A treatise to porridge.

As it gets cold, we crave warmth, and comfort. Red wine. Rich stews. Roasts, Pasta. Stodge. It gets harder to get out of bed. Harder to get out and exercise. Harder to be healthy, really.

One cold weather healthy habit is easy, though. Porridge.

Some people find porridge a bit of a poor-man's food, perhaps having been forced to eat it as a child. I don't remember ever eating porridge (or being cooked) porridge as a child. I would like to cook it for my future offspring, God willing/Inshallah.

Porridge (or oatmeal to the Yanks) is indeed like a big warm hug from grandma, as the ad stated, however in its naked state, it is rather bland. And covering it in brown sugar, as tempting as it is, sort of defeats the purpose. A little brown sugar, though, is a wonderful and indeed mandatory thing.

Here is how I tart up a bowl of porridge.

Hopefully, I get prepared the night before. I pop 1/2 a cup of oats in a bowl. (NOT the instant kind. No need to mess with perfection. And they cook quite quickly in the microwave). I then add some cinammon and nutmeg, then stir in 3/4 cup of water. Sometimes I slip a little vanilla essence in the water, if I am feeling cheeky.

That morning, I cook the porridge in the microwave for 1 minute on high, then stir, then repeat, then stir, then repeat. Important to cover with a microwave food sheild, as porridge explosions may occur (helps to watch through the glass for impending explosions later in the cooking process).

I add some accoutrements, in addition to a little brown sugar. Or honey. Or golden syrup

• Grated granny smith apple (could be added before cooking), sultanas
• banana and a dab of almond butter
• figs and almond flakes (my favourite with figs being in season)
• I have been known to add some good quality chocolate chips to porridge. Only once or twice though.

A nice dab of full fat greek yoghurt adds to the protein content.

It keeps little old hungry me good till lunch. More than that, though, it makes me feel pampered, which is a nice feeling to take through the day with me.

Poor man's food, I think not.