All in Breakfast and brunch
Creating good breakfast habits is often a very hard one to crack! Making ahead is one of the best advice we can give. Those overnight chia breakfast pots take 5 minutes to prepare the day before, keep in the fridge for 2-3 days, are rich in protein to keep you full and can be made with an endless list of fruits! What’s not to like! You can easily make a “pick & mix” batch to suit everyone in the family! Any fresh or frozen fruit can be used! Today’s choice is frozen mango!
With busy lives and early starts breakfast can sometimes fall by the way side. We are great fans of breakfast - as we feel that if you start your day with a decent meal - then you are more likely to keep on track. If you skip breakfast and then reach for a sugary snack mid morning - then this makes it much harder to eat healthily for the rest of the day as your blood sugars start to become unbalanced. However we understand that not everyone wants to eat breakfast as soon as they wake up. So here are some solutions for breakfast on the go. Ideas that you can take with you into the office or work that can be eaten at leisure.
Who would say no to a better healthier breakfast, naturally sweet, nothing processed and so nourishing? Let’s all say yes and add this amazing fruit compote or jam. only 5 minute to prep and it will fill your kitchen with the sweet aromas or an old fashioned jam making kitchen! It is THE all round perfect breakfast partner to your overnight oats, porridge, or yoghurt topped up with nuts and seeds! Great with homemade waffles too!
I could not offer a more simple, balanced, delicious make ahead breakfast than this one! I wasn't even sure I was going to write this as a "recipe". But at The Health Boost we are passionate about simple real whole foods and ingredients. Being healthy does not require fancy ingredients and long winded fussy recipes. So here it is, a simple fairly rustic and fail safe recipe for a balanced breakfast. What fruit will you pick to make yours?
As there is no end to the creativity you can indulge in with waffle making, I embarked on a slightly more grown up tasting waffle. Matcha powder is not just for frothy lattes! It packs a really original flavour punch I very much enjoy adding to healthy baking. This recipe is refined sugar free and naturally gluten free thanks to using buckwheat flour. I enjoyed those waffles warm straight from the iron with frozen blueberries, toasted coconut, roasted hazelnuts and a drizzle of honey!
Since getting my waffle maker at Christmas, we have had lots of fun with it. The kids keep coming up with some of their favourite flavours and I experiment with lots of different flours or starch in order to offer good nutritional value as well as fun. As always, no refined sugars, gluten free and easily dairy free if you chose so. This winning lemon & poppy seed combo worked beautifully, especially when served warmed with greek yoghurt, fresh blueberries and a drizzle of honey!
You've all heard the saying "breakfast like a king". However the typical Western diet breakfast of cereal with skimmed milk or a piece of toast grabbed on the way out of the door is not eating like a king. I understand that time is a particular worry when you're trying to get to work and ferry children to school. However I often find that cooking a breakfast for the children results in cleaner plates much quicker and we are usually out of the door earlier. The key is to get the children involved. Get them to stir the eggs, while you unload the dishwasher or do their hair! My husband leaves the house at a ridiculous hour of the morning so he takes his breakfast in, which he eats after his 8am meeting. Many of the breakfasts below are easily portable in a container and carried into work.
We are always striving to come up with healthy breakfast ideas that are quick and easy to make and ensure that no one is left hungry. Make this the night before and then breakfast is on the table in seconds. This is my son'r current favourite breakfast as he says it leaves him full until lunchtime. He likes to mix it with some homemade granola for added crunch. This can be made dairy free by substituting the Greek yoghurt with coconut milk or coconut yoghurt.
Baked beans are a quick and very popular meal. However the variety in a tin are full of hidden sugar which I'd rather not eat or give to my children. These beans can be adapted spice wise to make them more child-friendly (just reduce the cayenne pepper). Serve these on toast for a quick breakfast or stir in a handful of spinach at the end of cooking and make a well and crack two eggs in and you have a very filling and delicious, hearty breakfast. You can use whatever beans you like - I have used butter beans, but haricot beans are the traditional beans used in baked beans. This is also delicious with chickpeas.
As you may have noticed by now, I love nothing more than playing around with ingredients, textures and flavours of the waffle kind. Still very much wearing my healthier cap on, I have managed to get the right balance of whole foods real ingredients and classic favourite. Those waffles have come out tasting like a good old fashioned brownie! Do try and you won't be disappointed.
"Not another waffle recipe! " said no-one ever! Eat the rainbow is one of our Moto here at The Health Boost so once again, I aim at presenting colourful, creative, nutrient dense and delicious food! This waffle is as pleasing to the eye as it is balanced and satisfying on a hungry morning! You can even make it the night before and slide in the toaster in the morning.
Growing up in France, my paternal side of the family was from French North Africa and I grew up enjoying many of the flavourful dishes of the cuisine of the Sephardic Jews. My grandmother spent her time spoiling us with feast after feast of delicious spicy foods. My favourite was her "Choukchouka". Little did I know that this dish would see such a revival and feature in every culinary, foodie, healthy cookbook or blog! So here's my own family recipe for you to enjoy.
Growing up waffles were something I did with my grand-parents, at the weekend as a treat or ate at the fair ground. Nowadays, as a health conscious foodie mum I like to play around with so called indulgent, cheeky treats and tweak them! Still treats, but rid of the refined sugars and packed with nourishing goodness and flavours. These cinnamon waffles are just that.
So, breakfast cereals… where do we even start? Well, let’s start with the fact that homemade granola is the easiest thing you could do! Make a batch on Sunday afternoon with the kids and enjoy every morning with your choice of milk, yoghurt, fresh fruit etc…
So...I may have bought a new foodie gadget, and I may be having way too much fun with it! So I am now sharing the outcome of my very first waffle creation and certainly not the last!
The best thing about this one< in addition to containing greens, is that I am using mashed potato. So so simple, could be a leftover in your fridge, and you will have a fab breakfast or delicious lunchbox item!
Sticking by our favourite rule of eating seasonal ingredients, and in the spirit of joining our American friends in celebrating Thanksgiving I decided to make you all this delicious Cranberry & Orange chia jam . It’s quick and easy, and will make the perfect partner to fluffy pancakes, warming porridge or creamy Greek yoghurt! Dare I say, the tangy deliciousness of this jam also makes it a great companion for a rich cheese board! Feel free to adopt it, for ever! Not just for Thanksgiving!
When porridge season is upon us, making sure we have a wide choice of healthy toppings is key to good breakfast nutrition. Nut butters are a favourite in our house, but this no refined sugar jam is a great healthy alternative. The key to making porridge last you until lunchtime is to include some protein and healthy fats. With the addition of the chia seeds, this jam does both of these things! We have used some of our "pick your own" summer fruits for this one.
When fruit season is in full swing, let's take advantage of it! Having fruits as part of a healthy nutritious breakfast is a great way to kick start your day. This very simple apricot and plum stew is not only seasonal and delicious, it is extremely versatile. It makes a perfect crumble base, or a great topping for your morning oats or Greek yoghurt!
The sun's finally coming out to play, all my favourite berries are also coming into season so it's time to play with those gorgeous colours and make healthy food look pretty and attractive to young and not so young! Offering a yoghurt and a few fruits to the kids for breakfast or dessert is great but they get bored! Choose a nice glass, cup or jar, and get creative with some nutritious layers! Here's what I did and I found great success!
This very simple rhubarb stew is not only seasonal and delicious, it is a very versatile base for a crumble, a simple dessert, a great topping for your morning oats or with Greek yoghurt!
Who can resist such a pretty shade of pink?