Tag: breakfast

Triple Ginger & Pear Overnight Oats

More training fuel today with some anti inflammatory ginger, a perfect pre and post running brekkie – the hit of ginger at 6.30am certainly helped to wake me up.  The chia seeds add some protein as well, so a perfect combo.  If you are a big fan of ginger you may want to up the quantities a little, I like mine quite potent, but not overwhelming.  However go easy on the crystalized ginger, you don’t want to ruin a healthy brekkie by too much sugar – although if you’re running I believe it’s not such a sin!

Triple Ginger & Pear overnight oats (serves one)

3-ginger-and-chia-and-pear-overnight-oats

  • 200ml coconut milk
  • A big thumb sized piece of fresh ginger – skin removed
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2 lumps of crystalized ginger finely diced
  • 1 pear – grated with skin
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds
  • 50g Oats

Blend the milk and fresh ginger – taste and add more ginger if you want a stronger ginger milk.  Mix the milk with the oats, ground ginger, crystalized ginger, grated pear and chia seeds.  Leave to soak overnight.

Red Berry & Ginger Roasted Oats

This is a quick nut free non clumping granola. I tried to reduce the amount of oil, so it’s more roasted oats than clumpy chunks, but to me that means a little bit healthier and no one is fighting over the biggest clumps to pick out. It also sprinkles brilliantly over yoghurt or as a cereal with milk.  Good fruit partners are bananas and blueberries.  I may have sprinkled it over ice cream too.

I love fresh ginger, but haven’t been a fan of stem or crystallized ginger in the past and  usually leave it out of recipes. But not wanting to be stuck in my flavour ways I thought I’d give it another go.  I now admit the error of my ways – it is truly the added magic that gives a wonderful twang of flavour.  I shall never leave it out of a recipe again.  However – I do believe it’s all about subtlety  and in this recipe do make sure it is finely diced so you don’t find big chunks of it.

This makes a large kilner jar full – it keeps for a good few days.

Red Berry & Ginger Roasted Oats

red-berry-and-ginger

  • 300g oats
  • 100g sunflower seeds
  • 100g pumpkin seeds
  • 100g sesame seeds
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 130ml Maple syrup
  • 70ml olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 200g dried cranberries
  • 100g goji berries
  • 50 crystallized ginger finely chopped

Method

Mix the oats, seeds and spices in a bowl.  In another bowl mix the maple syrup, vanilla and olive oil and mix well.  Add this to the oat mixture and mix well to ensure the oats are well coated.

Spread out onto two baking sheets (lined with greaseproof paper).  Bake at 160c/320f/Gas 3 for 20 minutes.  Then give it a stir and cook for a further 20 minutes.  The oats should be looking nicely golden.

Remove from the oven and then mix in the berries and ginger.  Leave to cool.

red-berry-and-ginger3

Rhubarb Crumble overnight Oats

We’re coming back into Rhubarb season (for forced rhubarb) and my allotment rhubarb is starting to come back to life.  In anticipation I’m trying to clear my freezer of the batches I froze at the end of last season.  I adore rhubarb, it’s so versatile and quick and easy to cook.  Of course you can’t beat the old favourite that is rhubarb crumble, so here is my healthy breakfast version of overnight oats.

Rhubarb Crumble Overnight Oats (makes 2 portions)

rhubarb-crumble-oats

  • 300g stewed rhubarb
  • 200ml almond milk
  • 1 teaspoon mixed spice
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 100g oats
  • Yoghurt to serve

Topping (makes two portions – although it’s very moreish)

  • Around 10 hazelnuts or almonds (or other nuts of choice)
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
  • 2 teaspoons demerara sugar

Method

  • Blend 1/2 the stewed rhubarb with the almond milk, spices and maple syrup. Add this to 100g oats and then stir through the rest of the rhubarb.  Put in the fridge overnight.
  • To make the topping – crush the nuts and seeds in a pestle and mortar and stir through the sugar.

To serve – layer up with yoghurt and sprinkle the topping on top.

Marathon overnight Oats

We have a play on words here, this is a great pre or post marathon training (or half marathon, or any run) breakfast and also a homage to the delight that is a snickers bar. Anyone of a certain age will remember the days when Snickers was called Marathon. I loved marathons and I love snickers, beware anyone leaving a packet of celebrations around, there will be no mini snickers left.  So this is perfect combo of delight and running fuel that tastes like a snickers bar, but much healthier of course!

This recipe is for one portion – I can only make one portion at a time because it is impossible to leave alone.

Marathon overnight oats

marathon-oats

  • 200ml almond milk
  • 2 medjool dates
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons cacao powder
  • 50g oats
  • 1 tablespoon crunchy peanut butter*

Blend the milk, dates, syrup and cacao. Put the oats into a bowl and add the blended mixture.  Then add the peanut butter and stir through well by hand.*

Leave in the fridge overnight. Maybe sprinkle some grated dark chocolate over the top if you want to make it look a bit prettier.

*A note about the peanut butter – the final consistency will depend on the texture of your peanut butter.  Personally I cannot say enough good things about the new deep roast peanut butter by Manilife, it mixes into this recipe with perfection.  More gloopy versions will require  more whisking abilities to break it up.

PS – if you liked this, you might like the Snicker Smoothie which you can find under smoothies.

Oaty carrot & date brekkie biccies

I love a breakfast biscuit – something chunky oaty and filling.  These are easy to whip up and are perfect for a grab as you go brekkie with coffee.  There is a good amount of fruit and goodness in these biccies with a carrot thrown in for extra goodness, so you can have a guilt free biscuit.  These are also vegan, sugar free and dairy free.

The mixture gets quite sticky when you are rolling the biscuits – so be warned you will get sticky hands!

Oaty carrot & date brekkie biccies

oaty-carrot-and-date-biccies

  • 120g oats
  • 100g pitted dates
  • 50g plain flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons mixed spice
  • 1 large carrot – grated
  • 1 apple – grated
  • 1 ripe banana – mashed
  • The zest and juice of one large orange

Method

  • Line a couple of baking trays with baking paper.
  • Put the oats and dates into a food processor and process for a couple of minutes.  You want the dates to be well chopped.  Add the flour, baking powder and spice and pulse very briefly to mix it all together.
  • Add this mix to the carrot, apple, banana and orange zest and juice.
  • Give it a good mix and then get your hand in to bring it together into a very sticky dough.
  • Take clumps of the dough to shape into a ball and put onto the baking sheets – press them down slightly to make a thick biscuit shape.  This should make around 8-10 biccies.
  • Cook for 25 minutes, oven 350f/ 180c/ Gas 4.  The biccies should look nicely browned on top and be slightly brown on the bottoms.  Leave to cool.

 

 

 

 

Creamy coconut porridge

I will admit I’m usually very disappointed with hotel breakfasts so on a recent trip when I ordered porridge  I didn’t have high hopes. But what arrived was the most delicious creamiest porridge I’ve ever had.  I checked with the chef and the star (and only) ingredients were oats, cream and full fat milk.   For me that’s far to decadent to repeat too often so I’ve been playing around with a slightly healthier version using coconut cream and coconut milk. If you like coconut and you like porridge – you are going to love this.

Creamy Coconut Porridge (one portion)

creamy-coconut-porridge

  • 200ml coconut milk
  • 50ml coconut cream
  • 50g oats
  • 1 tablespoon desiccated coconut (plus extra to top)

Put the oats into a pan and add the coconut milk – bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer and add the coconut cream.  Simmer for 3-4 minutes. Add a splash more milk if it starts to stick.  Just before serving mix in the desiccated coconut.  Serve with some more coconut sprinkled on top.

You really don’t need to add anything else – but if you must pistachios are a great match.

creamy-coconut-porridge-and-nuts

 

 

Apple maple overnight oats

I love overnight oats – so easy and convenient. This is a quick easy put together option – making use of all the lovely apple choices out there at the moment. I made a batch last week so it’s easy to double or triple the recipe and it keeps in the fridge for a couple of days. I like to eat mine either at room temperature or after a couple of seconds in the microwave to take the chill off.  But you may prefer it straight from the fridge.

These are great to have pre or post a run too.

Apple maple overnight oats (one portion)

apple-maple-overnight-oats

  • 150ml Almond milk (any milk will do)
  • 1 medjool date
  • 1 apple – grated with skin on
  • 50g oats
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • Grating of nutmeg (I find nutmeg a strong taste so whilst I like quite a lot – around 1/3 teaspoon, you may prefer some trial and error here)
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup (or more if you fancy a little more sweetness)

Blend the milk with the date.  Add this liquid to the oats, grated apple and spices.  Mix well and put into a bowl.  Pour the maple syrup over the top and sprinkle on the pumpkin seeds.  Cover and put in the fridge overnight.

PS – Thank you to Joe Delucci ice cream – the ice cream is wonderful and the containers very useful!

 

Cherry Nut Tofu

So the end of Veganuary and I’m sure some of you will have been introduced to the wonder that is Tofu.  I love tofu it’s so versatile and I love the creamy silken tofu that helps to create some wonderful sweet things. This breakfast tofu bowl is delicious and to be honest is probably better suited to a summers morning than a dreary winters one, but I forgot for a moment it was cold outside as I tucked into this creamy cold delight.

Cherry Nut Tofu (makes two portions)

cherry-nut-tofu

  • 300g silken tofu
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 80g frozen cherries
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
  • 25g shelled pistachios (crushed)
  • 25g almonds (crushed)
  • 50g dried cranberries

Blend the tofu and the banana. Once blended add the cherries and vanilla essence and blend again.  Put the mixture into a bowl and add the cranberries and nuts. Save a few nuts to sprinkle on top.

Just as delish the following day straight from the fridge.

 

Freekeh Orange Spice

I haven’t eaten Freekeh for a while and had forgotten how good it is for breakfast – a great source of protein to start the day.  I’ve been trying to eat more oranges too – with all the winter colds around I feel the urge for lots of vitamin C.

I made this the night before because I like the chia seeds to soak up the juice and flavours – but if you wanted to eat it immediately then it will just be a little wetter in texture.  You can eat this hot or cold, I do prefer it hot so I give it a quick blast in the microwave.  It also tastes great with cashew cream (see the maple apples for the recipe) and with some extra orange slices.

Freekeh Orange Spice (makes two portions)

freekeh-orange-spice

  • 50g Freekeh (dry weight)
  • 2 oranges – plus the zest of one of them (plus another orange each to serve if you wanted more orange!)
  • 7 dates (small ones – if you used the medjool dates then use 3-4)
  • 1 tablespoon brown rice syrup
  • 1 teaspoon mixed spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds

Method

  • Cook the Freekeh – (rinse well and bring to the boil, simmer for 15 – 20 mins until tender, then drain)
  • Peel and chop one of the oranges, and put into a blender with the brown rice syrup and 5 dates. Blend well.
  • Put the Freekeh in a bowl and add the blended mixture.
  • Then add the orange zest, the other orange (peeled and cut into small cubes), 2 dates (chopped) the spices and the chia seeds.
  • Either leave overnight and reheat – or eat immediately.

 

 

Maple Apples with Cashew cream

This definitely brightened up a dull Monday and was really filling too.  It’s based on an original recipe from Dishing up the Dirt (who do some fantastic stuff – worth checking them out on Facebook).  I love hot apples in winter – I like using normal dessert apples rather than cooking apples for this dish, as I find the dessert ones hold their shape rather than going to mush (although I do like mush too!).

You can make the cashew cream in advance and then just fry up the apples in the morning.

Maple Apples with Cashew cream

maple-apple-and-cashew

Cashew Cream (enough for 2-3 portions)

  • Soak 100g cashews in water for at least 30mins ( I soaked mine overnight)
  • 50ml almond milk
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons maple syrup
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Drain the cashews and blend with the other ingredients to form a thick cream. Keep in the fridge.  This makes enough for 2 – 3 portions.

Maple Apple (serves one)

  • 1 dessert apple – keep the skin on and cut into chunks
  • 1 teaspoon walnut oil (or coconut oil)
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup
  • 20g walnuts – broken up
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin seeds
  • sprinkle of cinnamon
  • Small grating of nutmeg

Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the apple.  Cook for 5 minutes – the apple will be tender.

Add the walnuts, pumpkin seeds, maple syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg – toss well and cook for a further 2 minutes.  Keep tossing the pan to get everything nicely coated.

Serve warm with the cashew cream