BREAKFAST
Breakfast is considered to be the most important meal of the day. It kick starts our metabolism and give us much needed nutrients and energy enabling us to face the day ahead. Often people complain that they don't have time to eat or they don't feel like eating so early in the morning. This section contains a range of idea's for yummy but healthy breakfasts some being easy to grab whilst other's easy on the tummy.
Smoothies
Are a brilliant way of introducing more fruit and veg into your diet. They are reasonably easy to make providing you have a blender and the possibilities for flavours are endless. Experimenting is brilliant fun and the more random the combo the better!
Chocolate milk with a difference!
For this smoothie you will need:
- 50gms of Chocolate (White, Milk or Dark)
- 250ml of milk
- 7 large strawberries
Melt chocolate either in microwave or on the hob with half of the milk. When melted add the other half of the milk (already warmed), add milk/chocolate and strawberries to Blender. This is a yummy 'smoothie' warming and calming whilst full of essential calcium.
Citrus Smoothie
For this smoothie you will need:
- 2 Kiwi Fruit
- 1 grapefruit + 1 blood grapefruit
- 2 limes
- 250g natural bio yoghurt
- 6-8 ice cubes
Quarter the kiwis and limes. Peel the grapefruits. Pour the yoghurt into a blender. Put the rest of the fruit into the blender along with the ice cubes. Mix it all up to smoothie consistency; this should take about 30 seconds. Turn the blender on to help ease out the smoothie as you pour it into a glass. This tangy smoothie is jammed packed with Vitamin C helping us to fight of infections.
Honeyed Nana’s
For this smoothie you will need:
- 1 Banana
- 1 Tablespoon of Honey
- Half a Cup of Oats
- Half a Cup of Plain Yogurt
- 1 Cup of Milk
Chop the Banana and place in the blender along with the cup of Milk. Set at a low speed and leave to blend for 30 seconds. Add the tablespoon of Honey and the Oats to the mix and blend for 45 seconds or so. The Honey is thick and binding, so distributing it around the mix will require a little longer. Lastly add the Plain Yogurt to thicken, and mix for another 30 seconds. Again chop and change ingredients until you have got your ideal mix. This smoothie is full of goodies with potassium from the banana, Calcium from the milk and yogurt and the oats will help give you energy to get us through to our next meal/snack.
Mango Protein Smoothie
For this smoothie you will need:
- 1 Mango
- 1 Banana
- 40g Cooked Oats
- 1 Scoop Unflavored Protien Powder (optional)
Chop the Mango and Banana and place in blender with the cooked oats and the protien powder. A filling smoothie that tastes fruity whilst giving you an energy boost.
Morning Crunch
For this smoothie you will need:- 1 Banana
- Handful of Blackberries
- 2-5 Strawberries
- Half a Cup of any Oat based Cereal
- 1 Cup of Milk
Chop the Banana and place them in the blender along with the cup of Milk. Select a few Strawberries and wash them with water, removing the leaves attached if not already done so. Grab a handful of Blackberries and put both of these fruits in a cup. Check to see that the Banana and Milk have mixed nicely together with minimal chunks left in the mixture. Add the cup of Fruits to the Blender and set again at a low speed. The mixture should almost immediately turn a light Pink shade. Pour out half a cup of your favourite Breakfast Oat-based Cereal. Place on a low speed (this will mix the ingredients around as well as chop them). Go and get a glass, this will be around a Pint size mix. Once you have done that, switch the speed of the Blender up progressively, counting 10 seconds on each speed. Stop and check the mixture is nice and smooth, it will be thicker now the Oats are in. The cereal in this give energy whilst the fruit and milk makes it taste yummy.
Orange Smoothie
For this smoothie you will need:
- 1 orange
- 1 banana
- 1 apple (peeled and cored)
- 2-3 tbsp's orange juice concentrate
- Ice cubes and water for texture
Cut all fruit into small chunks, place in blender. Next add water and orange juice concentrate, then blend for approx 20-30 seconds add ice as needed. This is full of vitamin c and is a great drink to have on the go.
Raspberry Surprise
For this smoothie you will need:
- 150ml raspberry yogurt
- 75ml natural yogurt
- 50ml milk
- 50g frozen raspberries
- 2 pears peeled, cored and chopped
Blend all ingredients for 30 seconds until smooth, keeping a little of the natural yogurt aside to dribble on top of your finished smoothie. Rasberries are full of natural goodness, taste great and the yogurts and milks boost our calcium intake.
An Oldie but a Goodie! (Strawberry and Banana’s)
For this smoothie you will need:
- 1 large banana
- 13 strawberries
- 1 handful of grapes
- 1/2 cup of apple juice (or an apple and some water)
- 1 Handful of icecubes
Prepare fruits as normal. Mix until you reach smoothie consistency
Change it around to give yourself different flavours and consistancies add new fruit or add yoghurt for a creamier consistancy or add oats anything and everything go! A popular smoothie due to it's scrummy taste packed full of fruit to give us some much needed vitamins.
Cereals
A bowl of cereal is now a traditional breakfast dish within the western world. There are numerous products to purchase but here are a range of recipes that you can make yourself all of them yummy and healthy some take longer to make than others.
Overnight Oats (Bircher Muesli)
- Oats
- Milk, apple juice or lemon juice or milk
- Yoghurt - plain or flavoured.
- Other fresh fruit (berries, bananas, pears, nectarines, plums, peaches, blueberries, apples)
- Dried fruit, esp. figs (these are VERY good) or apricots
- Nuts
- Soak oats/other grains in apple juice and a few squeezes of lemon juice, OR milk overnight, or at least for an hour or so. Don't put too much liquid in, just enough to make it quite moist. then cover and leave.
- Next morning, take out the bowl and stir it all up.
- Add yoghurt to taste - I like it to be firm but sloppy!
- Add fruit and/or chopped nuts. Stir it in to mix the fruit up but be careful to not destroy the fresh fruit
This is my Mum's favourite breakfast and the possibilities for mixtures are endless:- Apples, Cinamon and Raisins, Chocolate sauce, Nuts and Banana's, Raspberry Coulis and a mix of berries. It is full of slow releasing carbs, protein and with the mix of fruits and nuts in it is packed full of essential vitamins and minerals all designed to make us look fab and feel great.
Muesli
- 115g rolled oats
- 30g dried apricots
- 30g dried prunes
- 30g chopped apples
- 1 tablespoon raisins or sultanas
- 1 tablespoon chopped dates
- 2 tablespoons chopped toasted almonds, hazelnuts or pecans
- 2 tablespoons wheatgerm
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Mix all the dry ingredients together and store in an airtight container - when ready to serve add the fresh ingredients and add milk/yoghurt to taste :) This is a yummy easy breakfast packed full of healthy nutrients - Natural grain, nuts and fruit fight with each other to provide you with everything you need in terms of carbohydrate, fibre, vitamins and minerals. Then combined with the protein in milk and yoghurt, you have a complete, balanced meal.
Porridge
- 50g porridge oats
- 100ml semi-skimmed milk
- Pinch of salt
- Extra milk to serve
Choice of toppings: toasted nuts and seeds with golden syrup, bananas and maple syrup, stewed fruits - eg. plums, chocolate pieces, oranges, honey
Place the oats, milk, 150ml water and salt into a pan bringing it slowly to the boil, stirring frequently till it is ready. Then pour into warm bowls add extra milk and then add the topping of your choice. This is a yummy meal perfect for the winter mornings and with the numerous toppings available you can pick and choose! A bowl of porridge is a balanced meal full of essential goodies.
Raisin Nut Cereal Bars
- 1/4 cup margarine or butter
- 3 cups mini marshmallows
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 5 1/2 cups Raisin Bran Cereal with nuts
Heat the margarine or butter, marshmallows and cinnamonover low heat stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and add the cereal - stir until this is thouroughly coated. Put into a baking tray and wait till it is cooled at which point cut into individual bars
Muesli Bars
- 65g low fat margarine
- 160ml honey
- 50g brown sugar
- 130g wholemeal flour
- 200g rolled oats
- 100g sunflower seeds
- 160g chopped dried apricots, dates and raisins mixed
- 50g chopped nuts (walnuts/pecans)
- 25g sesame seeds
Turn on the oven to 350F/180C/Gas Mk 4. In a small saucepan melt the margarine over a low heat. Add the honey and sugar, stir and bring to the boil. Simmer for five minutes then take off the heat leaving it to cool for a little bit.
In a large bowl combine the rolled oats, flour, sunflower seeds, dried fruit, nuts and sesame seeds. Gradually stir in the sugar mixture and firmly press into a greased baking dish. Put Pan in oven for 25 minutes or until golden. Once cooled cut into bars.
Other Choices
One of the best things about breakfast is how varied it can be from the traditional fry up to the healthy bowl of fruits to a full meal and even cold pizza! This section looks at some of these 'alternative' choices.
Greek Yoghurt
Plain natural yoghurt is a versatile food that is full of calcium and protein, numerous additions can be made to it depending on your taste preferences.
Here are some suggestions:
Cereal- I love rice crispies with chocolate sauce, muesli and fruit and fibre are yummy to.
Stewed fruits are a great addition to the yoghurt the sharpness of this mixes brilliantly with the sweetness of the fruit
Honey is highly simple but is a traditional accompaniment
Fruit Purees are a fab way of increasing your intake of fruit I love apple puree mixed with it.
Chocolate sauce and nuts is a brilliant mix for the chocoholics amongst us - the nuts giving great 'brain food'
Fresh fruit a yummy mix that complements each other
Eggs
Are a brilliant source of protein as well as containing essential vitamins A, D, E, and B group as well as minerals iron, phosphorus and zinc. They can be cooked in a range of ways and there is a short list below:
Boiled Egg
- 1 egg
- Water for boiling
- Pinch of salt
- Buttered toast cut into soldiers to serve (optional)
Place egg in a small pan. Cover with at least 2.5cm (1") of cold water, add a pinch of salt and place the pan on a high heat. When the water is almost boiling, set a kitchen timer depending on how you like your yolk -
3 minutes for really soft boiled yolk and set white
4 minutes for slightly set yolk and set white
5 minutes for firmer yolk and white
6 minutes for hard boiled with lightly soft yolk
7 minutes for firmly hard boiled
Reduce heat slightly to keep water bubbling but not fast boiling. Once the timer goes off serve with the 'soldiers'
Poached Egg
- 1 egg
- Water for boiling
- Pinch of salt
- Dash of vinegar
- Warmed, buttered muffin or toast to serve (optional)
Fill a large pan with water. Add a pinch of salt and a dash of vinegar to help set the egg. Bring the water to a gentle boil. Crack the egg into a bowl and then place the egg into the water. Set a kitchen timer for one of the timings below:
3 minutes for a completely runny egg yolk
4 minutes for a slightly set yolk with a runny middle
5 minutes for a firm egg yolk
When the cooking time is complete, carefully remove from the boiling water using a slotted spoon and place on kitchen paper to drain. Serve on a warmed, buttered muffin or slice of buttered toast.
- 2 eggs
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp milk (optional)
- butter
Gently beat the eggs together with salt and pepper. Add 2 tbsps of milk to the eggs for a softer result. melt butter in saucepan over a medium heat. When sizzling, add the egg mixture and stir with a wooden spoon. Continuosly stir the eggs for 1-2 minutes, scraping the egg off the base of the pan as it sets. When most of the egg has set, remove the pan from the heat and continue to stir for 30 seconds until fully scrambled. For a special treat why not have it with smoked salmon.
Omelettes
- 2 eggs
- Pinch salt and pepper
- Butter
Gently beat the eggs together with salt, pepper. Warm a medium frying pan over a high heat and melt butter. Pour the egg mixture into the centre of the pan and cook over a high heat for 1-2 minutes. As the egg begins to set, use a spatula to push the set egg towards the omelette centre. Continue this action until the entire egg mixture is set. Loosen the edges with a spatula and fold the omelette in half. Put onto a plate and eat!
As the egg starts to set you can add a range of toppings such as cheese, mushrooms, peppers, ham, tomatos. |
