Plantain Porridge

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Throughout my life I have had a love affair with grains.  As a teenager I would have a bagel for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch, and pasta for dinner.  Okay, maybe it was more than an affair.  It was an addiction.  And I was eating the least nourishing grain of all - white flour.  During this time I suffered from depression and low energy.  Changing my diet to include more fruits and vegetables and nearly eliminating white flour has me feeling the happiest and healthiest I've ever felt in my life.

I still have a love affair with grains; I just choose nourishing whole grains and pseudo-grains like quinoa, amaranth, farro, and spelt.  And since I know I'm inclined to eat a lot of grains, I try to look for opportunities in my cooking to swap a grain out for produce without sacrificing the integrity of the dish.  This recipe makes that healthy swap seamlessly.

Plantains are an especially starchy fruit, so they provide that hearty, stick-to-your-ribs feeling you may crave if you are cutting back on grains.  Plantains are high in vitamins A, C, and B6 as well as potassium.  One of the best things about plantains though is the price.  I'll admit, sometimes my recipes can get a little pricey.  Not this one though.

So if you have trouble digesting grains, or if you, like me, want to replace some of your grains with fruits and veggies, try this simple and affordable breakfast recipe.

Plantain Porridge

Ingredients:

2 plantains
1 can coconut milk (check to see that the can is BPA free)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup coconut sugar (or sweetener of your choice)
1/8 tsp cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
Dash of salt
Lemon Zest

1. Cut off the ends of the plantains and peel them.  Using a cheese grater, shred the plantains and put them in a medium saucepan.

2. Add all of the other ingredients except the lemon zest to the saucepan and bring to a boil.

3. Reduce heat to low and continue to simmer until desired thickness, about 25 minutes, stirring often.

4. Serve with lemon zest.  This is optional, but it really compliments the flavor and is easy to do so I encourage you to take this extra step.

Enjoy as is or top it as you would other breakfast porridges with nuts, seeds, or fruit.