Porridge has already become a real breakfast classic for many. Rightly so, because oatmeal not only tastes good, but is also extremely healthy and diverse.
But many people forget one thing when they think of porridge – the spice. In this article, we will tell you which spices you should definitely try and what they can offer in addition to their taste characteristics.
Which spices are suitable for my porridge
As different as oatmeal can be prepared, the right spices also vary. While sweeter porridges can be accompanied by vanilla, cocoa or cinnamon, hearty oatmeal also contains more exotic spices such as curry, cardamom or even chili.
There is no right or wrong – the important thing is that it tastes good. Nevertheless, we would like to give you a few tips on how to choose the right spices for your porridge.
Savory porridges – you should definitely try these spices
A general spice tip for savory porridge is difficult. The only spice that actually always fits is a pinch of salt. This serves as a flavor enhancer and thus helps other flavors to come out stronger.
For example, if you want to try a warming porridge for the winter, we would like to recommend the Pumpkin Spice Porridge. It consists of our Verival Classic Porridge blend, plant drink, Hokkaido pumpkin, apple and spices . Ground cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg and cloves are particularly suitable for this purpose.
Pumpkin Spice Porridge
Accessories
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Blender
Ingredients
- 80 g Verival Classic Porridge optional oatmeal
- 300 ml plant-based drink
- 100 ml water
- 2 tsp Pumpkin Spice Spice
- ½ Hokkaido pumpkin
- 1 handful of almonds
- ½ apple optional
- Agave syrup optional
Pumpkin Spice Spice
- 3 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 ½ tsp ground allspice
- 2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground cloves
Preparation
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At the beginning, divide the pumpkin in half, remove the seeds and then cut it into small cubes. Then boil in a saucepan for about 10 minutes.
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Meanwhile, you can bring the oatmeal to a simmer with the oat drink and the water. If necessary, you can add more oat drink or water – depending on how creamy the consistency of your porridge should be.
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After the pumpkin has been soft-cooked, you can drain it and finely puree it with a blender or in a blender.
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Then mix the pumpkin puree with the porridge and season the mixture with pumpkin spice.
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As a topping, you can garnish your porridge with apple slices and chopped almonds. A little tip: if you roast the chopped almonds in a pan, your porridge will taste even better!
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Optionally, you can sweeten your porridge with honey, agave syrup or maple syrup.
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Done – Bon appétit!
But cinnamon also works extremely well in combination with carrots and oatmeal, as is the case with our Carrot Cake Porridge.
Recipe: Carrot Cake Porridge
Ingredients
- 50 g oatmeal
- 200 ml oat drink or another plant drink variant or water (for an even lower calorie variant)
- 1 pinch of salt
- 2 grated carrots
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp almond sauce
- 1 tbsp walnuts (optional)
Preparation
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Grate the carrots first and then put them in a pot.
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Then add the oatmeal and the plant drink. If you want to save extra calories, you can also replace half of the plant drink with water.
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Then add the salt and some cinnamon to the pot.
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Now boil the porridge for about 5-7 minutes. When the porridge is almost ready and already nice and creamy, take the pot off the stove and stir some almond butter into your porridge.
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Then place the porridge in a bowl. Now you can refine the oatmeal with toppings of your choice, such as delicious walnuts.
Even cardamom, anise and chili are suitable for savory porridge. To do this, mix 50 grams of oatmeal with a little water or milk and add the three exotic spices in addition to a pinch of salt.
For example, if you are a curry lover, you can also use the basic recipe for porridge and simply add curry, turmeric, fennel or chili. This will make your porridge a tasty lunch.
Basic recipe: oatmeal
Ingredients
- 250 ml milk or a plant-based alternative for vegans (oat milk, almond milk, soy milk,...)
- 50 g oatmeal (grams of oatmeal)
- 1 pinch of salt
- 2 tsp agave syrup optional
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon of your choice
Preparation
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Boil the oatmeal with the pinch of salt and the sweetener of your choice in the milk or plant drink (preferably with constant stirring). Cooking the cereal flakes only with hot water is also a possible variant.
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Let the porridge steep for 3 minutes.
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Empty the porridge into a bowl and sprinkle with cinnamon.
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Enjoy!
Nutritional values
These spices go with sweet porridge creations
If you like to combine your morning oatmeal with fresh berries , cocoa powder and vanilla are particularly good. Fresh raspberries or strawberries with a chocolatey porridge and a light vanilla aroma spoil your taste buds like no other breakfast.
But cinnamon also often goes very well, for example with apple or pear. Turmeric, cardamom and nutmeg also go surprisingly well – for example, with a rice-based porridge with orange and coconut.
What must of course never be missing: a pinch of salt.
But in addition to the taste benefits , there is another reason to use a variety of spices. Because they are extremely healthy.
That's how healthy the spices are
For example, cinnamon can regulate blood sugar levels even in small amounts and thus even indirectly help with weight loss. Cinnamon is also suitable for people with type 2 diabetes and people with pre-existing cardiovascular diseases due to its properties. Because in addition to the positive effects on blood sugar levels, it can also lower the bad LDL cholesterol .
Cocoa is one of the healthiest spices around. Accordingly, the popular spice has a vascular protective effect and can thus counteract high blood pressure and heart disease. Incidentally, cocoa also keeps the mind fit and strengthens your immune system. While said to have a mood-boosting effect, it also helps protect the body from oxidative stress.
Turmeric , on the other hand, receives little attention, especially during breakfast. Nevertheless, it is worth using turmeric regularly. According to research, it is even supposed to replace some medications in terms of effect. Accordingly, sufficient amounts of turmeric can lower cholesterol, act as a natural blood thinner and inhibit inflammatory processes. Even with osteoarthritis and depression, turmeric could help – the list of positive properties seems almost endless.
Although chili does not seem to be able to do quite that much, it still surpasses most other spices. Accordingly, chili is attributed a mood-enhancing effect. But the spicy spice is also said to be beneficial for heart health .
These spices help you lose weight
In addition to all the health-promoting properties, some of the spices can even help with weight loss. For example, chili suppresses hunger and boosts energy consumption. Apparently, regular chili consumption can regulate appetite and increase calorie burning after eating, thus promoting weight loss. Incidentally, you can easily find out your ideal weight yourself with the BMI calculator .
Other spices such as cinnamon indirectly support weight loss by keeping blood sugar levels stable. This means that less insulin has to be released, which in turn facilitates fat loss.
Turmeric , on the other hand, can positively influence the intestinal flora thanks to its antioxidant properties and thus increase health and well-being in this context. Turmeric root can also help with digestive complaints. All this in turn indirectly promotes targeted weight loss.
Conclusion
Spices are not only important for taste, but also beneficial for health. Accordingly, it makes sense if you season your food sufficiently. This applies to lunch as well as breakfast. Feel free to experiment or get inspired by our recipe ideas.
