The Breakfast of Champions

Well, it seems winter has finally deigned to arrive.  After weeks, if not months, of unseasonably warm weather - which has seen daffodils blooming in early January - the mercury has at last returned to its rightful (sub zero) position on the barometer.

Now if you're anything like me, a cup of tea and a quick slice of toast simply will not do on cold winter morning - I need something warm and wholesome in my stomach before I can even contemplate going into battle with the ice-scraper and windscreen demister.

And so, here is the recipe for my ultimate winter-morning breakfast, guaranteed to give you the 'glow' popularized in the 80s by that smug little so-and-so, the Ready Brek Kid. (Remember him?)

You can thank me later.

Creamy Porridge with Grated Apple, Honey and Cinnamon

Prep Time: Less than 5 mins
Cook Time: 5 mins
Serves: 2 (but you can increase the ingredients proportionally if you have more than two hungry mouths to feed)

Ingredients:

100g porridge/rolled oats
375ml milk
1 small apple (preferably a tart variety like Granny Smith, Braeburn or even Bramley)
Runny honey or agave nectar
Ground cinnamon

1. In a small saucepan, cook the oats and milk over a medium heat for about 5 minutes.
2. Stir frequently to ensure a creamy texture (and to prevent the porridge from sticking to the bottom of the pan!)
3. Take the pan off the heat when the porridge has reached the desired consistency (if you prefer it runny rather than thick, simply add a little more milk.
4. Just before serving, grate the apple (skin included) into the pan and mix through.
5. After serving, add a decent dollop of honey and a liberal sprinkling of ground cinnamon.
6. Enjoy!

Note: If there is a paucity of apples in your fruit bowl, fear not - bananas work well as a substitute.

The banana version. I know, thanks to my poor presentational skills, this looks like a dog's dinner, but really it's not. It's delicious. Honestly.