BREAKFAST AND BRUNCH

FRUIT AND NUT GRANOLA

I always used to buy granola, until a friend showed me how easy and satisfying it is to make. What I love about it is that once you’ve made the syrup and measured the oats you can modify the other ingredients to your own taste, by using your own choice of nuts, seeds, and dried fruit (sticking roughly to the specified amounts for each ingredient). Or you can stick with this recipe, which I think is well balanced, and has a lovely roasted flavor. I love to serve this with a big spoonful of plain yogurt and some blueberries on top.

MAKES APPROX. 1½ pounds

INGREDIENTS

• 5 cups rolled oats, preferably old-fashioned (not instant) oats
• 10 brazil nuts, roughly chopped
• ⅓ cup sunflower seeds, roughly chopped
• ⅓ cup pumpkin seeds, roughly chopped
• 8 dried apricots, chopped
• ⅓ cup raisins
• ⅓ cup dried cranberries

For the syrup:

• 3 tablespoons sunflower or cooking oil
• 5 ½ tablespoons maple syrup
• 5 ½ tablespoons honey

METHOD

• Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, brazil nuts, sunflower, and pumpkin seeds. Set this aside while you make the syrup.
• To make the syrup, pour the oil, maple syrup and honey into a small saucepan and heat gently until warm but not bubbling, stirring well until all the ingredients are mixed together. Take care not to let it bubble and overcook.
• Drizzle the syrup over the oats, nuts, and seeds, and mix together so that all the ingredients are lightly coated.
• Spread the mixture evenly over the 2 baking sheets, so that it is about ½ inch deep. Bake for 30–40 minutes, taking it out of the oven 2 times during baking to stir the granola and then return it to continue baking. When it’s ready it should be evenly golden brown.
• Take the granola out of the oven and mix in the apricots, raisins, and cranberries.
• Set the granola aside to cool completely, then store in an airtight container and keep in a cool dry place until needed (stored like this, it will keep for 2–3 weeks).

FRUITY OMEGA SMOOTHIES

These smoothies are an easy and refreshing way of getting those essential omega oils into your diet. I like to use frozen strawberries—they last well and help to keep the smoothie nice and cold. You can buy omega oil in most supermarkets or health food stores.

STAWBERRY AND BANANA

MAKES 4

INGREDIENTS

• 2 bananas
• 8 frozen strawberries
• 1¾ cups fresh apple juice
• 2 tablespoons liquid Omega 3 6 9 oil

METHOD

• Peel the bananas, then break them in half or chop roughly into quarters before putting them in your blender. Add the frozen strawberries and then pour in the apple juice and omega oil. Blend until smooth, which should take about 1 minute.
• Pour the smoothie into glasses or cups, and serve immediately while it’s still cold.

TROPICAL PINEAPPLE AND COCONUT

MAKES 4

INGREDIENTS

• ¼ fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into chunks (you can use canned if you don’t have fresh, approx. 1 cup)
• ½ cup coconut milk
• 1¾ cups fresh orange juice
• 2 tablespoons liquid Omega 3 6 9 oil

METHOD

• Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend well, for about 1 minute, until smooth.
• Pour the smoothie into glasses or cups, and serve immediately.

GRANOLA BAR TO GO

This is my favorite guilt-free snack for breakfasts on the go, packed lunches or just to have in your bag for hungry moments. And, as it cooks, it fills your home with the wonderful smell of fresh home baking.

MAKES 12–14 PIECES

INGREDIENTS

• ¾ cup agave syrup
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons vegetable or light olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups rolled oats
• 2¾ cups cornflakes
• ¾ cup whole almonds, coarsely chopped
• 16 dried apricots, coarsely chopped
• ⅔ cup dark or golden raisins
• 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds

METHOD

• Line a baking sheet (approx. 11 x 8 inches) with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• In a large saucepan, gently simmer the agave syrup for about 4 minutes, to allow it to turn a bit syrupy (be careful, this is very hot). Take it off the heat and then add the butter and vegetable oil, stirring well until the butter has melted. Add the cinnamon and vanilla extract and then mix in the oats, cornflakes, almonds, apricots, raisins, sunflower, and pumpkin seeds. Stir well to ensure that all the ingredients are coated in the syrup.
• Spoon the granola mix onto the baking sheet and push it down firmly so that it’s evenly packed on the sheet.
• Bake it in the oven for 15–20 minutes, until the top turns golden.
• Remove the granola from the oven and let it cool before lifting it out of the baking sheet, cutting it into pieces, and then peeling off the parchment.

BANANA MUFFINS

MAKES 10–12 MUFFINS

INGREDIENTS

• 2¼ cups all-purpose or light spelt flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ cup sugar, either raw superfine or granulated
• 1 large free-range egg
• 3 large or 4 medium ripe bananas, mashed well
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup sour cream or crème fraîche
• 7 tablespoons butter, melted
• 10–12 paper muffin liners

METHOD

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the muffin liners into a 12-well non-stick muffin tin.
• Put all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl and beat together until well combined. You can use a food processor for this if preferred.
• Divide the batter equally in the lined muffin tin.
• Bake for 20 minutes, until the tops have turned golden and are just firm to the touch. I think these are best served warm—but they can be kept for about 3 days in an airtight container.

QUICK BREAKFAST BOWL INGREDIENTS

SERVES 1

INGREDIENTS

• ¼ cup muesli or granola
• 1 tablespoon flaxseeds
• ¼ cup plain live culture yogurt
• 1 medium banana, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons blueberries, or 4 sliced
  strawberries (or another seasonal fruit of your
  choice), chopped into bite-sized pieces (optional)
• 5 walnuts, broken into pieces
• 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup

METHOD

• Spoon the muesli or granola into a large breakfast bowl, sprinkle the flaxseeds over the cereal, then spoon the yogurt on top. Arrange the banana, blueberries (or other fruit), and nuts over the top and, finally, drizzle the honey or maple syrup over the top. And it’s ready!

FRENCH TOAST

One of my favorite weekend breakfast dishes, this is something I grew up eating, but didn’t actually learn how to make until I was in my early 20s. I must have assumed it was more complicated to make than it really is. It’s perfect as a satisfying special breakfast or brunch for family and friends when you have only a few eggs, milk, and some bread that’s past its best in your pantry—suddenly these ingredients are transformed into an indulgent, golden delight when a generous drizzle of pure maple syrup is poured over the top. My dad grew up calling it “eggy bread,” and his family never ate it sweet with maple syrup; instead they had tomato ketchup on the side. You can experiment by using different types of bread, although I usually stick to thickly sliced wholegrain, organic white, or multigrain bread that’s not too fresh or soft. And you can vary the flavor, if you like, by adding a pinch of ground cinnamon, or a teaspoon of vanilla extract, or orange zest to the eggy mix.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

• 3 large, free-range eggs
• 2½ cups milk
• butter, for frying
• 8 slices bread, preferably thick-sliced and a couple of days old
• pure maple syrup, to pour on top

METHOD

• In a wide, shallow bowl (wide enough to fit a slice of bread), beat the eggs and milk together until well blended.
• Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add a small amount of butter and tilt it around the pan to melt and lightly cover the pan base.
• Dip the bread, 1 slice at a time, into the mixture and allow it to soak up some of the eggy milk on both sides (but don’t let it get too soggy).
• Gently place as many slices of the soaked bread into the hot pan as will comfortably fit, and fry for a couple of minutes on each side, using a slotted (rubber or plastic) spatula to flip the bread. Fry until a deep golden brown on both sides.
• Serve immediately with maple syrup drizzled over the top, or you can make this in batches, keeping some slices warm in the oven at a low temperature while you soak and fry the remaining pieces.

RHUBARB COMPOTE

SERVES APPROX. 4

INGREDIENTS

• 14 ounces rhubarb stalks, trimmed
• ¼ cup sugar or agave syrup
• juice of 1 orange

METHOD

• Rinse the rhubarb stalks and cut them into ¾ inch pieces. Put the rhubarb into a medium saucepan, add the sugar or syrup and pour in the freshly squeezed orange juice.
• Simmer gently over medium heat for about 8–10 minutes, until the rhubarb is cooked through but still holds its shape. Transfer to a bowl. Once cooled, it can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.

HEARTY PORRIDGE

SERVES 2–3

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 ¼ cups milk or soy milk
• 1 ¼ cups water
• 1 tablespoon flaxseeds
• 1 tablespoon mixed sunflower and pumpkin seeds, finely chopped
• honey or maple syrup (approx. 1 tablespoon per bowl), for drizzling on top
• chopped seasonal fruit or berries, for sprinkling on top (optional)

METHOD

• Place the oats in a medium saucepan and mix in the milk and water. Bring to the boil and gently simmer for 5–10 minutes, stirring often to keep the porridge from sticking to the pan.
• Once the porridge is cooked, take the pan off the heat and add the flaxseeds and the sunflower/ pumpkin seed mix. Stir well and pour into breakfast bowls.
• Drizzle honey or maple syrup over the porridge.
• Serve hot, topped with some chopped fruit or berries, if you like.

BREAKFAST PANCAKES

Many of my favorite memories of Mum involve food—cooking together and then chatting as we ate. One morning, we were both home alone so we decided to cook blueberry pancakes, poured a generous amount of maple syrup over them, then got back into bed to eat and watched the classic film La Dolce Vita. This recipe is for classic breakfast pancakes, but you can add a handful or two of blueberries to the batter if you like.

MAKES ABOUT 16 PANCAKES

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup self-rising flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 large, free-range eggs
• ¾ cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vegetable, sunflower, or olive oil
• 2 teaspoons butter
• maple syrup, to pour on top

METHOD

• Sift the flour and baking powder into a medium/ large mixing bowl or food processor. Make a well in the center of the flour, crack the eggs into it and beat well. Slowly pour in the milk, beating constantly (so you don’t get lumps). Keep beating until all the milk is mixed in and the batter is a smooth, creamy consistency—it should be light with a few air bubbles. Stir in the oil.
• When the pancake batter is ready, heat a large, non-stick frying pan over medium heat and melt in the butter.
• Check that the pan is hot enough to cook the pancakes by dropping a tiny amount of the batter into the pan—if it sizzles, the pan’s ready.
• Now pour the batter into the pan, 1 tablespoon at a time, and make pancakes about 2½ inches in diameter—cooking batches of 4 if the frying pan size allows.
• When you notice small bubbles appearing on the surface, use a rubber spatula to slightly lift the edges of the pancakes to check that the underside has turned golden brown. Then flip them over and cook the other side until that, too, is golden brown and cooked through.
• Slide the pancakes onto plates and serve hot with maple syrup poured on top.

SAUCY MUSHROOMS AND TOMATOES ON TOAST

I love these for a weekend breakfast or brunch. They are really tasty and satisfying, and because they are broiled, and not fried, you can feel quite self-righteous about the whole thing. Great with scrambled eggs.

SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

• 10 large button mushrooms
• 8 cherry tomatoes or 2 medium tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons light olive oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 sprigs thyme, rinsed and leaves removed, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme or mixed herbs
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped, or 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 2–4 slices bread
• butter, for the toast
• black pepper, to taste

METHOD

• Heat the broiler to high.
• Clean off any gritty bits from the mushrooms, trim the stems and arrange the mushrooms on a baking sheet. Cut the tomatoes in half and arrange them on the sheet with the mushrooms.
• Drizzle the olive oil and soy sauce evenly over the mushrooms and tomatoes. Sprinkle the herbs and chopped garlic over the vegetables.
• Place the sheet under the broiler to cook for 8–10 minutes, watching them closely until the mushrooms and tomatoes are cooked through and the juices are bubbling.
• In the meantime toast and butter the bread.
• When they’re ready, arrange the mushrooms and tomatoes on the toast, and add a grind or two of black pepper.

DEEP-FILLED OMELETTE

My mum would often make this omelette to eat at brunch on the weekends, but I sometimes make it for a quick supper too. I love the thick brightly colored tomato filling—it makes it really special and satisfying. It’s perfect served with freshly buttered multigrain toast.

SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons vegetable or light olive oil
• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
• 1 stalk celery, trimmed and finely chopped (optional)
• 4 cremini or button mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 14.5 ounce can chopped tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon dried herbs (such as sage, parsley or thyme) or 1 tablespoon fresh
• sea salt and black pepper, to taste
• 4 large, free-range eggs
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 ounces sharp Cheddar, grated (optional)

METHOD

• To make the filling, heat the oil in a medium or large frying pan over medium heat, then add the onion slices and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the celery and cook gently for 2 minutes more, stirring frequently. Mix in the mushrooms and sauté for another 5–8 minutes, until the juice from the mushrooms has evaporated and the mushrooms start to turn golden brown.
• Mix in the tomatoes and the herbs, and season with sea salt and black pepper. Simmer gently for 20 minutes, checking and stirring often. The sauce should reduce down and thicken nicely. Set aside while you make the omelette.
• Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl and beat them well. In a large frying pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat.
• Once the pan and butter are hot, but not burning, pour in the eggs and swirl them around the base of the pan to coat it evenly. Season with black pepper and sprinkle the cheese (if using) over the eggs. Allow the eggs to cook through and the edges and bottom of the omelette to turn golden brown. You can finish cooking it under the broiler if necessary. Once it’s cooked, take the pan off the heat and spoon the warm tomato mixture onto one half of the omelette. Fold the opposite side over the filling and cut it in half. Slide onto 2 plates.
• Serve hot.