Super Green Spirulina Chia Porridge and my One Month Vegan Experiment

On one hand, I would never expect myself to try something like eating vegan.

I simply do like meat, I do believe that eating meat is natural to humans and that one can get all nutrients needed for one’s well functioning body from meat and vegetables.

But at the same time, I do very much like all kinds of legumes, vegetable, fruit, nuts, seeds and though I eat meat and animal products basically every day, I know that I do not need to do so – I do not need to have meat included in every meal, not even to get it daily. And during my life, I already had periods when I was either not used to eating meat at all, or I ate it, but in very little amounts. At such times, however, it was not based on any conscious decision, but on not having any appetite for meat and dairy products due to some issue with my stomach which has been rarely but reoccurring since I was sick for a few months as a six year old.

Approximately three months ago, I got a new job (no, not “a” job, but “The Job”!) in a small and super cozy vegan cafe and chocolate bar. I started making vegan and raw cakes, home made chocolate, vegan meals and coffee drinks using various kinds of plant based milk. I entered a new space within my profession – very exciting, I have to say!

I entered that cafe as a meat-eater and I am not really about to change it, but it made me think more about how much meat and dairy products we eat and most importantly, it inspired me to try new ingredients, discover new recipes, combinations of flavors, spices – it simply kicked my motivation to experiment with plant based food not only at work, but at home also.

And because I like to challenge myself, I could not take it like “try some vegan food here and there”, I want to get the feeling what it really requires to not eat any animal products for a while, therefore I decided to cut all such for a period of 30 days.

However, many could easily argue with me about what it really means to be a vegan – cause then we can continue from food to clothes, shoes, bags… So, my one month veganism begins and ends by food – i will probably go further next time? 😉

I started my little vegan projecet a few days ago and already, I have been facing some – let’s call it disappointments, rather than challenges.

First of all, I started asking people around me who are vegans or vegetarians about what they eat, because I am eager to get tips for recipes, cook books, blogs, ideas… But what I realized is that many of those I asked are used to eat relatively lot of processed vegan meat replacements – like pre-made vegan burgers, meatballs, sausages etc., and soya products – from soya based yoghurts, milk and cheese to soya “meat” and back to the vegan burgers, sausages…

Luckily, Pinterest and Instagram are full of inspiring ideas 😅

But when I started searching for recipes on Pinterest, another obstacle appeared – how to compose a balanced, rich, nutritious vegan diet?

Many cool looking meals are actually full of carbs, very low in protein, skipping fats and probably rich in vitamins but without giving the vitamins a chance to be effectively absorbed by one’s body.

So, though my challenge began as a simple “vegan eating experiment”, I quickly started digging deeper into it. The question is – if being a vegan, how should my diet be composed so that my body gets all it needs without overloading it with unnecessary components like carbs?

Well, I have been in the process of searching for good answers and here is one of the first results – my super duper green spirulina chia porridge 🌱🤩

Ha – Spirulina? You might be more experienced and educated than me but I have to admit that until recently, I had never heard about this blue/green algae, a nutrition-dense superfood which is claimed to be one of the oldest life forms on Earth.

Though I am usually very skeptical towards anything marked as “superfood”, I was very motivated to incorporate spirulina into my meals especially because of its high content of protein – 7g of spirulina powder contain nearly 4g of protein. I just needed to get used to its very “green flavor” – but that issue was quite easily solved by adding spices that pair with it nicely – cinnamon, ginger and cardamom for example.

Though I am not a fan of the label, other kinds of “superfoods” are a part of my green breakfast porridge too – the chia and hemp seeds.

Many of you are most likely familiar with chia seeds as they become very popular during the last years – though they were an important food already for Aztecs and Mayans back in the day. And though chia seeds are tiny, they are rich in fiber, protein, health-ful fatty acids including omega 3s and other nutritions like magnesium, calcium, zinc and various vitamins.

Hemps seeds are probably still unknown to some of you as they were to me. They, although coming from the Cannabis sativa plant, do not cause any mind-altering effects but instead, they are packed with protein, fiber and omega-3s and omega-6s. As a cool benefit, hemp seeds taste so good! Since I started using them, I sprinkle them over almost anything I eat – form morning porridge to salads or hummus.

In order to get as much benefits from my breakfast, I add some 25g of cashew or walnut butter – it provides fat acids important for absorption of certain vitamins (A, D, E, K), and also a source of vitamin C, blueberries or kiwi in my case, that increases absorption of iron, which is present in both chia, hemp seeds and the cashew/ walnut butter.

Uf, sorry if it was too much information, but as I said – I want to create nutritious, healthy and sense making meals…

And, btw, also tasty!

Therefore spices shouldn’t be skipped! In this recipe, I use the warming mixture of ground cinnamon, cardamom, clove and dried ginger. As sweetener I usually use erythritol (Sukrin) but if you are not a fan of that substitution, I suggest using yacon syrup for its low glycemic index (and delicious caramel-like flavor).

Well, what if I finally got to the recipe itself?

Super Green Spirulina Chia Porridge

30g oatmeal

20g chia seeds

10g hemp seeds

1/2 – 1 tsp green spirulina powder

150ml plant based milk (I prefer unsweetened almond meal for its low content of carbs) + additional for adjusting consistency

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cardamom

little bit of clove and dried ginger

25g walnut/ cashew nut butter

Blueberries, kiwi or other fruit rich in vitamin C and optionally plant based yoghurt (I used coconut milk unsweetened one.)

Instructions

In the evening, mix all dried ingredients before you add the plant based milk, then blend all well together. If you see that the porridge is getting quickly too thick, add more milk/ water.

In the morning, check the porridge’s consistency – again, if the porridge is thicker than you would like it to be, just add more liquid and let it absorb while you are getting ready for another lovely day!

As the last step, add nut butter and mix the porridge until the butter get fully incorporated.

Serve your awesome green chia porridge topped with plant based yoghurt, fruit and nuts or seeds of your choice.

And – don’t forget to have a great day!!!