We used to camp a lot when I was little. Traveling somewhere new, making s’mores, riding bike trails, visiting local flea markets…all happy memories. What also made it special was eating foods we wouldn’t normally eat. One food item never changed though, and that was having oatmeal in the morning. Vacation, however, meant we got to pick flavored oatmeal. I always loved the apple cinnamon, peaches n cream, and the maple syrup/brown sugar combo.

Oatmeal is something I continued to eat even after I moved out. It was pretty filling, cheap, and I could microwave it! I bet I probably ate instant oatmeal in some variety or other for over 20 years. How I didn’t get sick of it after all that time, who knows?!?

When Jason started his “health trend” as I called it back then; breakfast was one of the first meals he tackled. Sooooooo, no more instant oatmeal. Instead we ate copious amounts of eggs. Like a dozen per DAY between the two of us! This was also about the time we started paying more attention to ingredients list. More importantly, what each ingredient was. It was quite eye opening!

Common Instant Oatmeal Ingredients

Take a well-known brand of Apples & Cinnamon Instant Oatmeal for example:

WHOLE GRAIN ROLLED OATS, SUGAR, DEHYDRATED APPLES (TREATED WITH SODIUM SULFITE TO PROMOTE COLOR RETENTION), NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, SALT, CINNAMON, CALCIUM CARBONATE, CITRIC ACID, GUAR GUM, MALIC ACID, NIACINAMIDE*, REDUCED IRON, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE*, RIBOFLAVIN*, THIAMIN MONONITRATE*, FOLIC ACID*, CARAMEL COLOR

Natural & Artificial Flavor – Nothing good here. The terms can be used for such a wide variety of things. And just because it’s natural doesn’t necessarily mean it comes right from the plant. Several different naturally occurring chemicals could be combined to obtain the “natural flavor”. Read more here…

Caramel Color – Studies where mice have been fed caramel color indicate they are more susceptible to develop leukemia and lung cancer. Here’s a small tidbit of EWG’s findings. Not to mention this is made using synthetic ingredients.

Remaining Ingredients – While these may not directly cause cancer, tumors, or illnesses, we should still question why they are necessary and used. Results from quick internet searches suggest these are synthetically made. So, while they may provide a “Good source of calcium, iron and 6 other essential vitamins and minerals”; they are still not good for our bodies.

The Switch to Porridge

Fast forward four years of eating eggs for breakfast. Enter an upscale version of oatmeal – soaked porridge! It’s quite tasty and this basic recipe makes it very easy to create different flavors.

The major difference in this recipe is the preparation of the oats beforehand. Many of our ancestors; including those from Africa, India, Mexico, Europe, Asia, and even the first frontiers to live in America, soaked and/or fermented their grains, rice, and legumes.

Sally Fallon Morell, founding president of the Weston A. Price Foundation, explains the need to soak grains in her cookbook Nourishing Traditions:

All grains contain phytic acid (an organic acid in which phosphorous is bound) in the outer layer or bran. Untreated phytic acid can combine with calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, and especially zinc in the intestinal tract and block their absorption. This is why a diet high in unfermented whole grains may lead to serious mineral deficiencies and bone loss.

Scientists have learned that the proteins in grains, especially gluten, are very difficult to digest. A diet high in unfermented whole grains, particularly high-gluten grains like wheat, puts an enormous strain on the whole digestive mechanism. When this mechanism breaks down with age or overuse, the results take the form of allergies, celiac disease, mental illness, chronic indigestion and candida albicans overgrowth….During the process of soaking and fermenting, gluten and other difficult to digest proteins are partially broken down into simpler components that are more readily available for absorption.

Porridge Making Process

To soak the porridge, simply put equal amounts oats and water in a bowl or pot. We just use the pot it’s cooked in. One less dish to clean! Then add your choice of activator. We typically use raw whey or kefir and it yields a traditional taste. We’ve also used apple cider vinegar and lemon juice; which results in a tangy taste.

Stir everything together, cover, and place it in the oven, close to the oven light, with the light on. The heat is what activates the activator and helps break down the phytic acid. Let is soak for at least 7 hours. The longer the oats soak, the easier the phytic acid will be to digest. We’ve soaked up to 12 hours and it’s still good!

Alternatively, you could gently heat the water, oats, and activator over low heat until ingredients are warm to the touch, and then turn the heat off. We made it this way for a while, but have found the oven light method to be just as effective (meaning we didn’t notice any digestive changes).

To cook in the morning add the remaining ingredients and simmer until thoroughly heated. Add toppings as desired!

What we like to add!

Remember this is your first meal of the day (usually), so add lots of healthy stuff to start the day right. The following is a list of things we’ve added over the years. As always, try to use organic products and raw dairy if possible for maximum nutrition!

Flax Seed Meal – good source of omega-3 fatty acids
Raw Butter – contains fat soluble activators that help mineral absorption
Raw Honey – contains antioxidants and bifidobacteria, which aids digestion (add after it’s cooled down)
Molasses – low sugar content (helps cut the sweetness)
Fruits – Raisins, Blueberries, Apples, Bananas
Spices – Ginger, Nutmeg, Cloves, All Spice, Cinnamon