COOKING WITH ARA’KAI PANTRY - Amaranth Hojicha Porridge

For this edition of our journal, Ara'kai Pantry has created a version of one of their recipes, adapted especially for us and made to be prepared at home. Rooted in nutritional benefits and thoughtful ingredients, it’s a warming recipe designed for the colder months.

About Ara'kai Pantry

Ara’kai Pantry is a grab-and-go café and health conscious grocer rooted in intentional nourishment. Created for busy lives, it offers ready-to-enjoy food and drinks alongside a carefully edited grocery selection. Everything is chosen with purpose. 

At its core, Ara’kai Pantry makes it easy to eat well without slowing down. The menu features freshly prepared meals, cold-pressed juices, smoothies and lattes, all designed to be picked up and enjoyed on the go. Each item is built around real ingredients and balanced compositions that support steady energy and everyday well-being.

The kitchen works from a vegetarian foundation that is gluten-free and refined-sugar-free, with several vegan options available. Alongside freshly made food and drinks, you will find vegan and gluten free bread and pastries from H.U.G. Bakery, selected for their quality, flavor and integrity.

Beyond the grab-and-go offering, Pantry functions as a highly intentional grocer. The shelves are filled with thoughtfully selected healthy brands you will not find just anywhere. These are products chosen for their ingredient standards, functionality and alignment with Ara’kai’s philosophy of conscious living. This is not a typical grocery store with endless options and noise. It is a focused edit designed to make better choices easier.

Ara’kai Pantry is where nourishment, convenience and intention meet. A place to pick up what your body actually needs, even on the busiest days.

Note from Heydi - owner of Ara’kai Pantry

As Ara’kai has grown, I kept coming back to one simple question: how do we make real nourishment part of everyday life, even on the busiest days. Ara’kai Pantry was created as an answer to that.

I wanted a place where you do not have to choose between convenience and quality. Where food is made with care, ingredients are thoughtfully considered and every product on the shelves has a reason for being there. Pantry is not about endless choice. It is about intentional choice.

Everything you find here, from our grab-and-go meals and drinks to the pantry items and brands we stock, reflects how I believe we should nourish ourselves. Simply, consciously and without compromise.

Ara’kai Pantry is meant to support you in real life. To make it easier to eat well, feel good and stay connected to what truly matters.

I hope you feel that intention the moment you walk through the door.

Warmly,
Heydi

Amaranth Hojicha Porridge with poached pears and coconut crunch

This warm porridge is made from slowly cooked amaranth and finished with hojicha for a gentle roasted depth. It’s topped with softly poached pears and a coconut crunch made from coconut flakes, coconut oil, maple syrup, anise, and sea salt. A grounding, comforting dish designed to nourish deeply without feeling heavy.

Amaranth Hojicha Porridge - The Recipe 

with poached pears & coconut crunch

Serves 2–3 - Ingredients

Porridge

  • 190 g amaranth (raw) 
  • 600 ml water / plant milk 
  • ½–1 tsp hojicha powder (to taste)
  • Pinch of sea salt

Poached pears

  • 2 ripe pears (skin on or off)
  • 1–2 tbsp dried hibiscus flowers
  • Water (just enough to cover the bottom of the pot)

Coconut crunch

  • Coconut flakes
  • 1 tsp coconut oil
  • 1–2 tsp maple syrup
  • Pinch of anise (or cinnamon)
  • Pinch of sea salt

How to do it

1. Cook the porridge

Rinse the amaranth well. Add it to a pot with water, hojicha, and sea salt. Bring to a gentle boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and creamy. Add a splash of water if needed.

2. Make the hibiscus pears

Peel and cut the pears into slices or chunks. Place them in a small pot with hibiscus flowers and a little water (the pears should not be fully covered).

Simmer gently for 10–15 minutes, uncovered, until soft and naturally red. Let the pears sit in the liquid for deeper color. Remove hibiscus before serving. (Pears keep well in the fridge for 3–4 days.)

3. Make the coconut crunch

Toast coconut flakes in a pan with coconut oil over medium heat. Add maple syrup, anise, and sea salt. Stir until lightly golden, then remove from heat.

4. To serve

Spoon the warm porridge into bowls. Top with hibiscus pears, coconut crunch, and a spoon of This is nuts almond butter if desired.

Daily-use notes

  • Pears can be cooked in advance and used over several days
  • Porridge reheats well with a little water or plant milk
  • Everything is flexible - softer, thicker, sweeter, or simpler

Nutritional benefits & thoughtful combinations

Amaranth is a naturally gluten-free pseudo-grain rich in plant protein, fiber, magnesium, iron, calcium, and zinc. Its slow-digesting carbohydrates help support steady energy and balanced blood sugar throughout the day.

The iron found in amaranth is supported by vitamin C from the poached pears (and Hibiscus flowers used in the poaching), which significantly improves iron absorption and supports energy levels.

Healthy fats from almond butter and coconut oil play an important role in this dish. They support hormone health and satiety while enhancing the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and antioxidants found in the pears, hojicha, and spices. The combination of protein, fats, and carbohydrates also helps slow glucose uptake, preventing spikes and crashes and allowing nutrients to be absorbed more efficiently.

The gentle cooking of both the amaranth and pears increases overall bioavailability, making the dish easier to digest and allowing the body to access more of the nutrients it contains. Anise in the coconut crunch supports digestion by reducing bloating and stimulating digestive enzymes, further improving nutrient uptake.

Hojicha is naturally low in caffeine and rich in antioxidants, offering a calming alternative to coffee or matcha. This helps protect mineral absorption - particularly iron and magnesium - while supporting the nervous system rather than overstimulating it.

Overall, this dish is:

Warming and grounding - Supportive of digestion and mineral absorption - Stabilizing for blood sugar - Nourishing for the nervous system

A bowl designed not just to look good, but to work well in the body.

The recipe is made by Emilie Lassen and Cecilie Jørck

RELATED ARTICLES