Surviving winter mornings in Buffalo requires extra warm socks, piping hot coffee, and a cozy breakfast, such as porridge. Porridge is often my go-to on these sorts of mornings. Its easy to whip out a big pot, throw in my grains, lots of spices, some milk, and let it cook. With a bit of sweetener and some fun toppings, porridge is almost always guaranteed to please everyone. First off, being gluten-free, I have enjoyed experimenting with the multitude of less-common grains available at health food stores or online. Our food industry uses wheat in so many things, but in reality there tons of other grains out there for us to use. And that is how I came across the grain base that I use in this - which was a Trader Joe’s discovery that I cannot recommend more highly. Do yourself a favor and grab a bag—or feel free to use steel cut oats in this recipe if you don’t have a Trader Joe’s near you. Second, as you know, I am always looking for new ways to incorporate more veggies into my breakfasts - in smoothies, egg dishes, my zucchini bread porridge, etc. I love a classic carrot cake because of it’s moist texture, strong spiced flavor, and lovely bring color. This porridge turns simple grains into a healthy, rich and creamy version or the beloved carrot cake dessert.