Berry Beautiful Smoothie

I have come to the conclusion that it is impossible to get sick of smoothies. They are too darn good. We would have them every weekday morning if we could drag ourselves out of bed early enough to actually EAT breakfast.  We were so good for so long, and lately with all of the renovation we have been doing in all of our spare time, we are over-tired so rarely manage to get up early enough to eat at home. This means hitting the egg bacon and cheese muffin for breakfast from the work cafeteria way more often than I should admit.  My waistline cannot lie though. Sigh.

We miss our morning routine and are working on it.  One of the strategies involves making things easier. Our nutrininja is great and makes the smoothest smoothies we have ever smoothed.  We also recently bought a vertical deep freeze (lifelong dream of mine, yes I am that boring).  A couple of weekends ago I  filled two drawers with smoothie supplies.....I got some funny looks at the checkout I can tell you that!

I found out that bananas keep for 6 months in the freezer. Given the large variability in banana prices over the course of the year where I live, as well as the fact that frozen bananas require no peeling and make for a creamier smoothie, I bought all of the ready-to-eat ones in the store. ALL of them.  We took them home, peeled them, chopped them, put the pieces flat into freezer bags (with 5 bananas per bag to provide one week of smoothies per bag) and filled a drawer. Another drawer is now filled with various other frozen fruit when it was on special - pinapple chunks, rasberries, strawberries, blueberries, mixed berries, mangoes, cherries...you name it. Now each week we simply have to grab a bag of bananas and a bag of fruit from the deep freeze on Sundays, move it to the normal freezer for the week and its a breeze! Smoothies don't even require ice if the other ingredients are already frozen!  We even have frozen spinach in cube form!  Now to actually get up in time.....

All of that aside, here is the delicious smoothie that I made for us both this morning. Simple and yummy. Pictured with one of the gorgeous flowers the Dragon got me - the colour is out of this world.

Flu Fighter Smoothie

The dragon and I are both sniffly and gross, so I did some research on the best ingredients to put into our breakfast smoothie.  Now because I work professionally in an area in which we apply a high level of scientific scrutiny into our research, I need to add the disclaimer that only a small proportion of my research for this blog comes from peer reviewed journals, and I am not a nutritionist or dietician by trade.  OK disclaimer aside. Now I can get back to this with a clear conscience.

This smoothie/juice is packed with Vitamin C from the pineapple, orange and OJ (please do NOT substitute 100% orange juice for orange drink or the like), and has iron in the spinach (which is more readily absorbed by its combination with citrus fruit). Ginger, turmeric, cinnamon and honey are all classic go-tos for natural cold and flu remedies, and turmeric is most readily absorbed by the body when combined with a healthy fat, hence the coconut oil. The banana is there just to give it a bit of creaminess.  Health benefits aside, it was zingy and tangy and helped.  Taking an eccinacea tablet with this can be a boost as well.   The Dragon swears by his own cold busting recipe - he calls it "medicinal rum".  This version is strictly non-alcoholic.  Especially since consumed at breakfast!

Blueberry Orange Smoothie

This delectible breakfast originated from researching things which I did not think would go together.  I was so wrong.  We had some oranges and bananas in the fridge, as well as some frozen blueberries.  I wanted to make smoothie breakfast, but was 100% sure that would be a terrible combination.  So I googled orange and blueberry and was so surprised to find out that this is actually a reasonably common flavour combination.  Not just in smoothies, but in a variety of contexts.  Colour me confused on a Saturday morning.  So I decided to change confused into curious and give it a go.  Now its your turn.

Veggie Omlette

Mmmmm....Saturday morning with nowhere I have to be.....a rare and special treat.  I decided to take advantage by using up a bunch of leftover veggies and feta in my fridge/herbs from my balcony garden  and was incredibly happy with the healthy and delicious breakfast concoction that arose.  This breakfast is almost too easy.  We enjoyed eating it slowly while sipping coffee and chatting on the balcony.  Happy sigh.

American Style Pulled Pork 'n' Beans

My original plan was to make a home made baked beans recipe, however as per usual I got excited when I saw a pork shoulder in the grocery store.  So I decided to make something a little different.  I've been posting a lot of vegetarian food here lately.  I LOVE a good vegetarian meal and try to eat veggo at least 1-2 nights a week lately.  I think it has helped my weight loss actually.  But tonight I wanted to make some good hearty old fashioned American fare that could be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  Traditional pork and beans uses haricot beans, but I have a soft spot for butter beans and kidney beans, so please forgive me this transgression. It is a great meal to make on a Sunday when you have time to slow cook some meat and take your time with the beans.  The recipe will feed 6-8 depending on your serving size, and it really does taste better each successive night as the flavours infuse more into the sauce.  Served with a piece of crusty bread or just on its own, this is a heart and tummy warming treat.

Lox Eggs

 

Lox is just  fancy name for salmon which has been smoked and cured in brine.  Its a stretch but I figure that a can of smoked salmon should be close enough to the mark for someone not in the mood to duck out to the shops for some fancy stuff.  Smoked salmon, capers, cream cheese and dill was all the range in cafes a few years ago because of the salty nomminess and how well dill goes with salmon.  Since I'm in a phase of finding fun spins for scrambled eggs, I was curious to find out whether I could use some of these flavours with egg - and it turns out that it is a beautiful thing.  The following is a breakfast recipe which is high in omega 3, good fats and protein.  Yummo.

East Meets West Eggs

Weekend breakfast.  Zomg.  I love it.  Breakfast is one meal I will never get sick of.  Now - to be honest I love every meal of the day - but I particularly love breaking my fast.  There are so many ways to make it enjoyable, and most of them are simple and easy, which goes well with my weekend morning brain fog.  Having something yum starts the weekend off perfectly.  Everything flows from there.  I used to think that cooking breakfast had to be a big deal, but I've learnt that you can make a lot of simple and healthy breakfast dishes with ease.  I've also learned that basic things like scrambled eggs, while a treat done the old fashioned way, can be spun lots of different ways pretty simply in order to keep things interesting and reduce "ugh...this again" style food fatigue.  Below is a simple and tasty East meets West one-pot scrambled eggs and bacon dish.  It is on the table in no time with minimal fuss. The recipe is so easy.  What more could you ask?

Eye Opener Smoothie

Smoothies make my mornings (on the days that I can be bothered to do more than cereal + milk).  But I find that they do take more time to consume than cereal, and I want a coffee as well.  So I've been searching for a way to combine smoothies and coffee without it tasting horrible.  To date I have been entirely unsuccessful.  Hint: if it has berries, it should NOT...I repeat NOT...have coffee added. Bleurgh.

This one was different, however.  This morning I finally found a combination that worked, and it worked because it was simple.  Now that I've found a viable method, I'll add a few options over time to enjoy tasty simple mornings.  In my opinion, this smoothie works best with brewed coffee.  I used cold drip coffee (watch this space for a post about this), but if I didn't then I would brew slightly more coffee the morning before and store some extra in the fridge in a sealed container or in a cup covered with clingwrap.

Below is a simple tasty recipe for a coffee, banana and coconut eye opener smoothie.

Smashed Avocado and Feta on Toast - breakfast in 3 minutes

Just about every cafe I visit has "smashed avocado" on their menu.  It is often served with feta, sometimes with ham, sometimes with a poached egg on top.  Avocados have a soft nutty flavour which I love, and so many health benefits.  They are good for heart health, blood pressure (which I keep my eye on), good for your skin, have good fats and are generally nom-worthy.  I had an avocado and a little bit of leftover feta from making Meatzza again for friends of ours the other day and thought I'd try my hand at a very simple breakfast which packed a taste punch.

Smashed avocado is pretty simple - it's literally what it sounds like, and combined with feta, lemon juice and a little salt and pepper is so good.  You can't go wrong with this one.

Green Super Food Smoothie

In case you haven't noticed yet, I'm a little bit in love with smoothies. I love their creamy sweetness.  I don't eat much fruit so they are also a nice way to get some of the nutrients that I would otherwise miss out on.  I tend not to order them at cafés, though, because they usually pack them with ice cream as if a smoothie is a milkshake and it is too sweet and not really that healthy. If I want sugary deliciousness I'll just order a milkshake and not fool myself.

When I used to work at a drinks booth in an eatery many years ago I had a customer who ordered a thick shake and asked for skim milk in it, because she was "watching her weight". I said to her "Just so you know, there are five scoops of ice cream in this".  She cocked her head to one side, looked at me oddly and said "Exactly. That's why I want skim".  I just died a little on the inside and sold her the "healthy" beverage.  She walked away happy.  Now don't get me wrong.  I love a good thick shake.  But let's be honest with ourselves about what we are ordering, people.

For me - smoothies are about healthy tasty goodness.  I have found that you don't need any ice cream to make it taste sweet and creamy.  Freezing your bananas helps, and you can add frozen berries and frozen spinach cubes to thicken it up while packing a nutrition punch.  If you want it sweeter, just add a natural sweetener like honey.

Below is the recipe for one of my favourite smoothies that I make a lot. I keep supplies in my pantry so I can make it whenever I want it.  I got the fibre cleanse, chia seeds, LSA and fruit/veg from the local supermarket, the protein powder from a sports supplements shop and the Super Green powder from a health food shop.  This smoothie makes for a good breakfast.  It is choc-a-block full of super foods so it's mega healthy and feels good.  I'm relaxing and having this on my balcony while the Dragon is out having breakfast with a mate.  It is some good healthy me time.

Haloumi Tomato and Balsamic Glaze Brunch

It tastes as good as it looks

This meal was inspired by a delicinom breakfast I had at a local cafe.  It is my go-to brunch order at my local so I was nervous about making it at home, but I decided to take the risk.   There are quite a few other tasty options I can go to instead if I start making this at home more often.  Haloumi, tomato and balsamic are a beautiful combination.  This recipe has inspired me with other ideas of cooking with these flavours, which is always a good sign.  Haloumi is a Greek cheese which maintains its shape and does not melt when you fry it in the fry pan.  Cooked well, it should be just slightly crispy on the outside, and have a squeaky consistency when you eat it.  If you haven't tried haloumi before, then you are in for a pleasant surprise.  If it is your first time, I recommend cooking a little on its own to try on the side of this meal to understand its perfection in isolation of the other flavours.

This meal is simple and guaranteed to impress your friend, family or significant other.  You can purchase balsamic glaze from most supermarkets nowadays, but if not check your local deli.  It comes in a nice squeeze bottle that allows you to be artistic with its presentation.  If you want to make it from scratch, then here is an exceptionally simple recipe. You will feel like the cafe breakfast queen when you make this.  I did!

Banana, Blueberry and Coconut Skinny Smoothie

Nom smoothies :)

Years ago when I was at university I used to work at an overpriced milkshake, smoothie and cake booth.  One of our more popular smoothies was banana, blueberry and coconut.  We would use a banana, a scoop of frozen berries, two big scoops of ice cream, a scoop of milk and a squirt of coconut milkshake flavouring.  It was incredibly tasty but bad for the waistline.

I wanted to make my own healthier, lower fat/sugar content version to enjoy at home.  Here is a regular contender for a Saturday morning at our place.

Healthy Corn Pancakes with Salmon and Avocado - Weekend Breakfast of Omanomanom

When done right, breakfast is probably my favourite meal. We expect a nice cooked meal at night time.   Breakfasts generally leave us less time for cooking.  I have the luxury of not having had kids yet, which means that I have more time for cooking.  Weekdays don't leave you a lot of time.  Often weekends get packed full with activities, leaving less time as well.  So when you get the chance to make something nice for breakfast, I think it tastes all the better for it.  It becomes special.  It becomes decadent. And Saturday/Sunday morning is instantly taken to another level.

This weekend breakfast recipe was inspired by a recipe in the CSIRO  recipe book number 2 (I can't help but give it my bunny spin, though).  Given how good it tastes, it is surprisingly simple.  I would pay good money for this in a cafe.   I've made it a couple of times and it is the kind of versatile recipe that you can make different ways until the cows come home, so it should stay fresh.

Enjoy.

Spanish Eggs and Chorizo Bacon Stew

Breakfast deliciousness

Our good friend has introduced us to some beautiful Spanish flavours - chorizo, smoked Spanish paprika, jamón....I could go on but I might drool on the keyboard.

Taking a minute.

Back.

Anyway given that breakfast is one of our favourite meals, the Dragon and I got inspired and decided to look into Spanish breakfast ideas.  We stumbled onto Spanish baked eggs which isn't that far from Mexican Huevos Rancheros, but has a different flavour profile.  After researching a few recipes we came up with this meal idea.  You could make it on a Sunday morning when you have a bit of time to do something special, or you could make it the night before and allow the flavours to infuse....because trust me the extra infusion time is worth it. The basis for this recipe made enough to serve four.  So you can certainly bake it in a big dish with four eggs, but since there are two of us and we didn't know how well the eggs would reheat we saved the rest.  Since the next day was a Monday we decided to have the rest of the chorizo, bacon and tomato stew mix over brown rice for dinner and I can tell you...maybe it was because it was paired with a delicious red wine...but it tasted even better to us over rice. You could use this base a heap of different ways.

Disclaimer: we decided to include chorizo which means instant higher fat content.  If you chose you could leave this out and just use the bacon or just use less to still infuse the flavour but reduce the calories.  In fact I've tried that and it was different yet tasty.  But to begin...

Breakfast Muffins of Nom Proportions

Egguffins

The Dragon and I have established a wonderful morning routine. His alarm goes off on the hour, then we snooze for 10 minutes until mine goes off.  We take turns getting up and getting breakfast and tea/coffee to bring to the other in bed by half past.  We then eat breakfast in bed (no crumbs problems so far).  We have snoozey cuddly time until ten to, when we both get up and get ready to leave the house about ten past.  It starts the day with love and softness.

Prior to living with the Dragon my mornings were often a stressful rush. I would press snooze for as long as I could get away with. Sometimes there was breakfast, but more often than not there was no time. I kept a store of Up-N-Goes to drink on the way to the train for these days.  Now every day starts feeling decadent and relaxing.  I’m in a much better place to start the day for work.  What we eat has varied. Sometimes it is a piece of toast with vegemite or peanut butter. Sometimes its porridge with a little honey with/without chia seeds. Sometimes it is a breakfast smoothie. Sometimes it is cereal. Occasionally it is bacon and eggs. We had grand plans on omelettes but weekdays don’t really leave enough time (let’s be honest). 

Recently I’ve been keen on maximising snuggle time and minimising breakfast prep time. We are both working on eating more healthily, exercising, drinking more water, drinking less alcohol, reducing our carbs and making sure we get all the nutrients we need every day.  Here is a high protein easy and healthy breakfast which takes virtually no time in the morning.  I made these while we cooked dinner one night - a curry which didn’t need a lot of chopping but needed a fair bit of simmer time, so it was no hassle. And makes LOADS.

I don’t tend to use exact measurements of anything so please adjust my recipes to what seems right to you. I always do ;) I see recipes as a starting point for negotiations, so all of mine will be posted as such.