Ok so you know about normal porridge, but have you tried chocolate porridge? It’s a great way to liven up what could normally be a relatively plain breakfast and it makes it seem a bit like a treat, but it’s healthy with no added sugar! What a great way to start the day! 

Let’s talk about the type of oats to use. Everyone has their own different ways of making porridge, but I recommend using scotch oats or quick oats rather than your usual rolled oats. Scotch oats are more finely rolled and are smaller meaning they not only cook quicker but the porridge you get from them is a lot smoother and creamier. Of course normal rolled oats are perfectly good too but I find the porridge will be a bit lumpier and not as creamy. Steel cut oats are the best for you, they’re not as processed and they have the most fibre, however they end up the lumpiest and least creamy when you use them to make porridge. They are great for things like baking or cereal/muesli but I’m not a big fan of them in porridge. Nutrition wise these different types of oats only have slight variations. Steel cut oats are the highest in fibre and protein and very slightly lower in carbohydrates. And scotch oats or quick oats have slightly less calories. But honestly the difference is so minimal. For more info on the difference between these types of oats see here. Totally up to you which oats you decide to use and what your preference is, but you know where I stand.

Cacao or cocoa? You can definitely interchange the two, it doesn’t matter which one you use. The difference is cacao is raw whereas cocoa has been heated at very high temperatures. During the heating of the cocoa a lot of the nutrients are diminished and you are also left with a lot less antioxidants. This is generally reflected in the price difference of the two, and you will usually find that cocoa is cheaper. But I like to use cacao.

I have used sweetener in this chocolate porridge instead of sugar or something like honey or maple syrup to avoid blood sugar spikes. My go to is Natvia. You can substitute any sweetener you like, however I haven’t made this recipe with a different type or brand so you may need to alter the quantity depending on sweetness. 

You can make this porridge, or any porridge with either water or any type of plant milk for the liquid. Generally plant milk will make for a more creamy porridge, but it will also add more carbs so up to you what you prefer. I used water.

You can also top this chocolate porridge with any toppings you like! My go to is sliced banana, a big dollop of peanut butter and some chopped almonds and cacao nibs, but go ahead and mix it up and make it your own according to your tastes!

This is a perfect breakfast for a cold winter morning, it’s quick to make, super tasty and also a great way to get the kids excited for porridge!

But maybe it’s not winter on your side of the world or you’d prefer a cold breakfast? If that’s the case you might like my apple pie overnight oats.