EASY BUT SPECIAL

These days I have so little time to potter in the kitchen, I want to get maximum bang for a minimum time buck (I have a feeling I'm sounding a bit like Jamie Oliver here!!!).  This french toast gives me bang (well great taste really) by the bucketload - it's a Nigella recipe, from Express, and I can't understand why it has taken me so long to try it - I suppose it looked just a bit too easy to bother with.

It is hard to imagine how the addition of just one ingredient can transform an old regular - but man oh man, one teaspoon of vanilla paste (or extract) makes all the difference, this is a "special treat breakfast", a "cheer me up supper", a "I don't have the energy to make a proper meal, but still want to serve something healthy meal", and this time of the year, it really is the perfect "I am so tired of heavy meals and chocolates option".

I love to serve the toast with berries, fresh or frozen depending on budget and time of year, but I always serve it with Glenisk Greek Yogurt (and I should admit much more than I used in the photo, I thought I shouldn't look like too much of a piggie!!).  I know I've mentioned this product before (and I'm not on their payroll) but it is so worth a try - it is thick, creamy and utterly delicious.


French Toast To Be Proud Of

2          eggs
2 tbsp   whole milk
2           slices of bread, it's best to use thickly sliced bread which is slightly stale
2 tsp      vanilla paste (I love this stuff, but 4 tsp vanilla extract would be excellent too)
1 tbsp    caster sugar
              butter and oil for frying

Beat the eggs with the vanilla.
Soak the bread in the egg mixture, allow to absorb it all.
Heat a knob of butter with some flavourless oil.
Fry until golden.
Sprinkle with the sugar (Nigella dredges the toast in sugar at this stage, but that would be too sweet for me)

The perfect treat for two people.

Enjoy.

ALL LOVED UP!

It's that time of year again - and I was trying to remember my most romantic meal.  Hands down it has to be breakfast in bed, the fact that your loved one is willing to leave the warm nest extra early to make you feel cherished - what can be better??

What foods do I associate with romance? Chocolate, berries, cream and for some strange reason lavender (go figure!!) all come to mind.  I decided to stick with the first three on my list (and actually replaced the cream (not so good first thing) with some luscious greek yogurt.  So how do I get my chocolate fix at breakfast time?  Well I'm perfectly capable of diving into a chocolate cake at any time of the day or night, but I imagine that there are more normal people than me out there (?),  so I decided to experiment with my favourite pancakes; I added some cocoa powder to the batter (yuk!), then some chocolate chips went in (see the hardships I go through?!) but the texture wasn't wonderful, then the trusty Nutella came out - and yummmmmm, perhaps not the prettiest thing to come out of the kitchen, but man oh man were they delicious!  And how romantic to delicately nibble (yeah right) some chocolate pancakes, oozing with creamy yogurt and tangy raspberries - just a pity you have to get up and bring the kids to school!

I am of course linking this with the lovely Kate and Karen's Tea Time Treats Challenge because pancakes aren't just for breakfast!!

Loved Up Pancakes

Make up one batch of this pancake batter
Add one large tbsp of Nutella (I had to heat mine, the kitchen was very chilly that early in the morning!)
Fry in butter.
Cut into heart shapes, if you are so inclined.
Serve with a dollop of greek yogurt and your favourite berries.
If it's not a driving day throw a bottle of fizz in there too :-)))


Happy St. Valentine's Day.

START THE DAY THE RIGHT WAY!

As I have said before - I spend my life either on a diet or breaking a diet (and the latter seems to be winning at the moment!!!).  But I think that if you start off with something healthy, filling and tasty, you are giving yourself the option of being good for the rest of the day!!!!

Kim, who writes a wonderful blog called Stirring the Pot, wrote about a Banana & Vanilla Milkshake some time ago, and there is a reason why she was so enthusiastic about it - it is delicious!  This is my version:

Banana and Vanilla Milk Shake

1            Frozen Banana*
3            Ice Cubes
1/2 tsp   Vanilla
1 cup      Fat Free Milk
1 tsp       Honey*


Blitz!


I have tried a few variations on the theme (the biggest disaster was adding a spoon of coffee powder - yuk!), but I think that this is the best (and easiest) version.

*If the banana is very ripe, you might not need the honey.

Continuing on the theme, in the new Leon Cookbook there is a recipe for a Carrot, Orange and Ginger Juice - not rocket science perhaps, but a fantastic combination of flavours (that I wouldn't have come up with) that for some strange reason, really, really fills you up! (and they say is a great cold-buster too - Happy Days!)

Carrot, Orange and Ginger Juice.

3      Carrots
1      Orange
1      Piece Ginger (thumb nail size)

Juice the carrots - if you don't have a juicer  (and I wouldn't blame you, they are a killer to clean) just use juice from a carton
Juice the ginger (or grate)
Juice the orange and add to the carrot and ginger juice, stir and enjoy.

MOVE OVER COCOA POPS!!!

During the school/work week I normally prepare a hot breakfast for my darlings (!) but I feel weekends are about R&R and cooked breakfasts are not an option (other than the odd lazy brunch).  Son #2 has recently joined a new soccer team that can require quite early Sunday morning starts, and I wanted to have something nutritious and filling available (which would still allow me/us to milk every last second of lie-in time!!!).

Brownieville Boy (!?!) has a slight massive chocolate addiction, so I reckoned that if I sneaked some healthy ingredients in with some chocolate I'd be onto a winner!!  Then when I saw that this month's We Should Cocoa Challenge was to prepare something with both chocolate and hazelnuts, I clicked !  What would a cocoa and hazelnut granola taste like????  What about making a granola, chock full of healthy seeds and nuts, flavouring it with cocoa and then adding some small chocolate chunks? He'd have his chocolate hit, and also the slow release carbs to fuel his exploits on the pitch.  Would I create the next (much better looking!!) Wayne Rooney? Would it taste good?  Will Trappatoni (Irish Football Manager) come calling???

The granola is actually really good - I have made a couple of batches, and have discovered that if I make it minus chocolate chunks Brownieville Man (!) loves it too.  The cocoa gives a subtle background flavour that really works well at breakfast time - he actually prefers it to my more normal cinnamon version.  RESULT!!!

Cocoa and Hazelnut Granola


300g                      porridge oats
2 heaped tbsp        pumpkin seeds
2 heaped tbsp        sesame seeds
2 heaped tbsp        linseeds
2 heaped tbsp        sunflower seeds
1 heaped tbsp        cocoa (sifted)
2 heaped tbsp        soft brown sugar
100ml                    honey/maple syrup
150g                      toasted hazelnuts (or just plain if you don't mind the skin)
1 tbsp                    rapeseed/sunflower oil
75g                        good dark chocolate - chopped small (optional)

Preheat oven to 150 C

Pour all the ingredients (except chocolate) into a baking tray and bake for about 30 minutes, stirring regularly after 10 minutes.  Ovens vary greatly, it could be ready after 20 minutes (you'll know when the oats begin to colour and the nuts release their beautiful smell).
Allow to cool completely. 
Add chocolate pieces if using.
Store in a pretty jar (if you're into that type of thing!!)

I'll let you know about all offers for the sporting big time!

MORE BREAKFASTS

The work and school going contingent in this house have a very early start, and breakfast has to be fast and nutritious (and sometimes portable, for car consumption) over the years pancakes have become the breakfast of choice.

One of the great advantages of pancakes is that the batter can be made in advance - I find that it keeps well for up to three days, this means that I only make the batter twice a week, I love short cuts in the mornings!!

Pancakes

5oz         plain flour (I use Italian 00 flour as it doesn't have to be sieved)
2             large eggs
250ml     milk (approximately) whole/simi/skimmed - whatever is handy


Add the eggs and 100ml milk to the flour and whisk vigorously, add more milk - enough to make the batter smooth and the consistency of double cream.
You can add two tablespoons of melted butter at this stage - and I would if you don't make pancakes often, this step makes the frying the pancakes easier.
Heat your frying pan (a small one is best), melt a small knob of butter in it - coat the pan with the butter.
When sizzling pour some batter into the pan (2 dessert spoons is the right amount for my pan) and swirl to spread out to the size of the pan - you don't want a thick pancake, so spread well.
The pancakes take very little time to cook.
Serve with lemon/sugar/orange juice/smoothie/nutella whatever takes you fancy.


For the member of the household who (size wise) cannot afford  to eat butter, eggs and flour first thing (actually anytime, but we'll ignore that) porridge is a good breakfast option.  I don't mind the taste of porridge but I find the texture a bit off putting.  This porridge is extra good for you and has a much better texture than oats alone.  I eat mine with some frozen raspberries at the bottom of the bowl and the porridge on top.

This recipe makes a container of porridge which lasts me for weeks.


Improved Porridge

500g          Porridge Oats (rolled oats)
100g          Barley Flakes
100g          Rye Flakes
50g            Sesame Seeds
50g            Linseeds
50g            Sunflower Seeds

I usually blitz the seeds in the processor, add the the oats and flakes, stir and store.

To make the porridge,  I measure a 1/2 cup of this mixture to 1 cup water and 1/2 cup of milk.
Bring to boil stirring then turn the heat down and simmer for 5/10 minutes.

Enjoy.

BREAKFAST LIKE A KING

The easiest breakfast in the whole world is a smoothie - I love the feeling of having two of my "five a day" done and dusted first thing.  A friend shared the idea of using frozen fruit in smoothies with me about a year ago and it works wonderfully.  Firstly the smoothie isn't watered down by using ice, therefore giving you maximum vitamin and mineral content per sip (every second less eating breakfast is one second more in bed!!).  And secondly frozen fruit is much cheaper and most of the year (here in Ireland at least) much tastier.

A recipe really isn't necessary - I just pour a half a bag of frozen fruit (usually summer fruits or just strawberries)  into the liquidiser (blender) cover with fruit juice (grape or cranberry are favoured chez moi) and whizz, adding more juice if necessary.  If I'm feeling really adventurous I'll add some yogurt.

Remember to rinse the liquidiser out immediately, makes wash up much easier.

Couldn't be easier.