Healthy Hot Crossed Bun Porridge

   I'm not at all religious, so I'm afraid the nature of hot crossed buns means little to me, but they are delicious. But because they're loaded with sugar I usually only have one or two a year, and when it comes to Easter indulgence, I prefer to prioritise chocolate and a big Sunday roast. So when Easter morning rolled around this year I decided, knowing what the day had in store, that I would rather have a healthy porridge for breakfast rather than a hot crossed bun. Oats are higher in fibre, slower to digest, and the protein I add to it always makes it much more satiating. But...I wanted a hot crossed bun.
   As is usually the case around here, the two became merged. And it worked out quite well! All you're missing is the...lovely...doughy...bread...
   Okay, so hot crossed buns simply can't be replaced, but this is as close as you'll get! All the fruits, spices, and sweetness - but without the added sugar! Because if you chop up your apple and put it in a pan with raisins, sultanas currants and a little bit of water and heat it over a low heat for 20+ minutes, all the sugars start to diffuse into the water, and when you add that to your porridge, yum.

Ingredients

Serves 1
30g oats

10-20g protein

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp mixed spice
zest of 1/2 orange (approx 1/2 tablespoon)
100ml water
100ml milk
25ml boiled water
25g dried vine fruits (raisins, sultanas, currants)
1 apple
Optional: 2 tsp brown sugar

Method
For overnight oats:
1. Peel, core and chop an apple and put it in a saucepan with 25g dried vine fruits and 25ml boiled water and heat on low for 20 minutes.

2. Combine oats, protein, cinnamon, mixed spice and orange zest in a bowl (or shaker bottle).

3. Add 100ml milk and stir (or shake and transfer to a bowl/jar), stir in the chopped apple and vine fruits then set in the fridge overnight.

4. If desired, heat the overnight oats the following morning - add 50ml water and heat in the microwave for 1x 1 minute then 20-30 second bursts, or on the hob.

5. Set a crossed stencil over the top and dust with extra cinnamon to serve (see notes).

For oats on the hob:
1. Boil 125ml water.

2. Peel, core and chop an apple and put it in a saucepan with 25ml boiled water, 25g of vine fruits, cinnamon, mixed spice and orange zest. Heat on low for 15 minutes.

3. Combine the oats and protein and stir into the pan, adding the milk first, stirring all the while, then the remaining 100ml boiled water and turn the heat up to medium.

4. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes to thicken.

5. Transfer to a bowl and set a cross stencil over the top, then dust with extra cinnamon to serve (see notes).


Notes
• I used skimmed milk
• I used Pulsin premium whey protein
• I made my own stencil with two strips of paper taped at the centre where they crossed


Nutrition
Without brown sugar
342 cals, 3g fat (0.5g sat), 55g carbs (32g natural sugars), 6.5g fibre, 26.5g protein
1 teaspoon brown sugar adds: 17 cals & 4.5g sugar