We’re a week into the New Year, and I’m always curious as to whether people make New Year’s resolutions or not.
I’ve noticed that people I talk to are split just about down the middle in their line of thinking; about half make resolutions at the start of a New Year and the other half says they try to make a resolution any time a change is needed.
Whether or not you make New Year’s resolutions, I’m guessing you want to start off the New Year on a healthy note. Even if you slipped already, this Creamy Wheat Berry Porridge with Gingered Blueberry Topping is an easy way to get your breakfast routine back into healthy mode.
Have you had wheat berries? They’re delicious with a slightly chewy texture and an almost nutty flavor. More than that though, wheat berries are an incredibly healthy whole grain. They are a good source of fiber (1/4-cup of uncooked hard red wheat berries provides 6 g fiber), a decent source of protein (1/4-cup of uncooked hard red wheat berries provides 6.5 g protein), and supply essential vitamins and minerals like magnesium, potassium, B vitamins, and vitamin E, to name a few.
What does all that do for you? Fiber promotes digestive health and regulation of bowel movements, helps lower cholesterol levels, assists in stabilizing blood sugar, and helps maintenance of a healthy weight. Magnesium helps regulate blood pressure and may help prevent type 2 diabetes. B vitamins are crucial for energy metabolism. (You can read more about wheat berry nutrition on The World’s Healthiest Foods, Jillian Michaels, Live Strong, and Love to Know.)
This stick-to-your-ribs porridge is a completely satisfying cure for a cold winter morning and a nice change up from a regular bowl of oatmeal. I like to make a batch of it at the beginning of the week and reheat it each day for a super quick hot brekkie all week long (you can switch up the toppings to keep it exciting, and if you’re a fan of cold overnight oats, I think you’ll enjoy this porridge chilled as well).
Cheers to a healthy breakfast no matter how you do it.
- 1 cup (175 g) hard red winter wheat berries (see Note)
- 4 cups (950 ml) water
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2½ cups (590 ml) vegan dairy-free “milk”
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1¼ cups (175 g) frozen blueberries
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon water
- ½-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
- ½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- Full-fat coconut milk, for drizzling on top (optional)
- Bring the wheat berries, water, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan; cover the pot, turn the heat down, and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn the heat off and let the porridge sit for an hour (or overnight).
- Stir in the milk, chia seeds, and coconut oil and bring to a simmer over medium heat; turn the heat off, cover the pot, and let it sit for 10 minutes before serving.
- Meanwhile, combine all ingredients for the topping in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cover the saucepan, bring it up to a boil, and let it cook for 3 minutes, adjusting the heat down as necessary so it doesn’t boil over.
- Serve the Creamy Wheat Berry Porridge with the Gingered Blueberry Topping and coconut milk drizzled on top.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat this porridge on the stovetop while stirring frequently, adding additional water to thin it out as necessary.
If Keeping This Dish Vegan Isn’t a Concern: Feel free to use any kind of milk you like in the porridge and heavy cream instead of coconut milk to drizzle on top.
Reheating: This porridge is a good one to make and keep on hand for weekday breakfasts; to reheat, warm it gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. You can add a splash of milk or water to thin it out if you want.
I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to 
Just put the blueberry mixture together. Fabulous! The touch of salt, the touch of acid (lemon) and fresh ginger for a little zip!
Just the right amount of sweetness for us! I used frozen wild Maine blueberries, tiny and juicy and tons of blueberry flavor
I’ll use on top of our steel cut oats.
I melt a pat or two of butter and ‘toast’ the raw steel cut oats in the butter until very fragrant, then add the water and salt, and cook very al dente. That toasting really gives another dimension to grains
I love grating zucchini into my oatmeal and posted that recipe recently. You won’t even know it’s there! Looking very forward to trying your porridge as I love foods that are warm and creamy.
To make it truly vegan, I inserted Agave Syrup for the honey! Great recipe!!!
Chef Doug, Thanks so much, I’m glad you enjoyed it! I changed the recipe to maple (my favorite vegan sweetener for this recipe), and I bet agave would be delicious too. Thanks for catching that!
I haven’t had wheat berries, but this looks like a wonderful, wholesome breakfast. Trying soon!
I am always looking for new ways to start the day in a delicious (but healthy!) way….this. is. awesome. Definitely making it this week!
I like to ‘take stock’ at the beginning of a new year – just to check in on what I think is going well and contemplate what is out of balance. It’s more of a mental exercise than making a list because I find myself making lists all year long…
Your porridge looks so inviting! I love how versatile it is – mixing up the toppings for what you’re craving or happen to have on hand.
I usually make some general goals…but I really didn’t this year? I know there is always room for improvement…I guess I just feel really happy where I am :) I guess if I had to pick a couple areas to focus on it would be 1. patience (this is tested once you have a child) and 2. being present in the moment! This dish looks incredible! I could eat this morning noon and night
So comforting and delightful! An original porridge.
Cheers,
Rosa
I love learning about a new grain! Though I’ve had wheat berries in the traditional Ukrainian dish kutia, I’ve never had porridge made out of them. I imagine they would have that bite of texture that oatmeal generally lacks – and that’s right up my alley. Thanks for sharing!
Wow now that sounds like an awesome breakfast! Love the ginger + blueberry combination :)