Mixing seeds (protein and fat) with fruit means this is a balanced protein and carbohydrate meal, the best start to the day. Don’t worry too much about the types of fruit; try grapes, apricots, peaches, nectarines, mandarins or passion fruits. Add coconut or almond milk or cream, if you want, or a topping of ground almonds and oats mixed with yogurt. SERVES 6
10g sunflower seeds
1 apple, cored and chopped
1 pear, cored and sliced
1 orange, peeled and segmented, segments halved, plus juice of 1 orange
3 kiwis, peeled and quartered
1 papaya, peeled and chopped
1 mango, peeled and chopped
10g pumpkin seeds
10g nuts (whichever you like), chopped
1 thumb of root ginger
1 If you want to roast the sunflower seeds, preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/350°F/gas mark 4, spread the seeds on a baking tray and bake for about 20 minutes so they roast and the oils are released. Watch carefully, so they don’t catch and burn.
2 Mix the prepared fruits together, adding the seeds and nuts, then juice the ginger and add it to the fruit with the orange juice.
3 Cover and store in the fridge; it will last for five or six days.
Chia seeds are high in omega-3 fatty acids and minerals, great for the gut and at reducing cholesterol and blood pressure. Spread this on Mixed seed crackers for a seriously tasty and see-you-through-to-lunch breakfast. MAKES 1 LARGE BOWL
100g fresh or frozen blackberries
100g fresh or frozen raspberries
50g fresh or frozen blueberries
½ tsp vanilla powder or seeds of ½ vanilla pod
a few dates, pitted, finely chopped, to taste (optional)
37g chia seeds
1 Put the berries in a pan and just cover with about 100ml of filtered water. Heat gently and add the vanilla. Let it bubble gently until it starts to turn into a sauce.
2 Taste and add the dates, to sweeten, if using. Take off the heat and stir in the chia seeds. Chill for a few hours and eat within five days.
3 To make a version of this even more quickly, just blend fresh berries with chia and vanilla to make a raw jam. The colour will fade, so eat it immediately.
A weekend treat. Maple syrup is high in sugar but also in minerals such as manganese, which is great for bones and skin. MAKES 8
125g jumbo oats
1½ tsp gluten-free baking powder
1 tbsp coconut oil, melted, plus more to cook
1 large egg, lightly beaten
125ml almond milk
1 apple, cored and sliced
2 tbsp cashews, roughly chopped
1 tbsp maple syrup (optional)
1 Blitz the oats in a blender. Pour them into a bowl with the baking powder. Make a well in the centre and drop in the oil, egg and milk. Whisk, drawing in the dry ingredients to make a smooth batter.
2 Heat two frying pans over a medium-low heat and wipe with coconut oil. Lay the apple and cashews in one pan. Drop 1 tbsp of the batter into the other (you might be able to cook three at a time, depending on pan size). Fry for one to two minutes, until bubbling. Flip and fry for a further minute. Stir the apple and cashews, then pour in the syrup. Heat for 30 seconds, then remove and keep warm while you cook all the pancakes. Serve with the apple and cashews.
This antioxidant-rich pancake is a wake-up for all your cells. A great source of vitamin C and zinc, it’s soothing for the gut, low in calories, high in nutrition and will put a zing into your morning step. MAKES 16
FOR THE PANCAKES
100g spelt flour
2 tbsp chia seeds
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of Himalayan or Celtic salt
200ml almond milk
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
50g blueberries
2 tsp coconut oil
FOR THE CINNAMON CREAM
100ml coconut milk, ideally home-made
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp maple syrup (optional)
1 The night before, sift the flour into a mixing bowl and whisk in the chia, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Make a well in the centre and beat in the almond milk until you have a smooth batter. Beat in the vanilla and blueberries. Cover and chill overnight.
2 During the same evening, if you can, chill the coconut milk for a few hours. Remove the ‘cream’ from the top and put it in a bowl. Add the cinnamon and syrup, then whip until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
3 Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat and wipe with coconut oil. Drop in 1 tbsp of the batter (you might be able to cook three at a time, depending on the size of your pan). When bubbles appear on the surface, flip over and cook for two minutes more, until golden and fluffy. Keep warm. Repeat to cook all the pancakes. Serve with the cinnamon cream.
I love this savoury gluten-free breakfast. It’s dense enough to make you feel as if you’ve had a ‘fry-up’, but light enough that you don’t feel weighed down or sleepy afterwards. Plus it’s a good dairy-free mixture of carbohydrate and protein, so nicely youthing. SERVES 4
125g floury potato
½ onion, grated
30g rice flour
½ tsp gluten-free baking powder
1 egg, lightly beaten
90ml cashew milk, or other nut milk
1 tbsp chopped chives (optional)
2 tsp coconut oil
1 Boil and mash the potato. When cooled slightly, add the onion, flour, baking powder and egg, then stir in the cashew milk and chives (if using). When combined well, leave to rest for about five minutes.
2 Heat the oil in frying pan and, when it’s hot, add 1 tbsp of the potato mixture, slightly spreading to make it round. Add another one or two, depending on the size of your pan (the pancakes should not be crammed together). Fry for three to four minutes on either side, until golden brown. Set aside and keep warm while you cook the rest.
If you want to feel on top of your game while feeding your skin and cells, this is the breakfast for you. The vanilla is uplifting and the chia is hydrating and cleansing for the gut. Deliciously high in omegas and protein, this is an anti-inflammatory and alkalising dream. SERVES 1
2 tbsp chia seeds
250ml almond milk
½ tsp vanilla powder or extract, or seeds of ½ vanilla pod
1 tbsp roughly chopped almonds
handful of mixed berries
1 Soak the chia seeds in the almond milk for a minimum of two hours, or overnight in the fridge.
2 Stir in the vanilla until evenly mixed, then spoon into a serving bowl. Sprinkle over the almonds and berries to serve.
Quinoa is a little gem: it dates back 4,000 years, contains all the essential amino acids, is high in fibre, rich in minerals and raises energy levels. All of which makes this a great all-round youthing breakfast. SERVES 1
70g cooked quinoa
¼ tsp vanilla powder or ½ tsp vanilla extract, or seeds of ½ vanilla pod
1 tbsp raisins
½ tbsp coconut oil
½ banana, mashed
hemp, cashew or almond milk, to serve (optional)
1 Put the ingredients into a saucepan with 75ml of filtered water. Cook gently until the water evaporates and the quinoa is hot through.
2 If you would like a creamier porridge, add a little hemp, cashew or almond milk to serve.
This is a perfect gluten-free, high-protein and deliciously warming winter breakfast. It is also a fabulous way of using up any quinoa left over from the day before. SERVES 1
70g cooked quinoa
125ml almond milk, plus more to serve (optional)
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1 small pear, roughly chopped
1 Add all the ingredients to a small saucepan and bring to the boil over a medium-low heat. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for five to 10 minutes, until everything is well amalgamated and the consistency is to your liking.
2 Serve with a splash more cold almond milk, if you like.
A hugely youthing breakfast, this contains full amino acids (from eggs), immune-boosters (from shiitake mushrooms and onions), antioxidants (from spinach and tomatoes) and lots of lovely vitamins (including hard-to-get B12 in the nutritional yeast). SERVES 4
6 dried shiitake mushrooms
1 tsp coconut oil
6 large eggs
3 spring onions, thinly sliced
50g baby spinach, shredded
2 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
2 tomatoes, flesh chopped, seeds discarded
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1 Put the shiitake in a small bowl and cover with just-boiled filtered water. Leave to soak for 30 minutes, then drain and finely chop.
2 Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Oil a six-hole nonstick muffin tray with the coconut oil.
3 Whisk the eggs well and beat in the spring onions, spinach, mushrooms, nutritional yeast, tomatoes and cayenne. Divide between the muffin holes.
4 Bake for 20–25 minutes, until well risen. These are delicious hot or cold, so are a perfect packed lunch when you are on the go.
An anti-inflammatory, protein-rich breakfast. Lots of people love a morning egg and the ginger and turmeric add extra spice and goodness to help the body detox and digest. SERVES 1
1 tbsp organic coconut milk, ideally home-made, plus more if needed
½ tsp coconut oil
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp finely chopped root ginger
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 Spoon the coconut milk into a saucepan, add the coconut oil, turmeric and ginger and place over a medium heat. Let the milk simmer slowly until it becomes a thick base.
2 Add the eggs, with some more coconut milk if you wish. Cook the eggs to your preference.
3 Serve on sprouted bread toast for a substantial start to the day.
A silky smooth, indulgent breakfast. Packed with protein and omega oils, this will raise your energy levels while giving you a lovely rich, ‘cheesy’ comfort-food taste, even though it’s entirely dairy-free. Delicious on its own, or with a Mixed seed cracker. SERVES 1
smidgen of coconut oil
handful of baby spinach
freshly grated nutmeg
freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg
pinch of nutritional yeast flakes
50ml cashew milk, or other nut milk
2 tbsp chopped parsley leaves
1 Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/375°F/gas mark 5.
2 Put the oil into a small pan, melt it, then throw in the spinach leaves and wilt for one minute only, to keep the spinach green. Stir in a pinch of nutmeg and some pepper. Put this into a ramekin. Now crack the egg straight in on top of the spinach.
3 Mix the yeast flakes with the cashew milk in a small bowl or cup, add more nutmeg and pepper to taste and pour over the egg. Bake in the oven for 15–18 minutes. Check to see if the egg is still soft and the white around it is cooked by gently pressing. Put the ramekin on to a plate and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve immediately
