Ingredients -

For basic porridge (base recipe)

160 g rolled oats

600 ml milk, soya milk or water

sea salt

For blackberry and apple porridge

1 apple

2-3 tablespoons runny honey, to taste

100 g blackberries

For banana, almond and cinnamon porridge

2 ripe bananas

30 g flaked almonds

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

2-3 tablespoons maple syrup or runny honey, to taste

For apple, maple syrup and pecan porridge

1 apple

30 g pecans

2-3 tablespoons maple syrup, to taste

Directions -

For basic porridge (base recipe):

1. Place the oats and the milk or water in a large pan over a medium heat.

2. Add a tiny pinch of salt and stir with a wooden spoon.

3. Bring to a steady simmer for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring as often as you can to give you a smooth creamy porridge – if you like your porridge runnier, simply add a splash more milk or water until you've got the consistency you like.

For blackberry and apple porridge:

1. Pull off the apple stalk, then use a box grater to coarsely grate it onto a chopping board (core and all).

2. Stir the grated apple and most of the honey through the porridge for the last few minutes of cooking.

3. Squash in most of the blackberries, then serve with the remaining scattered on top and the remaining honey drizzled over.

For banana, almond and cinnamon porridge:

1. Peel, then slice the bananas on a chopping board (I like to cut mine at an angle).

2. Add the almonds to a small non-stick frying pan over a medium heat (there's no need for oil) for 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly golden, stirring occasionally.

3. Stir the cinnamon, poppy seeds and most of the maple syrup or honey through the porridge.

4. Serve with the bananas and toasted almonds on top and the remaining syrup or honey drizzled over.

For apple, maple syrup and pecan porridge:

1. Pull off the apple stalk, then use a box grater to coarsely grate it onto a chopping board (core and all).

2. Snap the pecans up into little pieces, then add them to a small non-stick frying pan over a medium heat (there's no need for oil) for 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly golden, stirring occasionally.

3. Stir the grated apple and most of the maple syrup through the porridge for the last few minutes of cooking.

4. Serve with the toasted pecans on top and the remaining maple syrup drizzled over.