Breakfast is probably the most important meal of the day. You need to refuel first thing to be sure that your body functions at its best during the morning. There is every type of sustenance here – for the cereal and toasties, for lovers of the hearty cooked breakfast and even for the I-can’t-really-face-it brigade! In each case allow yourself a small glass of pure fruit juice or a piece of fresh fruit as well (the vitamin C helps your body absorb the iron in the cereal), plus a cup of tea or coffee, either black or with skimmed milk.
Better-than-bought Muesli
Serves 8–10
very low saturated fat – very low cholesterol – high fibre
175 g/6 oz/1½ cups rolled oats
25 g/1 oz/½ cup wheat bran
25 g/1 oz/¼ cup sesame seeds
25 g/1 oz/¼ cup chopped hazelnuts
50 g/2 oz/1/3 cup raisins
50 g/2 oz/1/3 cup sultanas (golden raisins)
50 g/2 oz/1/3 cup ready-to-eat prunes, stoned (pitted) and chopped
50 g/2 oz/1/3 cup dried banana slices
A good pinch of ground cinnamon
Skimmed milk, to serve
1 Mix the oats and bran in a bowl.
2 Toast the sesame seeds and hazelnuts under the grill (broiler) or in a frying pan (skillet), turning to prevent burning.
3 Add to the bowl with the remaining ingredients. Mix well. Store in an airtight container. Serve with enough skimmed milk to moisten.
Real Oatmeal Porridge
Serves 4
very low saturated fat – very low cholesterol – high fibre
You can, of course make quick porridge with rolled oats, but this creamy concoction is far superior.
1.2 litres/2 pts/5 cups water
150 g/5 oz/11/3 cups medium oatmeal
1.5 ml/¼ tsp salt
Skimmed milk and clear honey, to serve
1 Put the water in a heavy-based saucepan and bring to the boil.
2 Add the oatmeal in a steady stream, stirring all the time.
3 Bring back to the boil, turn the heat down as low as possible, cover and simmer very gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4 Add the salt, stir again, cover and simmer very gently for a further 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally until smooth and creamy.
5 Spoon into bowls, add skimmed milk and drizzle a little honey over the surface.
Blueberry Breakfast Muffins
makes 16–18
low saturated fat – low cholesterol – high fibre
300 ml/½ pt/1¼ cups boiling water
75 g/3 oz/½ cup dried blueberries
40 g/1½ oz/3 tbsp sunflower or olive oil spread
60 ml/4 tbsp clear honey
225 g/8 oz/2 cups self-raising (self-rising)
wholemeal flour
5 ml/1 tsp baking powder
Finely grated rind of ½ lemon
A pinch of grated nutmeg
1 egg, beaten
1 Mix the water with the blueberries and sunflower or olive oil spread and leave to soak, cooling, until the mixture is just warm.
2 Stir in the remaining ingredients.
3 Turn into the sections of tartlet tins (patty pans), lined with paper cake cases (cup cake papers), and bake in a preheated oven at 180ºC/350ºF/gas mark 4 for about 20 minutes until risen and the centres spring back when pressed.
4 Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container. Serve warm or cold.
Carroty Yoghurt Muffins
makes 16
very low saturated fat – very low cholesterol – high fibre
2 large carrots, grated
90 ml/6 tbsp clear honey
100 g/4 oz/1 cup wholemeal flour
225 g/8 oz/2 cups oat bran
5 ml/1 tsp baking powder
2.5 ml/½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
50 g/2 oz/½ cup walnuts, finely chopped
75 g/3 oz/½ cup raisins
2.5 ml/½ tsp mixed (apple-pie) spice
30 ml/2 tbsp sunflower oil
120 ml/4 fl oz/½ cup low-fat plain yoghurt
250 ml/8 fl oz/1 cup skimmed milk
2 egg whites
1 Line 16 sections of tartlet tins (patty pans) with paper cake cases (cup cake papers).
2 Mix all the ingredients together thoroughly.
3 Spoon into the cases and bake in a preheated oven at 200ºC/400ºF/gas mark 6 for about 20 minutes until risen and the centres spring back when pressed. Cool on a wire rack.
Multi-cereal Cottage Loaf Rolls
makes 6
very low saturated fat – very low cholesterol – high fibre
225 g/8 oz/2 cups strong plain (bread) flour
75 g/3 oz/¾ cup wholemeal flour
75 g/3 oz/¾ cup barley or rye flour
50 g/2 oz/½ cup oat bran
2.5 ml/½ tsp salt
10 ml/2 tsp easy-blend dried yeast
15 ml/1 tbsp olive oil
15 ml/1 tbsp clear honey
300 ml/½ pt/1¼ cups hot water
90 ml/6 tbsp low-fat fromage frais and a little reduced-sugar cherry jam (conserve), to serve
1 Mix the flours together in a bowl with the oat bran. Stir in the salt and yeast.
2 Blend the olive oil, honey and water together and mix to form a firm dough.
3 Knead well on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic.
4 Return to the bowl, cover with a damp cloth and leave in a warm place for about 1 hour until doubled in bulk.
5 Re-knead, then divide the dough into six equal pieces. Take a third off each piece and roll into a ball. Roll the larger pieces into balls.
6 Place the larger pieces well apart on a non-stick baking (cookie) sheet, dusted with flour. Top each with a smaller ball and then, using a floured finger, plunge down through the small ball into the larger ball to form the traditional cottage loaf shape.
7 Leave in a warm place for about 30 minutes until doubled in size. Bake in a preheated oven at 230ºC/450ºF/gas mark 8 for about 15 minutes until risen, golden and the bases sound hollow when tapped.
8 Cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or cold with fromage frais and cherry jam.
Herrings in Oatmeal
Serves 4
very low saturated fat – low cholesterol – high fibre
Use mackerel if you prefer.
4 even-sized herrings, cleaned and heads removed
Freshly ground black pepper
10 ml/2 tsp lemon juice
50–75 g/2–3 oz/½–¾ cup medium oatmeal
30 ml/2 tbsp chopped parsley
Lemon wedges and sprigs of parsley, to garnish
4 thin slices of wholemeal bread, spread with a scraping of sunflower or olive oil spread and cut into triangles, to serve
1 Split the herrings along the stomach and open out flat, skin-sides up. Run your thumb firmly up and down the backbone of each to loosen. Lift out the back bones and remove as many loose bones as possible.
2 Season thoroughly with freshly ground black pepper and sprinkle with lemon juice.
3 Mix the oatmeal and parsley together in a shallow dish. Press the fish into the oatmeal on both sides, to coat thoroughly.
4 Heat a non-stick frying pan (skillet). Cook the fish, one or two at a time, skin-sides up first, for about 3–4 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through. Keep the first ones warm in a low oven while cooking the remainder. Garnish with lemon wedges and parsley sprigs before serving with the triangles of bread and spread.
Salmon Kedgeree
Serves 4
very low saturated fat – low cholesterol – high fibre
175 g/6 oz/¾ cup brown long-grain rice
50 g/2 oz peas, frozen or fresh, shelled
175 g/6 oz salmon tail fillet, skinned
5 ml/1 tsp curry powder
60 ml/4 tbsp skimmed milk
30 ml/2 tbsp chopped parsley
A pinch of salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tomatoes, cut into neat chunks
5 ml/1 tsp lemon juice
Lemon wedges, to garnish
1 Cook the rice in plenty of boiling water for about 30 minutes or until tender. Add the peas after 25 minutes. Drain and return to the pan.
2 Meanwhile, dust the fish with the curry powder and place in a shallow pan with the milk. Cover and cook gently for 6–8 minutes until just tender and the fish flakes easily with a fork.
3 Break the fish into neat pieces.
4 Add the fish and its cooking liquid to the cooked rice with half the parsley, the salt and lots of pepper, the tomatoes and lemon juice. Toss over a gentle heat until piping hot. Pile on to hot plates, sprinkle with the remaining parsley and garnish with lemon wedges before serving.
Potato and Bacon Cakes
Serves 4–6
very low saturated fat – very low cholesterol – high fibre
This is a delicious way of having a little bacon for a treat.
450 g/1 lb potatoes
25 g/1 oz/2 tbsp sunflower or olive oil spread
50 g/2 oz/½ cup wholemeal flour
2 rashers (slices) of extra-lean, reduced-salt, unsmoked back bacon, rinded and diced
15 ml/1 tbsp snipped chives
15 ml/1 tbsp caraway seeds
3 tomatoes, each cut into 4 slices
1 Peel and cut the potatoes into even-sized pieces. Boil in water until tender.
2 Drain and mash with the spread, then beat in the flour.
3 Meanwhile, dry-fry the bacon in a non-stick frying pan (skillet) until cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper (paper towels). Add to the potato mixture with the chives and mix well. Wipe out the pan to clean it thoroughly.
4 Shape into 12 cakes and flatten slightly, pressing a few caraway seeds into the surface of each.
5 Heat the frying pan thoroughly, then cook the rounds for 3 minutes on each side until golden brown and slightly puffy.
6 Meanwhile, place the tomato slices on a flame-proof plate and warm briefly under the grill (broiler).
7 Top each potato cake with a slice of tomato before serving.
The Good Morning Breakfast in a Glass
Serves 1
very low saturated fat – very low cholesterol – high fibre
1 ripe banana
100 ml/3½ fl oz/6½ tbsp skimmed milk
125 g/4½ oz/1 small carton low-fat vanilla yoghurt
15 ml/1 tbsp oat bran
1 Peel the banana, break into small pieces and place in a blender or food processor.
2 Add a little of the milk and process until smooth.
3 Add the remaining ingredients and run the machine until thick and frothy.
4 Pour into a glass and serve.
The Lean English Breakfast
Serves 4
low saturated fat – fairly low cholesterol – some fibre
Have this no more than once a week
4 rashers (slices) of extra-lean back bacon, rinded
2 tomatoes, halved
Freshly ground black pepper
25 g/1 oz/2 tbsp sunflower or olive oil spread
2 slices of bread
100 g/4 oz button mushrooms
30 ml/2 tbsp water
2 whole eggs
4 egg whites
45 ml/3 tbsp skimmed milk
A pinch of salt
1 Put the bacon and halved tomatoes under the grill (broiler). Sprinkle the tomatoes with pepper. Spread half the sunflower or olive oil spread on both sides of the bread. Cut into halves and lay on the grill rack. Grill (broil) until cooked to your liking, turning once. Remove foods as they are cooked and keep warm.
2 Meanwhile, put the mushrooms in a saucepan with the water and season with pepper. Cover and cook gently for 5 minutes until tender.
3 Melt the remaining spread in a non-stick saucepan. Whisk in the eggs and egg whites together with the milk and salt. Add a good grinding of pepper. Cook over a gentle heat, stirring all the time until scrambled. Do not allow to boil.
4 Arrange all the items on warm plates and serve.
Tomato Wakener
Serves 1
almost no saturated fat – very low cholesterol – low fibre
3 ripe tomatoes, quartered
60 ml/4 tbsp pure orange juice
A good pinch of chilli powder
A dash of soy sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
30 ml/2 tbsp low-fat fromage frais
Ice cubes
1 Purée the tomatoes in a blender or food processor.
2 Add the remaining ingredients and blend again.
3 Pour over ice cubes in a tall glass and drink straight away.
Mango Smoothie
Serves 2
very low saturated fat – very low cholesterol – some fibre
1 small ripe mango
1 banana
120 ml/4 fl oz/1 cup pineapple juice
170 g/6½ oz/1 small can of low-fat
evaporated milk, well chilled
Lemon juice, to taste
1 Peel the mango, cut all the flesh off the stone (pit) and place in a blender or food processor. Peel the banana, break into pieces and add.
2 Add half the pineapple juice and purée until smooth. Blend in the remaining juice.
3 Meanwhile, whisk the evaporated milk until thick and doubled in bulk. Whisk in the fruit mixture. Sharpen with lemon juice. Pour into glasses and serve.