Dispelling The Myth That Making Porridge Takes Too Long! (Jordans Porridge Oats Conservation Grade)

Member Name: Machair1

Product:	Jordans Porridge Oats Conservation Grade
Date:	04/02/09 (112 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Ethically grown and manufactured and reduces cholesterol.

Disadvantages: None

With snow on the ground and chaos on the roads there is nothing nicer than a steaming bowl of porridge to start the day. Jordans is a favourite of mine because it is made by a family company and all the oats used are from the UK. There are so many breakfast cereals to choose from now it really is quite an array of temptations, but I think simplicity is sometimes what I need.

What is Porridge?

It is quite simply a dish made from oats. I make it with all water to keep the calories down; the Scotch way is to use oatmeal and to add salt. There are so many recipes and you can of course make it with milk or with half milk and half water, but at the end of this review I will give you mine which I think is delicious.

Why Buy Bill's?

For those of you who have never heard of Bill Jordan and his cereal empire, he is the owner of Jordan's cereals based in Biggleswade. The company has an ethical view that it is so important to care for the land and the wildlife around it when manufacturing commercial crops, and so all their fields have hedgerows left in their natural state to allow the butterflies and the birds to nest just as they always have done. They have been farming for over 150 years.

The oats in Bill's porridge are conservation grade; this means quite simply that farmers around Britain are paid a premium to create these nature friendly environments on their farms. They are large jumbo oats with wholegrain goodness.

These really are delicious and more rustic than some other brands. There is none of that dustiness in the box, and the thick and creamy texture they give to porridge is special.


Where To Buy And Cost.

Currently you can pick these up for £1.54 for 750g in most supermarkets. You can't fail to recognise the box in the shelves as it is very decorative. When you buy them you will see the oats are in a plastic inner sachet, which you must keep closed tightly, as oats are one of the foods loved by flour moths, which will invade them and breed if you don't secure the packet. This is important if you are going to keep the box for ages maybe only having it at the weekend.

Why Eat Oats?

Many breakfast cereals are loaded in sugar, salt and calories. Oats are high in fibre which keeps the digestive tract working efficiently; they are a food on the low glycaemic index which means that when you eat them the sugar levels in your blood stay level for longer. They are a simple food which contains nothing artificial. Oats are soluble fibre and they act like little brushes in the intestines removing cholesterol before it has a chance to be absorbed, so they are very good for your heart too!

How To Prepare.

What I do is to take half a cup of the oats and put in a small pan. If you boil some water in the kettle it saves time, and you can then pour a cup of boiling water over them. Cook on high on the hob for only a minute. Then what I do is I add some agave syrup. This is a lovely low gi sweetener made from the agave cactus which grows in Mexico and in Arizona. To make it really special I drizzle over some Alpro Soya Cream. This vegan breakfast is not only tasty, but is cholesterol free, and it keeps you going until lunchtime. Another lovely addition which works very well is to add some walnuts as these are rich in omega three fats, or some dried apricots, which are full of iron. Any dried fruit works so well, and you can even put a blob of healthy jam such as "SuperJam" or a spread made by Meridian in the middle. Fresh fruit of course is a perfect alternative.

I have reviewed Agave syrup, Alpro Soya Cream, and SuperJam on Dooyoo so if you search for them you can find out all about them.
These jumbo oats make a delicious porridge which has some nutty texture to it, quite a lot of bite, making it really sustaining.

When I stayed in a Scottish hotel recently there was the option of serving it with whisky. I wouldn't start that myself but you could do it for a special treat if you like it.

I worked out that each breakfast will cost you only 5p to make so this has to be a really good option in these economically challenging times. You may need to allow a few pennies more for the other additions I mentioned, but not many, as you really don't need many to flavour it, and to make it really special. Many people dismiss porridge because they think it is messy and time consuming- it isn't, you can make it in the microwave if you want, but I haven't got one so always use the hob. If you pop the pan in cold water afterwards it will be easily washed up or popped in the dishwasher and by boiling the kettle first cooking time is so quick. Let's dispel the myth that porridge takes too long-bring it back and have more oats!

By eating these you have the confidence in knowing you are helping butterflies, bees, birds, and wild flower meadows, to be retained as part of Britain's great heritage. We'll continue to see red poppies and yellow corn marigolds blooming in the countryside, and even better we will be helping our hearts and our waistlines!

www.jordanscereals.co.uk

Summary: A Great Breakfast Choice.