Apple cookie pie for breakfast

This may actually be the most delicious breakfast I have ever made…or maybe even ever tasted. The fact that is so simple and good for you too is a bonus! It would make a yummy dessert too!

You have to try it out…and I hardly ever say that about a recipe! (even though I usually think it!)

See, the exclamation marks are out in force again today so this really is something special!!!! Ha!

Ok, ok, I’ve calmed down a little now…breathe.  I woke up on Monday morning and with it being a bank holiday and a lovely change from the norm, I wanted to make myself a little something special, but I had no idea what. I did debate breakfast of the pancake or granola variety but it just wasn’t doing it for me.

Then a brainwave crept over me and I had to give it a shot. What if I made two oaty breakfast cookies to sandwich a hot, rich and fruit filling? It had to work...right?

Oh yes it did, it was so good and so quick. I don’t like to hang about when I’m hungry and this most certainly did the job. With endless variations on the theme for both the ‘crust’ and the filling you can play around with the ingredients to your heart’s content.  I kept the crust quite plain this time so that fruity filling coated in a sweet peanut buttery sauce could take centre stage, but by all means go ahead and jazz up your crust too! I used both an apple and a nectarine (as I had a nectarine that looked like it needed using up) but just the apple and maybe some raisins for an extra juicy texture would also be fabulous.

Recipe: Apple cookie-pie

Serves 1

Ingredients- cookies:

• 1/3 cup oats
• 3 tbs buckwheat flour (other flours would probably be fine too)
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• 1 tbs ground flax
• Ground cinnamon and vanilla extract to taste (approx. ½ tsp each)
• 1 tbs agave
• 3-4 tbs soy yoghurt (or regular yoghurt for non vegan)
• Walnut pieces to decorate- optional

Ingredients- filling:

• 1 small apple
• 1 small nectarine or two apricots (or omit and use 1 large apple)
• 1 tbs peanut butter
• 1 tsp ground flax
• 1 tsp agave (if necessary)

Method

Mix and mash all the cookie ingredients together well to form a thick sticky ball of dough. Divide into two and flatten the ball with wet palms and place both on a microwaveable plate.  Decorate one cookie with walnut pieces.

Cook on full powder in the microwave for 1 min 20s. Press with your finger and if there are no visibly sticky bits you’re done.

Whilst the cookies are cooking, chop the fruit into 1-2 cm sized chunks.  Place the apple in a microwaveable bowl and cook in the microwave for 1 min Add the remaining ingredients and cook for a further 1 minutes. Mix to coat evenly.

Set out one cookie  as a base and pile on the filing, adding the other cookie as a top crust. Dust with cinnamon if desired. Serve immediately.

Raspberry almond cocoa cookie

So many recipes I want to share!

I have an amazing ‘realistic’ burger recipe I tried out last weekend that I am dying to share but before all that we’re still in ‘birthday land’ so first I must share with you my breakfast cookie that was my morning birthday treat.

I love the breakfast cookie! So quick and simple, so filling and also good for you too…obviously if you don’t go overboard with chocolate and other sweeteners but then it wouldn’t really be a breakfast cookie would it!

This little cookie was a little more indulgent than my previous blueberry cookie as I used cacao in the batter and a tiny grating of chocolate over the top.  But I think you’ll agree it’s still pretty virtuous and makes a change from my bowl of oats.

You’ll also see a little green smoothie sneaking in the background. I’m still on my ‘30 day green smoothie challenge’ and its going well so far… I will wait until the end of the challenge in a week or so to round up my thoughts, findings and various recipes.

Well, I think that cookie pretty much speaks for itself… I have nothing left to add! So I’m going to leave it there and be off for my birthday celebrations with my family, a trip down to Reading to visit my sister who is at uni there. The weather is looking good today so hopefully we’ll take a nice walk along the river after lunch…tapas! Tapas is one of my favourites, I love lots of mini portions to dip into and try and there’s always something for everyone. I also get plenty of choice which is great as in most restaurants there is a limited number of dishes I can order from the menu.

I’m hungry already!

Recipe: raspberry almond cocoa cookie

Makes one fat cookie

Ingredients

• ¼ cup oats
• 2 tbs buckwheat flour (other flours  would probably be fine too)
• 1 tbs cacoa powder
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp ground flax/chia
• Ground cinnamon and vanilla or almond extract to taste (approx. ½ tsp each)
• 1 tbs agave syrup
• 2-3 tbs soy yoghurt (or regular yoghurt for non-vegan)
• Handful of frozen raspberries
• Sprinkling of flaked almonds
• A little grated dark chocolate-optional

Method

Mix and mash all ingredients (other than almonds and raspberries) together well to form a thick mixture, add the raspberries last and mix through so they are still chunky. Bring the mixture together as a ball and roughly flatten the ball with your palm and place on a small microwaveable plate. Sprinkle the flaked almonds over the top and lightly press them in.

Cook on full powder in the microwave for 1 minute (you may need an extra 20 seconds depending on your microwave power). Press with your finger and if it springs back and there are no visibly sticky bits and the berries are fully cooked you’re done.

Grate a little dark chocolate over the top if desired before serving.

Angel delight

I know the name of this dessert will confused many of you...because Angel Delight is simply a British phenomenon. I did a little search to see what the US equivalent was and there didn’t seem to be one (feel free to correct me if I am wrong!)

Angel Delight is an instant powdered pudding mix whisked with milk to create a mousse-like custardy sweet dessert. It comes in various flavours and is something of a childhood staple in the memories of most of the UK population.

So, I wanted to create a healthy vegan equivalent that cuts out the dairy, the sugar and all the scary 'unknowns’ of the powdered packet mix. I think I’ve cracked it…well it certainly went down well for dessert when I layered it up in little glass bowls and served it up for my family at the weekend.

‘Angel delight’ makes your perfect creamy moussey parfait.

Give it a try, I know you are curious now!

There are so many flavour combos you could try, here I went for strawberry and mango (I preferred the strawberry out the of two), but you could also go for other berries, banana, chocolate or maybe even orange although I think fruits with a higher level of natural pectin would work best as they would give the creamiest result when combined with the tofu.  I made my dessert by mixing the ‘base’ i.e everything but the fruit, then divided it into two before mixing in the fruit separately. The key is to blend really well.

Chill first (to allow the cashew and coconut butters to thicken slightly), then either serve it straight or with fruit and granola crumbs as I did here…basically layer up your own parfait. So pretty!

Recipe: Angel delight

Serves 1-2 (can easily be doubled)

Ingredients

• ½ cup silken tofu
• ½ cup fruit (mango/strawberries)
• 1 tbs cashew butter
• 1tbs coconut oil melted
• 1tbs agave plus a pinch stevia if needed
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1tbs tapioca flour (or alternative thickener)

Method

Mix all ingredients together in a high powered blender (ideally with whisk attachment) until smooth. Pour into serving bowls and chill for min. 30 mins prior to serving.

Seving suggestion: Layer up different flavours with nuts/granola in between and chunks of fruit on top.

This will keep in the fridge for a couple of days.

This recipe is shared at: Slightly Indulgent Tuesday and Hearth and Soul Blog Hop

Breakfast crumble crisp

 So many ideas…!

That often happens, I have one idea of something to I want to bake, which then gives rise to another version which then inspires another recipe idea, and then I have a brainwave to make an old recipe even better by using the new ideas…etc etc, you get the picture. Not that I’m complaining though, I simply wish I had even more time (and even more money to buy all these ingredients).

Yesterday I had one majorly successful recipe…a burger trial (with one more variation left to try to make sure it’s the best it can be) until I will unveil all to the world. However that was followed by one major disaster recipe….it was my basic nutty granola to stock up my snack supplies but I burnt it big time and it was not salvageable. Sad times.

Anyway, now onto breakfast; this one is so good, so simple and more like dessert than breakfast but just as good for you as my usual bowl of fruity oats.

Make a big dish full and have it as breakfast and then dessert in the evening! Perfect.

Meet the fruity breakfast crumble crisp.

A deep layer of juicy chunks of seasonal fruits topped with a thick layer of nutty, oaty crumble crisp. With most of the sweetness coming from the fruit itself and apple sauce in the topping, with just a smidgen of agave syrup, this is one virtuous crumble. I also added white chia seeds to the fruit mix to bulk up the sauce and also give an extra nutritional kick, but these are entirely optional.

Use whichever fruits you like- here I used apple, raspberry and blueberry, but you could use pear instead of the apple, plums instead of the berries or maybe even mango for a tropical trip...combine that with some coconut flakes in the topping!!

P.s it seems that my ‘mugcake’ poacher idea is finding a few fans! Thanks guys.

Recipe: Breakfast crumble crisp

Serves 3

Ingredients

Filling:

• 2 apples or pears cut into chunks (skin on)
• ½ cup blueberries or raspberries
• Squeeze of half a lemon
• 1 tbs whole or ground chia seeds
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• Pinch salt
• 1-2 tsp agave syrup (optional to taste)

Topping:

• 3 tbs apple puree
• 1 tbs coconut oil- melted
• 2 tbs agave syrup
• 1 cup oats
• ½ cup puffed brown rice (or other cereal)
• 1/3 cup nuts and seeds mix
• ½ - 1tsp cinnamon

Method

Mix all filling ingredients together in a medium bowl and spoon into the bottom of a smallish oven proof dish.

For the topping, in a separate bowl mix the wet ingredients together first and then add in the dry  topping ingredients. Mix until well coated then press down firmly and evenly over the fruit layer.

Bake at 180C for approx. 20 mins until topping is golden.

Serve with soy cream or yoghurt if desired.

Creamy coconut rice pudding

Sometimes a little comfort food is in order.

Whilst for many of you the world is warming up and the sunny skies of summer are most definitely on the way, here in the UK the weather has been shocking! Just a few weeks ago it was officially announced we were in a drought having has such little rain during the first few months of the year….but oh my has April made up for that shortage! It has been grey and rainy non-stop and if I didn’t know better it feels as though we’ve skipped Summer and gone straight through to Autumn.

So, how can I remedy that situation?…by making yummy food of course. This is the perfect comfort food for spring, summer autumn or winter, subtly sweet and tropically coconutty, this little dish can be served either hot or cold for breakfast, dessert or as a snack any time of the day. Super versatile- just the way I like it!

I’ve never before made rice pudding from scratch and didn’t realise how easy it actually was. If you don’t have a Thermomix (which stirs it for you), you will need to keep a close eye on the hob and stir frequently, but otherwise it’s so easy. I’m surprised I haven’t tried it sooner.

I use Arborio (risotto) rice here as my first attempt to ensure a super creamy dish, buy you could use brown rice, I will give that a try next time.  The coconut milk teamed with the dates, maple syrup  and warming spices make for the perfect taste combination, you can add extra maple syrup or dates to taste if you wish for a sweeter treat.

I served this as dessert and it was very filling and satisfying, the ‘sink back on your chair with a smile once you’ve scraped the bowl clean’ type of satisfying!

Recipe: Creamy coconut rice pudding

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

• 200g Arborio rice
• 400g coconut milk
• 1 tbs ground chia seed
• 600g boiling water
• 50g maple syrup or agave
• Handful of dates
• 1 tbs vanilla powder or paste
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• Sprinkling of nutmeg to serve                         

Method

Chop the dates finely by hand or in a food processor.  Add all the ingredients to a large pan, bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes stirring frequently. Once the rice has cooked, stir through the maple syrup and then allow the rice mixture to sit for a few minutes to thicken before serving.

Serve with fruit, coconut flakes or a simple sprinkling of grated nutmeg.

Can be kept in the fridge for a couple of days.

Carrot cake pancakes

So, on Saturday pancakes got to me again….!  I hadn’t planned for this little distraction at all since I had a nice bowl of oats lined up in my head (hmm, that sounds odd?)

But then Facebook happened and somebody had posted about pancakes- how much they really wanted some….so then I really wanted some too! So I figured I really ought to do something about that.

Meet the newest addition to the pancake family. Carrot cake pancakes!

It’s still only a relatively small pancake family but there are plenty more flavour combos bubbling away in my mind awaiting a future weekend brunch trial.

Check these ones out too:

• Spiced apple pie
• Blueberry and banana
• Sweet chestnut and cranberry

What’s your favourite flavour?

You will see the note below about carrot content. I made these originally with quite a large carrot, and therefore the ratio of ‘wet ingredient to dry’ was fairly large as carrot releases more moisture whilst cooking. You will see from the photos that the pancakes were more dense and moist than fluffy, I liked it this way as a nice change but my mum (who I’d shared them with) preferred a slightly fluffier version. Therefore I have slightly reduced the amount of carrot in the recipe below. Also note that the carrot should be finely grated so that it cooks through quickly.

P.S wish me luck for tonight, as I have my first new Pole Fitness class to teach…I’m a big ball of nerves and excitement!

P.P.S do you notice how there are 4 pancakes in these photos yet the recipe makes 6- well guess who ate four pancakes and who ate two! (yes I was hungry!)

Recipe: Carrot cake pancakes

Makes approx. 6 smallish pancakes 

Ingredients

• ½ cup white spelt flour
• 4 tbs oats
• 1 tsp cinnamon or mixed spice
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• pinch salt
• 1 smallish carrot finely grated (or larger carrot for a less fluffy pancake)
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbs maple syrup
• 1/3 – 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1tbs melted coconut butter

Method

Mix coconut butter, orange juice and vanilla in a bowl and heat in microwave to melt the coconut butter into the mixture. Combine dry ingredients in a separate small bowl then add the wet and mix. Add finely grated carrot last and lightly mix through. Spoon dollops on a lightly oiled hot frying pan and fry till golden for a few minutes each side.

Serve with soy yoghurt and walnuts with a dusting of extra cinnamon as desired.

Note: when I first made these I added a medium- large carrot to the mixture which made for a wetter pancake due to the moisture in the carrot as it cooks. I enjoyed this texture, but if you prefer a more traditionally fluffy pancake then you may wish to reduce the carrot as noted.

Blueberry pie breakfast cookie

Remember my chocolate chunk breakfast cookie?

…How could you forget! It was very good.

Well, for those among us who simply cannot contemplate chocolate in any form for breakfast, I now have a little fruity offering. The perfect breakfast… or brunch.  I also have a little admission to make here, when I woke up this morning  I was so busy with bits and pieces on my laptop upon waking that I didn’t actually make it out of my bedroom until just before midday when my stomach started shouting at me for food…I had no idea how late it had got! So, I doubled the recipe and had one massive cookie. It was very filling indeed. Ok so that’s my little guilty admission!

So, the photos below is for one biiiiiig ‘double’ cookie however the ingredients below are for a regular sized cookie more like the original choc chunk version…. Double it if you dare!! (p.s if you do you’ll need to microwave it for longer- mine took approx. 2 ½ mins to cook through in the middle, no dramas if it is a little soft. Also it will be too big for your hands so you'll simple need to spoon and spread it onto the plate in a neat circle). I had another thought once I made this cookie, and I’ll give it a try on another occasion but I reckon you could substitute the yoghurt for a small mashed banana for a blueberry-banana combo, this will also help to sweeten and you can reduce the maple syrup. Let me know how it works out for you if you try this.

The photos look much less ‘oaty’ than the previous chocolate cookie, I think that’s simply because I whipped the ingredients together fairly ferociously, so it had more of a cakey texture. Either way tastes good to me.  I used blueberries but you could use any berry you fancy. I advise using frozen blueberries as they will hold their shape as you push them in and they will be perfectly cooked through after 1 minute in the microwave, no need to thaw first.

One last note- I suggest you taste the batter before cooking to test for sweetness. As its for breakfast I prefer a mildly sweet cookie but you may prefer to modify this, particularly if you make it for a dessert or snack.

Well, I think I’ve just about caught up with my life now that I’m back from my holiday. It’s been a day of bits and pieces, I was so glad for the Easter bank holiday!  I still have a few things to tick of the list for today, not least dinner that is currently in the oven.  If successful that will a post for later this week…Oh the excitement!

Recipe: blueberry pie breakfast cookie

Makes one fat cookie

Ingredients

• ¼ cup oats
• 2 tbs buckwheat flour (other flours  would probably be fine too)
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• 1 tbs ground flax/chia
• Ground cinnamon and vanilla extract to taste (approx. ½ tsp each)
• 1 tbs flaked almonds (or other nuts of your choice)
• 1 tbs maple syrup
• 3 tbs soy yoghurt (or regular yoghurt for non-vegan)
• Handful of frozen blueberries

Method

Mix and mash all ingredients (other than almonds and berries) together well to form a thick sticky ball of dough. Roughly flatten the ball with your palms and place on a small microwaveable plate. Push the frozen blueberries into the surface evenly across the cookie dough. Sprinkle the flaked almonds over the top and dust with a little extra cinnamon if desired.

Cook on full powder in the microwave for 1 minute. Press with your finger and if it springs back and there are no visibly sticky bits and the berries are fully cooked you’re done!

‘Indulgent’ chocolate breakfast oats

Oats... Oats... Oats

I figured a breakfast post about one of my favourite foods ever would be the perfect subject for a post whilst I am away on my holidays. Particularly with this spring weather we are having...sunny one minute, chilly the next. It often looks lovely and warm through the window but is actually quite chilly when you get outside. (yes i have bee  caought out a few times). So we are most definitely not relegating bowls of oatmeal to the 'winter recipe' box just yet...oh no never!

On days when the sun is hidden or I am feeling a little fragile and in need of some self-indulgence upon getting out of bed, what better way than to glam up a bowl of oats to provide a ‘lets-make-everything-better’ chocolately hit… whilst still providing the fuel to power me through the morning.

Actually I haven’t felt in that frame of mind for quite some time but not one to miss out on an opportunity for a little bit of healthy indulgence, this also makes an amazing mid afternoon snack if you feel in a bit of an energy slump…or are in one of those fidgety ‘not sure what to do with myself type of moods’ (yep that’s me on a frequent basis).  For an afternoon pep me up I halve the quantities below.

So this simple little concoction provides the perfect calming influence….it’s pretty much a hug in a mug!

You don’t have to add the extra chocolate chunks if you don’t want to (are you crazy!) but I really only added a sprinkling here and if you grate the chocolate it appears as if you have a lot more than you really have…deceptive! If you use a very ripe banana (I freeze chunks of ripe banana for future use at times like this) then you probably shouldn’t need any additional sweetener- but it’s up to you! This is another recipe where carob powder could also be used in place of, or mixed in with the cocoa for extra depth and sweetness and a twist on the usual taste…I tentitively tried the carob version recently and I was very pleasantly surprised, it tatsed really good and not so dissimilar the the original cocoa version. The banana and carob flavours compliment each other really well and neither are overpowering.

Oh how I love thee oats….hmmm this inspires a little Ode to the faithful Oatmeal now that I have so many oat-based recipes…but more on all that tomorrow!

Recipe: chocolate breakfast oats

Makes 1 bowl

Ingredients

• ½ cup rolled oats (or modify the amount depending on how hungry you are!)
• Approx. 1 cup  soy milk or any dairy alternative
• 1 tbs cocoa powder (or carob)
• 1 ripe banana- mashed but a few lumps are ok
• 2 tbs coarsely chopped hazelnuts or walnuts
• 1 tbs dark chocolate chunks or grated chocolate
• Sprinkling of cinnamon- optional

Method

Mix and mash together the oats, ‘milk’ cocoa powder and banana. Heat in the microwave for 90 seconds and mix through. This is the consistency I like it (thick but still liquidy) but feel free to microwave longer if preferred. Top the mixture with the nuts and chocolate chunks finishing with a sprinkling of cinnamon.

I always microwave my oats as I like the consistency this way (and the speed and reduced washing up) but I appreciate many of you like to use the stove top, so feel free to modify the method about to suit.

Above- a big bowl of cocoa oats, below- a mini portion of carob oats (all tucked up in bed)