I've never eaten "Ready_Brek", I doubt I ever will, because we don't need another box of cereal in the cupboard when we use so many oats in our day to day food, besides Dad gets cross & mutters that it's like dust sweepings & isn't proper porridge just gruel like Oliver Twist would have eaten.
(Coming from a Scottish family "ready brek" is a very rude word in our house).
Dad recently told me that we mess up our bodies by actually eating the wrong food at the wrong time, this is so true of camp food or a school day, when you should "eat like a king" ..for breakfast to turn you into a "can do" superhero with plenty of energy to spare.
I actually get pretty excited when dad asks me "shall we have porridge tomorrow for breakfast" !? ..which may sound a bit crazy, but it's so simple especially when made in advance (& easier now because a microwave oven finishes it off very quickly).
The secret, is very simple, make it the day before, (well not quite).
Perfect porridge is simple, ditch the ready-brek & experiment, if you can make yourself a milkshake you can make this, & you'll want to eat more oats more often.
Dad asks me after school the day before if I'd like porridge the next morning so it tastes better, anything between 12 & 18 hours is best we think up to a whole 24 hours ahead for maximum creaminess
Don't put metal (such as spoons in the microwave, & have some oven mitts ready in case your bowl is hot from cooking your oats, get an adult to help you.
- Grab a small microwaveable NON-METAL bowl, (glass is good)
- Fill your hand (don't spill) with 2x cupped hands of jumbo oats (that's roughly 25g).
- Slowly pour cold semi skimmed or whole fat milk over your jumbo oats, enough to cover them, then a little bit more, but don't overfill it.
- Pop a saucer over the top of the bowl & place it carefully in the fridge overnight, (or. with an adults help clingfilm it! ...but if there is nothing stinky in your fridge then a saucer that fits will be just fine).
- The next morning when grown-ups are running around remove your bowl from the fridge.
- Pop it in the microwave full power for two and a half minutes, up to three minutes, but stay by the microwave & watch it doesn't bubble over.
- IF it is close to jumping out of the bowl, open the door & let it cool down for 20 seconds, start it up again & do this until it's finished.
- CAUTION the bowl might be hot, the porridge definitely is .
- Add more cold milk
- add some raisins, or dried sweet cranberries, cut slices of banana, a drizzle of honey, a teaspoon or two of sugar or vanilla sugar, jam, stir in & enjoy.
There you have it simple, creamy porridge, because the oats weren't rushed to make them good, so don't rush eating them! ....enjoy your food, oats release energy steadily & fill you up, so you might find yourself less hungry than usual, good if you are training & watching your weight, or just want to succeed in eating a bit more healthily (without grown up's nagging).
If making it at camp it can be made on a stove, just more slowly, but still after a long soak, have a look at your trail mix, you might have a perfect topping to make it more interesting & boost your power!