Cardamom and Coconut Polenta Porridge for One

I’m not normally much of a polenta fan, but if it’s creamy and cardamom-flavored, count me in! This is a great warm way to start the day. It would also make a nice side-dish for a holiday meal!

1 teaspoon coconut oil

2 TBLSP polenta (I like the coarse kind) or grits (oatmeal would be nice too)

A sprinkle of ground ginger

2 pods of cardamom, broken open and the seeds ground with a mortar and pestle

2 teaspoons ground almonds (run them through a coffee grinder or food processor)

1 ½ teaspoons brown sugar

1 TBLSP unsweetened shredded coconut

6 TBLSP almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)

Chopped or sliced almonds to garnish

This goes FAST, so get all your ingredients ready before you turn on the heat.

1. In a saucepan, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Once it’s hot, add the polenta granules, and stir frequently, until the polenta is golden brown and fragrant.
2. Add in the ginger, cardamom, ground almonds, sugar, and coconut, and stir to combine.
3. Turn the heat down to medium and add half of the almond milk. Stir until the milk is absorbed and then add in the rest. It will take about 3 minutes for the polenta to be completely soft and fluffy.
4. You can thin the mixture with more milk, if you like it a little runny.
5. Top with sliced almonds, fruit, if you want, and eat it while it’s hot!

Note: The photo has a doubled recipe for visual prettiness. It’s very filling, though. You won’t really need to double the recipe.