Cardamom Amaranth Porridge with Stewed Strawberries

Last week we learned that our cookbook will be much bigger, over fifty pages longer, than originally planned. We’re very excited and, upon our publisher’s request, have been busy taking a large batch of new photographs, making the dishes from the book and reliving the experience.
In the middle of these crazy times, I especially cherish my quiet mornings, before the work begins. Breakfast is always mandatory, and this fragrant and nutritious amaranth porridge has been a dish that I’ve come back to time and time again. Amaranth is amazing, although often thought of as a grain, it is a seed of the amaranth herb and contains more protein than wheat or any other gluten-free grain. The texture of amaranth reminds me of poppy seeds, which is one of the reasons I like it so much. Growing up, poppy seed rolls were one of my favourite treats, and I still crave them when feeling nostalgic. Cardamom and vanilla make this porridge exceptionally addicting. There are few flavours as magical as cardamom seeds straight out of the pod or vanilla scraped fresh from a plump vanilla bean. The porridge is also very good cold, straight from the fridge, and we sometimes have it that way for dessert. Any fruits in season will work in place of strawberries.
Back to work now!
P.S. Honored to be featured in Emma’s Inspire Me Series.

Cardamom Amaranth Porridge with Stewed Strawberries

for the porridge
1 cup amaranth – soaked overnight, rinsed and drained
2 cups almond or coconut milk
2 tablespoons coconut sugar
1/2 vanilla bean – split open, seeds scraped
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom – from about 3-4 pods
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon – optional
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg – optional

for the strawberries
1 lb fresh strawberries – hulled and sliced
1/2 vanilla bean – split open, seeds scraped
1/4 cup honey

to make the porridge
Combine all of the ingredients (vanilla bean included) in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.

to prepare strawberries
Combine all of the ingredients (vanilla bean included) in a separate saucepan, bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

to serve
Mix the porridge and strawberries together. Add a few splashes of coconut milk if desired and sprinkle with poppy seeds.