From the Gwinganna kitchen — a morning ritual worth making your own. This brown rice porridge wellness breakfast is nutritious and gluten free.

There are breakfasts you reach for in a hurry, and then there are the ones you plan for — the ones that ask a little of you the night before and give back tenfold by noon. This is firmly the latter.

At Gwinganna, mornings are unhurried by design, and this porridge embodies that philosophy beautifully. Soaking the brown rice overnight isn’t just a practical step — it’s the first act of nourishment, coaxing the grain into something more digestible, more yielding. The outer bran layer stays intact, keeping all that good fibre working quietly in your favour throughout the day.

Blueberries and star anise simmer into the rice milk and coconut cream, turning the whole pot a deep, jewelled violet — a colour as medicinal as it is beautiful. Anthocyanins, those powerful antioxidants responsible for the blueberry’s signature hue, are doing their thing from the very first spoonful.

Served warm with toasted coconut and a handful of fresh berries, this is comfort food with credentials.

Gwinganna Retreat & Spa is one of Australia’s most celebrated wellness destinations, nestled in the hinterland of the Gold Coast, Queensland. Accredited by the Global Wellness Institute, Gwinganna offers immersive programs in organic nutrition, movement, sleep and mindful living — drawing guests from around the world seeking genuine, lasting restoration.

The Gwinganna kitchen is central to that experience, with every meal designed around the principle that real food, thoughtfully prepared, is medicine in itself.

Gwinganna’s brown rice porridge

Recipe by Gwinganna Chefs

• Total Time8 hours 45 minutes
• YieldServes 6
• DietVegan

A do-ahead wellness breakfast from the Gwinganna Gourmet cookbook. Brown rice is soaked overnight then simmered with coconut cream, rice milk, blueberries and star anise into a deeply nourishing, gut-friendly porridge. Gluten-free, dairy-free and naturally high in fibre and antioxidants.

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Ingredients

1 cup brown rice

2 cups water

2 cups rice milk

400ml coconut cream

1/2 cup frozen blueberries

4 star anise

1/4 tsp vanilla

Serving suggestions

Blueberries

Coconut flakes, toasted

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Instructions

1. Soak brown rice in water for at least 2 hours or overnight to soften the rice. Strain the rice and place in a large saucepan with all the other ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring often.
2. Remove star anise, then divide into serving bowls and accompany with blueberries and toasted coconut flakes, as desired.

Notes

This recipe is from Gwinganna Gourmet, the cookbook from Queensland’s award-winning Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat. Soaking the brown rice overnight improves digestibility and preserves the bran layer for maximum fibre. A beautiful, restorative start to any wellness morning.

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• Prep Time: 8 hours
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Category: Plant-based
• Method: Slow cook
• Cuisine: Modern Australian