Berry Vanilla Porridge
I’ve been making a shift away from grains, particularly in the morning. It’s a new thing for me because I’ve been an oatmeal person for years. But — I’m taking some steps to really optimize my body and health, and one of those steps is a move toward grain free. Again - no minor feat, because of that daily oatmeal habit I have.
There’s been a fair amount of trail and error involved in this process, but this Berry Vanilla Porridge checked all the boxes. It’s super creamy and just feels good going down. It’s got tons of flavor — the flavors I personally love. And — it’s loaded with so much nutritional value and everything I need from my first meal of the day.
The blueberries are the star of the show (there’s a cup of blueberries per serving). I’ve used both fresh and frozen blueberries to make it, and both work perfectly fine. The only thing is those frozen blueberries are going to leave you with a bluish, purplish, grayish looking porridge, and I’ll admit — it ain’t that pretty. But if pretty food doesn’t matter you, frozen blueberries will do. Let’s just say the photos you post won’t convince anyone to try it.
Diet Deconstructed
Blueberries
I’ve talked about the wonderful benefits of blueberries before, but I’ll do again just to get the point across. They are absolute powerhouses! Blueberries are absolutely loaded with antioxidants and in turn help slow down oxidative stress in the body. A decrease in oxidative stress reduces inflammation, and inflammation is the leading driver of numerous diseases, included type 2 diabetes, hypertension, obesity and cancer.
Blueberries can improve heart health. A study found that 1 cup of blueberries a day over the course of six months led to sustained improvements in arterial function in men with metabolic syndrome. Amazing!
Berry Vanilla Porridge
Ingredients
- 1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
- 3 scoops of unflavored pea protein (1 serving typically = 2 scoops)
- 5 oz unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- Sprinkling of cinnamon
- 2 TBS almond butter
Instructions
- Add almond milk, pea protein, vanilla and cinnamon to a small bowl and stir until combined.
- Transfer to a small sauce pan and heat over medium heat until the mixture is thickened and bubbling.
- Stir in almond butter.
- Transfer to a bowl and stir in blueberries.
- Top with additional cinnamon if desired.
- Enjoy!
Try this out, and let me know how it turns out for you in the comments or IG, @jordanparkermeans or #dietdeconstructed.