Hilda Lategan - South African cookbook for allergies and food intolerance

Breakfast is an essential meal of the day. If you have a healthy breakfast, you will probably not be ravenously hungry by 10am and might even realise during the morning that your ability to concentrate and your energy levels are better. Choose a breakfast according to your circumstances, food allergies and sensitivities. When you do proper planning, food choices become so much easier for each meal, including breakfast.

A typical breakfast consists of:

Starchy food, such as:

Instant breakfast cereal or cooked porridge

Bread, biscuits or muffins

The leftover starchy food from supper, such as rice, pasta or potato

Protein-rich food, such as:

Milk or yoghurt

Substitutes for milk, for example soya, rice or coconut milk

Cheese, eggs, cooked legumes such as lentils or baked beans in tomato sauce, or nuts.

Protein dishes for light and main meals

Fruit, fruit juice or vegetables such as slices of tomato

You can also prepare a delicious breakfast drink from the ingredients which are usually part of your breakfast, such as by combining breakfast cereal, milk, fruit and a little ice water. See the recipes for smoothies.

Breakfast dishes and drinks

Although it is a simple process to cook breakfast cereals, some people do not know how to boil porridge because they are spoiled with the availability of instant cereals.

Due to the variety of ingredients that are added during the processing of instant cereals, it is impossible for some people with food allergies and sensitivities to eat these cereals. Also, when no or only limited quantities of milk can be added, it becomes difficult to moisten the cereal satisfactorily. In cases like these it is more convenient to choose a cooked breakfast cereal as a breakfast dish. Breakfast cereals can be cooked in a saucepan on the stove or they can be prepared in a suitable microwave-safe dish.

How to cook porridge in a microwave oven:

Use a microwave-safe dish with a volume of at least twice the quantity of flour and water you are using. Mix the fine flour with cold water until smooth and then add the boiling water while stirring. Microwave the porridge according to the directions for each kind of porridge (see below), until thick and cooked. Stir the porridge every 20 to 30 seconds in the beginning to prevent it from forming lumps. Keep in mind that the microwave method will take longer when you microwave more than a cup at a time.

How to cook porridge on a stove:

Bring the water to the boil in a saucepan. Mix the fine flour with cold water until smooth and gradually stir the paste into the boiling water. Reduce the temperature and simmer until cooked. Stir from time to time to prevent the porridge from burning.

RECIPES TO PREPARE 1 CUP (250 ML) COOKED PORRIDGE

Buckwheat-flour porridge

50 ml buckwheat flour; 50 ml cold water; 200 ml boiling water; a pinch of salt

Microwave: 8-9 minutes on medium.

Stovetop: simmer 10-12 minutes.

Barley-flour porridge

50 ml barley flour; 50 ml cold water; 200 ml boiling water; a pinch of salt

Microwave: 5-7 minutes on medium-high.

Stovetop: simmer 8-10 minutes.

Millet-flour porridge

30ml millet flour; 50 ml cold water; 200 ml boiling water; a pinch of salt

Microwave: 9-10 minutes on medium.

Stovetop: simmer 12-15 minutes.

Oats porridge

60 ml rolled oats; 250 ml boiling water; a pinch of salt

Microwave: 2-3 minutes on medium-high.

Stovetop: simmer 3-5 minutes.

Oats porridge with oat bran

45 ml rolled oats; 15 ml oat bran; 250 ml boiling water; a pinch of salt

Microwave: 5 minutes on medium-high.

Stovetop: simmer 4-5 minutes.

Taystee Wheat porridge

50 ml Taystee Wheat; 50 ml cold water; 200 ml boiling water; a pinch of salt

Microwave: 3-5 minute on medium-high.

Stovetop: simmer 7-9 minutes.

Maize meal/kreemymeel porridge