Looking for a warm and comforting Hot Cereal that’s high fiber, but not loaded with carbohydrates?
Low Carb Hot Cereal
I’m here to help! You don’t have to give up your cozy warm breakfast on the Keto Diet.
Fiber Rich Food
My Low Carb Hot Cereal is full of fiber rich foods, here’s a breakdown of the fiber in each of the ingredients in the recipe.
Keto Cereal
A healthy twist on the classic porridge, this wonderful keto cereal will shake up your breakfast routine in the best way.
Low Carb Hot Cereal
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
- 1 tablespoon brown flaxseed
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- ¼ cup walnuts
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅙ teaspoon celtic sea salt
- 1 cup boiling water
Instructions
- Combine dry ingredients in a vitamix and blend until finely ground
- Pour boiling water into vitamix, cover with lid
- Blend very carefully starting on low setting, then moving to high, until porridge is smooth
- Transfer porridge to a bowl
- Garnish with butter and coconut milk
- Serve
Equipment
Gluten Free Breakfast
I loved eating hot cereal growing up. This healthier gluten-free breakfast brings back precious memories of wolfing down something hot before rushing off to school in the morning.
Low Carb Cereal
Back in those days, we thought Cream of Wheat was a nutritious and healthy comfort food.
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In hindsight, this was probably not the best thing for someone with an autoimmune disorder or two.
In addition to being a gluten bomb, Cream of Wheat hot cereal is not good for those of us that are carbohydrate intolerant.
Diagnosed with Celiac Disease
But back then I had not been diagnosed with celiac disease and we did not know any better.
We drowned our hot cereal in tons of margarine, making it a savory breakfast option for the morning. Now, I love eating this Low Carb Hot Cereal smothered in butter that melts right into it.
What is Porridge?
Wondering if this Hot Cereal is porridge? I’m here to help.
According to Wikipedia, it’s a dish made by boiling grains such as oats or other cereal meals in water, milk, or broth.
Porridge vs Oatmeal
And if you’re trying to figure out the difference between porridge and oatmeal, I’ve got you covered. Oatmeal is a type of porridge made with oats.
I often make oatmeal for the boys using gluten-free oats. I don’t eat that though because I’ve been strictly grain-free since 2001.
My gluten free hot cereal is a twist on the classic porridge because it’s made with a base of nuts and seeds, rather than grains.
Warm and hearty gluten free hot cereal is every bit as good as traditional porridge and also quick and easy to make!
Supplements to Lower Blood Sugar Naturally
You may notice I use a full teaspoon of cinnamon in this hot cereal recipe.
This is because numerous studies indicate cinnamon controls blood sugar, additionally, I love the flavor of this spice.
Sugar Free Cereal
Speaking of blood sugar, this recipe is for a sugar free cereal. Better yet? It’s loaded with fiber to further regulate your blood glucose levels.
Low Carb hot cereal makes a quick and healthy breakfast with eggs and a hot mug of my liver cleansing Dandelion Root Coffee.
High Fiber Breakfast
I hope you love this high fiber breakfast as much as we do! What’s your favorite breakfast –hot or cold? Leave a comment and let me know.
I first shared this Low Carb Hot Cereal recipe, based on recipes from Ricki Heller’s and Andrea Nakayama. in 2011.
Nikki Rodney says
Just wanted to thank you for posting and say I love this recipe. It’s magical and can adapt to sweet or savory designs! I add a touch of olive oil when serving. I never put hot liquids in anything plastic (including BPA free plastic as BPA replacements are just also known endocrine disruptors) so I just wanted to post a note here for folks who might be hesitant to try this recipe because of the boiling water in the vitamix, that you can add cold water and then just heat the porridge in a pan on the stove. Works like a charm. I will definitely recommend this to my patients.
Many thanks ,
Nikki Rodney
nicolerodneyacupuncture.com
Elana says
Nikki, thanks for your lovely comment! I’m so happy to hear you are enjoying this porridge :-)
Malia says
Hi Elana,
Thank you for all of your wonderful recipes! I understand how to grind the flaxseed in this recipe, but I was wondering if you use a flaxseed grinder or mill in other recipes. Do you recommend one? I have tried my food processor and it barely grinds them. I do have a vitamix, but don’t always want to use it, especially for small amounts. I want to be able to grind small amounts for recipes. Thanks for your help!
Elana says
Malia, I use the dry container of my vitamix to grind the flax seeds and do a 3-4 cups at a time. I haven’t tried doing smaller batches. Sorry I can’t be of more help :-)
Jill says
I use an electric coffee grinder for flax seeds . It works a treat.
Jeanna says
We use a coffee grinder for grinding smaller amounts of flax seed. FYI, we never use it for grinding coffee.
Laurie Grant says
This was fantastic Elana! I too am living with MS and your recipes are one resource that I use to keep healthy. Very best to you, and thanks!
Elana says
Laurie, thanks for letting me know this porridge is fantastic! I’m so glad we are on this healing path together :-)
Rejane says
Thank you for sharing this recipe on Facebook! Not sure I would’ve tried it otherwise. I’m always on the hunt for egg-free breakfast options. It was delicious and easy to make. I left out the salt and added a little vanilla stevia instead. I also only ate half and put the rest in the fridge for tomorrow morning. Hoping it heats up well. Thanks again!!
Elana says
Rejane, you’re very welcome! I’m so glad you enjoyed this porridge. Here are some of my other Egg-Free Breakfast Recipes for you:
https://elanaspantry.com/special-diets/egg-free-breakfast/
Enjoy!
Elana
Patricia Denk says
New to the grain-free world. This is incredibly creamy and delicious. Thank you Elana for your blog. I am scraping my bowl for the last delicious bits right now.
Elana says
Patricia, I’m so happy to hear that this recipe is incredibly creamy and delicious! We love it too :-)
Jenette says
I’m a (former?!) pizza-loving 31 yr old, three weeks into paleo per the doc. Already seeing great results in clearer skin, reduced bloating, and less snacking due to better blood sugar regulation. Your cookbook was my first paleo purchase. :) Can’t believe I no longer crave junk.
LOVE this cereal – but wondering if it’s ok to store half in the refrigerator and reheat the next day? I’m new to all of the cautions about nuts, seeds, heat, cold, rancidness.. etc. Confused!
Elana says
Jenette, what a great comment! I haven’t tried that so not sure. If you do please let us know how it goes :-)
Kathy says
Hi!
I’ve done a lot of substitution with this recipe so I can give you some ideas, Ruth A. The first thing I had to address was temperature because my partner loved the porridge but complained it wasn’t hot enough for her from the Vitamix. It was worth my while to find another way to make it since she is bedridden and feeding us both with it meant my only making one breakfast instead of two.
I grind everything in an old coffee grinder while the water is in a pot coming to a boil on the stove. Sometimes I’ll blend the lumps out with the stick blender, sometimes I keep them. It’s nice to have change.
Grinding the ingredients in a coffee grinder is an art, they will turn into nut butter if you’re not paying attention and if you don’t pulse your grinder. Especially with the nuts, you have to keep the grinding time in its pulses under “one Mississippi” and it helps to hold the grinder (one hand on top, one on bottom) and shake it around as you pulse. Takes some co-ordination but it can be done.
My biggest ingredient substitution is hemp hearts for the pumpkin seeds. I love the hemp hearts in the porridge, it makes it even creamier. I almost always make a double recipe. First I grind the hemp hearts and chia seeds together, the chia seeds help prevent the hemp hearts from getting as sticky. I empty those in one of the bowls. Then I put half the shredded coconut and half the nuts in the grinder. Pulse, shake and shimmy. Grind until they are as small as you like or until they roll themselves into a ball. Empty into the bowl, do the same with the last halves of coconut and nuts. When the water in the pot comes to a boil turn it off, it’s ready. I like to dump the ground hemp hearts, chia, coconut and nuts into the pot of hot water and stir. Then I add the salt, cinnamon and now I add ginger (dried ginger now but eventually I’ll use fresh root). My naturopath wants me to eat more ginger (according to Traditional Chinese Medicine) so I decided to do that here. It’s delicious. Then I grind the flax seeds and dump those in. If I decide I want it smoother, I’ll whiz it around with the stick blender. If I’m feeling lumpy or in a hurry, I don’t.
I’ve substituted the walnuts with pecans, hazelnuts and brazil nuts. The walnuts and pecans are my favourite nuts in this porridge, they are creamy and buttery. Hazelnuts give it a sharper taste, still very nice, and brazil nuts make it really, really creamy. Brazil nuts are a pain to grind in a coffee grinder, though, they must have a higher fat content. Nuts from the freezer work better in the grinder than room temperature. I have a pastry brush that I use to clear out my ‘dedicated to coffee’ grinder after coffee beans go through. I’ve been using the same brush for my porridge grinder, I want to be sure there’s nothing going rancid in it, especially because of those fragile flax seeds. It’s also an art to get the ground nuts and coconut completely out of the grinder, even with the coconut making it less sticky. I wash the brush every so often and between washes I really work it into a piece of paper towel to remove the oils and particles. I wipe the bowl of the grinder with paper towel between uses, too. Grinding the flax seeds last will help remove residue from the grinder. Always remove as much of the sticky stuff as you can with your finger before you put the brush in there, it will keep your brush cleaner. Make sure you can’t inadvertently start the grinder while your finger is in there — the grinder I use has a safety, the blade can’t start without the lid engaged.
There are endless substitutions to make in this porridge, sometimes you might want a bit more hot water with less oily nuts like hazelnuts. Sometimes I make the porridge thinner, sometimes thicker. Sometimes I sink a pat of butter into the middle and let it melt there. I’ve even added a tsp of cacao powder to it, that was great but my partner didn’t like it. I always float 35% cream on it. I put maple syrop on for my partner but not myself, even when I added the cacao powder. I’m fighting cancer so not using any kind of sweeteners but as far as I’m concerned, this porridge is the bomb and needs no sweeteners.
This is a wonderful porridge with endless possibilities, Elana, I’m so grateful to you for sharing it with us.
Elana says
Thanks so much Kathy! Wishing you all the best on your journey to health. I loved reading all the details in your comment :-)
Kirsten says
Wonderful suggestions! Praying for both you and your partner. ❤
Ruth A says
I don’t have a vitamin and we don’t like walnuts. How do we make this?
Elana says
Hi Ruth, I haven’t tried making this without a vitamix or walnuts so not sure. If you do please let us know how it goes.
Kelli Borel says
I have been making this about twice a week for years in a Cuisinart smoothie blender just fine….with walnuts. Pecans might be a good substitute? I also sub stevia for the salt.
Elana says
That’s great to hear Kelli :-)
Carissa says
Try a food processor. Also, I’ve made it with pecans and it turns out great!
Elana says
Thanks Carissa!
Nancy says
I make it everyday in a mini food processor. I don’t use cinnamon, but either pecans or walnuts. Put in a microwave safe bowl, just cover with a little water and microwave for 2.5-3.0 minutes. I eat with blueberries and strawberries with almond milk. I have been doing this for about a year!!
Elana says
Thanks Nancy!
Emily says
I am so excited, this tastes so similar to cream of wheat, you just made my day! I added a little bit of ghee, just a tad, and reduce my salt to 1/8 as I tend to taste salt easily, and kept everything the same, garnishing with raisins, and I am over the moon excited for this breakfast. Thank you. This is fantastic and I’ll be eating many more bowls of this, especially as the weather changes.
Elana says
Emily, glad to hear this was fantastic :-)
Rosita Thibodeaux says
Elana, Elana, Elana. Baby girl,baby girl, baby girl, that porridge was so delicious and filling. I loved everything about it, didn’t change a thing, the cinnamon was RIGHT THERE perfect. I have admired you for years. My baby brother died ten years ago at age 56 from Hodgkins. He also suffered horribly with Celiac problems many years before because of misdiagnosis. When he did get the right diagnosis there wasn’t much out there to help him with his diet. You are a hero, an angel to so many people. I am always amazed to see new recipes you share with us, and of course the older ones are just as great. You and your family are in my prayers. Please continue to take care of yourself – we need you.
Elana says
Rosita! Thanks so much for your beautiful words! You and yours are in my prayers too :-)
Kathy says
I just tried this recipe today and I LOVED it!! I’m eating very low carb high fat, since I’ve found I’m sensitive to eggs I’m struggling to find new breakfast foods. After eating some form of avocado most days for a month I think you can imagine my thrills at finding something new — and it’s warm and creamy to boot! I haven’t had a warm breakfast for almost a month, too, yippeeee! I’ve been trying to incorporate fresh ground flax into my diet since June but so far haven’t managed to — this breakfast serves me two-fold. Thank you so much for solving these problems for me, Elana!
Elana says
You’re welcome Kathy! I’m so happy to help :-)