Morning Foods

As we know only too well, morning is the most important time to eat, although it is also the most difficult time to eat. One of the things you will find when you switch to Green eating is that youll be extremely hungry: eating in the morning is vital if you don’t want to be gnawing the table leg by 10 A.M.! So our first recipe chapter is called Morning Foods to highlight the importance of morning eating—the opposite of grabbing a cappuccino and croissant on your way to stressville.

In this chapter we hope to show that it is possible to make lots of delicious, hot organic food in a short amount of time, just before you charge out to face the world.

Pinhead Porridge

PORRIDGE isn’t very exciting, nor is it very tasty if the only kind you’ve tried is the gooey mush made from normal oats. We’ve found that if you use pinhead oats the change in flavor is incredible. You get a sweet, chewy porridge, delicious with a milk of your choice (oat, rice, soy, goat’s, or cow’s) and a big dollop of honey. The only downside is you have to soak the oats the night before, but then they only take a few minutes to cook in the morning.

2 cups pinhead oat flakes
6 cups water
milk (oat, rice, soy, goat’s, or organic cow’s)
local organic honey

• Put the oats in a saucepan.
• Cover with 2 inches water. Leave to soak overnight.
• In the morning, put the saucepan on medium heat with another cup of water, and cook for 15-18 minutes, stirring occasionally. The oats are cooked when they’ve lost their crunch.
• Serve with milk and some honey.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Muesli

MUESLI, with its mixture of oats, fruits, and nuts, is one of the best ways to start the day. Once you start making your own, you’ll never want to look at one of those store-bought, sugar-laden travesties again. And, of course, be creative—add more of what you like and less of what you don’t, using our recipe as a template. Another good idea is to make double or triple quantities and store in an airtight jar for during the week when you need an instant boost.

2 cups oat flakes
2 cups jumbo oat flakes
1 cup rye flakes
1 tablespoon dried apricots, washed and quartered
1 tablespoon dried papaya, washed and chopped
1 tablespoon currants, washed
1 tablespoon dates, roughly quartered
1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon banana chips
1 tablespoon almonds, chopped

• Put all the ingredients in a large bowl. Mix together and store in an airtight jar.
• Serve with goat’s, organic cow’s, rice, or soy milk, perhaps topped with a chopped banana or apple and a drizzle of honey.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Crunchy Nut Granola

AN excellent standby for when the munchies hit! Granola is a good way to start the day. Our blood sugar levels are very low in the mornings and the dried fruit in this recipe raises blood sugar and the grains help to sustain it. Some people prefer granola without the dried fruit—try it both ways to see which you prefer. Granola is also excellent as a dessert, with some bio-live yogurt and fruit. Cooking granola is simple, you just need to keep an eye on it in the oven and take it out when it’s golden.

3 tablespoons local organic honey
3 tablespoons sunflower oil
2 cups oat flakes
2 cups jumbo oat flakes
1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon almonds, chopped
1 tablespoon Brazil nuts, chopped
1 tablespoon currants, washed
1 tablespoon dates, washed and roughly quartered
½ tablespoon dried papaya, chopped and washed

• Preheat the oven to 275°F
• Melt the honey and oil in a large saucepan on gentle heat, being careful not to let the mixture come to a boil. When the honey has melted, remove the mixture from the heat.
• Add the remaining ingredients, minus the dried fruit. Stir and mix until well coated. Spread out on a large baking tray and pop into the oven for 30 minutes.
• Halfway through the cooking, remove from the oven and mix thoroughly. Return to the oven. The granola is cooked when it is crisp and golden. Take out of the oven, stir to break up the lumps, and allow to cool. Add the dried fruit and mix again. Store in an airtight container.
• Serve with your favorite milk as a breakfast or snack, or with some stewed fruit as a dessert.

MAKES 5 SERVINGS

Boiled Egg with Toast

IF you can tolerate eggs, this is an ideal way to start the day, full of power vita-mins and minerals. And who can resist a boiled egg with slices of toasted bread, the ridiculous and the sublime? Try our variation, Coddled Egg, which is perfect comfort food for any age group.

2 cups water
2 free-range eggs
4 slices Soda Bread (page 152)
2 teaspoons organic butter

• Start by boiling 2 cups of water in a small saucepan. When bubbles appear, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
• Gently lower the first egg into the water on a tablespoon and do likewise with the second egg. Put the lid on and leave to cook for 3-4 minutes.
• Just before the eggs are ready toast the Soda Bread until it’s brown. Spread all four slices evenly with the butter and cut into thinnish strips.
• Gently take the eggs out of the pot and put into funky eggcups (we use shot glasses!). Serve at once with the toast.

MAKES 2 SERVINGS

Coddled Egg

For Coddled Egg, use the same ingredients as for Boiled Egg with Toast. Proceed as above, but chop the toast into squares. When the eggs are cooked, scoop the insides of both eggs out into 2 pretty cups, chop the mixture up a bit, add the toast squares, mix gently, and season with a pinch of salt and a few twists of pepper.

Mexican Scrambled Eggs

AS well as a wonderful breakfast, scrambled egg makes a good snack. Not many people seem to be able to cook tasty scrambled egg, though—it usually turns out like some kind of yellow rubber! Really it’s very simple: just keep your nerve, and don’t overcook it. When you think it’s nearly done, take the saucepan off the heat, the warmth of the saucepan will finish off the cooking. Anyway, I’ve never eaten undercooked scrambled egg, have you?

1 large very ripe tomato, chopped into chunks
1 scallion, chopped
organic butter
1 splash extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 slices Soda Bread (page 152)
2-3 free-range eggs

• In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, sauté the tomato and scallion in the butter and olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper, Cook on medium heat for 4-5 minutes until the tomato is softish. Remove from the heat and allow to cool while you pop your bread into the toaster.
• Now add the eggs to the tomato and scallion mixture, mixing well so that the yolk and white combine. Put the saucepan back on the heat and cook slowly for 2 minutes, stirring so the egg doesn’t stick to the sides of the saucepan or turn to rubber. A moment before the egg is cooked to your taste, take it off the heat—the warmth of the saucepan will finish the cooking.
• Serve immediately with your toast.

MAKES 2 SERVINGS

Fried Tomatoes with Crispy Toast

THIS is a warm, tasty breakfast at any time of the year—although we shouldn’t eat too many tomatoes out of season, it’s hard to resist. On the weekend when you have the time, try these tomatoes with Mexican Scrambled Eggs (page 39), Sautéed Potatoes with Chives (page 44), and a slice of fried bacon. Absolute indulgence.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 very ripe tomatoes, sliced about ¼-inch thick
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 slices bread of your choice, for toast (see Excellent Breads pages 151-163)

• Warm the olive oil in a small frying pan. Add the tomatoes and season with a pinch of salt and lots of pepper. Cook on medium heat—not too hot, as you don’t want all the tomato juices evaporating.
• Cook for about 5 minutes, until the tomato is soft on both sides. Meanwhile, toast the bread until nice and crispy.

MAKES 2 SERVINGS

Fried Bread

OH rapture, oh joy, oh damn this stuff is so very, very good. Perhaps not the very healthiest of dishes, but you will definitely enjoy it!

2 tablespoons organic butter
2 slices bread of your choice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• Put a pan over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the bread to it. Make sure that you cover both sides of the bread evenly with the melted butter.
• Cook for 2 minutes, 1 minute each side, then add the olive oil and cook for another 2 minutes, or until brown.
• Eat with A New Traditional Breakfast (page 42) or with Fried Tomatoes with Crispy Toast (page 40).

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

A New Traditional Breakfast

THIS is a very strong recipe, so don’t eat it when you are weak. Greasy foods are certainly bad, but this breakfast is sautéed in extra-virgin olive oil and, provided you don’t eat it for every meal, it’s wonderful.

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 large boiled potatoes, sliced ½-inch thick
3 scallions, chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 slices bacon
3 very ripe tomatoes, sliced about ½-inch thick
4 free-range eggs
4 slices bread of your choice

• Coat the bottom of a large pan in the olive oil and heat it over a medium flame. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on the pan, then sprinkle with the chopped scallions. Season with a pinch of salt and lots of black pepper.
• Now get a second smaller pan, coat it in olive oil, and spread the bacon out on the pan. Season the bacon with a few twists of pepper. Leave both pans to cook for 5 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes to the bacon pan—the oil the bacon is cooking in will make the tomato taste all the better. Turn the potatoes occasionally. Cook the bacon for a few more minutes or until brown. Then take the bacon off the pan on a plate and keep warm.
• Now gently squash the tomatoes (still in the pan) and season with salt and pepper. Leave the tomatoes for 3 more minutes, then take them off the pan and put them on the plate with the bacon.
• Take the potatoes off the pan and put them on the serving plate. Crack the eggs into the pan and fry to your taste. Take the eggs off the pan and put them on separate plates.
• Toast the bread till brown and serve immediately.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Banana Smoothies

SMOOTHIES could be considered the Green alternative to milk shakes, but I think that would be overestimating milk shakes and underestimating smoothies. Smoothies are a fresh, sweet, creamy (without cream) drink, suitable for a summer treat, a morning pick-me-up, or when sugar cravings bite. Although we think that if you are having smoothies for breakfast, it’s best to use only bananas, you can use other fruit instead. Try mango, strawberries, or any other soft fruit. Early in the morning, however, simplicity is always best.

¾ cup fresh banana, mango, or strawberries, prepared for eating
¾ cup bio-live yogurt or rice, oat, or cow’s milk
organic local honey, if desired
ice cubes

• Put the fruit into a blender, add the yogurt or milk, and honey if using, and mix.
• When completely smooth, pour into a tall glass with a few ice cubes. Serve and enjoy.

MAKES 1 SERVING

Yogurt, Honey, and Vanilla Smoothies

If you are dairy intolerant, it’s best to avoid these smoothies until your intolerance has leveled out a bit. That said, Chupi has always been dairy intolerant but has never had a problem with organic bio-live natural yogurt. Just try a little bit and see.

½ cup apple juice, freshly pressed

½ cup organic bio-live natural yogurt

2 teaspoons local organic honey

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

• Mix all the ingredients in a blender.
• Serve in a pretty glass.

MAKES 1 SERVING

Sautéed Potatoes with Chives

POTATOES are the most wonderful food—fortifying, filling, and delicious. Sautéed potatoes for breakfast really do fill you up (until lunch!). Use good quality potatoes, good olive oil, fresh herbs and scallions and you can’t go wrong.

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 large boiled potatoes, cut into ¼-inch slices
3 scallions, chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chives, finely chopped

• Warm the olive oil in a large frying pan on medium heat. lust as the oil starts to sizzle, pop in the potatoes. Arrange them in a single layer, sprinkle with the scallions, and season well with salt and pepper.
• Cook the potatoes for 7-8 minutes, turning occasionally. Season again with more pepper, sprinkle with the chopped chives, and cook for another minute until the potatoes are golden and crispy. Serve immediately.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Pancakes with Sweet Honey and Bitter Lemon

OUR recipe is very similar to a “normal” recipe for pancakes, we’ve just modified and replaced some of the ingredients. This is a good lesson if you find a recipe that looks appealing: just replace the things you can’t have with things you can and the original flavor can usually be easily replicated. Try our pancakes, which are healthy and tasty, and see if you can spot the difference! I think lemon and honey make the best topping, though you can try thinly sliced banana and honey or carob spread—a chocolate replacement, suitable for everyone, smeared over the pancakes. Delicious!

1¼ cups white spelt or organic wheat flour
2 free-range eggs
1½ cups rice, oat, soy, goat’s, or cow’s milk
2 tablespoons bio-live natural yogurt
1 teaspoon organic butter or sunflower oil
3-4 tablespoons local organic honey
1 lemon, cut into wedges

• Put the flour into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center, add the eggs. Gently mix, then slowly add the milk and yogurt, mixing with a balloon whisk. Keep gently whisking until a batter has formed. Let the batter stand for half an hour if you have the time.
• Put a nonstick pan, roughly 8 inches in diameter, over high heat. When the pan is hot, put a knob of organic butter or drizzle of sunflower oil into it.
• Pour a ladleful of the batter onto the pan and swirl around until you have a pancake shape. Loosen the edges of the pancake with a knife. Cook for 2-3 minutes until bubbles form, then flip over and cook on the other side for another 2-3 minutes. Take the pancake off the heat and keep in a warm place.
• Put another knob of butter or drizzle of oil into the pan and continue with the rest of the batter. Serve the pancakes with a tasty local honey and wedges of lemon.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS