Do you ever feel like your kitchen is a little underused in the morning? We’re not trying to suggest that cereal or a slice of toast aren’t a great option for breakfast but it can be easy to get stuck in a rut with them. So if you’re feeling a bit bored with your morning meal, it could be time to mix things up and start your day with something that’s a little more interesting.
While you’re at it, why not make those options healthier? There are lots of delicious yet nutritious breakfasts that you can opt for – and it never hurts to add to your five-a-day. So here are five healthy breakfast ideas that you will love, provided by Mike James – an independent specialist working alongside Halycon Interiors.
Overnight oats
You probably have days where there simply is no time in the morning to get your breakfast ready before you head out. It happens to virtually everyone and it can result in your heading into a coffee shop to buy something overpriced and packed with sugar – or skipping breakfast altogether. Neither option is particularly appealing, so overnight oats offers a brilliant solution. Instead of oats, you can also try an easy Millets recipe like this Gluten Free Millet Porridge with Apricot Puree (Vegan) which is easy to make and can be a quick yet yummy breakfast option.
If you know that you aren’t going to have the time to get breakfast tomorrow morning, simply do it the night before. It’s simple, quick and easy; all you need is a few hours overnight to bring together a healthy and delicious breakfast.
For one overnight oats:
- 150ml almond milk
- 200g whole grain oats
- 3 heaped tbsp. Greek yoghurt
- honey (or to taste)
It’s very easy – simply combine all of the ingredients in your favourite container, mix them together, then pop on the lid and leave them overnight (or for at least 4 hours) to combine together. You can either eat it cold or quickly heat it up in the morning, and breakfast is served! You can also jazz up the recipe by adding fruit or trying out other flavours. Blueberries and chopped banana work particularly well, but you could also try grated apple and cinnamon for a tasty alternative.
Poached egg and avocado on toast
Sounds impressive, doesn’t it? This is actually a really easy breakfast to make and you can have it ready in under ten minutes. For a recipe that is so simple, this is unbelievably delicious and will leave you feeling satisfied and full until lunchtime. Avocados are a brilliant source of healthy fats as well as a range of different nutrients, while eggs offer that fantastic protein hit you need with the most important meal of the day.
Serves one:
- 2 eggs
- 2 slices of sourdough bread
- avocado
- Pinch salt and pepper
- Pinch paprika
Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, using enough water to completely cover the eggs when you put them in. When the water is boiling, start toasting the bread. Add a drop of vinegar to the water (it will help to keep the eggs together in the water), then swirl the boiling water so that it is spinning in the saucepan. Now break an egg into the centre of the whirlpool and watch whites curl around the yoke to create that familiar poached egg shape. Cook for four minutes or a little more if you don’t want your eggs too runny.
While the eggs are cooking, mash up your avocado and then spread it across the toasted sourdough slices. Lift the eggs out of the pan with a slotted spatula and deposit them onto some kitchen roll to soak up the excess water. When they have dried off, place an egg each on top of the bread. Sprinkle on your salt, pepper and paprika – enjoy!
Vegetable frittata
A lot more interesting that your standard omelette, a vegetable frittata is a fantastic option especially if you’re cooking for more than one person at breakfast time. This one pan delight can be packed with just about any vegetable you fancy – peppers and mushrooms work particularly well but mix it up with broccoli, spinach and peas for a greener option. You’ll need a little more time, but this is a great choice if you’re up before everyone else.
For a frittata to serve four:
- 5 large eggs
- 300g tub cottage cheese
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 15g cheddar, grate
- 2 red peppers, diced
- 200g mushrooms, sliced
- Salt and pepper
Heat your oven up to 200C/180C fan/gas mark 5. Now heat a little oil in a pan and fry your peppers and mushrooms until they are cooked through, then remove them from the heat.
Beat the eggs in a large bowl, then add the cottage cheese, cheddar and chopped garlic, as well as the cooked peppers and mushrooms, then season to taste with the salt and pepper. Mix everything together and then transfer them to a dish. Cook in the oven for half an hour until the frittata is completely set.
Scrambled tofu
Egg overload? They might be the quintessential breakfast item but you can have too much of a good thing. Mix things up with scrambled tofu. It has a similar appearance to scrambled egg but a flavour and texture of its own.
You could serve this on toast or your favourite breakfast bread – just as you would with scrambled egg. Another option is refried beans, although it might be best to use some you made last night as they can take a while to cook from scratch.
To serve two:
- 1 pack firm silken tofu
- 2 tsp olive oil
- red pepper
- onion
- A handful of kale
- tsp garlic powder
- tsp paprika
- tsp ground cumin
- tsp chili powder
- Salt and pepper
Heat the oil in a pan to a medium heat, then add the red pepper, onion and kale. Cook until the veggies have softened. Now drain your tofu and add the pack to the pan. Break it up with a spatula until you have the appearance of scrambled eggs in the pan. Add the spices and then season to taste, mixing the veggies and tofu together. Give the spices five minutes to cook in, then serve.
Homemade wholegrain blueberry muffins
Blueberry muffins make an excellent breakfast – one that can be made the night before and grabbed in the morning. They are perfect if you are on the go and could even serve you as a mid-morning snack if you would prefer. They’ll take about 40 minutes to cook plus time for cooling down, so this isn’t really one that you can cook in the morning before work.
For 12 muffins:
- 200g blueberries
- 2 ripe bananas, mashed
- 300g wholemeal flour
- 1 egg, beaten
- 75g olive oil
- 2tsp baking powder
- 1tsp bicarbonate of sofa
- 100g brown sugar
- 284ml carton of buttermilk
- 1tsp salt
Pre-heat the oven to 180C/170C fan/gas 4. Place muffin cases in a 12-hole tray. Take a large bowl and add the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, brown sugar and salt. Now make a well in the centre of the bowl and put in the beaten egg, buttermilk, mashed banana and olive oil. Mix the ingredients together quickly (but don’t overmix them). Finally, add the blueberries and give the mix a quick stir.
Now spoon the mix into the muffin cases until they are quite full. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 25 minutes – or until the muffins have risen and are golden brown on the top. Leave them to cool on a wire rack.
