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Warning! These are not fluffy little cakes. They’re dense and filling breakfast-on-the-go.

They contain no oil or butter and are dairy-free with only a 1/3 cup of sugar in the whole batch.

I was trying to make a really healthy muffin that could be grabbed and eaten on the way to work for those time-poor mornings when you really have to wash and blow dry your hair.

The oats and wholemeal flour make them super-filling and they passed the breakfast test too. I took them into the office on Monday morning and left them in the kitchen with a note saying ‘please eat me’ – then I went back 10 minutes later and they were all gone!

If you’re not keen for these healthy delights, then check out some naughtier chocolate and banana muffins I made a while back.

For the rest of you, click the button below to keep reading and get the recipe!

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21

Lazy weekend breakfast

If I’m not going out for breakfast on the weekend then I like to spend a little bit of time and make something extra special.

It doesn’t have to be a large meal or use lots of ingredients, it just has to have one luxurious touch. In this case, porridge gets jazzed up with caramelised pears.

Other times I’ll make a compote with seasonal fruit like rhubarb or splurge by using truffle salt on scrambled eggs. They’re only small things but they make a big difference.

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22

You know the best thing about this recipe? Actually, there’s two things; you don’t need an electric mixer and you only need one bowl.

So there’s no fancy cooking instruments and less washing up. Sounds like heaven to me, how about you?

My husband adores banana bread and banana cake and raw bananas. Yes, he’s a banana fan. I like sliced banana on my porridge because that’s two healthy things together, although the spoonful of brown sugar probably negates them slightly – but (for me) is a necessary evil.

I don’t have much of a sweet-tooth, but I do have a butter-tooth. Therefore, I indulge in my hubby’s craving for banana bread so I can serve it hot with lots of good quality butter; Harmonie Organic Butter being my current favourite.

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12

How to make perfect scrambled eggs!

Here’s the most important thing to remember; the ‘scrambling’ gets done when you whisk the eggs in the bowl – not in the pan!

Gentle scraping and swirling of the pan is all you need to create the lightest and fluffiest scrambled eggs; very little fiddling is needed. In fact, the more you move the eggs around the pan attempting to ‘scramble’ them, the more they’ll leak liquid, and become water-logged. Gross. I explain exactly how to do it properly in the recipe below.

The delicious rosemary pancetta by Montecatini that I was given a few weeks ago (remember the new Australian Pork TV commercial?) was absolutely delicious paired with fresh organic eggs and a good chilli kick.

I made it a little healthier by using no oil, low fat milk and no additional salt (as the pancetta is quite salty), but feel free to use full fat milk or cream to make it more indulgent. Either way, it’s the perfect Saturday morning breakfast to get your weekend on track!

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14

(sing) I scream, you scream because I got free ice cream!

Hooray for free ice cream! The HUGE 9L tub, yes you read that right – 9 litres, was too much for this girl and her hubby to eat! Lucky I’ve got two sisters, a brother and a Mum and Dad who looooove ice cream. I’m sharing it with them.

Do you know how big 9L looks? Think about when you go to the ice cream shop and they scoop out your portion from a big rectangle tub. It’s that big.

I got this free because New Zealand Natural Ice Cream have a new flavour called Golden Manuka Honey. If you want to try some for free, head to their stores to grab a free scoop when you purchase any ice cream.

I’m a big fan of Manuka honey for it’s amazing health benefits and healing capabilities. If you spread a little on an open wound it protects bacteria getting in and can also help with digestion and inflammation when eaten regularly.

This new ice cream is flavoured with manuka honey and has a swirl of golden kiwifruit through it. It’s very sweet, so I think it needs to be eaten in small portions – perfect as a topping for pancakes!

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8

Enjoying Autumn / Fall in the Northern Hemisphere!

Autumn is one of my favourite seasons as I absolutely adore mushrooms of all types; oyster, ceps, truffles, portabello, enoki, chanterelle, swiss browns and more.

I’m currently in Toulouse, where they sell at least 5 types of mushrooms in the supermarket. What a joy! I don’t know if it’s because mushrooms are in season or if it’s always like that, but I’m glad to have so much choice.

Mushrooms are incredibly versatile and can be thrown into almost any dish, from omelettes to lasagne. I love large flat ones roasted whole so the cap gets all juicy or small button ones crumbed and dipped into garlicky aoili dusted with paprika.

This time I’ve sauteed some shimeji and oyster mushrooms with firm tofu and served on rustic, lightly-toasted bread. It’s perfect as a vegan breakfast or light lunch. It’s also very good served with coconut rice.

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