Breakfast

warm spiced breakfast quinoa

January 6, 2012

This is a departure from the kinds of breakfast I usually post in this space. Normally, it’s all about weekend breakfasts. Well, it’s more exciting isn’t it? Who doesn’t want to be wooed by sweetcorn fritters, fancy potatoes, waffles, fry ups, french toast, biscuits and bacon, and pancakes?

But more likely than not, you – like me – eat something much more normal most weekdays. Something along the lines of some muesli and milk, runny eggs on toast, bagels with cream cheese, granola and yoghurt, almond or peanut butter and banana smooshed on toast, or simple greens and eggs.

This here is a new kid on my breakfast block. It’s had a look at oatmeal and gone, “yeah, that’s great but what about THIS?”

The best thing about this cereal, straight off the bat, is that you pre-make it so no time is wasted early in the a.m. when you’re fighting the urge to lie down and nap on the kitchen floor with your cat.

Make a big batch (the recipe below makes enough for about five breakfasts) and then in the morning just pop some in a saucepan with some milk to warm it through and you’re ready to eat.

It’s super filling and unbelievably creamy, whilst managing to retain a definite crunch. The cinnamon and ginger are such warming spices, you feel like you’re getting a giant healthy hug. Quinoa and millet are both really easy to digest (and gluten-free), plus ginger aids with digestion – basically it’s one of the most gentle things you can put in your body first thing in the morning. I told you, healthy hug.

It’ll warm you to your frigid core and it’s so bloody good for you, you might just get a medal for eating it. Can I rave any more? Make it. Eat it. Do it.

Breakfast Quinoa
from My New Roots

For the cereal base

Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 1 cup millet
  • 4 ½ cups water
  • pinch of sea salt

Directions

  1. Rinse grains well. Place in saucepan and add the water and salt.
  2. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer until the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
  3. Let cool slightly. Store in a container in the fridge.

For each portion of cereal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cooked grain mix
  • ¼ cup water or milk (I use almond or soy)
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
  • generous pinch ground ginger
  • 1 tsp chia seeds (optional)
  • fresh fruit
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • handful chopped nuts, such as almonds or walnuts (optional)
  • dollop of yoghurt (optional)

Directions

  1. Measure out one cup of the cooked grain mix and place in a small saucepan with the water or milk. Heat over medium heat until warmed through. Remove form heat.
  2. Stir in the cinnamon, ginger, and chia seeds if you’re adding them.
  3. Place grain mix in a bowl, drizzle with maple syrup, add nuts and chopped fresh fruit, plus a dollop of yoghurt, if you fancy it.

fresh cranberry cornmeal pancakes

January 2, 2012

Happy new year! Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and a smashing new year’s celebration. Did you get anything special for Christmas? I’m so excited for two new cookbooks – Tender by Nigel Slater and The Homesick Texan by Lisa Fain – can’t wait to start cooking from them.

On Christmas Eve morning, Dan and I had our own little mini Christmas – just the two of us. We opened presents, popped on a couple of our new LPs, drank coffee and Buck’s Fizz, and then I set about making these pancakes and I have to tell you about them because they’re absolutely cracking.

Dan was extremely skeptical at first. He thought the cranberries would be too bitter, sharp, and crunchy. Not so! And he raved about them. Raved. In fact he was the one who said I had to tell you about them.

The cranberries are tossed in some sugar first but even without that, sweetness is not an issue. The pancake batter is sweet – sweeter still from the addition of corn – and the cranberries just cook enough in a few minutes to soften and start expelling juices.

Sure they’re tart but it’s a gorgeous popping contrast to the crunch and crisp sweetness of the cornmeal cake.

Fresh Cranberry Cornmeal Pancakes
adapted from this recipe

Ingredients

  •     1 cup all-purpose flour
  •     1/2 cup cornmeal
  •     1/4 cup sugar
  •     1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  •     1 teaspoon coarse salt
  •     1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  •     1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
  •     1/4 cup milk
  •     1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for griddle
  •     1 large egg, lightly beaten
  •     2 cups fresh cranberries
  •     Pure maple syrup, for serving

Directions

  1. Whisk together flour, cornmeal, 2 tablespoons sugar, the baking powder, salt, and baking soda. In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk, milk, butter, and egg. Whisk wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined (mixture will be lumpy).
  2. Preheat oven to 200F. Heat a griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Toss cranberries with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Brush griddle with melted butter. Spoon batter onto griddle 1/3 cup at a time. Sprinkle with sugared cranberries, about 2 tablespoons per pancake. Cook until edges are set, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip, and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter and cranberries, adding more butter to griddle and keeping prepared pancakes warm on a baking sheet in the oven. Serve with maple syrup.

Note: This batter is going to be thicker than normal, thanks to the addition of cornmeal. The bubbles that usually indicate when to flip a pancake might not form, so flip when the edges start to set.

caramelised pears

November 21, 2011

Browned butter, sugar, honey and…pears. Or apples. We’re flexible here in caramelised-land.

More than offering a recipe today I just wanted to put this idea into your head because truly it’s the simplest thing and an awesome jumping off point. Caramelised pears taste great alone but they taste fantastic with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Throw some pancakes in under all that and you’ve really got it going on.

If you wanted to get fancy you could serve them with a spiced cake or honey cake. Or throw some vanilla essence into the pan. Maybe some thyme? You got it…make it yours.

Caramelising pears reminds me of my Mum making baked apples with brown sugar served with vanilla ice cream on Sunday afternoons after a roast. I need to do that soon. Roast and all.

Caramelised Pears

Ingredients

  • 1/2 tablespoon butter
  • 1/8 cup sugar
  • 2 ripe pears, cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
  • drizzle of good quality honey

Directions

  1. This is a really loose recipe. Add a knob of butter to a pan over medium heat. Once melted, add some sugar until that melts as well, about one minute.
  2. Place the pear wedges into the pan and cook, stirring occasionally and flipping once, for about 10-12 minutes. Once they have a browned glaze, drizzle some honey over the top. Let them cook a minute more and then remove from the pan and serve immediately. Serves two.

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