Porridge (Oatmeal) is the ultimate healthful breakfast and Scotland is the home of porridge so, along with Hamlyn’s of Scotland, I’m going to show you how to make the Perfect Scottish Porridge and you also have the chance to WIN a hamper of oaty goodies from Hamlyns.
Hamlyns of Scotland is part of a family food business which started milling oats in 1888, so they know a thing or two about oats. Their traditional range of Scottish Porridge Oats and Scottish Oatmeal is produced from premium Scottish oats, grown and milled in Scotland – 100% Scottish from seed to mill to the finished product.
Porridge Oats have been grown and eaten in Scotland, since medieval times and is still a very popular breakfast. Although eating porridge didn’t ever go away, it’s now more popular than it has been for many years. I really think porridge has come back fighting and flexing it’s not inconsiderable muscles!
Oats can benefit your health in lots of ways, they are 100 percent wholegrain, high in energy and low in fat. An average bowl of porridge made with water is only 171 calories. Oats also release their energy slowly as they have a high content of complex carbohydrates and soluble fibre, this means you will stay fuller for longer.
My Perfect Scottish Porridge
As a child, I really didn’t like porridge, it was always made with water and salt and served in a pool of milk. There was no option to add sugar or fruit or seeds or nuts, so I rejected porridge until just a few years ago. Now I am a total porridge convert, my favourite sweetener is maple syrup and I love to add different seasonal fruits including dried fruits like prunes and dried apricots.
Your Perfect Scottish Porridge
Given that I’m a relatively recent convert to porridge, I’m not going to dictate how you should make and eat your porridge, instead, I am going to do is introduce you the different kinds of oats you can use to make your Perfect Scottish Porridge and offer up the recipe I use for my porridge.
Hamlyns Scottish Porridge Oats: Nearly everyone is aware of porridge oats, they are rolled oats for making porridge, they are quick and easy only 3 or 4 minutes on the hob or in the microwave and you have a delicious, creamy filling porridge.
Hamlyns Scottish Oatmeal: Made with premium Scottish oats, which are stoneground, using traditional milling stones, milled to a medium grade, which makes a superb smooth porridge which can be made in a pot or in the microwave.
Hamlyns Scottish Porridge Oats and Bran: This Scottish Porridge Oats variety contains 10% wheatbran. The wheatbran gives the porridge a distinctive taste and helps to further aid digestion. Scottish Porridge Oats & Bran can be used in any recipe which includes porridge oats but is particularly good for biscuits, flapjacks and fruit crumbles.
Hamlyns Scottish Pinhead Oatmeal: The most traditional oatmeal. It’s made from the whole grain, with just the outer husk removed, before the inner groat is cut into three pieces . Pinhead (also known as ”steel cut’ oatmeal makes a substantial, nutty porridge. There’s no need to soak the oatmeal overnight, but it’s best cooked in a saucepan and takes around 25 minutes to cook, longer to cook than porridge oats or stoneground oatmeal.
A quick and simple recipe for Scottish Porridge Oats, that's creamy and makes the perfect base for you to make it your own.
- 100 g Scottish Porridge Oats
- 500 ml milk
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Put the Scottish Porridge Oats and milk into a large non-metallic bowl or jug
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Cook in the microwave at 900 wats for 2 minutes, then stir.
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Put back into the microwave and cook for another 1 minute, then stop and stir again.
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Put the porridge back into the microwave and cook for another 2 minutes.
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Stir and serve with the toppings of your choice.
Cooking times will vary according to the wattage of your microwave.
You can also cook the porridge in a saucepan on the hob, stirring as the porridge cooks.
WIN a Hamlyn’s Breakfast Hamper
Enter this PRIZE DRAW to win a Hamlyn’s Breakfast Hamper containing everything you need to make Perfect Porridge:
2 x Hamlyns Porridge Bowls (designed by Gillian Kyle)
2 x Hamlyns Mugs (designed by Gillian Kyle)
1 x Hamlyns Tea Towel (designed by Gillian Kyle)
1 x Hamlyns April (designed by Gillian Kyle)
1 x 1 kg Hamlyns Scottish Oatmeal
1 x 1 kg Hamlyns Scottish Porridge Oats
1 x 1 kg Hamlyns Scottish Porridge Oats & Bran
1 x 500 g Hamlyns Pinhead Oatmeal
Hamlyns Porridge spurtle (for stirring your porridge as it cooks)
Hamlyns Tote bag
TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY
Answer the questions on the Rafflecopter Widget to enter the Giveaway. As the administrator of this competition only I will be able to see the data collected by the Rafflecopter widget, I will contact the winner of the competition by email, Please read the full terms and conditions in the widget.
Ooh this is right up my street! I absolutely adore my porridge, I have a bowl every day for breakfast – and sometimes two because I’ll have another one for tea too…I suppose there are worse vices?! I almost always make it with water and my favourite and most common addition is mixed seeds. At the moment I’m using sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, brown linseed and golden linseed. I am, however, massively experimental and have yet to find something that DOESN’T work! Some of my experiments include beating an egg and mixing in (this makes a lovely creamy porridge), grated… Read more »
Goodness, you put me to shame. So many creative ideas. Good luck.
I adore banana,cinnamon,strawberries and chia seeds in my porridge
Sounds good.
i love it with nutella 😀
Sounds totally delicious
Traditional – oatmeal and chunky porridge oats soaked overnight with a pinch of salt. Cooks in 5 minutes in the morning. Add some chopped nuts plus lots of non-homogenized whole milk – delicious.
Sounds wonderful, Jane.
Yum – I love porridge! My favourite has to be apple and cinnamon, perfect in the colder months! Now its getting warmer I love overnight oats, my favourite combo is banana and peanut butter.
Cinnamon and apple is a lovely combination
I like mine made with coconut milk, sweetened with maple syrup and topped with fresh fruit.
That sounds very tropical
I make mine on the stove with water on a medium heat stirring gently the way my grannie did, when it starts to huff and puff it’s ready to serve. I top with golden syrup, sultanas and a bit of milk all around the edge then sprinkle with cinnamon
What a lovely description!
We got a microwave so the wee boy could make his own porridge if he is up before us. Other than that we usually make it on the hob in a pot. I add cinnamon, flax seeds, raisins and then a mashed banana is mixed in when it is ready for sweetness.
That’s great that your boy makes his own porridge, it is so easy to do. Those sound like great toppings.
Porridge is a firm staple in our house, we love it! It’s so versatile and can be made in so many different ways.
I love porridge, especially with honey and sliced fresh bananas! And it keeps me going for longer than many other breakfast choices. Not tried Hamlyns’ products before so am entering the giveaway!
That sounds like the ideal start to the day 🙂
i put a a spoon full of jam in at weekend as a treat yum
Oh yes, jam is a nice way to add a little sweetness to your porridge.
I love mine with chopped dates or plain with maple syrup
Dates sound like a great topping and I lvoe maple syrup.
i have a bowl of hot steaming porridge every morning but I just have it plain.I occasionally have a chopped banana on top.
Thanks for the tips. I love porridge, but there is always something not quite right when I make it.
I hope you will have another try. Maybe a different type of oats might help or try the pinhead oatmeal in the slow cooker overnight!
Love porridge made with milk – sometimes i add banana and raisons
Sounds like my kind of porridge, Margaret!
I love it with banana, berries, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and cacao nibs.
I love mine made with skimmed milk and a wee dash of sweet cinnamon.
A very healthy option
I like mine with some blueberries or a little maple syrup
I love maple syrup
We have porridge everyday. I usually serve it with blueberries and a drizzle of honey.
A lovely combination
I use raw milk plus a little sprinkle of sugar
That sounds very good
I have porridge every work day – normally serve it with banana, blueberries – or marmalade!
That’s good to hear, Sheila
I love creamy porridge with maple syrup or a light sprinkling of sugar. A great start to the day.
It certainly is, Beverley
I like it with blueberries, bananas and honey.
Sounds delicious
Lovely fruits to top your porridge
I like a little bit of honey or a little bit of maple syrup to sweeten it
I love maple syrup on my porridge too
Fresh fruit, raspberries, blueberries, depending on time of year, or in winter with dried fruits, and a drizzle of honey
We love dried fruit in winter too.
I’m a big fan of peanut butter and banana overnight oats!
I haven’t tried that Katherine, but it sounds good.
How I’d like to serve it and how I actually do are two different things. In an ideal world I’d serve with a large spoonful of Cornish clotted cream. But I try to be good (most of the time) and make it with half water & half milk with a few chopped up prunes for sweetness.
I hear you! I have great intentions of topping my porridge with all sorts , but mostly it’s bannana and maple syrup!
With brown sugar,cranberries and walnuts.
My family love porridge and enjoy it topped with fruits and honey. My personal favorite is a pinch of cinnamon and banana .However is a trick too get it the right consistency so this post is very helpful.
Thanks Nayna. Stirring is definitely the answer to a great consistency