In these jolly Christmas times it is easy to overdo the fun. You know what I’m talking about. And if you suspect that you may have had a glass or two too many the night before, chances are you’ll wake up the next morning craving comfort food in a big way.

What to do? If you don’t have ingredients for a fry up in the house, I suggest you do the next best thing.  Make a Coconut porridge a la Deliciously Ella. This recipe is so scrumptious, sweet and creamy that I always end up eating straight from the pan and I defy anyone to not fall in love with it. Perhaps it is the sweetness of the cooked bananas in combination with the coconut milk that makes it so irresistible, or perhaps it is the nut butter which adds just the right amount of gravitas to take this from an everyday bowl to a super bowl.

In any case, Ella advises us not to get nervous about the amount of fats in this recipe, which may otherwise make you feel that you are eating something you really ought not to (and trust me, this tastes on the far side of naughty). But all fats are not created equal and good fats are necessary for us to function well and to feel healthy. As we are in the midst of a coconut oil craze currently, here is a bit of science about it which may make you feel a bit better about it.

Top tip! If you are just starting out eating ‘wholesome’, here is a thing to keep in mind before embarking on a mammoth food shop in preparation for your new life. Remember that you’ll never have all of the ‘right’ ingredients at home. There is always something that you’ll have forgotten or run out of. But rather than that being a reason for abandoning the idea altogether, why not adopt a more leisurely approach by adding and substituting ingredients as and when you feel like it or when you simply don’t have the right stuff at home. It is liberating and sometimes you end up with very happy surprises! Go wild!

To make Ella’s recipe for Coconut porridge click here. Below is my own interpretation:

Recovery Porridge inspired by Deliciously Ella: 

Serves 2 (hungry peeps)

1 cup of coconut milk

1 cup spelt flakes (you can use oats if you like)

1 tbsp of almond butter

1 tbsp of coconut oil

1 banana, chopped

4 dates, chopped

Toppings:

Raspberries, strawberries, blueberries (whatever you have at home)

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cardamom (a spice used a lot in Swedish baking)

1 tbsp of chopped nuts (cashew, almonds, brazil nuts)

1 tbsp of chopped dates

1 tsp ground flax seeds

Cook the coconut milk, spelt flakes/oats, chopped banana and dates in a pan until it has become a creamy mash. Once the porridge is cooked (doesn’t take more than a few minutes) mix in the coconut oil and almond butter so that you now have a creamier and nuttier porridge, add the toppings of your choice and finish off with milk. I use Coconut milk (not from a can but a pouring variety available from most food shops) but any milk will do.

Enjoy and Happy Wednesday!

Birgitta xx