Recipe: Almond and Pumpkin Porridge (#gluten-free, #grain-free)

Over the past few days, my breakfasts have consisted of a tasty eggless-salad sandwich with three strips of Upton's Bacon Seitan (Recipe to come!).

I wanted something different this chilly Sunday morning, so I tested a new recipe that I printed about a month ago from Choosing Raw.  Instead of oats, this porridge uses almond pulp that's produced from making homemade almond milk. I don't make my own almond milk, so I used almond flour.

The recipe calls for cinnamon. For the heck of it, I'm using Apple Pie Spice. Use Pumpkin Pie spice if you want.

Almond and Pumpkin Breakfast Porridge (gluten-free and grain-free)
Ingredients:

• 1 c. pumpkin puree
• 1/3 c. almond pulp (I used almond flour)
• 1 T of ground flaxseed or chia seeds, which are not ground up
• 1/3 c. of almond milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp. of ground cinnamon (I used Apple Pie Spice)
• 2 tsp of maple syrup (Go with Grade B, it's more flavorful than Grade A)

Toppings: chopped nuts, vegan chocolate chips, dried fruit, etc.

Directions:

Add the pumpkin, almond pulp (or flour), flax or chia (I used chia), almond milk, salt, and cinnamon to a small to medium saucepan. Whisk the ingredients over medium heat until they start to bubble. Simmer for 5 minutes, whisking gently and continuously. Empty contents into a bowl and drizzle with the maple syrup and toppings. I sprinkled a little more Apple Pie Spice on top. 

My porridge seen just before it began bubbling. Try to keep the chia seeds in the mixture.

The porridge was slightly salty and had the wonderful consistency of the cream of wheat I remember eating as a child. If you want your porridge creamy, then use flax; otherwise, the chia seeds add a chewy bite (I loved it). I tasted the pumpkin with each bite, but it wasn't strong. I didn't really taste the cinnamon or anything else, which is perfectly fine. So, adjust the seasonings to your liking. I might try this with ground cardamom next time. 

My finished bowl of almond and pumpkin porridge drizzled with maple syrup.

It was a hardy breakfast, and I only could eat half. My husband enjoyed the small spoonful I gave him, and my son -- as expected -- didn't like it. With his autism, textures can be a problem, so the chia seeds were not a welcome addition to his palate. He struggles sometimes with soups, cereal, and dishes that have different components (such as a sauce over rice). He loves crunchy things, so cereal in the beginning is good, but once it gets soggy he starts to gag with the mushy texture mixed with the runny almond milk. He doesn't struggle to eat; some children on the spectrum have low muscle tone in their mouths that affect their ability to chew and swallow. But, his problem is more of a strong gag reflex that comes about because he's sensitive to textures. His eating habits have improved tremendously over the years, so I have no doubt this problem will be a short blip in his life. 

Enjoy the porridge. It's definitely a keeper in my stack of recipes.

Happy Vegan New Year

I stopped eating animal flesh and anything that comes from an animal in early January 2013.

I can't believe how quickly this year has gone by and how incredibly easy it has been to follow a plant-based diet. There were a few factors that helped me in my journey, including:

• Working from home: I have time throughout the day to experiment with recipes, go grocery shopping, and spend time on the Internet looking for inspiration. 
• I live near NYC: I can find so many wonderful ingredients at local ethnic stores and, of course, Whole Foods. But, I was pleasantly surprised at how my local Indian grocery store carried a lot of the items I need on a routine basis -- black salt (kala namak), jackfruit, spices, lentils, coconut milk and more. The Giant Farmers Market in downtown Hackensack is a haven for low-priced fruits and veggies, as well as the organic tofu that's sold for only $1.99 (the lowest I've seen around). 
• Many people follow a Kosher diet here: Thanks to a wonderful Jewish population in the region, dairy substitutes are plentiful at small shops and large chain stores like Shop-rite (I don't know the exact rules with Kosher, but there's something about not mixing meat and dairy in a meal or during the cooking preparation). So, Tofutti and Daiya and many vegan food items are not difficult to find. Plus, I've seen Tofutti for as low as $1.79 at local markets that cater to a Jewish audience (all are welcome!). What I couldn't find locally I found on Amazon, Vegan Cuts, VeganEssentials, Food Fight Grocery, Pangea, Rabbit Food Grocery, and The Vegetarian Site. 
• I turned to Facebook: I added as many vegan Facebook sites to my interest list as possible. From activist pages to recipe pages, I was constantly surrounded with vegan words of support and information to make me a more educated consumer. 

When I finally opened my eyes to where my milk and eggs and packaged meat products came from, it was easy to go cold-turkey to a cruelty-free lifestyle. I can't believe I used to think that cows just naturally produced milk. Truth is it's easy for today's consumers to be in the dark about where their food comes from or how it's produced. First of all, we never see the animals getting butchered. Also, I'm so tired of all the happy-cow commercials on TV. There's one commercial on TV where a mom and a cow standing next to her are crying as the child goes off to her first day of school. My 6-year-old asked why the cow was crying and I said without hesitation that she's crying because her baby was taken away and her milk is being given to humans. He didn't understand what I was saying, but I'm sure one of these days he will.

Because I handle all the cooking, my husband become plant-based by default. He quickly lost 20 pounds and his fasting blood sugar went from the 160s to between 100-110 (He's diabetic and on medication). Although he's still on medication, his doctor was pleased with his blood work when she saw him six months into our plant-based journey.

My son has autism, so feeding him has always been a challenge. I've seen some children with autism eat better than neurotypical children, but my son isn't one of them. From birth he was a picky and small eater. While other kids were downing 12- to 16-ounce bottles of formula or breast milk in one shot, my son was full at 4 ounces. He was even still eating pureed foods until 3. I have no way to prove this, but I really think my son tastes things differently from those of us who are neurotypical. He only eats a few bites of chocolate, candy or ice cream. He'll tell me something sweet tastes like pickles (I'm not sure if he's just throwing that out or is serious). Food that almost anyone would wolf down, my son nibbles on and then gags. One of his favorite things to eat is a plain flour tortilla -- not toasted or filled with ingredients -- just pulled straight out of the bag. I long for the day when he eats any meal in under 40 minutes. My son isn't completely plant-based, but little by little I'm finding recipes and vegan substitutes that suit his palette. He doesn't drink cow's milk, and he doesn't care for cheese or most meat. I'm happy he at least loves my vegan smoothies with Sunwarrior Warrior Blend protein powder.

As for me, I used to feel heart palpitations at least once a week. They have since disappeared. My last physical was in August of 2012, so when I go later this year, I'll be curious to see the results of my blood work. All my numbers were in range, but I have a feeling my cholesterol is probably down. I've lost about 15 pounds and I'm aiming to lose a lot more this year by just cutting back the calories and exercising more. I didn't reduce my caloric intake this past year, but I will going forward into 2014. I've starting eating more lentils (dal) for dinner and a baked sweet potato for lunch. I'm still a sucker for a few slices of Upton's vegan bacon for breakfast.

I welcome 2014 with a renewed faith and spiritual heart and the peace that comes from living cruelty-free.

Happy New Year everyone.