Breakfast sets a foundation for your entire day, yet in the rush to get out of the house in the morning, it can easily become the most overlooked meal. But before you reach for boxed cereal or frozen waffles, think about this: After sleep, your body has been fasting for 7 to 9 hours. What you need is a moderate-sized, nourishing, prana-filled meal to reset your energy and rekindle your agni.
During the colder, drier vata season, a warm breakfast helps you stay in balance. This is especially true if you live in a cold climate, but all of us can benefit from building in a routine of sitting down to eat a grounding meal. That’s why we created a simple, lovely recipe for sweet potato porridge that comes together in just 20 minutes, most of which is unsupervised.
The key to preparing this breakfast easily is getting things ready the night before. Set out your sweet potatoes, knife and cutting board and and measure out all the spices before you go to bed (it’s a great way to wind down before going to sleep). Then, chop the sweet potatoes in the morning and cook everything while you’re getting ready. Just be sure to allow time to sit down and enjoy the porridge. That might mean waking up 15 minutes earlier, but you’ll see the benefits in your body and mind right away.
Kids love this porridge for its sweet taste and parents love it because there are plenty of ways to vary the taste. For instance, use any variety of sweet potatoes (we love using purple sweet potatoes), cook with chopped nuts, serve with a few drops of lime, add a cup of cooked grain or cook the potatoes with your favorite herbal tea.
Sweet Potato Porridge
Serves 4-6
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Augmenting
You'll need
3 medium sweet potatoes, cubed (leave the skin on if organic)
2 Tbsp. ghee
1/2 tsp. fresh grated ginger
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
4 pods cardamom
A pinch of clove powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. mineral salt
Here's how
Heat the ghee and add the spices, cooking until the aroma comes up. Add the sweet potatoes to ghee and spice mixture and stir. Fill the pot with water to half the height of the potatoes. Cover and simmer for 7-15 minutes until soft. Let cool a few minutes (just enough to be able to add it to a blender). Blend until smooth, adding warm water to reach your desired consistency.
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