A warm start to cold mornings, slow cooked porridge

As someone with a long commute to the daily grind I have to leave the house ridiculously early and breakfast at home is an impossible luxury. My usual breakfast is a small pot of natural yoghurt with some seasonal fresh fruit which I eat on the train (luckily the early riser and long distance commuter almost always gets a seat). Sometimes however, standing on the cold platform, buffeted by wind and rain and taunted by the smells of sausages and bacon drifting out from first class, I long for something warm and comforting.

Lately, I have fallen back in love with my slow cooker and it's been out quite a bit this winter providing us with some fantastic stews to come back home too after busy days out (plus minimal washing up and cheaper electricity bills). I've been researching other dishes that can also be cooked this way and you'd be surprised by the variety that can (have a look at the wonderful blog North/South Food for some fantastic inspiration, Miss South's book on the subject 'Slow Cooked' is another cook book on my ever growing reading list). Having read quite a bit on online discussion forums about slow cooked porridge I decided to give it a go. There seems to be quite a few differences of opinion on how to make it, each with their own pros and cons. I opted for what seemed to be the most sensible and the resulting porridge was creamily delicious with no effort at all. Scooped into a wide necked Thermos so that it stayed hot until I got on the train this provided everything you could want for in a Winter commuting breakfast with a side helping of smugness due to it's health protecting properties (take that, you fat cats, sitting in first class and scoffing down your artery clogging fry-up!).

Here are my tips for slow cooked porridge.

• Use proper oatmeal or pinhead oats, no jumbo oats or quick cook porridge mixes. I like Mornflake's medium oatmeal.
• Make the porridge with water, you don't need milk (I don't drink it anyway).
• Half a small mug of oatmeal to two and half cups of water will provide enough for two large bowls.
• Turn the slow cooker into a water bath by using a pudding basin or other ceramic bowl inside the slow cooker (making sure the lid still fits on top) and adding about a finger's depth of water into the slow cooker bowl.
• Use the 'low' setting and cook for 6-7 hours (I put mine on just before I go to bed).
• Stir well before serving.

Despite the fact that I eat natural yoghurt pretty much every day (I love it), I like to take a small tub with me to add to the porridge. Coconut milk yoghurt is also delicious and tastes very decadent. Fruit (fresh or dried), a squirt of date molasses or my latest favourite, stewed apples infused with leftover sachets of mulling spices from Christmas and a teaspoon of agave syrup or honey make the early starts a little easier to deal with whilst dreaming of the weekend.