Baked Eggs

This is such a fantastically quick and versatile recipe that can easily be multiplied up when cooking for more than one child/adult. I've put it in Breakfast and Brunch but in fact it makes a wonderful tea too. [Note: if making for myself I just double/triple the quantities and add a sprinkling of salt before serving.]

1 egg per ramekin

combo 1:

10-15g ham, roughly sliced or shredded

1 cherry tomato, quartered

10g cheddar cheese, grated

combo 2:

10-15g smoked salmon

5g spinach, roughly chopped

1 tsp cream cheese or creme fraiche

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Preheat the oven to its highest setting. Lightly butter the ramekin(s) and place the ham or salmon in the bottom followed by either the tomato or spinach. Crack the egg on top and add the remaining ingredient. Place in the oven for 12-15 minutes depending on how set you want your egg(s). Remove and allow to cool slightly before serving with some toast or flatbread.

Super Seed & Quinoa Granola

This is a fantastic granola for all the family- full of nutrients from the quinoa, oats, nuts and seeds as well as a big dose of natural sweetness from the fresh bananas. Its essential to leave the granola in the oven to crisp up after you have turned it off otherwise you won't get the lovely crunchy texture that makes it so addictive that you'll find yourself sneaking handfuls as a quick snack! I haven't included any dried fruit as we tend to add these separately as they burn in the oven but if you wanted to add any into the mixture before storing then I would suggest two types and about 50g each.

[Note: if you can't find puffed quinoa then just use an extra 60g porridge oats.]

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140g porridge oats

40g puffed quinoa

40g desiccated coconut

40g almonds, roughly chopped

40g pistachios, roughly chopped

40g pecans, roughly chopped

40g sunflower seeds

40g pumpkin seeds

2 tbsp linseed

1 tsp ground cinnamon

3 tbsp maple syrup

3 tbsp olive oil

150g banana (about 2 bananas)

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Preheat the oven to 180oC and line a baking tray with baking parchment.

Place all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Place the maple syrup, olive oil and banana in a blender and blitz until a smooth puree. Pour the banana mixture over the dry ingredients and stir through so that everything is is evenly coated.

Spread the mixture onto the baking tray and compact down with the back of a wooden spoon or spatula. Place in the oven for 30-35 minutes, giving it a stir every 10-15 minutes. Turn off the oven but leave the tray inside for another 30 minutes to allow everything to crisp up. Remove and leave to cool completely before breaking up and storing in an airtight container for 1-2 weeks.

 

 

 

Chorizo & Cornbread Muffins

The creamy sweetcorn and lightly spiced chorizo in these muffins are a dream combo. Packed full of nutrients and a whole load of flavour they are fantastic for the entire family - especially as part of a delicious brunch selection. You can also make mini cornbread loaves with the mixture or they look fantastic (and ultra cute) in a bitesize format.

[Note: to keep the whole recipe gluten free just check that the chorizo you are using is GF and if you can't find any then substitute with sundried tomatoes or pancetta]

Makes 4-5 mini loaves, 6 large muffins or 12 bitesize muffins

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30g chorizo, cut into 1/2cm dice

150g sweetcorn, tinned or frozen plus a small handful for the top

30g shallots, roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp baking powder

3 tbsp polenta

50g butter, softened

2 eggs, beaten

50g cheddar cheese, grated

3-4 cherry tomatoes, quartered (I like to use a variety of colours but red is fine)

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Preheat the oven to 200oC and line a muffin tin with 6 muffin cases. Set aside.

Place the chorizo in a small frying pan and fry over a medium heat until golden and crisp. Meanwhile, place the rest of the ingredients, apart from 15g cheddar and the tomato quarters, in a food processor and blitz until you have a rough puree. Pour into a mixing bowl and stir through the cooked chorizo. Divide the mixture between the muffin cases and equally sprinkle over the tomato quarters, leftover cheddar and sweetcorn. Place in the oven for 25-30minutes [Note: 20minutes for bitesize] until golden and set. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack.

Store: in an airtight container for 3 days.

Perfect Everyday Porridge

My daughters and I all adore porridge and would quite happily have it every single morning. Its not only super nutritious, its also cheap and extremely versatile. This quantity makes the perfect amount for our family but increase or decrease as needed. You can also leave out the maple syrup but we think it makes it 'juuuussssst right'. I've listed a few of our favourite toppings  but its delicious plain or with a big spoonful of strawberry chia jam.

Makes enough for 2 porridge loving adults and 2 small children.

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100g porridge oats

500ml full fat milk

2 tbsp maple syrup

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Put the porridge in a large saucepan and pour over 400ml milk and the maple syrup. Place over a medium-high heat and bring to the boil. Give the porridge a big stir and reduce to a simmer for 3 minutes, stirring often, until the mixture thickens. Remove and add the final 100ml milk and stir through to combine. Serve immediately.

Topping 1: Banana & homemade ‘Nutella’

1 banana, sliced- 1 tbsp ‘nutella’ -1 tbsp date syrup

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Add half the banana and the date syrup to the porridge whilst cooking and mash until it is part of the overall texture. Serve with the remaining banana slices and syrup and a spoonful of nutella.

Topping 2 : Blueberry, Almond& Honey

handful of blueberries - 1 tbsp toasted flaked almonds - 1 tbsp honey - pinch mixed spice

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Toast the almonds with a pinch of mixed spice and half the honey and set aside. Add half the blueberries into the cooking porridge so they they soften and leak into the oats. To serve, sprinkle over the toasted almonds, remaining blueberries and a drizzle of honey.

Topping 3: Cinnamon Apple & Maple Syrup

1 apple, roughly grated (or spirallised) - 1/4 tsp cinnamon - 1 tbsp maple syrup

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In a small bowl stir the cinnamon and syrup through the prepared apple. Add half to the cooking porridge and sprinkle the remaining on top before serving.

Topping 4: Blackberry & Pistachio

30g blackberries - 1 pear, grated - 1 tbsp toasted and roughly chopped pistachios - 1 tbsp honey

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Toast the pistachios with half of the honey and set aside. Grate the pear into the cooking porridge. To serve, sprinkle over the blackberries and pistachios.

 

 

 

 

 

Coconut & Pear Bircher

This is a fantastic super nutritious dairy free breakfast option that you can prepare the night before. I think the combination of the pear and coconut work wonderfully together but use apple if you prefer and if you don't have any mixed dried berries just use whatever dried fruit you have available. This recipe is also great if you are baby led weaning as the mixture can be baked and set into little muffin size cakes that tiny hands can pick up and explore- see method below.

Serves 2 adults and 1-2 small children

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100g porridge oats

400ml tin full fat coconut milk

50g mixed dried berries

30g desiccated coconut

1/2 pear, finely diced or grated

1 tbsp maple syrup

1/2 tsp vanilla paste, optional

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Place all the ingredients in a large airtight container and stir to combine. Leave overnight for the oats to absorb the flavours and serve topped with extra pear and a drizzle of maple syrup. 

for baby led weaning: preheat the oven to 160oC and grease a 12-hole muffin. Divide the mixture between 9 of the moulds (it won't make 12) and bake for 20 minutes. Remove and allow to cool completely before popping out. Keep whole, slice or cut into dice before storing in an airtight container for 5 days or freeze for up to 1 month.