Amazing stewed orchard fruit & jam - apples & pears, bay, orange & vanilla
Fruit ice lollies - loads of super-fun inspiration
CHOCOLATE PORRIDGE GREEK YOGHURT & FRESH SEASONAL FRUIT
Quality cocoa powder creates a luxurious feeling of comforting chocolaty goodness here, but without all the sugar and saturated fat we’d get from actually adding chocolate to the mix
Toast the hazelnuts in a dry pan on a medium heat until golden, tossing often, then tip into a food processor. Tear the stones out of the dates and add the flesh to the processor with half the oats, the vanilla extract and cocoa powder. Finely grate in the orange zest and pulse until fine, then stir the mixture back through the rest of the oats. Pour into an airtight jar, ready to use.
When you want a portion, simply put 65g of the mixture into a saucepan with the coconut water and heat gently over a medium-low heat for 3 minutes, or until it’s the consistency that you like, stirring regularly and adding splashes of water to loosen, if needed. Serve each portion with a spoonful of Greek yoghurt and 80g of fresh fruit. It’s also nice finished with a pinch of cinnamon or a dusting of cocoa, if you like. And remember, if you up the number of portions you’re cooking at one time, simply adjust the cooking time accordingly. Chocolate porridge – how cool is that!
Get ahead & batch it up
Make up a batch of this dry porridge mixture and it’ll keep happily for up to 2 weeks, making your brekkie routine super-easy.
BRILLIANT BOILED EGG - BRITISH STYLE
Eating eggs is a super-easy way to boost our nutrient intake – they contain high-quality protein, and a nice wide range of essential vitamins, minerals and trace elements
SERVES 1 | 10 MINUTES
Rinse and soft-boil 1 large egg in a pan of bubbling water on a medium-high heat for 5½ minutes, also blanching 150g of trimmed large asparagus spears. Meanwhile, toast 1 slice of wholemeal bread (50g) and cut into soldiers. Drain the asparagus, toss with 1 teaspoon of light cream cheese, then pile on to the toast and finely grate over the tiniest amount of Parmesan cheese. Slice the top off the egg and tuck in.
BRILLIANT BOILED EGG - INDIAN STYLE
Eating eggs is a super-easy way to boost our nutrient intake – they contain high-quality protein, a wide range of essential vitamins, minerals and trace elements, and are low in fat
SERVES 1 | 10 MINUTES
Soft-boil 1 large egg in a pan of bubbling water on a medium-high heat for 5½ minutes. Meanwhile, spread 1 teaspoon of jalfrezi curry paste over 1 wholewheat chapatti, sprinkle with 1 pinch of sesame seeds and toast in a dry frying pan on both sides, then cut into triangles. Wash and halve 80g of small heritage carrots, and dress with a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve with 1 tablespoon of natural yoghurt swirled with hot chilli sauce. Slice the top off the egg and tuck in.
BRILLIANT BOILED EGG - MEXICAN STYLE
Eating eggs is a super-easy way to boost our nutrient intake – they contain high-quality protein, a wide range of essential vitamins, minerals and trace elements, and are low in fat
SERVES 1 | 10 MINUTES
Soft-boil 1 large egg in a pan of bubbling water on a medium-high heat for 5½ minutes. Meanwhile, dice ¼ of a ripe avocado and 75g of ripe cherry tomatoes, and dress with a squeeze of lime juice and a few fresh coriander leaves. Toast 1 corn tortilla, cut into triangles and sprinkle over the veg with 1 heaped teaspoon of cottage cheese and a drizzle of hot chilli sauce. Slice the top off the egg and tuck in.
BRILLIANT BOILED EGG - SPANISH STYLE
Eating eggs is a super-easy way to boost our nutrient intake – they contain high-quality protein, a wide range of essential vitamins, minerals and trace elements, and are low in fat
SERVES 1 | 10 MINUTES
Soft-boil 1 large egg in a pan of bubbling water on a medium-high heat for 5½ minutes. Meanwhile, toast 1 slice of wholemeal bread (50g) and lightly rub one side with the cut side of ½ a clove of garlic. Squash in 3 halved ripe cherry tomatoes, sprinkle with 1 pinch of dried oregano, finely grate over 5g of Manchego cheese and toast cheese-side down in a dry frying pan. Char 1 large peeled roasted red pepper alongside it. Slice the top off the egg and tuck in.
Beautiful blueberries add a vibrant pop of colour to these tasty homemade doughnuts, while also giving us a vitamin C boost, helping us absorb the iron found in both flours
Tear the stones out of the dates and place the flesh in a food processor with the flours, ground almonds, egg, a tiny pinch of sea salt and 70ml of water. Blitz until combined and forming a ball of dough, then roughly knead on a clean flour-dusted surface for just 2 minutes. Roll out the dough 1.5cm thick, then use an 8cm cutter (or a pint glass) to cut out two rounds. Use a 3cm cutter (or the end of a clingfilm roll!) to cut a hole in the centre of each one, then use those centre bits and the remaining cut-offs of dough to roll it out again, repeating the process until you have four doughnuts in total.
Simmer the doughnuts in a large pan of gently boiling water for 5 minutes, very carefully turning them over halfway through. Place a large frying pan on a medium heat with 1 tablespoon of oil. Drain the doughnuts well, then carefully transfer them to the frying pan to get golden for 10 minutes, turning regularly to build up a nice crust. Once looking good, add the blueberries to the pan, then drizzle over the honey. Jiggle and shake the pan over the heat for a couple of minutes, using a spoon to keep turning the doughnuts in all that lovely jammy blueberry juice. When it looks nice and shiny and the doughnuts are purple, ripple the yoghurt through the pan and divide between your plates. Nice with a sprinkling of cinnamon, to finish.
Spinach is a brilliant ingredient to embrace at breakfast time – it’s super-high in vitamin K, which we need to keep our bones strong and healthy. Popeye knew what he was doing!
Preheat the grill to high. Lay the tomato vines in a large baking tray, prick each tomato with the tip of a sharp knife and grill for 4 minutes, then add the bread to the tray to toast on both sides. Meanwhile, crack 1 egg into a blender, add the ham, spinach, a good pinch of black pepper and the milk and blitz until smooth. Take the tray from under the grill and divide the green eggy mixture between the four pieces of toast, spreading it right out to the edges. Divide and dot over the cottage cheese, then pop back under the grill for another 4 minutes, or until starting to brown at the edges.
Meanwhile, dry fry the remaining 2 eggs in a non-stick frying pan on a medium heat, covering the pan with a lid to steam and coddle the eggs on the top – cook to your liking. Divide up the Popeye bread and serve each portion with an egg and half the grilled tomatoes. I like to finish with just a few drips of good oil, and a drizzle of chilli sauce for a bit of a kick. Crush the tomatoes, tear up the bread, bust up the egg yolk and devour.
HEALTHY BALANCED BREAKFAST SMOOTHIES - SUPER PURPLE
These tasty smoothies give us a total balanced brekkie, all in one nice, big glass. Each combo guarantees we’re getting a portion of fruit or veg, plus some fibre from the wholegrains
SERVES 1 | 10 MINUTES
Squeeze the juice from 1 orange into a blender, add ½ a ripe pear, 80g of fresh or frozen blackberries, 30g of porridge oats, 200ml of almond milk, 1 tablespoon of sunflower seeds, 1 pinch of fennel seeds and 1 handful of ice cubes. Blitz until smooth, loosening with splashes of water until you get the perfect drinkable consistency. Pour into a big glass or decant into a bottle and enjoy.
HEALTHY BALANCED BREAKFAST SMOOTHIES - SUPER CREAMY
These tasty smoothies give us a total balanced brekkie, all in one nice, big glass. Each combo guarantees we’re getting a portion of fruit or veg, plus some fibre from the wholegrains
SERVES 1 | 10 MINUTES
Peel 1 ripe banana and place in a blender with 1 slice of soft brown bread (50g), 100ml of semi-skimmed milk, 1 heaped teaspoon of peanut butter, ½ a teaspoon of ground cinnamon and 1 handful of ice cubes. Blitz until smooth, loosening with splashes of water until you get the perfect drinkable consistency. Pour into a big glass or decant into a bottle and enjoy. Nice with an extra pinch of cinnamon, to finish.
HEALTHY BALANCED BREAKFAST SMOOTHIES - SUPER CHOC
These tasty smoothies give us a total balanced brekkie, all in one nice, big glass. Each combo guarantees we’re getting a portion of fruit or veg, plus some fibre from the wholegrains
SERVES 1 | 10 MINUTES
Peel and destone ½ a ripe avocado and place in a blender with 30g of porridge oats, 100ml of semi-skimmed milk, 30g of Medjool dates(destoned), 1 heaped teaspoon each of quality cocoa powder and ground almonds, and 1 handful of ice cubes. Blitz until smooth, loosening with splashes of water until you get the perfect drinkable consistency. Pour into a big glass or decant into a bottle and enjoy.
HEALTHY BALANCED BREAKFAST SMOOTHIES - SUPER GREEN
These tasty smoothies give us a total balanced brekkie, all in one nice, big glass. Each combo guarantees we’re getting a portion of fruit or veg, plus some fibre from the wholegrains
SERVES 1 | 10 MINUTES
Peel ½ a ripe banana and place in a blender with ½ an apple, 40g of baby spinach, 30g of porridge oats, 150ml of semi-skimmed milk, 1 tablespoon of almond butter (or you can swap in your favourite nut butter) and 1 handful of ice cubes. Blitz until smooth, loosening with splashes of water until you get the perfect drinkable consistency. Pour into a big glass or decant into a bottle and enjoy.
STRAWBERRY BUCKWHEAT PANCAKES GREEK YOGHURT & ROSEMARY MAPLE SYRUP
This super-tasty pancake batter is perfect for vegans, plus buckwheat flour contains the mineral manganese, which we need to keep all our connective tissue strong and healthy
Pour the milk into a blender with the vanilla extract, almonds, flours and baking powder. Peel and add the banana, then blitz until smooth. Place a large non-stick frying pan on a medium heat. Once hot, for each portion of two pancakes add 1 teaspoon of oil to the pan with 3 tablespoons of batter per pancake. Push some sliced strawberries or whole berries into the batter, then cook for 4 minutes, or until nicely golden on the bottom (the first pancakes are always slightly awkward as you’re adjusting your temperature control). Flip over, apply a little pressure with a fish slice and cook for 2 minutes, or until golden on the other side, then transfer to a plate, fruit side up. Wipe out the pan with a ball of kitchen paper and repeat the process.
Stick the sprig of rosemary into the maple syrup bottle and use it to lightly brush syrup over the hot pancakes. Top each portion with a dollop of yoghurt and serve with extra berries on the side.
Get ahead
This batter will sit happily in the fridge, so make it the day before, or, if you’re cooking for fewer than four, simply make up the whole batch to do you for a couple of days.
MAGIC POACHED EGGS - TRUFFLED MUSHROOM
Brilliant, bright egg yolks are high in vitamin D, something we lack in the winter months when we’re less exposed to sunlight, and which our muscles need to function properly
SERVES 1 | 10 MINUTES
Lay a 40cm sheet of non-PVC clingfilm flat on a work surface and rub with a little truffle oil. Finely slice 1 chestnut mushroom and arrange in the centre of the sheet, then carefully crack 1 large egg on top. Pull in the sides of the clingfilm and – very important – gently squeeze out any air around the egg. Twist, then tie a knot in the clingfilm to secure the egg snugly inside. Poach the parcel in a pan of simmering water for 6 to 7 minutes for soft-poached, or until cooked to your liking. Place a colander or bamboo steamer above the pan and wilt 80g of spinach as the egg poaches. Meanwhile, toast 1 thick slice of seeded wholemeal bread (50g) and spread 1 heaped teaspoon of cream cheese on it like butter. Squeeze any excess liquid out of the spinach, then spoon over the toast. Snip open the clingfilm parcel, unwrap the egg, place proudly on top, season and tuck in.
MAGIC POACHED EGGS - HERBY SMOKED SALMON
Brilliant, bright egg yolks are high in vitamin D, something we lack in the winter months when we’re less exposed to sunlight, and which our muscles need to function properly
SERVES 1 | 10 MINUTES
Lay a 40cm sheet of non-PVC clingfilm flat on a work surface and rub with a little extra virgin olive oil. Finely chop some fresh chives and sprinkle in the centre of the sheet, then slice and lay over 10g of smoked salmon and carefully crack 1 large egg on top. Pull in the sides of the clingfilm and – very important – gently squeeze out any air around the egg. Twist, then tie a knot in the clingfilm to secure the egg snugly inside. Poach the parcel in a pan of simmering water for 6 to 7 minutes for soft-poached, or until cooked to your liking. Place a colander or bamboo steamer above the pan and wilt 80g of spinach as the egg poaches. Meanwhile, toast 1 thick slice of seeded wholemeal bread (50g)and spread 1 heaped teaspoon of cream cheese on it like butter. Squeeze any excess liquid out of the spinach, then spoon over the toast. Snip open the clingfilm parcel, unwrap the egg and place proudly on top. Serve with awedge of lemon for squeezing over, then season and tuck in.
Juicy, super-ripe, sweet pineapple is a great source of the mineral manganese, which is one of the nutrients our bodies need in order to keep our metabolic systems nice and healthy
Toast the cashews in a large non-stick frying pan on a medium heat until lightly golden, add the coconut for just 30 seconds, then tip both into a pestle and mortar and lightly crush. Trim the ends off the pineapple, cut off the skin, quarter it lengthways and cut away the core. Chop the flesh into 1cm slices. Return the dry pan to a medium-high heat and cook the pineapple for 5 to 10 minutes, or until caramelized, tossing regularly, then remove to a warm plate.
Meanwhile, crush the cardamom pods, putting just the inner seeds into a blender with the flour, milk, egg, vanilla extract, cinnamon and a tiny pinch of sea salt. Blitz until smooth. Drizzle a little oil into the empty pineapple pan, then carefully wipe it around and out with a ball of kitchen paper. Add just enough batter to lightly cover the base of the pan, cook until golden on both sides, then remove to a second plate. Repeat the process, stacking up the pancakes as you go and covering with a tea towel to keep warm.
Either make up individual portions, or do a sharing platter for the middle of the table. Randomly tear, fold and layer up the pancakes with the caramelized pineapple, spoonfuls of yoghurt and sprinklings of crushed cashews and coconut. Repeat until you’ve used up all the ingredients, then finely grate over the lime zest. Nice served with a drizzle of honey, if you fancy.
ENGLISH BREAKFAST FRITTATA BACON, MUSHROOMS, SPUDS & TOMATOES
Eggs act as the binder to bring together all our favourite brekkie ingredients here, plus they’re super-high in protein, which we need for growth and repair, so this is a great post-gym go-to
Preheat the grill to high. Wipe the mushrooms clean and chop in half. Halve the tomatoes. Arrange the mushrooms and tomatoes cut-side up in a tray and grill for 6 to 8 minutes, to get nice and golden on that side only – keep an eye on them (dry grilling mushrooms really brings out their incredible nutty flavour). Toast the bread alongside until golden, then remove it all.
Meanwhile, coarsely grate the potatoes in nice long strokes and sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt to help draw out any excess liquid. Finely chop the bacon and pick the rosemary leaves. Place a 26cm non-stick ovenproof frying pan on a medium heat with 2 teaspoons of oil. Fry the bacon and rosemary leaves for 2 minutes, or until golden. Squeeze any excess liquid out of the grated potato, stir into the pan and cook for 5 minutes, or until golden, stirring regularly.
Pile the spinach into the pan and tear in the toast in chunks, then add the mushrooms and tomatoes. Use tongs to gently toss and mix it all together until the spinach has wilted. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat the eggs with the finely grated Parmesan and a pinch of black pepper. Once the spinach has wilted, pour the contents of the pan into the bowl of eggs and gently fold together. Pour back into the pan, then transfer to the grill for 5 minutes, or until cooked to your liking. Slide on to a board, cut into wedges and serve.
ROASTED STONE FRUIT COCONUT, DATE & OAT CRUMBLE
Two of our crumble ingredients here – mighty oats and beautifully sweet dates – are super-high in fibre, helping to keep our guts healthy and happy, and keeping us regular!
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Halve the oranges and squeeze all the juice into a large roasting dish with the balsamic. Halve the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape out the seeds, then add both pod and seeds to the dish. Grate in the strawberries, mix together, and pop into the oven to warm through while you prep your crumble and fruit.
For the crumble, tear the stones out of the dates and place the flesh in a food processor with the oats, coconut flakes, 1 tablespoon of oil and 130ml of water, then blitz into a crumble. Pour into a roasting tray or dish (30cm x 40cm) and spread out into an even layer. Wash all the fruit, then halve or quarter, removing the stones as you go. Pull the dish of warm, delicious juices out of the oven and gently stir in all the fruit. Return to the top shelf of the oven, place the crumble on the shelf underneath, and cook for 45 minutes, or until the fruit is soft and sticky and the crumble is nicely golden. Stir the crumble occasionally as it cooks to break it up and give it a nice even colour.
Serve up however many portions you want while it’s all warm, adding 1 tablespoon of yoghurt to each one. Once cool, decant the rest of the crumble portions into an airtight jar to enjoy in the days that follow, and pop the fruit into the fridge, where it will keep happily for up to 5 days.
Comforting chickpeas add great taste and texture in this brekkie, plus they’re high in folic acid, a B vitamin we need for psychological function, basically allowing us to think properly!
In a bowl, whisk the yeast into 250ml of lukewarm water, then gradually whisk in the flour and a pinch of sea salt until smooth. Put aside. Place a frying pan on a medium heat with 1 teaspoon of oil and the curry paste. Finely slice half the chilli and just the top green halves of the spring onions and add to the pan. Cook and stir for 5 minutes, then add the chickpeas (juice and all), and the spinach. Bring to the boil, then simmer on a low heat until needed.
To make the salsa, trim and finely slice the whites of the spring onions, along with the remaining chilli, and place in a bowl. Peel and finely grate in the ginger. Quarter and deseed the tomatoes, then finely dice and add the flesh to the bowl. Finely grate over the lime zest, squeeze in the juice, add the coconut and coriander leaves and mix well, then taste and season to perfection.
For the pancakes, place a small non-stick frying pan on a medium heat, drizzle with a little oil, then carefully wipe it around and out with a ball of kitchen paper. Stirring your batter well each time, add a quarter to the pan, swiftly swirling it around and up the sides to create extra crispy bits. Cook for about 5 minutes on the underside only, until dark golden – have faith, and when it’s coloured, use a spatula to ease it away from the sides and slide it out. Repeat with the remaining batter, and just before you start the last pancake, poach the eggs to your liking in a large pan of simmering water.
Serve each pancake with a spoonful of curried chickpeas and coconut salsa, a dollop of yoghurt, and with a poached egg sitting proudly on top.
Packed with all sorts of goodness, oats contain beta-glucans, a type of fibre which helps to keep our cholesterol levels in check, in turn helping to protect us against heart disease
Crush the cardamom pods, putting just the inner seeds in a food processor with the flaxseeds, 1 pinch of the turmeric, the cinnamon, peeled ginger, peanut butter and half the oats, then pulse until fine. Add the milk, yoghurt and lime juice, peel and tear in the banana, then add the frozen mango and blitz until well combined. Decant into a bowl, stir in the remaining oats and the coconut, then cover and place in the fridge to soak overnight.
To make the crunchy sprinkle, toast the pistachios and fennel seeds for 1 minute in a non-stick frying pan on a medium heat. Turn the heat off and once cool, lightly crush with the end of a rolling pin, mixing in the remaining turmeric. Remove however many portions of Bircher you want to serve up, and loosen to your desired consistency with a little extra milk, if needed. Divide between your bowls, sprinkle some pistachio crunch in the centre and tuck in. Any leftovers will keep happily in the fridge for up to 2 days.
AVOCADO ON RYE TOAST LOADS OF INSPIRATION – PART 1
I’m told that in the UK avocados are now more popular than oranges! This breakfast favourite is a source of vitamin E, which acts as an antioxidant, helping to protect our cells
EACH COMBO SERVES 1
1. Spread 1 heaped teaspoon of light cream cheese over 1 x 75g slice of rye bread or toast, then sprinkle over 1 teaspoon of mixed seeds. Cut ½ a ripe avocado into thin wedges and arrange on top, squeeze over a little lemon juice, season to taste and drizzle with , then finely slice and scatter over , to taste.
