Kuri & Quinoa Porridge

This month I worked on a recipe for the lovely ladies at The Pressery. If you aren't familiar with them, they supply London with gorgeous, all natural almond milk. It make using almond milk accessible and easy in my daily routine since I don't make it myself. Typically it goes into smoothies, but since fall and winter aren't great for fresh fruit and berries, I wanted to find a way to keep using it in my morning routine. 

The recipe below has been the stand out favorite -  a lovely autumnal breakfast; warm, comforting and deeply flavorful. It is gluten & dairy free and uses only natural sugar from the sultanas. I start this the night before - when using kuri squash to top salads or accompany a risotto - reserve around 200 grams for the mornings breakfast. I really like the savory element that the salt, black pepper & olive oil lend the breakfast. 

The same is true for the quinoa - soak it over night (add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to the water) and in the morning drain and rinse before cooking. It makes nutty fluffy quinoa and cuts down cooking time. 

I have been experimenting with other grains for breakfast such as amaranth & millet but the quinoa has been my favorite

Serves 2 - 4 

You will need:

200g roasted Kuri squash cut into chunks. 

1 cup quinoa soaked over night (if not soaked in water, anticipate needing more almond milk during cooking. rinsed & drained)

2 cups almond milk (1/2 cup reserved for serving)

1/4 tsp fresh ground cinnamon 

1/4 tsp of vanilla paste 

1/4 cup sultanas 

1 small apple washed & chopped into small pieces.

handful each of shredded coconut, pumpkin seeds & chopped raw walnuts 

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Place a medium sized sauce pan over moderate heat & toast the cinnamon until fragrant. Next, add chopped apple & stir to combine, about 2 minutes. Then add the rinsed quinoa and toast for another 2 minutes. Add the kuri squash & sultanas, stir to combine and quickly add 1 1/2 cups of almond milk  & 1/4 tsp vanilla - bring to a quick boil and reduce the heat to low. Cook until quinoa is the desired tenderness, stirring occasionally - approx 10 - 15 minutes. 

Keep an eye on the mixture while it cooks as you may need to add a bit more almond milk. 

Spoon porridge into individuals bowls and pour a bit of the remaining almond milk over each, making sure it is equally divided. Top with some of the shredded coconut, pumpkin sees & chopped walnuts. If desired, drizzle with a bit of maple syrup.