A while ago, I admitted to my dislike of breakfast. Whilst I am by and large a morning person, I don't generally feel like eating first thing and the choice of foods available just don't appeal.
Soggy cereal? Bleugh.
The breakfast foods that do appeal are the ones that you shouldn't really be indulging in every day - eggy bread, muffins, bacon sarnies... - so I was in the habit of skipping it altogether.
Until recently.
Last year, I tried to kick-start my mornings, spurred on by how well I had done during pregnancy to eat more regularly and by the delicious and good for you breakfast recipe ideas my friend Sam put together for me.
But then, I got back into bad habits of not eating or just grabbing a cereal bar.
So, in an attempt to 'shake up my wake up' (again), I've been reading lots of blogs and recipe books to gain some inspiration and I now have two favourite options to enjoy (along with Sam's Sweet Potato Hash and Spicy Egg Cups recipes).
I love how easy this recipe is and how really, anything goes, depending on what you like.
I'm a fan of porridge (but not of cleaning the bowl afterwards!) and I know how good oats are for you, being packed full of protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals, providing slow release energy and helping to lower cholesterol levels.
So, overnight oats are a great option as you do all the prep the night before and you know exactly what you're eating as you've put together all the lovely ingredients yourself.
The main tip I've learned is to mix one part oats to one part fluid, be it almond, hazlenut or standard milk or even fruit juice. This makes the right consistency for me, particularly when adding a mashed banana and / or peanut butter.
It's a really solid breakfast and will fill you up pretty quickly, so vary the amount of oats and fluid you use according to your preferences.
These airtight containers are a useful choice for storing your overnight oats and they look great on display in your kitchen too. I picked a pack of three up in Asda for just £3.50 - bargain!
My second breakfast recipe of the moment also makes a great brunch or lunch. I based it on all the things I like to eat and it's a savoury option as I often find overly sweet things put me off a little in the morning, so I'm sure to eat all of this without any complaint whatsoever.
This is just de-lish. I ADORE avocados and find all sorts of ways to add them to my meals and this dish makes good use of them for sure.
I like the fact you can make this in next to no time, or pre-prepare (save for the avocados) ready to take to the office for 'deskfast' the next day, and you can have it simple or 'jazz' it up according to taste. I want to have a go at making my own houmous as it's another food I can't get enough of but for now, I've found a great paprika spiced one that adds even more flavour to this.
I have one slice of bread if it's breakfast time or two if it's brunch / lunch, and a couple of rashers of cheeky crispy bacon can't hurt now and again either. You could also add a poached egg if you wanted to make even more of it - whatever you fancy.
I'm quite looking forward to mornings now!
Tomorrow, I'm sharing some of Ethan's favourite breakfasts, at home and on the go...
That looks like such a delicious breakfast.
ReplyDeleteLizzie Dripping