Pecan Milk Breakfast Porridge
Enjoyed warm or cold, this protein-rich, whole grain Pecan Milk Breakfast Porridge made with easy homemade pecan milk will keep you fueled all day!
I’m still on a best-intentions quest of eating breakfast every day. In an ideal world, it would happen.
In the real world, I make my coffee, grab my computer, and start my work day, waiting until lunch to eat for the first time.
Not eating breakfast is a bad habit, and one that I am continually trying to break. Study after study shows that eating breakfast is one of the best things you can do for your health.
It’s especially hard on hot, steamy mornings (where I don’t necessarily feel like something hot like a Sweet Potato Breakfast Casserole), but I’ve found that a COLD bowl of this Pecan Milk Breakfast Porridge has been really hitting the spot during these dog days of summer.
To make the porridge, I started with homemade pecan milk. It was my first time ever making a homemade nut milk, and it was way easier than I thought it would!
Basically, you just soak pecans in water overnight, and then blend the soaked pecans with fresh water.
I didn’t even strain the mixture, because I felt that the milk was smooth and delicious enough straight out of the blender. But, you could also strain it and make it super smooth if you wanted to make a caramel coffee with pecan milk.
With my homemade pecan milk at hand, I was ready get back on the breakfast-eating train with an easy and nutritious Pecan Milk Breakfast Porridge.
I simply cooked up a mixture of protein-rich quinoa and rolled oats in the pecan milk, and then stirred in more deliciousness like dried tart cherries, vanilla and cinnamon.
Pecans provide a mix of protein and healthy fats to keep you energized throughout the day, making them a great choice for this breakfast.
Because it’s been so warm in my neck of the woods lately, I made my porridge on Sunday and refrigerated it, and then simply ate cold scoops of it (drizzled with more pecan milk!) throughout the week.
However, when I’m chilled to the bone in the winter, I’ll probably want to eat this porridge warm (also a great idea with oatmeal for dinner). It’s great either way, which is one of the reasons I love it so much.
It’s official: I’m back on the breakfast train, and it feels so good.
Pecan Milk Breakfast Porridge
Enjoyed warm or cold, this protein-rich, whole grain breakfast made with easy homemade pecan milk will keep you fueled all day!
Ingredients
For the Pecan Milk:
- 1 cup pecan halves
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)
For the Breakfast Porridge:
- 3 cups pecan milk, plus extra for serving
- 1/2 cup quinoa
- 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup dried tart cherries (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of kosher salt
- Fresh berries, sliced banana and pecan halves for garnish
Instructions
- Make the Pecan Milk: Place pecans in medium bowl; top with 4 cups water. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours.
- Drain and rinse pecans; discard soaking water. Place pecans in blender; add 2-1/2 cups very hot tap water. Blend on high speed 2 minutes or until completely smooth and creamy. Add salt and maple syrup, if using; blend 30 seconds to combine. Transfer pecan milk to clean jar; cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. Makes about 3-1/2 cups milk.
- Make the Breakfast Porridge: In medium saucepot, heat 3 cups pecan milk to boiling over medium-high heat. Stir in quinoa; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 13 to 15 minutes or until quinoa is almost tender; stirring occasionally.
- Stir in oats; cook 3 minutes longer or until oats and quinoa are tender; stirring frequently. If mixture gets too thick, stir in water 2 tablespoons at a time until desired consistency is reached. Stir in cherries, if using, and vanilla, cinnamon and salt.
- Divide porridge between 4 bowls. Serve garnished with berries, banana and pecan halves. Drizzle with extra pecan milk.
Hi there, I cannot eat oatmeal. How much quinoa or maybe buckwheat groats do you think I should use?
Any suggestions from you would be so appreciate. I just love your recipes. Thank you, take care…
Hi Laura – I’ve only tested this recipe with oatmeal. However, I imagine you could substitute quinoa or buckwheat, and just add extra water at step 4, as needed, until it is cooked through. If you do give it a try, please let me know how it turns out!
This sounds like a great breakfast. I would choose to add a scoop of protein powder per serving after cooking. For me just the grains don’t provide enough protein. I don’t know if this helps or not, but I’ve found a lot of good overnight oats recipes that require no cooking (I think I might have shared with you the one I came up with from a chocolate/cherry cookie recipe you posted), and smoothies with added protein are also a great summer breakfast, as are things like açai bowls. I would not do well without breakfast, especially on days when we’re going out to the park to lead a tour. I hope you continue to stay on the breakfast train.
Great idea with the protein powder, Susan! I did try chocolate/cherry overnight oats after we talked about it, and they were so good! So, those have been in my breakfast rotation, too. I’ve been doing well staying on the breakfast train, at least for a few months 🙂