This website uses cookies to improve your experience navigating our site. By continuing to browse, you are agreeing to our use of cookies.
OK, I understand
Australian houses, from architectural masterpieces to suburban family homes, Victorian terraces, mid-century marvels, coastal shacks, city apartments, and everything in between.
Award-winning Australian architecture, inspiring homes, and interviews with Australia’s top architects.
Award-winning Australian interior design, inspiring homes, and interviews with Australia’s top designers.
In depth features on Australia’s most beautiful gardens and landscape design.
Studio visits with Australia’s most talented creatives, from artists to architects, ceramicists to stylists, furniture makers to lighting designers.
Studio visits with Australia’s top artists, and unmissable art exhibitions in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and beyond.
Weekly recipes and meal ideas from our favourite cooks, authors and foodies.
Unique travel destinations, design-led accomodation and day trip ideas in Australia and New Zealand.
Australian houses, from architectural masterpieces to suburban family homes, Victorian terraces, mid-century marvels, coastal shacks, city apartments, and everything in between.
Award-winning Australian architecture, inspiring homes, and interviews with Australia’s top architects.
Award-winning Australian interior design, inspiring homes, and interviews with Australia’s top designers.
In depth features on Australia’s most beautiful gardens and landscape design.
Studio visits with Australia’s most talented creatives, from artists to architects, ceramicists to stylists, furniture makers to lighting designers.
Studio visits with Australia’s top artists, and unmissable art exhibitions in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and beyond.
Weekly recipes and meal ideas from our favourite cooks, authors and foodies.
Unique travel destinations, design-led accomodation and day trip ideas in Australia and New Zealand.
Porridge and winter get along like a house on fire. As soon as you feel the weather cooling down, and you see frost on the front lawn, you know it’s time to ditch the summer smoothies and bring out the oats and honey. There has been something so comforting about porridge for me ever since I was young. Apart from the very weird period I went through when I was in grade one, and the only thing I would eat for breakfast was chicken two minute noodles, porridge has always been my thing.
When I ditched gluten I had some issues with oats, which had me wondering - should I ditch them too - or should I not? There has been much debate as to whether this grain is gluten free and safe for the gluten intolerant, and I think really it is a strictly personal choice. Listen to your body and pay attention to its response to certain foods. Your body knows best!
In any case, I decided to play around with three porridge alternatives for today's post, so quinoa and buckwheat found their way into my breakfast bowl. These two foods are so versatile, and can be made sweet or savoury. I literally interchange them as alternatives for so many recipes now, from risotto rice, to pasta, to flour – you name it! It is bloat-no-more with these two alternatives up my sleeve.
Breakfast is a very important meal. It fuels us for the rest of the day, it curbs our hunger and controls our calorie intake for the remainder of the day, and it gives us the brain power and energy to take on whatever the day brings. When someone tells me they aren’t a breakfast person, I'm skeptical. Why wouldn’t you want to start your day out right!? Time comes into play a lot with breakfast. 'I don’t have time to make breakfast' is said way too often. Girlfriend, please, do porridge my way and it’s already made as soon as you wake up!
With these three recipes you can completely swap everything around by adding or alternating toppings - just use up what you’ve got! Both the oats and the quinoa can be heated in the morning, but I wouldn’t heat the bircher.
Ingredients
⅓ cup rolled oats
½ cup soy milk or almond milk
½ cup greek or coconut yoghurt
1 tsp stevia
1 tsp rice malt syrup or honey
¼ tsp vanilla powder or 1 tsp vanilla essence
For the pears
1 honey pear or brown pear
½ tsp stevia
¼ tsp vanilla powder or ½ tsp vanilla essence
1 tbsp coconut nectar or rice malt syrup
¼ cup water
Method
First thing you want to do is get your pear ready. Cut it up into nice chunky slices, then put it in a small saucepan. Next put in the rest of the pear topping ingredients, give it a small mix and let sit on a low heat for around 10 minutes until soft. Place the pears in a container and put in fridge until the morning.
While the pear is simmering, grab all oat ingredients and place in a bowl and mix together. Cover and let them sit in fridge overnight.
If in the morning it is a little too stiff, simply give a splash of milk or yoghurt and mix in to loosen. Place your stewed pear on top, then heat in microwave for a minute if you would like it warm or if not eat it the way it is, tastes delicious hot or cold!
Ingredients
½ cup cooked quinoa
⅓ cup coconut cream
1 tsp honey or rice malt syrup
Splash of soy or almond milk
Cherries
Pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
Any other desired fruit or seed of choice
Method
This one is the easiest, and so creamy and delicious. This is the porridge I would make for the morning if I have had quinoa for dinner, as all you have to do is save 1/2 a cup and your breakfast is half done. Simply mix the cooked quinoa with the coconut cream and honey. If a looser consistency is desired, put in a splash of milk and cover and leave in the fridge until the morning. In the morning pull it out of the fridge, top with cherries and seeds and you’re done. So. Easy.
Ingredients
¼ cup buckwheat groats
Small handful of mixed nuts (walnuts and almonds my favourite)
1 small green apple (grated)
½ orange (juiced)
1 tbsp coconut cream or full fat greek yoghurt
1 tsp stevia or rice malt syrup
¼ tsp vanilla powder or ½ tsp vanilla essence
Pinch of cardamon
Pinch of cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
Method
This one again is so, so simple. Simply soak your buckwheat and nuts overnight in water. Then in the morning place all ingredients in a processor and blitz until quite smooth. Then top with whatever berries you like, and bee pollen for a little crunch.
For more of Kate's fabulous sugar free, gluten free and raw food ideas, do check out her new food blog, Kenkō Kitchen – and make sure you're following her on Instagram too!
The Design Files acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we work, the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.
First Nations artists, designers, makers, and creative business owners are encouraged to submit their projects for coverage on The Design Files. Please email bea@thedesignfiles.net
The Design Files’ original content and photos are copyright protected. Please email us before reposting our content on other publications, personal websites, or Instagram. Feel free to share our images on Pinterest using the credit ‘via thedesignfiles.net’. Thank you!