Raspberry and almond butter porridge

Brighten up your morning bowl of porridge by combining raspberries with almond butter – a match made in heaven.

I eat porridge and some kind of nut butter pretty much every morning. Rarely will I combine the two together, except when I’m making this PB&J inspired porridge.

Raspberries are the star of the show here, but you can just as easily swap them out for strawberries, blackberries or blueberries. 

Either way, the oats are mixed with vanilla, fibre-boosting chia seeds and honey, which is key to balancing the sharpness of the berries.

Finish with a generous drizzle of almond butter and homemade raspberry sauce before digging in. You’ll thank me later.

How To Make Raspberry And Almond Butter Porridge

• Chef Catling’s recipe notes
• Recipe: Raspberry and almond butter porridge
• Frequently asked questions

Tips & Notes To Know

• Mix and match: Fresh raspberries are unmatched in terms of sweetness, but they’re not always readily available outside of the summer months. Frozen berries are often cheaper, easier to store, and they come pre-washed. Use them to make the raspberry sauce and keep some fresh raspberries in reserve as an extra topping.
• Love your leftovers: This recipe makes more raspberry sauce than you need and keeps for up to 2 weeks in the fridge. It’s delicious on pancakes, waffles and rice pudding.
• Grab yourself a bag of chia seeds: Not only are they high in omega 3s and fibre, but they also act as a thickening agent when making fruit compotes, sauces or jams. Use in place of pectin and you’ll save yourself a lot of time.

Raspberry and almond butter porridge

Serves: 1 Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 25 mins 25 mins

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Ingredients

For the raspberry sauce
250g fresh or frozen raspberries
1 heaped tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp chia seeds

For the porridge
60g rolled porridge oats
1/2 tbsp chia seeds
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp maple syrup
180ml semi-skimmed milk
180ml water

To serve
Small handful of fresh raspberries
1 tsp flaked almonds, toasted
1 tbsp almond butter

Instructions

Step 1
For the raspberry sauce, place the raspberries in a small saucepan with the maple syrup and slowly bring to the boil. Turn down to a simmer and cook gently for 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the fruit has broken down.

Step 2
Mash the raspberries with a fork, then stir in the chia seeds. Continue to cook for 5 minutes until the mixture has thickened, then remove from the heat. Blitz to a smooth consistency, if desired, and pour into a bowl (it will thicken even more as it cools). Set aside.

Step 3
For the porridge, add the rolled oats to a small saucepan and stir in the chia seeds, vanilla extract, maple syrup, milk and water until well combined.

Step 4
Set over a low-to-medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Add a pinch of salt and continue to cook the porridge for 5-10 minutes or until thick and creamy, stirring regularly to prevent the oats from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Step 5
Loosen with extra milk, if desired, and serve topped with the fresh raspberries, flaked almonds and a generous drizzle of almond butter and the raspberry sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Kind Of Oats Should I Use For My Porridge?

Traditionally you should use oatmeal. Rolled oats are actually forbidden in the Golden Spurtle World Porridge Championships (yes, that’s really a thing), but they do produce a slightly chunkier texture which I prefer over a fine, smooth consistency.

Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference, but it’s worth noting that the nutritional profile is higher for minimally processed oats.

How Do I Make It Dairy Free?

Substitute cow’s milk for an alternative like oat, soya, almond or coconut milk.

Can I Substitute The Almond Butter For Another Nut Butter?

Recipes are basically just guidelines, which you can interpret according to your taste, preferences and availability. If you prefer, substitute almond butter for peanut butter, cashew butter or even Nutella if you fancy something sweeter.

What Are Chia Seeds?

Chia seeds are the tiny black seeds from the Salvia hispanica plant, which are native to central Mexico. They can be used as an egg replacement in baking, plus they make a great sugar-free jam.

Just as important to know is that a handful of chia seeds (25g) contribute almost 9g of fibre and about 25% of your recommended calcium intake They’re also useful for balancing blood sugar levels and lowering blood pressure.

Can I Use Honey In Place Of Maple Syrup?

Yes. Honey is usually a touch sweeter than maple syrup, so you may want to use slightly less than the amount of maple syrup called for in the recipe. However, they are basically like for like with the only major difference being the price.