Baked 'Bakewell' Pie.... New favourite easy festive 'bressert'!

I have found my new Christmas breakfast for this year!  Or more accurately 'bressert' - when  dish i heathy enough for breakfast but indulgent enough for dessert!

It's a spin on my equally wonderful classic Christmas baked oats from over 4 years ago now (wow time flies!) and it's the new recipe I'll be making for my family on Christmas morning. 

This year we are spending Christmas Day at my brother and his girlfriend's house in Winchester, and knowing they both love 'Bakewell Tart' flavours I was inspired to create a breakfast in their honour. The mini bliss balls pressed into the top are added indulgence as I had some mix in my fridge from the recent workshop I ran (more workshops in the New Year if you want to come!) but you could omit these or simply use marzipan and roll into balls if you have that to hand! Or you could use Bakewell Nakd bars chopped up, ha ha (not a sponsored link!) I will say the balls do make an incredible addition to this breakfast so add them if you can.

The three big things I love about baked oatmeals are...

1. They literally take minutes to mix up in one bowl and you can just as easily make breakfast for two or eight by just changing at the quantities (and the size of the baking dish)

2. There are almost endless flavour combinations (I have loads on my blog already)

3. They are healthy enough for breakfast but indulgent enough for dessert!

The bliss ball recipe I used is available here in my newly launched 'The Ultimate Bliss Ball Recipe Guide'. It has 20 recipes AND loads of alternative options for each so the ideas really are limitless... this guide will be a great addition to a January health kick too!  I made the book as a 'printable layout' so you can print and cut the cards up to give as gifts with a recipe you've made.  

It's the little things that make me happy! :-)

Now, back to the Bakewell Pie recipe...

Recipe: Baked 'Bakewell' Pie

Serves 2 (could just as easily be doubled or tripled....)

Ingredients: 

• 3/4 cup porridge oats

• 1 1/2 cup non dairy milk

• 1/2 cup flaked almonds

• 1 tbs ground flax seed or chia seed

• 1/2 tsp almond extract

• 1/2 cup roughly crumbled frozen raspberries*

• bliss balls or marzipan balls (optional)

• approx. 1 tbs maple syrup to taste (or any unrefined sweetener of choice)

*I didn't have cherries to hand (which would have made a more classic bakewell). I use frozen fruits as they are more readily available for me at this time of year. Their colour does not bleed so much as I mix then through, and they do not risk burning in the oven.

Method:

Mix everything together adding the raspberries in the final strokes. Spoon into a medium oven dish, add a few extra almond flakes into the top if you like. Don't addd the bliss balls yet! If you are making your own bliss balls, you have a 10 minute window to make them now.

Bake at 180C for a total of approx. 25 mins until the topping is golden. After 10-15 mins whilst the top is still quite soft (and not golden) add the bliss balls, pressing them lightly into the top. Continue baking until golden on top.

Serve immediately, alone or with non-dairy yoghurt, cream or (ice-cream for dessert!) Also great eaten cold the next day.

Spiced Apple & Pear Porridge

Hey! I'm popping in quickly on this Saturday afternoon, (whilst steaming my Christmas puddings) with a little recipe combo I've been eating quite a bit recently... I hadn't initially planned to write a blog post but then figures these photos weren't actually too bad, and since it was a lovely wintery warmer full of festive spice, it was too good not to share!!

P.s If you want to know what recipe I used for my Christmas pud I shared it here on Facebook. I thought it best not to blog it just yet since I won't know how well it's worked out until I taste it, but if you are going to make your own this is the latest time you should ideally be doing it, so that it can sit and mellow before the big day!  Fingers crossed it's as tasty as the non-vegan one I remember so well from years gone by.

So, back to the porridge... I used ingredients from two of my favourite companies for purchasing ingredients. RealFoodSource and Steenbergs (this is not an affiliate post but I did get some ingredients gifted to me to try in my recipes).

The freeze dried apple powder is great as an alternative whole food sweetener to syrups, it's literally ground up freeze dried apple! Teamed with Christmas Chia spice (regular ground cinnamon or mixed since would also work) it was delicious... I made two different variations, one with a sprinkle of cranberries an extra spice and another with dark chic chips and a drizzle of almond butter. Both were yum!

I sliced my pear longways and griddled it, but you could also cut into cubes and pan fry to warm through or serve raw.

Recipe: Spiced Apple & Pear Porridge

Serves 1

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup porridge oats

• 1 1/2 cups non-dairy milk of choice

• 2 tbs freeze dried apple powder (more to taste if needed)

• 1/2 - 1 tsp christmas chai spice (or cinnamon/mixed spice)

• 1 pear- sliced and griddled in a touch of coconut oil

• Topping: dried cranberries or choc drops and almond butter (or everything!)

Method:

Add the oats, non-dairy milk, apple powder and spice to a small saucepan, bring to the boil then simmer for five minutes or so until cooked. Meanwhile griddle (or pan fry) the pear until softened.

Serve the porridge into a bowl then top with the pear slices and other toppings of choice. 

If you love porridge... check out my book 'Not Just For Goldilocks'  for over 50 unique porridge recipes with options to suit all tastebuds and dietary requirements.

Porridge is amazing and so versatile... it's literally my favourite meal ;-)

---

My daily boost... revealed!

This is a recipe post that's a little bit different from the norm in part because it's all shot through my iPhone, not my usual slick pics of the finished product! Also because I realised that this is something I do nearly everyday yet haven't told you about before!

I realised that sometimes I forget to tell you about the little simple things I do every day, the things that make a big difference to me yet are so simple and barely a 'recipe'... however that's probably all the more reason I should!

I don't really talk much about supplements and 'superfood' powders and I will clarify here that I do not think that either are absolutely necessary or a replacement for a heathy plant based whole food diet BUT I do think they can have a important place and I want to share with you my thoughts and how I get a boost of goodness in one easy, tasty hit!

It's not going to be a lengthy post all about supplements, I just want to mention quickly what I do you take and why. B12 (not available in non-animal products) and Vitamin D (pretty essential for climates such as the UK with little sun especially in winter!) 

I also aim to take a probiotic every day, alongside drinking kombucha and eating homemade sauerkraut when possible (great for digestion and good bacteria).  I hate pills and capsules as I just can't swallow them.... BUT top tip here! Just empty the probiotic capsules into a smoothie or the energy pudding as shown below and it's so much easier as you cant taste them and they blend right in! This was a game changer for me when I started doing this abut a year ago.

On to the 'energy pudding'. I have been buying various powders as listed below and blending my own mix made from equal amounts and storing this in a tub kept in the fridge (all powders should be kept cool for optimum freshness- fridge or freeze.) I also usually add the probiotics when I make the pudding up and I then also add a tiny bit of sweetnesss (unless I used banana to mix) often by way of 1/2 tsp sugar free jam.

I either eat this as it is for a mini snack, or if I want something more substantial I add a couple of tablespoons of chia seeds and a little extra liquid and let sit to firm up for a few minutes. 

For me it's a total winner when I want a little boost in the morning but not a full on breakfast (I don't often like eating much before late morning or if i'm training first thing), or the chia pudding serves me well as a post work out snack. Or make a bigger portion and have a spoonful here of there throughout the day. Options.... options!

You can add your own powders and mix-ins of choice but I have listed my favourites below (the ones I use most often are in bold). To make life even easier, Real Food Source have just started selling a new 'Energise' blend which pre-mixes many of these powders to save you buying your own individually. I now use this as a base and add my other favourites to it.

BASE: approx. 1/3 cup soy yoghurt, coconut yogurt, one mashed banana or chia pudding

POWDER OPTIONS I LIKE:

• acai powder
• beetroot powder
• raw cacao powder
• baobab powder
• goji powder (or whole berries)
• maca powder
• lucuma powder
• greens powders (add a little at a time as this is likely to have most flavour impact)

SWEETENER: (a tiny touch to taste): fruit juice, banana, sugar-free jam, stevia, maple syrup.

TOPPINGS: if you want extra indulgence or just want to change things up a bit you can add nuts, granola, chopped fruit, or as I do my Wholeplus Toppers as a sprinkle on top!

I created a FREE recipe book for Real Food Source using their energy powder blend. Great for inspiration for using various powders as an addition to my super simple daily boost! Their blend contains: white chia, raw caca, baobab, maca and coconut milk powder for a creamy finish.

You can grab the book here!

---

Blueberry & Banana High Protein Pancakes

I feel like it's been forever and a day since I've posted loads of food recipes! Once upon a time back in the early days) I was posting three or four times per week, but that's when I had nothing else to do alongside ;-)

Recently I've been spending a lot more time doing my own inner work which is my track of to becoming a better person and coach. I've also been doing a lot of brainstorming- figuring out how to make my mark on this world and how best to make a difference in your lives. With the news of Scott's passing a few weeks ago it made me think more deeply about how I show up and the actions I take.

On another lighter and altogether delicious note, if you've been keeping up with me on Facebook page you'll know I have been busy creating recipes for a 'porridge' e-book to be ready for you very very shortly. Sign up to my newsletter for a special launch offer coming in the next couple of weeks!

In the meantime it's the weekend and so I reckon pancakes should be on the agenda. It's been a while!

Mmmmm pancake brunch!

These ones are super duper simple and also super duper high protein- all natural protein by way of the chickpea flour, chia seed and a little nut butter. 

I love the flavour of these, although if you are not such a fan of chickpea flour you might want to sub half with ground oats or another grain for a neutral flavour.  I have used banana and frozen blueberries, but for for an autumnal twist why not try stewed apple or pear.

If the hot sun comes out as it has done most days this week, I may well whip up another batch and sit out in the garden. Indian summer bliss!

Recipe: chickpea flour pancakes

Serves 1 (3 small pancakes)

Ingredients:

• ½ cup chickpea flour (aka gram or garbanzo flour) 

• 2 tsp chia seed (or flax)

• ¼ tsp baking soda

• 1 heaped tsp coconut sugar

• ½ tsp cinnamon

• ½ cup water

•  1 tbs peanut or almond nut butter 

• toppings of choice- I used mashed banana, blueberries and soy yoghurt

Method:

Mix/mash all ingredients together until you have a thick but spoonable/runny batter. Ideally, allow to stand for 2-3 minutes to thicken a little more whilst you prepare your toppings.

Dollop into three equal sized pancakes into a large oiled frying pan. Cook for 2 minutes then flip and cook for another minute or so until both sides are golden.

Layer up with mashed or sliced banana and blueberries (or fruity filling of choice!) and a little non dairy yoghurt for extra messyness ;-)

Serve immediately.

Traditional oat groats... EASIEST EVER no cook technique!

I said I had a recipe for you... well this is barely a recipe, more a technique, but it has been a game-changer for me and it's now the only way I like to eat my oats ever since I returned from Lanzarote.

Oat groats!  Have you tried them, or like me had you been put off by the fact they take so much longer to cook than regular oats?

I'll admit that I have had a bag sitting in my cupboard for over a year (do they go off?!?) and hadn't got round to using them simply because I was more familiar with regular rolled porridge oats.

Whilst on holiday, I noticed that my host, Daniel, was wrapping a saucepan in a towel!  Well, I was intrigued to say the least and he explained that every evening he brings a large pan of oat groats to the boil and then turns off the heat and wraps the pan in a thick towel overnight.... by the morning the oats are fluffy and ready for everyone to eat.

It's 'overnight oat groats' - Genius!

Here are the oat groats in their raw form pre-soaking.

wrapped in a towel- love it!

This is what I ate for breakfast every morning when I stayed with him, alongside various fruit and nut toppings

Some holiday oat bowls... it's all about the toppings...

I knew immediately I wanted to replicate this breakfast technique as soon as I got home, and though I love the towel wrapping idea I figured there must be an easier option to keep on the kitchen worktop.

Enter the food flask!

Any flask might do but a food flask is definitely best since it is shallow and wide instead of tall and narrow like a drinks flask is. I imagine a slow cooker or rice cooker would also work well but I haven't tried this method.

I made enough for two portions and kept the second portion in the fridge for the following day. 

The wonderful thing about this recipe is that it saves so much time. It takes less overall time and effort than regular porridge oats, with all the unprocessed nutritional value of oat groats. Winner!

Recipe: Easiest ever oat groat porridge

Serves 2

Ingredients

• approx. 1/2 heaped cup raw oat groats

• approx. 2 cups boiling water

• non-dairy milk (only needed when ready to serve)

Method:

Rinse the oat groats to remove any dust or husk and add them to a food flask (or similar container that will retain heat for a few hours). Add boiling water to the top and briefly stir through the oats. Twist the lid on the food flask and let sit overnight (or a minimum of 4 hours). In the morning they should be fluffy and ready to serve warm or cold.

To serve, drain the oats* and either serve cold with non-dairy milk to your desired texture or warm on the stove or in a microwave for a couple of minutes with non-dairy milk plus a little vanilla or cinnamon. You can add a touch of sweetener if you like, then pile into a bowl with toppings of choice.

* Like other grains, the outside layers of raw oat groats contain phytic acid which may inhibit the absorption of some minerals. After soaking the water now contains the phytates that have been released through soaking, so it is best to drain and rinse the oats prior to serving.

Mix-in and topping ideas: cinnamon, vanilla, cocoa, sugar-free jam or nut butter, hemp seeds, protein powder, chopped nuts, flax, fruit, chia jam...  I often add baobab powder or maca root for an extra boost in the morning!

I also love adding grated carrot for a ‘carrot cake porridge’ - use this recipe as a base if you fancy giving it a try!

Oat groats in the food flask

Ready!

Sooooo good and sooooo easy!

Have I inspired you to take your porridge to another level?  Or are you already an oat groat connoisseur?

Let me know!

P.s did you know I have an entire recipe book dedicated to porridge recipes! There are porriges using all types of grains, plus grain-free and low carb options. If you want to jazz up your toppings, there is a whole section on that too!

It’s a full-colour ebook with over 50 creative recipes to inspire you!

---

Chocolate pancake skewers... for Valentines and Pancake Day!!

This recipe is a double whammy... first off a little bit of Valentines love with the chocolate and strawberry thing going down, and then secondly, well it is pancakes so perfect for Shrove Tuesday which is now not so far away either!

Pancakes are perfect for sharing... make a big batch then assemble and drizzle all your toppings on!  I most adore mini blini style pancakes on skewers... just so much more fun and in my opinion easier to cook (I get in a mess trying to flip them neatly otherwise!)  Top tip... use a melon baller to spoon small dollops of batter into the pan!

Layer them up on skewers with fresh fruit and a drizzle of dark chocolate or syrup. I used wholemeal spelt flour in these as that's what I had to hand, but I have previously used buckwheat and oat flour and they would equally well.  The other great thing about these mini pancakes is that they freeze beautifully. So you could make a big batch ahead of time and then for a super simple weekend brunch take some out of the fridge or freezer and warm them through in the oven for 5 minutes whilst you prepare the fruit!

Yay for pancakes!   

If you are not a big fan of the chocolate version check out my other pancake creations here!

Ooooh and these breakfast blinis (pictured below) are not to be missed either!

Recipe: Chocolate pancake skewers

serves 2 (approx 4 skewers)

Ingredients:

• 50g wholemeal spelt flour (or buckwheat or fine oatmeal)

• 15g cocoa powder

• 1/4 tsp baking soda

• 1 heaped tsp flax

• 2 tbs syrup of choice (I used Choc Shot)

• 80ml non dairy milk

• extra syrup as desired to serve

Method:

Mix the dry ingredients together and then add the wet. Mix well to form a thick mix that will not spread when spooned into the pan.

Melt a little coconut oil into a large frying pan and once hot drop dollops of mixture - approx 2 tsp (I use a melon baller) into the pan. Fry for approx one minute and flip for another 30 seconds until cooked through. 

Set aside as you cook the whole batch of mix. Meanwhile, chop up the fruit of choice to thread onto your skewers. Serve immediately with a syrup drizzle or prepare the mini pancakes in advance and keep in the fridge for a couple of days or freeze- making sure they are separated so they don't stick together- if making a bigger batch.

I used Choc Shot syrup in the pancakes as well as a drizzle... you could make your own drizzle with coconut powder mixed into agave or male syrup!

---

Raspberry chia pudding... for a little Valentines love!

The celebration of love is once again nearly upon us!

So I have a few pink foodie recipes to throw your way over the next few just in case you are into all that kind of thing ;-)

Since beginning my health coaching course with Institute of Integrative Nutrition, I have realised the importance of self-love and self-care much more so than I ever gave credit for before. So maybe this year I will be my own Valentine... Ok, yeah that does sound a bit sad really doesn't it. ha ha. 

That said, and joking apart, it is so important to look after yourself, and by that I mean to nourish your soul... with kind words, kind foods and supportive relationships. 

Make that loving start right now....with breakfast, dessert, or anything in between. Self love doesn't come better than a chia pudding!

Recipe: Raspberry chia pudding

Serves 1-2 (depending on size of dish/ramekin)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 heaped cup raspberries (I used frozen)

• 1/4 cup non dairy milk*

• 2-3 tbs chia seeds (depending on desired thickness)

• 1/2 tsp vanilla bean powder or extract (optional)

• a few drops of pure stevia or 1 tsp syrup for a little boost of sweetness as desired.

Topping: dairy free yoghurt of choice with a pinch of vanilla extract and optional sweetener. Note: I added 1 heaped tsp fine coconut flour to my soy yoghurt to give it extra thickness a bit more like frosting. You could also make a thick cashew cream topping. Add raspberries (or red berries of choice) to decorate.

*or sub 1 tbs cashew butter blended with 1/4 cup beet (or red juice) for extra 'redness'

Method:

Blend all base ingredients together lightly and carefully spoon/pour into the bowl you will use to serve.

Chill for and hour or so to allow the chia seeds to thicken the pudding. Just before serving prepare the topping as desired and spoon over the pudding. Decorate with berries and serve chilled.

I used 2 tbs chia seeds but next time would use 3 tbs for a little extra thickness.

---

Cosy up with...pear carrot and ginger oatmeal

Just checking in with you all!

It's been ages since i've posted new recipe.... i've barely had time to experiment. My life has been consumed with website updates, Wholeplus production, coaching studies, book writing and seminar prep. I've barely ventured into the kitchen and smoothies and quick veg soups and stirfrys have pretty much been the norm for my meals of late.

I couldn't stay out of the kitchen any longer (maybe that's procrastination trying to drag me away from 'scary stuff') so today I made two things- two super simple things!!

One I have for you today and the other hopefully early next week (thought you'll have seen it on my Instagram feed earlier today!)

After a hardcore spin session at the gym this morning I fancied something pretty substantial and full of texture instead of a smoothie. Oatmeal bumped up with veggies and fresh ginger for the anti-inflammatory kick. I often add a grated apple to my porridge but since I had a delivery of pears in the veg box this week the pear-carrot-ginger combo was born.  It was delicious, more so than I expected considering the amount of carrot I added for a single serve.

Add a drizzle of syrup to sweeten if you fancy- I used a tiny drizzle of approx 1 tsp of maple syrup for good measure. I also added maca powder as I like to add a little boost to breakfast or a smoothie during the day but again this is optional.

Back to website update! Hopefully they'll go live later tonight.... please let me know what you think, i'm feeling really nervous about this for some reason. Kind of like i'm putting myself out there before i'm ready. Though sometimes you never feel ready for the 'big stuff'.... you just have to get out there are start making your difference in the world and tweak as you grow, tweak as you grow...

...practice makes perfect!

Hope you are having an amazing weekend, whatever you get up to (I hope it includes eating this oat bowl!)

Recipe: Pear carrot and ginger oatmeal

serves 1

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup porridge oats

• 1 cup light coconut milk (or other non dairy milk of choice)

• 1 medium carrot- grated

• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger

• 1 pear- chopped

• sweetener- optional

• 1 tsp maca powder- optional for an extra boost

Method:

Add the oats, milk, ginger and carrot to a small pan on the stove. Simmer for 5 minutes  and then add the pear chunks, cook for a further few minutes until he carrot has softened and the oats have cooked, the pear should have also softened a little.

Remove from the heat and stir through the maca if using and serve immediately with a little drizzle of syrup if extra sweetness is desired.