Purple Power Porridge
How amazing is Mother Nature? I mean, just look at all the variety and colour in all the different types of fruits and vegetables. And the best part is, the beautiful vibrant colours don't just make them look pretty, but also mean they are PACKED full of disease-fighting nutrients that help our bodies function at their best.
Phytochemicals are what give plants their amazing colours. Included in these are thousands of different compounds, many which haven't even been discovered yet, with a whole range of different health promoting effects on us. You may have heard of beta-carotene, lycopene and chlorophyll - these are just a tiny fraction of these phytochemicals, which are cancer-fighting, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-ageing, blood sugar balancing, immune enhancing and so much more. All the more reason to fill your plate with as much colour as you can!
I thought I'd sneak some extra nutrients into my breakfast by making my usual porridge a bit more vibrant too. And thanks to the amazing, deep magenta coloured of purple carrots, no food colouring is needed here. A delicious, warming and satisfying breakfast - and now packed with even more nutrition - creamy, vanilla porridge just got even better. That's plant power!!
Ingredients
- 1 cup rice flakes (or oats)
- 2 cups water or plant milk of your choice
- 1 small-medium purple carrot, peeled & finely grated
- 1 tsp natural vanilla extract
- optional: sweetener (mashed banana, stevia, dates etc)
- toppings of your choice such as banana, berries, chopped nuts...
Method
- Heat water or milk and rice flakes in a pot, add in the vanilla and grated purple carrot and simmer, stirring for about 10 minutes or until your porridge becomes thick and creamy
- If using, stir in your sweetener of choice
- Once it reaches the consistency you like, spoon into a bowl and top with all of your favourite toppings. I topped mine with banana, raspberries and sliced almonds
- Enjoy!
