I teamed up with Pineapple Collaborative and Yes! Apples to create a delightful morning bowl sure to warm you up on a cool morning. It’s quick, comforting, and nourishing for days when a basic breakfast just won’t cut it.
If you know me, you know I’m a big fan of porridge. Sweet or savory, it’s a dish that feels like the *ultimate* comfort food. It also makes a great vehicle for your favorite herbs and spices.
For this version, I went with a golden porridge cooked in coconut milk to make it extra creamy. You can turn up the heat with extra grated ginger or keep it simple with cinnamon or cardamom.
The trick here is to cook the apples in adaptogenic ghee. It really helps to bring out their sweetness and adds an extra layer of flavor. While ghee can seem intimidating to make, it’s actually pretty simple and another way to layer adaptogens into your meals.
Ghee is a sacred food in Ayurveda. By clarifying unsalted butter, you’re able to remove the casein, or the slow-digesting dairy protein, that can make butter difficult for some to digest. The heavy fat solids fall to the bottom and you’re left with a golden liquid on top.
According to Ayurveda, ghee is different from other fats because it helps to support a healthy digestive fire, making it easier to digest and assimilate food.
It helps to support the liver to remove toxins from the body while providing grounding energy. Ghee can be deeply nourishing. Warming, sweet, and moistening nature, it can support a feeling of calm and ease making it a wonderful ally if you tend to feel cold and dry or live in a drier place.
For a quick and easy version of adaptogenic ghee, you can also buy a jar of premade ghee, gently melt it in a pot, sprinkle in 1-2 tablespoons of powdered adaptogens, and stir to combine, then carefully pour it back into the jar when cooled a bit.
If you don’t do dairy, try coconut oil with a sprinkle of maca, ashwagandha, or astragalus instead. Also, feel free to swap the apples for another fruit you have on hand. Bananas, pears, or apricots would all be lovely.
Otherwise, you can stir in the powdered adaptogens into your porridge rather than combine it with the ghee. Whatever you decide to do, I hope you feel inspired to see both porridges and healthy fats as vehicles for more than just flavor but herbs that help support your body during times of stress.
Turmeric Porridge with Stewed Apples
Ingredients
Serves 2
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
1 cup basmati rice, rinsed
3 cups water
1 cup oat milk or milk of choice
1 tablespoon adaptogenic ghee or plain ghee
1 apple, cored and cut into ½ inch cubes
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
The Salt to taste
Optional toppings: yogurt, rose petals, toasted nuts or seeds
To make the porridge, add turmeric, cardamom, ginger, and rice to a small heavy-bottomed pot and cover with water and oat milk.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer and gently stir to combine.
Let the porridge cook for about 30 minutes, or until the rice is broken down. Add more liquid if needed.
Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium heat, add the ghee.
Once melted, add the apples and cinnamon stirring to combine.
Let the apples become slightly brown and tender.
Before serving, sweeten the porridge with a little honey or maple syrup and ladle into bowls. Top with the cooked apples, a dollop of yogurt, rose petals, and toasted nuts or seeds.
Enjoy! xx - Sarah Kate