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It helps to quickly make the topping first:
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Take an small pot such as an small washed empty yogurt pot or egg cup and put in about a medium teaspoon of chunky orange marmalade. Add a bit of boiling or hot water and stir to make a medium thick paste.
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Porridge:
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Measure the porridge oats - I suggest 57g as a good sized portion into a saucepan. I tested this to work out to be pretty much exactly 4 Tablespoons extremely well heaped (- or about 1/4 cup apparently). I'm on a calorie-controlled diet and this is just enough for me to enjoy without feeling either underfed or too heavy - but you may prefer more or less and adjust the other ingredients accordingly.
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Add 345ml water (about 1 1/2 cups)- or enough to be absorbed to your satisfaction. Water weighs 1g per ml so you can weigh in 345g if you have electronic scales.
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Add just a couple of small drops vanilla flavouring - I prefer the articifial one as it's got a much stronger flavour - if you use real vanilla essence you may need about 1/3 Teaspoon because it's so much weaker. (Note: calorie wise, artificial vanilla has 50 Kcal/100ml versus 600 Kcal/100ml for real vanilla essence!).
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Add about 1/3 teaspoon of Ground Ginger (to taste) - quite a lot is really good! - but breakfast time cravings vary about as much as personal tastes :).
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Add about 1/3 teaspoon caraway seeds (to taste - or leave them out if you don't really like caraway seeds).
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Place on stove and boil and simmer until just the consistency you like.
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When just about thick enough, add 2 medium teaspoons of Splenda(R), or granulated sweetener or sugar (or as much/little as suits your taste) and stir it in well.
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Pour into breakfast bowl and top with about 1 1/2 to 1 1/2 teaspoons natural (plain) yogurt (ideally fat-free/low-fat) or single cream if you're not counting calories.
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Sprinkle the top, in particular the yogurt with a teaspoon or two of Splenda (R) (or granulated sweetener or sugar).
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Add the prepared, diluted marmalade over the yogurt.
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SERVE.
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NOTES:
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Don't go too mad with the yogurt or cream! it actually tastes better if you don't drown it in yogurt or cream - probably because the porridge itself tastes so wonderful.
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SUGGESTIONS FOR ALTERNATIVE TOPPINGS:
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As an alternative to orange marmalade you might try a couple of teaspoons of orange or lemon juice, or crushed hazelnuts, or ginger jam/conserve, or pieces of crystallized ginger or slices of ginger preserved in sugar syrup, or maybe just honey. You might like to sometimes put a teaspoon of raisins in with the topping (or in with the porridge :) for a special treat. Incidentally I'm currently using 'Streamline' 'Zest' Reduced Sugar, High-Fruit (55% fruit) Orange & Grapefruit marmalade which is to die for if you can get it!
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SWEETENERS:
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If using a different granulated sweetener it's worth knowing that aspartame becomes unstable and loses its sweetness above 85 degrees centigrade hence the suggestion to use Splenda(R) which is fine above 100 centigrade and can be boiled no problem. Some granulated sweeteners contain acesulphame-K in addition to aspartame. Acesulphame-K stays sweet above 100 centigrade but some people think it doesn't taste so nice :) If in doubt, maybe spoil yourself and use sugar!
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CALORIC VALUES:
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I calculate calories per serving using sweetener and low-fat yoghurt to max out at around 265 calories depending on make and types of ingredients used. If you use sugar you can add another 70 calories for the suggested quantity here. For Cream add another 30 or more calories. Mine usually works out about 245 calories maximum but I use low sugar marmalade, fat-free yogurt etc.
