Best Bites: No-Cook Breakfast Porridge
By Donna Erickson
Get Your Oats With No-Cook Breakfast Porridge
Once your kids turn the last page of the classic bedtime story "The Three Bears," tell them that when they wake up in the morning, they'll get to mash and measure some healthy ingredients, then watch them whirl all together in a blender for their own bowls of nutritious and filling porridge!
PHOTO CREDIT: Donna Erickson
You'll actually be preparing a very thick smoothie-like concoction that the kids can ladle into cereal bowls instead of drinking glasses. Then they can top it with colorful fresh fruits and berries! When they grab their spoons and dig in, they'll quickly discover that their porridge is not too hot, not too cold, but "just right."
Gather all these ingredients on your counter, and you'll have this no-cook breakfast together in minutes.
NO-COOK BREAKFAST PORRIDGE
Makes approximately four 1/2-cup servings
1/2 cup uncooked rolled oats
4 tablespoons low-fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup milk
1 large ripe banana
6 raw almonds or walnut pieces
Juice from 1/2 of a lemon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Topping Ingredients:
Favorite fruits such as sliced kiwi and fresh berries, like strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and blueberries
Here's the fun: While one child peels and mashes a banana on a plate with a fork, another may wash the berries and juice the 1/2 lemon.
Meanwhile, an adult should place the oats in the blender and pulse it a few seconds into a coarse powder. Add the remaining porridge ingredients in the blender and blend, adding extra milk a tablespoon at a time if necessary, for your desired consistency.
Serve in bowls and let kids add their favorite fruit toppings.
Alternative Ideas:
Peel, slice and freeze the banana the night before for a cooler porridge.
Add a few strawberries or raspberries to the blender for a sweeter pink porridge.
Add 2 tablespoons freshly ground flaxseed. I buy mine in bulk and grind it in my coffee grinder before adding it to the porridge ingredients.
Donna Erickson creates relationships and community through food and fun. Find more to nourish and delight you at www.donnaerickson.com.
(c) 2026 Donna Erickson
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