Pudding for Breakfast

Do you have a food that you would really like to like but just can't? I feel like that about bananas. They look as if they should be so tasty and I know they are really good for you and make an ideal snack but try as I might I just don't like them. I feel the same about porridge too. It is such a good food - nutritious in so many ways and warm and filling. But no, I just don't like it.

My dislike for porridge is a real shame because I would love to eat something like that for breakfast. My husband makes it for himself every weekend morning and then manages to go right through until about 3 o'clock before needing to eat again. What an amazing food - managing to keep you satisfied for so long and being good for you.

Porridge (serves 1)

1/2 cup jumbo oats
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
pinch salt
2 heaped tsp oat bran

Place all the ingredients in a pan and stir. Bring it to the boil, simmer for 5 minutes. Serve hot with a little extra milk, sugar, dried fruit or jam.

So instead of enjoying porridge, I have been bumbling around trying to find something porridge-like that I would actually like to eat for breakfast. This is why I decided to start making my Lemony Pudding recipe and eating it for breakfast.


Lemony Oat Pudding (serves 8)

1 pint (660ml) semi-skimmed milk
6 oz  (175g) oats
3 oz (85g) caster sugar
1 lemon
3 medium eggs (separated)
4 oz (110g) sultanas

Preheat oven to 190°C (gas 5). Boil the milk in a saucepan then add the oats and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly until thick. Add the sugar, lemon zest and juice then remove from the heat. Beat in the egg yolks and sultanas. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold them into the mixture. Spoon into a greased ovenproof dish and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until risen, firm and golden.

I looked at the recipe for a long time, trying to work out why it wouldn't be a good food to eat for breakfast but in the end I couldn't come up with a reason. It is, after all, heavily based on something very much like porridge, just with added eggs and flavours. I have no objection to eating eggs for breakfast as they are an excellent source of protein. And even if I made porridge, I would have to add some sort of flavour to it. My husband usually scatters brown sugar, raisins and dried cranberries over his porridge. I think I would probably spoon on some jam.

So I have been making this pudding for breakfast since Christmas. It makes a tray full that can be sliced into 8 pieces and each morning I just have to remove another slice. I like to eat it cold but it is very easy to re-heat in the microwave. It also lends itself nicely to variations and I have tried things such as substituting the lemon for oranges and adding a bit of mixed spice, or adding cloudy apple juice instead of lemon juice and adding a pinch of cinnamon. 

The only downside I have found is that keeping the tray of it in my fridge can be tricky when my fridge is stacked up with other food. So when I have other demands on my fridge space, I have to turn to another solution. And this week that solution is rice pudding. Yet again another "pudding" for breakfast but when you think about it it is just a grain (rice), some milk and a little sugar which is pretty much what breakfast cereal is. It is also very economical and ridiculously easy to make.

Rice Pudding (serves 2-3)

A little butter

50g pudding rice

12g caster sugar

500ml milk

Nutmeg

Preheat oven to 160°C, gas 3 Grease a shallow ovenproof dish then sprinkle in the rice and sugar. Pour in the milk and stir to combine. Grate over a little nutmeg. Place the dish in the oven and bake for 2 hours until a brown skin has formed. Remove the skin and check to see if the pudding is thick. If necessary, return the pudding to the oven for 20-30 minutes more to thicken. It should be creamy but still slightly liquid when ready.

I have found that this recipe makes enough rice pudding for 3 breakfast servings. I have reduced the sugar in the recipe so that I can flavour it with sweet ingredients without making it overly sweet. In the morning, I spoon a portion (about 125g) into a small bowl, add a little extra milk and microwave for a minute, stirring half way through. Then I add something like raisins or a dollop of jam. The question then is whether to eat round the jam until the last mouthful, or stir it through the pudding before starting!

So if you are looking for an alternative breakfast then why not try something from this blog posting. Or you could try the puddings as a healthy dessert if you prefer.