The temperature is plunging so it’s time to bowl up some of five-grain porridge and you don’t need a saucepan and spurtle. (*)

My five-grain porridge is a delicious and nutritious blend combining the traditional porridge grain – rolled oats, with the heirloom varieties spelt and rye, triticale and barley.  All of these grains are Australian grown.  It has a nutty taste and texture certain to excite taste buds and energise bodies.

And costing just 75 cents and only 180 calories (656 kj) per serve, it’s perfect for the hips and hip pocket.  (That’s cheaper than a multinational’s meal deal and ¼ of the calories.)

The golden haired girl and her three hirsute friends were certainly onto a good thing because porridge is low GI; high fibre (which helps to regular appetite and cravings especially in the cooler months) and an excellent source of complex carbohydrates.   Porridge can also help to reduce cholesterol and increase sex drive.

National Porridge Day on Friday 1 June (the first day of winter) is a great opportunity to give porridge a second chance if you were sworn off it as a kid.  We have many grandmothers and mothers to forgive for the crimes they committed against the gorgeous grain.  Why not head out to one of Melbourne’s fabulous cafes and restaurants serving up porridge a myriad of ways, or give it a go from the comfort of your own home.

My secret for the best porridge is to leave the saucepan in the pot drawer. 

Pour ½ cup of boiling water onto ½ cup porridge in a bowl.  Cover with cling wrap or a saucer for 10 minutes.  Meanwhile have a shower and get dressed by which time the grains have softened sufficiently to enjoy.  Add some currants, slice banana, pistachio nuts, a sprinkling of cardamom and a drizzle of honey for the perfect way to start your day.  More serving suggestions below.

(*) Spurtle or spirtle is the traditional Scottish stirring implement to make porridge dating back to the fifteenth century.  The rod-like shape is designed to prevent the porridge from becoming lumpy.

Why my porridge has five grains

Well it tastes great, but it each of the five different grains have their own nutritional benefits (and these heirloom varieties contribute to agricultural biodiversity in Australia.  All of these grains are grown in Australia.)

Spelt contains more protein, fats and fibre and other grains and has large amounts of Vitamin B 17.  It is also a good source of carbohydrates which assist in blood clotting and stimulate the body’s immune systems so as to increase resistance to infection.

Rye also contains approximately 15 g of protein per 100g.  Rye, triticale, and barley have less than 3 g of fat per 100g, making them naturally low in fat. 

Rolled Oats contain Vitamin B, some Vitamin E, as well as calcium, potassium and magnesium. 

How to Eat Porridge

Simple: a moat of cold or warm milk (dairy, soy, rice, oat).

Rush: for those in a rush or want a rush pour an espresso or ½ cappuccino over the grains!

Easy: a few sultanas and a sprinkling of nutmeg.

Traditional: sliced banana, a sprinkling of cinnamon and a teaspoon of brown sugar.

Crunchy: slivered almonds, a freshly grated Granny Smith apple and a few currants for sweetness

Sweet: a wedge of honeycomb stuck in the middle can BEE a cute way of serving porridge to overnight guests.

Warming: a few pistachios with a sprinkling of cardamom and a drizzle of honey (or apple concentrate or rice syrup)

Luscious: a few pecans and some chopped dates.

Tropical: some freshly grated ginger, shredded coconut, macadamias and honey makes you feel like you are in paradise.

Protein Punch: a beaten egg (stirred through one minute before the end of stovetop cooking) is especially good after a workout.

Healthy: any warm stewed fruit – especially rhubarb, plums or apple is delicious dolloped on top.

Decadent: for something a little bit naughty… grate some chocolate on top and watch it melt into the grains; for something that is naughty but nice… stir through a few buds of chocolate…for something really really naughty bury a Ferrero Rocher in the porridge and watch your family and friends’ faces light up when they find their sunken treasure.

How to cook porridge

Every one likes their porridge their way – just ask the Three Bears or Goldilocks.  Some love it so thick the spoon stands unaided in the middle of the mixture.  Others prefer a smoother start to the day.  A recommended serve is ½ cup or 50 grams of dry mixture however this amount can be adjusted according to your own needs. 

Recipes are for 1 serve.

 1. Quick Sticks Porridge aka “Look Mum, No Pans!”

Place ½ cup (50 g) mixture into a small bowl.

Add ½ cup of boiling water.

Cover with cling film and set aside for five to ten minutes.

The nutty taste and texture means this porridge is delicious straight up however it goes fabulously well with some extras added to it.

If you like your porridge piping hot, here’s how to achieve that result.

2. Thick and grainy porridge

Place ½ cup (50 g) of grains and 1 cup of boiling water in a saucepan and stand for 10 minutes (while this is happening have a shower and make the bed) 

Over a medium heat, stir mixture for 2 minutes.

 Serve immediately.

3. Smooth and creamy porridge

Soak ½ cup (50 g) of grains in 1 cup cold water overnight.

Next day, add another cup of water (or for a creamier taste use milk) and over a medium heat, cook for 5 – 10 minutes or until you reach the desired consistency. You might like to add more water or some milk.

Serve immediately.

4. Microwave instructions

For one serve.

Use: 1 litre container

Into it put:
- ½ cup Flip Shelton’s five-grain porridge
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup full cream milk

Place lid on loosely – allowing steam to escape.

Microwave on 50% power for 3 minutes.

Stand 2-3 mins for all liquid to be absorbed.

It will be thick but not gluggy without any liquid.

Stir and transfer to a warmed bowl.

Add your favourite bits.

 Porridge – fact or fiction?

 1. Porridge is associated with the devil – there was a belief that porridge should only be stirred in a clockwise direction using your right hand so you didn’t evoke the ‘devil’.

 2. Porridge is referred to in the Testament.

 3. Dr Samuel Johnson’s 18^th Century dictionary definition of oats read “a grain which in England is given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people.”

4. Oats were cooked and poured into a drawer and allowed to set.  The solid oat slab (perhaps the earliest incarnations of oat biscuits or muesli slice) were then sliced and taken to work to be eaten through the day.

5. Wild strains of oats date back to about 1000 BC in Europe. The Greeks and Romans found the oat grains coarse and inedible and dubbed it ‘barbarian’s food’ and fed it to their animals.

6. Porridge became immortalized by English poet Robert Southey’s 1837 prose of “The Story of the Three Bears” which was later published in 1904 as “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” – one of the most enduring stories.

7. The Annual Golden Spurtle World Porridge-Making Championship, is held in Carrbridge each year, and sees porridge-makers from across the globe to compete for the “Golden Spurtle“.

8. Spelt is was widely cultivated in ancient civilizations, however it lost favour in the 19^th century when wheat was introduced because this was easier to harvest.  In the mid-1980’s Spelt was rediscovered in Europe and in 1988, a farming couple from NSW bought 50 seeds from a European seed bank.  After four years of harvesting their ‘crop’ with a pair of scissors (*), these passionate farmers were able to build up the seed stock and that’s why we can enjoy Australian-grown Spelt today.  Spelt is a low yielding crop which means it doesn’t take much from the soil making it more sustainable in the long term. 

 (*) A special machine has now been developed, which can de-hull individual spelt grains making their job easier!

Autumn is here and like Mary Mary Quite Contrary, mother nature’s weather is quite changeable at this time of year.  This time last year the Dalai Lama was soon to visit our shores, this year it’s Jamie Oliver.  Both men have messages of change – the Dalai Lama for greater compassion and understanding, Jamie Oliver for a change when it comes to obesity and our eating habits.

 Buy – what’s in season during Autumn?

Apples

Bananas

Raspberries

Grapes

Kiwi

Pears

Rhubarb

Quince

Garlic

Ginger

Avocados

Capsicum

Carrot

Cauliflower

Celery

Fennel

Mushrooms

Peas

Potato

Pumpkin

Silver beet

Sweet potato

Zucchini

Food in focus:  Samphine

Samphire otherwise known as sea asparagus looks like small succulent stems.  It has little red tips.

Whilst relatively new to the everyday shopping list (it’s only been grown commercially in Australia’s Snowy River region for four years but is a native to South Australia’s salty flats), it’s been around for eons.

In fact, Shakespeare mentions it in King Lear growing on the cliffs at Dover. (Although he’s probably referring to the English Rock Samphire) and Henry XIII had people abseil down cliffs to collect it. 

This little green vegetable is credited with assisting weight loss, boosting energy, enhancing the immune system, and able to fight some types cancers, particularly lung and blood cancers.

Sea asparagus is packed with phytochemicals that protect the liver, heart and cellular DNA. It is also rich in vitamins A, C, B2 and B15; amino acids; and minerals, such as iron, calcium and magnesium.  It is also low in calories with 100 calories per 100 grams.

Samphire is very versatile – it can be eaten raw – when it’s young, crisp and tender.  Or blanched briefly and tossed into a salad.   Sauted, stirfried or steamed is the best way to cook samphire if it’s a bit older and tougher. 

Samphire is a great compliment to eggs (omlette, scrambled), fish and shellfish but I like to lightly blanch and toss into a mung bean pasta with some pine nuts and a little pepper (they are quite salty so taste before adding any).

 Anzac Biscuits March On

In the newspapers recently came the news that the original Anzac Biscuit Company – which produced 4.5 tonnes of Anzacs an hour – has gone into receivership and there could be a dearth of biscuits come 26 April.  Hopefully the company can be saved however, the good news is that you can make your own Anzac very simply.

 Anzacs

 Makes: 15-20

 STUFF

 1 cup rolled oats

1 cup wholemeal plain flour

1 cup coconut

½ cup raw sugar

25 grams butter

3 tablespoons honey (or golden syrup)

1 teaspoon bicarb soda

4 tablespoons boiling water

 ACTION

 Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.

 In a bowl, combine rolled oats, flour, coconut and sugar and stir.

 In a saucepan, combine butter and honey over a low heat and stir until well combined.

 Pour butter and honey into rolled oats mixture and stir.

 Mix together bicarb soda and water before adding to other ingredients.

 Using a wooden spoon, stir until ingredients are well combined and form a thick mixture.

 Form balls of mixture and place on a greased or lined baking tray.

 Bake for 15-20 minutes on 150-160 degrees C or until golden brown.

 Allow to cool a little before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Simple delight was what I experienced when I pulled the tray of perfect home-made sultanas out of the oven yesterday! 

My delight seemed dis-proportionate with the simplicity of the cooking task.  It was the same feeling when I first made crumpets from scratch.

My over enthusiastic grocer sent me home with two enormous bags of grapes last week.  With my husband away and my little creature unwell, the fruit bowl was fuller than normal and I can’t bare to waste food so I dehydrated them. 

One of my dear friends Sammy has a ripper dehydrator which does everything (except pick the Melbourne Cup she tells me) but without that I just used my oven.  Over the last few days, every time I used the oven, I’d put the tray of grapes into the oven to take advantage of its warmth. How’s that for being green!  Alternatively you could slowly dry the grapes over 4-5 hours in an oven around 110 degrees.

 Now nibbling on a small handful of home-made sultanas.

Our small plot of herbs and tomatoes doesn’t get much of a chance to grow with little fingers unable to resist the temptation of picking the little green balls, but I have been the beneficiary of a glut of homegrown tomatoes from my father in law, my bookkeeper and greengrocer.

Sitting like massive Christmas baubles on the bench it was time to use them or lose them so I knocked up a batch of tomato and basil soup (a perfect lunch or dinner for these warm days) and  semi-dried the super-ripe ones.    Here are the recipes which worked a treat today.

Fresh Tomato and Basil Soup

Four serves.

NEED:

1 ½ kgs (approximately 15) tomatoes

2 tablespoons oil

2 cloves garlic

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

Salt and pepper

2 cups vegetable stock (mild flavour)

Fresh basil, torn

1 teaspoon corn flour – optional

1 tablespoon cold water – optional

Sprinkling of pine nuts

DO:

Score the bottom of the tomatoes and remove cores.

Boil a large saucepan of water.  Place tomatoes in boiling water for 30 seconds.  Transfer tomatoes to a bowl of icy cold water.  Allow to stand for a minute, then peel off tomato skins.  Chop into quarters.

Warm oil in a heavy based saucepan.  Add garlic and celery and cook for a few minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

Add tomatoes and stock and bring to the boil.

Simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Add plenty of fresh basil and cook for 1 minute.

* If you want to a thicker soup, mix together corn flour and cold water and add to tomato mixture and stir through.

Transfer to a blender and puree.

Serve with a sprinkling of pinenuts.

Slow Roasted Sumac Tomatoes

NEED:

12 roma tomatoes

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon sumac

several generous grinds of fresh black pepper and salt

DO

Preheat oven to 100 degrees

Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise

Combine oil, sumac, s and p in a mixing bowl and stir.

Using a pastry brush, brush oil mixture onto cut side of tomatoes.

Bake for 3-4 hours depending on look you want.

No cow in the backyard?  Lactose intolerate?  Gluten intolerant?  Want to try something new?  Well here’s a recipe for almond milk which is a sinch to make and cheaper than the bought version.  And it’s actually quite fun.

Cover 150g / 1 cup almonds in water and soak for 6 hours or over night.

Next day, drain water, then blend almonds with 3 cups fresh water.

Strain through a muslin cloth.

Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

This ‘milk’ is high in protein, has a low GI, and is gluten and dairy, additive and sugar free.

Then use the left over almond meal to make some flourless fruit muffins.

Mix together 2 cups of almond meal, 2 teaspoons baking powder, pinch of salt, 1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup oil, 1/3 cup honey/apple concentrate, 2-3 eggs and still until well combined.  Add 1 cup of berries or 2 mashed bananas.  Divide mixture into a muffin tray and bake on 180 degrees for 20 minutes.

As we head towards the official end of summer, there is a glut of gorgeous fruit and vegetables.

With the money that you save buying cheap and delicious fruit and veg, why not shout yourself a copy of Veg In  (which won the 2011 Gourmond World Cookbook Awards for Best Vegetarian Cookbook in Australia).   For just $30 you’ll get 100 simple and nutritious recipes.  Talk about a bargain – that’s 30 cents a recipe (or the cost of a couple of strawberries!)  Here’s one of the recipes so you can try before you buy!

Stir Fried Tofu and veggies

 2 serves

 1 tablespoon peanut oil

1 garlic clove, chopped

½-1 red chilli, chopped (or use ¼-1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes)

1 onion, sliced

300 grams firm tofu, diced or sliced

2 tablespoons tamari (or soy sauce)

300 grams mushrooms, carrots, red pepper – julienned

2 tablespoons Chinese cooking wine

1-2 bunches bok choy, washed, stalks removed and roughly chopped

40 grams cashews, left whole or roughly chopped

2 spring onions, use both green and white ends, chopped

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 teaspoons cornflour – optional

1 tablespoon cold water – optional

 Heat oil in wok.

 Add garlic, chilli and onion and fry off until aromatic, about two minutes.

 Add tofu and tamari and stir-fry until golden, about two minutes

Add mushrooms, carrots and red pepper and Chinese cooking wine and stir fry on high for a further two minutes.

Add bok choy and cashews and stir through.  Allow to cook for one minute.

If there is any liquid at the bottom of the wok, mix together cornflour and cold water and stir through for a minute.

Take off heat.  Drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle with spring onions before serving on a bed of rice or with a drizzle of sweet chili sauce.

Black rice is, well, the new black.  Having enjoyed black rice for years  – but only in the form of the Balinese Black Rice Pudding I decided to extend my repetoire and tonight I made a ‘mange a trois’ with black, brown and wild rice….or ‘thrice rice’! 

A quick word about Black Rice – which is currently considered a superfood and a pantry essential.  Black rice (which has a deep purple colour when cooked and has a sweet, nutty flavour)  has been around for yonks but it’s only recently being produced on a larger commercial scale and is now readily available in health food stores.

Black Rice is being hailed a nutritional powerhouse – high in fibre and iron and anti-oxidants and reportedly able to prevent cancer, heart attacks and Alzeimer’s Disease. 

Rice is a staple for half of the world.  It’s 80% starch and is therefore a fabulous source of energy.  A cup of cooked rice also contains about 10% of an adults daily protein but as it lacks some amino acids, it is considered an incomplete protein so add some legumes to your dish.

Here’s tonight’s recipe:

1 cup  cooked black, brown and wild rice (cook seperately, following packet instructions, allow to cool)

1 cup (approx 100 g)  cooked chickpeas

handful (100 g) snow peas, lightly steamed

handful (100 g) red pepper, thinly sliced

fresh coriander leaves, chopped

handful bean shoots, for garnish

dried fried shallots, optional

drizzle: sweet chili sauce on top.