4 recipes for a nourishing breakfast

Do you have a deep-seated aversion to breakfast on weekdays? Are you happy to lounge about on a weekend and make yourself a gourmet brunch but Monday to Friday you rush out the door with a caffeinated “roadie” in one hand and your briefcase in the other?

We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day so why skip it altogether? Or why placate tummy rumbles by standing at the bench eating sugar-loaded, lifeless cereals all the while knowing that, nutritionally speaking, you are probably better off eating the cardboard box?

Many people are reliant on grains for breakfast — and often lunch and dinner, too — eating cereal, toast or porridge followed by cakes, biscuits or muffins for morning tea, a sandwich for lunch and then pasta or rice dishes for dinner. Grains are a quick and easy staple for many of us and they’re, well, culturally ingrained. But they can also be responsible for those few extra kilos on our waists or backsides. Remember, when farmers want to fatten up their cows, they substitute grass for grains!

If you need inspiration to move beyond the cereal-and-toast monotony then consider this: processed foods are so lifeless and lacking in nutrition that your body does not register them as “real food”; soon after you have eaten them your blood sugar levels drop, you become tired, your survival instincts kick in and you start foraging for more food. Before you know it, this can lead to mid-morning sugar benders and espresso addictions.

However, with a little planning, breakfast can become both interesting and nourishing. When you eat wholesome foods for breakfast that are “alive” (as close to their natural state as possible), you will feel full of energy and alert for the day ahead.

There are literally hundreds of different ways you can give your body the nutrition it needs to “power up” for the day, and here we’d like to share a few recipes from the book Breakfast Solutions, which explores smoothies, juices, egg dishes, congees, fermented porridges and other breakfast delights (including some grain recipes!) for both weekdays and celebratory weekend brunches.

All in all, keeping variety in your diet is a great way to stay enthusiastic about eating well.

Poached Eggs on Cauliflower Mash with Garlic Spinach and Roasted Tomatoes

If you haven’t tried poached eggs on cauliflower mash then you are going to love this yummy alternative for toast. Blended with a little butter and herbal seasoning salt, this mash is incredibly yummy.

Combined with the spinach and tomatoes, this is a great weekend brunch recipe. Or you can save time by just enjoying the eggs and cauliflower on their own.

This recipe suggests cooking with coconut oil; we love this oil for lots of reasons. Research shows that it’s a healthy saturated fat that supports immune system function. Due to its high composition of saturated fats, it is the most stable oil, meaning it can be heated to high temperatures without oxidising or going rancid like most other oils. (We recommend cooking at high temperatures only with coconut and olive oils.) Coconut oil also enhances the natural flavour of food and contains lauric acid, a proven antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal agent which is easily digested and absorbed.

The best coconut oil to buy is one that is organic, virgin, cold or expeller-pressed and unrefined. Most commercial coconut oils are refined, bleached and deodorised (RBD) and contain chemicals used in processing.

Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 35 mins

Ingredients
Roasted tomatoes
3 tbsp olive oil or melted coconut oil
4 Roma tomatoes (or other vine-ripe tomatoes)
Sea salt & pepper (to taste)
1 tbsp coconut sugar (optional)
2 tbsp fresh herbs, finely chopped (optional)

Cauliflower mash
1 head of cauliflower, rinsed & roughly chopped
1 tbsp organic butter
½ tsp herbal seasoning salt or sea salt
Pepper (to taste)

Garlic spinach
2 tsp olive or coconut oil
1 clove of garlic, smashed & finely chopped
4 cups (200g) spinach leaves, packed
½ tsp herbal seasoning salt or sea salt

Eggs
4–8 free-range eggs (1–2 per serve, depending on the size of the eggs)
Sea salt & pepper (to taste)

Method
Roasted tomatoes: Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Line a baking dish with baking paper and grease with the oil. Halve the tomatoes lengthwise. (Note: you can also leave them whole if you prefer but note that the cooking time may be about 5 min longer.)

Place the tomatoes on the baking tray, skin side down, and generously sprinkle with olive or coconut oil, salt, pepper, coconut sugar and herbs, if using.

Roast for 20–35 minutes, or until tender and a little crunchy on top. (Note: Cooking time will vary depending on the size of your tomatoes so check them after 20 minutes to see if they are done).

Mashed cauliflower: While the tomatoes are roasting, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the cauliflower, cover with a lid and cook for 10 min or until tender enough to be mashed. Remove from the heat and drain.

Add the butter, herbal seasoning salt (or sea salt) and pepper, and mash the cauliflower to a smooth consistency. Set aside.

Garlic spinach: In a large frying pan or pot, heat the oil and add the garlic. Cook while stirring for about 30 seconds or until you smell the lovely garlic aroma.

Add the spinach and herbal seasoning salt (or sea salt) and continue cooking while stirring for about 3–4 minutes or until the spinach is just wilted. Set aside.

Eggs: Fill a shallow saucepan with water and bring to near-boiling point.

Crack each egg into a small cup, then place the cup near the surface of the water and gently drop the egg into the water. When all the eggs are in the saucepan, turn off the heat and cover with a lid for about 4 min or until firm.

Scoop the eggs out of the water using a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.

Note: Your cauliflower mash and spinach leaves may need to be reheated a little before serving. Once the tomatoes are roasted, turn the oven temperature down to medium-low and place the cauliflower and spinach in the oven to warm them for a moment before serving.

To serve: Place two large spoonfuls of cauliflower mash on each plate and then add a layer of garlic spinach. Top with 1–2 eggs and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a roasted tomato on the side.

Pumpkin Hot Cakes

While pancakes are delicious, rarely are they nutritious. These pumpkin hot cakes, however, are both scrumptious and wholesome!

Makes: 20 10cm-diameter hot cakes
Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 25 mins for pumpkin, 15-20 mins for hot cakes

Ingredients
2 cups cooked, mashed pumpkin (cooled to room temperature)
4 free-range eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups gluten-free self-raising flour
½ cup plain yoghurt
½ cup milk (dairy or nut milk)
½ tsp vanilla essence
½ tsp sea salt
Coconut oil (for cooking hot cakes)

Method
In a large bowl, mix the mashed pumpkin and all the other ingredients together (except for the coconut oil).

In a large frying pan, melt a tablespoon of coconut oil on medium-high heat for about 2 min. When the pan is hot, drop enough batter in to form round cakes about 10cm in diameter. Pat each one down to a thickness of 1cm and leave enough space between the cakes for turning.

Cook the cakes for about 2 min on one side until they start to brown, then flip them over carefully and cook for another 2 minutes. Be careful not to burn them and adjust the temperature of the pan if needed.

Serve immediately or transfer to a baking dish and loosely cover with baking paper. Place in an oven heated to 120°C/250°F to keep warm until ready to serve.

Serve with nut butters, maple syrup or our Breakfast Solutions Raspberry Quick Preserves, Mixed Berry Syrup or Froached Eggs.

Powered-up Fruit Salad

Fruit salad can be a deliciously fresh source of energy but also a source of protein if you add a few extras. Just before serving, we suggest sprinkling your fruit salad with a handful of nuts and seeds, such as white chia seeds, and then mixing either some mesquite, maqui or protein powder into your yoghurt. You can also sweeten yoghurt with a little agave syrup. Here are some of the benefits of these amazing ingredients:

Chia seeds contain protein and potassium and are one of the best sources of balanced omega oils (by weight, chia contains more omega-3 than salmon). Chia seeds are high in antioxidants and calcium (more than whole milk) but also contain essential trace minerals that assist with absorption of calcium and other vitamins. Chia seeds have a unique gelling action which helps to improve bowel function and they are apparently great for weight loss, keeping you feeling full for hours.

Mesquite powder has a sweet, distinctive wild flavour with a hint of caramel. It is a traditional Native American staple food that is high in protein and contains good quantities of calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and zinc. It helps the body absorb calcium and is also rich in the amino acid lysine, important for proper growth. It plays a role in the formation of collagen, a substance essential for healthy bones and connective tissues, including the skin, tendons and cartilage.

Maqui berries (pronounced “mock-ee”) have a unique, sweet/tart flavour. They are used to create a concentrated powder that has one of the highest amounts of antioxidants available. History tells us that the Mapuche Indian tribe ate very little solid food and drank a fermented beverage made from maqui berries several times a day, which may have contributed to the extraordinary strength and endurance that these warriors exhibited.

Protein powder is available that is not made from dairy but from other protein sources such as legumes.

Agave nectar or “syrup” is a natural sweetener made from the agave plant. It contains beneficial fibre and many trace nutrients including calcium, iron and vitamins B and C, and has no chemical additives or fillers. Agave also contains inulin (not insulin), a form of fructan found in a number of vegetables including onions, green beans, asparagus and artichokes. The fructan in agave supports the growth of beneficial microbial flora in the digestive tract, which strengthens bones and protect against osteoporosis by increasing the body’s absorption of calcium and magnesium.

Serves: 8–10 cup portions
Prep time: 10–15 mins

Ingredients
Fruit salad
2 cups (250g) watermelon cut in 2.5cm cubes
1 mango, peeled & sliced
1 banana, peeled & chopped
1 plum, peeled & roughly chopped
1 nectarine, core removed & roughly chopped
1 apple, core removed & roughly chopped (remove skin if using non-organic produce)
1 cup mixed berries (raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and/or sliced strawberries)

Yoghurt and protein additions (optional)
1 cup high-quality yoghurt
1 tsp agave syrup (or honey) to sweeten yoghurt
½-1 tsp maqui powder
½ tsp mesquite powder
1-2 tbsp vegetable protein powder

For sprinkling on top (optional)
1 tbsp  white chia seeds
2 tbsp chopped nuts of your choice 

Method
In a large bowl, gently mix the chopped fruit and berries.

In a small bowl, combine the yoghurt, agave syrup or honey, and maqui, mesquite and protein powders.

Serve the fruit salad topped with yoghurt and a sprinkle of chia seeds and nuts. (Note: If you don’t love crunchy nuts and seeds, then you can grind them in a blender first.)

Do-It-Yourself Toasted Muesli

Do-it-yourself muesli is a great way to create your own breakfast heaven. This recipe includes a range of nutritious ingredients but it can be varied as much as you like. We do urge you to buy the highest quality ingredients possible, such as organic dried fruit and grains.

Chia bran is the husk of the chia seed and provides a high level of fibre and protein.

Makes: 8–10 cups (1 cup per serve)
Prep time: 10–15 mins
Cooking time: 20–25 mins

Ingredients
4 cups (360g) rolled oats
2 cups (250g) chopped mixed nuts
½ cup (225g) sunflower seeds
1 cup (50g) chia bran
1 cup (80g) desiccated coconut
1 cup (250ml) melted coconut oil
½ cup (125ml) maple syrup or honey
1 tbsp vanilla essence
1½ tbsp cinnamon
1½ tbsp sea salt
2 cups (75g) sultanas
1 cup (75g) chopped dates (Tip: Rub a little coconut oil on your knife and your fingers when cutting the dates to stop the pieces from sticking together.)

Method
Preheat the oven to 170°C/340°F.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, sunflower seeds, chia bran and desiccated coconut. (Note: if your family is not used to eating nuts and seeds you could grind them first in a blender. If using ground nuts and seeds, add them to the recipe when you add the dried fruit.)

In a small saucepan, melt the coconut oil over medium heat and then add the maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon and salt, stirring to combine and warming through.

Pour the liquid over the dry oat mixture and mix well. Spread the mixture in a large baking dish or pan (you can line it first with baking paper if you like). Place in the oven for about 20 min and stir every 5 min. Bake until the mixture is evenly toasted and golden.

Remove from the oven and transfer to a bowl. Stir occasionally until the muesli is cool and dry.

Only then add the dried fruit (and ground nuts and seeds, if using) and stir to combine. (Note: adding the fruit at this stage prevents it from burning in the oven).

Store the muesli in an airtight jar in a dark, cool place to keep it crunchy.

For more recipes, ideas or information on any of the ingredients, visit www.welladjusted.me/breakfastsolutions.