As a kid, I used to despise oatmeal, porridge, and anything oat-containing. Can you believe that? I would only find it somewhat palatable when the bowl contained heaps of brown sugar and/or those magical hatching dinosaur eggs that turned oatmeal orange or purple – does anyone remember those?

Despite loathing the stuff, my mom served up oatmeal at least once a week – Oatmeal Wednesday – and I sourly ate the bowl. I’m sure it became a surprise to her, in that just a few short years, I learned to L-O-V-E oats. In fact, I became an oatmeal monster, eating it nearly every morning with every single combination under the sun. Not only that, but I traveled with oats in tow – Italy, Greece, Ireland, Thailand – such a lovely (and fiber rich) travel companion.

Let’s hear it for oats!

Humble old rolled oats. Raise your hand if you’re a fan! If you are – then yay! If you’re not an oatmeal fan, or you’re kids are oatmeal haters, then this recipe may be for you. Perhaps you dislike oatmeal because it makes you feel incredibly bloated and gassy – as that does happen to some people who consume oats. The extremely good news is that soaking your oats overnight with an acidic medium (lemon juice in this case) really enables happy breakfast digestion. Soaking oats with something acidic enables the break down of phytic acid – a naturally occurring acid found on the outer layer of bran, and in nuts and seeds. Phytic acid tends to bind with calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc in the intestinal track – making their absorption that much harder, and potentially resulting in mineral deficiencies. Soaking reduces this acid and also makes all the other nutrients that much more digestive friendly. That means that this porridge is incredibly filling and delicious, but won’t leave you feeling like you ate for two!

Of course, the color of these oats is super lovely too. The purpler the breakfast – the better, I always say! The beautiful deep purple color comes from antioxidant abundant and delicious berry milk – made by simply combing nut milk and berries in a blender with some sweet raw honey and lemon juice. It’s then poured over our oats and chia and left to sit overnight where it will thicken up and form a delicious pudding porridge of goodness. You can eat this porridge cold, at room temperature, or even gently warmed up on the stove. I love topping it with extra berries, walnuts, dried figs, hemp seeds, and a sprinkle of goji berries for crunch. If you’re feeling extra creative, you can blend up the entire jar of soaked oats with some added water or nut milk to create a thick and divine smoothie – and to camouflage any form of oats for the oat-haters! If you end up with a purple tongue, it can’t be the worst thing in the world! Right?

Beautifying berries + creamy nut milk + sweet honey + digestive enabling lemon juice + humble rolled oats + thickening and super chia = The prettiest, purplest porridge ever!

Soaked Berry Bliss Porridge

Serves 2

1 cup nut milk (almond and cashew are delicious)
2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
½ cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1 cup blackberries (fresh or frozen)
1-2 tablespoons raw honey (more for extra sweetness)
1 cup rolled oats
2 tablespoons chia seeds

Method:

Add nut milk, lemon juice, honey, and berries to a blender. Blend on high until berries are incorporated and you’ve made a deep purple berry milk. Pour milk into a jar or large bowl along with rolled oats and chia seeds. Stir to combine, tightly cover, and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning divide oat mixture into two jars or bowls and garnish with fresh berries, nuts, and seeds. Eat at room temperature, cold, or gently warmed up on the stove. Enjoy!