond milk until it dissolves and place it in a bowl. Then, soak the oats in this liquid. After 8 minutes, add this mix to the quinoa and kañigua. Boil on medium heat for 3 more minutes.

You are welcome to take the cinnamon sticks and cloves out from the bowl; I usually don’t bother. I will keep them in the pot and separate while eating.

Enjoy!

I had lots of fun in my childhood recreating different versions of porridge. You are welcome to try different cereals and fruits. It goes amazing with quince and pears too. You can add bananas and seasonal berries.

The Kañigua is one of the few cereals that has a complete chain of amino-acids. Amaranth is pretty amazing too and quinoa. They all come originally from Peru and the Andean western hemisphere.