In this episode of our monthly #FoodFriday segment we turn our attention to the healthy and gluten-free teff porridge.

What: Ethiopians commonly use teff in different meals. They use it to prepare injera (a sour fermented flatbread) but they also make porridge from teff.

Why: Porridge is a good breakfast for runners because it provides good, long-lasting energy. Teff contains a lot of slowly digestible and indigestible, complex carbohydrates. As a result, it has the unique property of slowly and efficiently delivering energy to the body and contributes to a healthy gut. Teff also contains essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium and potassium as a building material for muscles and bone. It is also very rich in iron, a mineral that’s essential for oxygen transport. Teff contains high-quality protein, important building blocks for the body. Teff is also gluten-free, so a good choice for those who are gluten intolerant or have celiac disease.

How: The porridge takes about 10 minutes to prepare and it serves two portions.  

When: As breakfast. Eat the porridge one to two hours before your training session or (if you train before breakfast) straight after your run.

Who: Endurance athletes and everyone else who likes a tasty and healthy porridge.

Nutrition:

• Per serve                          1 bowl                             
• Energy (kcal)                    540                                   
• Carbohydrates (g)            76                                                   
• Protein (g)                        16                                                   
• Fat (g)                              18                                                   
• Saturated fat (g)                3                                                      
• Fibre (g)                            6                                                      

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole grain teff
• 1.5 cup water
• 1.5 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons raisins
• 2 tablespoons crushed walnuts
• 2 tablespoons blueberries
• 2 tablespoons honey

How to prepare?

1.     Bring the water in a saucepan to medium heat.

2.     Add the teff and milk and stir well.

3.     Turn the heat to medium-low, cover the pan and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. Keep stirring so you will get a smooth porridge.

4.     If you like your porridge runnier, then add more water or milk.

5.     Serve your porridge in a bowl and serve with walnuts, blueberries, dates and honey on top.

Tip:

You can replace teff with oat flakes ovary with different or vary with different nuts and fruit. You can also use almond or soy milk to prepare the teff.