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Vegetarian Recipes

Whole Oat Porridge

https://www.loveandlemons.com/porridge/

porridge

This whole oat porridge recipe transformed me from an oatmeal skeptic to a devoted fan! Creamy, hearty, and warming, it can be made sweet or savory.

It’s no secret that I’m not a huge fan of oatmeal. See, every morning in college, I cooked instant oats for breakfast. They were cheap, quick, and they filled me up, but after years of eating them day after day, I got sick of their mushy texture and bland taste. I thought that nothing could convince me to try oatmeal again, until I saw the Porridge section of Amy Chaplin’s new book, Whole Food Cooking Every Day.

I’ve been a fan of Amy for years – she’s the former executive chef of Angelica Kitchen (the NYC restaurant that first inspired me to eat more plant-based), and her first book, At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen, is one of my absolute favorite cookbooks. Her second book certainly lived up to expectations  – it’s packed with gorgeous photos and recipes for plant-based breads, soups, sauces, and more! Each chapter consists of a few base recipes with variations, which is a format I LOVE . The book is filled with creative ideas, but the Porridge section looked so stunning and inventive that, despite my hot oatmeal aversion, I had to try her porridge recipes.


porridge


Porridge vs. Oatmeal

As Amy explains in the book, oatmeal is a type of porridge, but porridge doesn’t just have to be made with oats, and it doesn’t have to be sweet. She shares recipes for making it with grains ranging from black rice to millet. In addition to including a base recipe for each grain, she has endless ideas for sweet and savory toppings, plus insights on ingredients’ nutritional value.

Putting my oatmeal qualms aside, I opted to try her whole oat porridge. Instead of using whole rolled oats or even steel cut oats, Amy uses whole oat groats, which I found in the bulk section of my grocery store. She starts by soaking them overnight and lightly blending them. When cooked, they create a satisfying, lusciously creamy porridge. Honestly, they’ve made me an oatmeal convert! Smooth, hearty, and delicious, her recipe makes the perfect porridge for warming up on cool fall mornings.

Porridge Recipe Variations

Once I made the base recipe, I tried two of Amy’s suggested variations:

  • Butternut Squash and Ginger – For this variation, Amy adds cubed winter squash and ginger to the porridge oats as they simmer. Amy’s recipe yields a simple, delicious breakfast with clean flavors. I amped mine up a bit with garlic and extra tamari. I also served it with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil in addition to the parsley, scallions, and herbs that Amy suggested.
  • Miso and Avocado – Miso & avocado make this one a super flavorful, velvety breakfast dish. Once you add the miso, the cereal will thin considerably. Continue cooking until it thickens, about 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Top with avocado, sesame seeds, scallions, and tamari, and enjoy!

I loved both of these savory variations, but if you prefer a sweeter breakfast, you can still use the base recipe! Top it with dried or fresh fruit, nuts and seeds, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, brown sugar, or a drizzle of coconut milk. Or, stir spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom into the oat base.

This porridge keeps well in the fridge, so make a batch of one kind and enjoy it all week! Alternatively, prep the base recipe ahead of time, and make a bowl of porridge with different toppings each day. Reheat leftovers on the stove and stir in milk or water, as needed, to reach the perfect creamy consistency.

Porridge

Author: Amy Chaplin

Recipe type: Breakfast

  • 1 cup whole oat groats, soaked overnight* (SEE NOTE)
  • 4 cups additional filtered water
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • Ingredients for 1 recipe Whole Oat Porridge (above)
  • 3 ½ cups cubed butternut squash
  • 1 tablespoon tamari, more for serving
  • 4 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
  • ½ garlic clove, grated
  • for serving: scallions, toasted pepitas, parsley, toasted sesame oil
  • Ingredients for 1 recipe Whole Oat Porridge (above)
  • 1 tablespoon white miso paste
  • for serving: avocado, tamari, scallions, sesame seeds, microgreens
  1. For the Whole Oat Porridge (base recipe): Drain and rinse the oat groats and transfer them to a blender. Add 4 cups fresh water salt and pulse until the grains are coarsely ground. Pour into a medium pot and bring to a boil over high heat, whisking frequently. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the grains are soft and the porridge is creamy. Serve hot, with desired toppings.
  2. For the Butternut Squash & Ginger Variation: Follow the directions for the oat porridge recipe above, adding the squash, ginger, and garlic to the pot along with the oat mixture and cook as directed until the porridge is creamy and the squash is soft. Add the tamari and adjust the seasoning to taste. Garnish with scallions, pepitas, parsley, and serve with sesame oil and tamari, for drizzling.
  3. For the Miso & Avocado Variation: Follow the directions for the oat porridge recipe above. Once your porridge has thickened, turn the heat off and stir the miso paste into the hot porridge until it’s dissolved. If your porridge becomes thinner at this point (like mine did), continue stirring over low heat until it thickens, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with sliced avocado, tamari, scallions, sesame seeds, and microgreens.

*You CANNOT substitute rolled oats or steel cut oats for the oat groats in this recipe because the water ratio will be incorrect and your porridge will not thicken. If you want to use another type of oat, follow the cooking directions on the package of your oats.

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Vegetarian Recipes

Lemon Ricotta Pasta

Here’s a quickie recipe for those nights when you just need something fast and delicious. This Lemon Ricotta Pasta is super fast, light, and fresh, which makes it perfect for an easy weeknight dinner during the summer. The bright lemon flavor perfectly compliments the light and creamy ricotta, and the little pops of sweetness from the peas make every bite a little more interesting. Simple, fresh, and easy.

Originally posted 3-4-2011, updated 6-8-2022.

Overhead view of a bowl of lemon ricotta pasta with a fork and lemon wedges.

Do I Have to Use Fresh Lemon?

This is one of those recipes where you really do want to use a fresh lemon instead of bottled juice. The zest from the lemon adds a ton of bright, summery lemon flavor to the pasta without making the sauce too sour. We add just a little of the juice to balance the creaminess of the ricotta, but the zest is where you’re getting all that gorgeous sunny lemon flavor!

Not All Ricotta is Created Equal

I find there is quite a bit of variation in the quality of ricotta from brand to brand. Some are smooth, mild, and sweet like fresh milk, while others are bland and grainy. My preferred brand is Galbani, but they didn’t have any at the store when I went, so I got the generic Kroger brand. It was definitely a bit grainy, but the pasta was still quite delicious despite that!

Also, make sure to get whole milk ricotta. Low-fat ricotta just doesn’t hit the same in this recipe.

What Else Can I Add?

This simple pasta is a great jumping-off point for making a more elaborate pasta, if that’s what you’re in the mood for. Try adding some sliced chicken breast, fresh basil, or fresh spinach. Garlic butter shrimp would also go great with this pasta!

What to Serve with Lemon Ricotta Pasta

This pasta is so light and fresh that I suggest keeping any side dishes really simple, light, and fresh as well. I would go with a super simple side salad, or maybe some roasted asparagus and tomatoes.

Overhead view of lemon ricotta pasta in a skillet.

Overhead view of a bowl of lemon ricotta pasta.

Lemon Ricotta Pasta

Lemon Ricotta Pasta is light, fresh, and quick to prepare, making it the perfect pasta for weeknight dinners in the summer.
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine American
Total Cost $4.27 recipe / $1.07 serving
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 400kcal
Author Beth – Budget Bytes

Ingredients

  • 1 lemon $0.89
  • 8 oz. pasta* $0.67
  • 1 cup frozen peas $0.50
  • 1 clove garlic, minced $0.08
  • 1 Tbsp butter $0.11
  • 1 cup whole milk ricotta $1.60
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan $0.36
  • 1/4 tsp salt (or to taste) $0.02
  • 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper (or to taste) $0.02
  • 1 pinch crushed red pepper (or to taste) $0.02

Instructions

  • Zest and juice the lemon. You’ll need about ½ tsp zest and 1 Tbsp lemon juice.
  • Cook the pasta according to the package directions (boil for 7-10 minutes, or until tender). Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the starchy water from the pot.
  • Place the frozen peas in the colander before draining the pasta so the pasta will thaw the peas as it drains.
  • Add the butter and minced garlic to a large skillet and sauté over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or just until the garlic is fragrant.
  • Add the drained pasta and peas, and about ½ cup of the starchy pasta cooking water to the skillet with the butter and garlic. Stir to combine, then turn off the heat.
  • Add the ricotta, Parmesan, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon lemon zest to the skillet. Stir until everything is well combined, the residual heat from the skillet and pasta have warmed the ricotta, and the ricotta has formed a creamy sauce. Add more of the warm reserved pasta water if needed.
  • Season the pasta with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste. Serve warm.

Notes

*Use any short shape pasta.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 400kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 14g | Sodium: 335mg | Fiber: 4g

close up side view of lemon ricotta pasta in a bowl.

How to Make Lemon Ricotta Pasta – Step By Step Photos

A zested and juiced lemon on a cutting board.

Zest and juice one lemon. You’ll need about ½ tsp of zest and 1 Tbsp juice.

Boiled pasta in a pot, water being scooped out with a measuring cup.

Cook 8oz. pasta according to the package directions (boil for 7-10 minutes, or until tender). Reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.

Peas and cooked pasta in a colander.

Add 1 cup of frozen peas to a colander, then pour the boiled pasta over top to thaw the peas as you drain the pasta.

Sautéed garlic in butter in a skillet.

Add 1 Tbsp butter and 1 clove garlic to a large skillet. Sauté over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or just until the garlic becomes very fragrant.

Pasta, peas, and pasta water added to the skillet.

Add the still-hot pasta and peas to the skillet along with about ½ cup of the hot reserved pasta water. Stir to combine, then turn off the heat.

Cheese and lemon added to pasta.

Add 1 cup whole milk ricotta, ¼ cup grated Parmesan, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, and ½ tsp lemon zest to the pasta. Stir until the ingredients are combined, the residual heat from the pasta and skillet have warmed the ricotta, and the ricotta has turned into a creamy sauce.

Salt, pepper, and red pepper added to the pasta.

Add more of the reserved pasta water if the mixture is too thick or too dry. Season the pasta with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste.

Finished lemon ricotta pasta in the skillet.

Enjoy the lemon ricotta pasta while still warm!

Overhead view of a bowl of lemon ricotta pasta.

The post Lemon Ricotta Pasta appeared first on Budget Bytes.

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