Breakfast Muffins

I was watching Jamie Oliver on TV one evening and saw him make some delicious Breakfast Muffins. I didn't take down his recipe but based on his ingredients and my own muffin recipes I concocted a version of muffins to try. Once they were in the oven the kitchen began to smell so sweetly I couldn't wait for them to finish baking and the end result was great; colourful, fragrant, tasty and very healthy.

Celebrity Chefs are becoming a regular on Australian TV. It's not just on the cooking programmes but promoting various supermarkets and competing heavily for everyone's dollar. There's also the branding - the cake mixes, frozen desserts and spice mixes which celebrity chefs, or ex Master Chef contestants are now flogging.  I'm not sure I agree with all this commercialisation. There is nothing wrong with healthy, home cooked, seasonal food prepared well. It doesn't need frozen or pre prepared vegetables sold in plastic or cardboard; just adding fresh herbs and spices will bring out the best flavours in everything you cook.

Jamie's doing a good job in encouraging people to try something a little healthier and giving a heads up on how to prepare a meal with little fat and sugar! Can't be all bad! I honestly think you can eat these muffins at any time of day and if you are running late for work grab one to eat on the way.

BREAKFAST MUFFINS

INGREDIENTS

600 grams peeled, grated sweet potato
3 - 4 large eggs
250 g wholemeal plain flour
4 spring onions finely sliced
1 red chilli finely sliced
200 g low fat cottage cheese
100 g parmesan or cheddar cheese grated
a large handful of parsley chopped
salt and pepper
Oil for greasing

For the topping

1 red chilli finely chopped
few sprigs of parsley

Grab your large muffin pan and some baking paper. Cut squares of baking paper that will fit nicely into the pans. Grease them using oil and a pastry brush and set aside.

In a large bowl add grated potato, spring onions, chilli, parsley and mix. Add the beaten eggs and the flour and mix again. Season with salt and pepper and mix in the cheeses.

You will need to use a large spoon to spoon the mixture onto the baking paper and into the muffin pans. I found the easiest way to do this was to take the paper in my hand, fill it and then drop it into the muffin pan. It made 12 nice sized muffins.

Finely slice the second chilli and sprinkle on the top with a little parsley and place in a pre heated moderate oven 180º/ 350 F for around 30 minutes. They should be reasonably firm and slightly browned on the top. Eat them warm or cold - delicious either way.

Avocado Breakfast Pancakes

I'm still harping on about breakfast and I do get it that time is precious in the mornings. If you prepare a little before you go to bed, then nine times out of ten you can still vary your breakfast menu. Or take it from me you can hold onto this recipe for a lovely, relaxed, Sunday brunch!

Avocados were way too exotic for my family when I was growing up.  My first avocado taste was when I was well into my teenage years. Not surprising that it is one of my faves now. I could live on avocados and tomatoes because they are both so versatile and you can use them both in sweet and savoury dishes; it is hard not to fall in love with them.

What do you know about this humble avocado?  It contains fibre, Vitamin E, Vitamin C and anti oxidants; they are not only delicious to eat but packed full of essential ingredients. Yes, they do contain fat but it's a good fat and that's fine. Check out the Australian Avocado  website for more information.

You can serve this pancake many ways (or get creative and make up your own version). Scroll to the end of the blog for variations! Avo good weekend!

AVOCADO BREAKFAST PANCAKES

Ingredients   This makes 8 small pancakes, suitable for 2 people

3/4 cup SR Flour

1 tablespoon sugar (optional)

1 egg beaten

1/2 - 3/4  avocado mashed

1/2 cup of milk - or soy, almond, coconut
juice of 1 orange
Maple Syrup
Oil or butter for greasing the pan

For serving - A sliced banana, Maple Syrup, plain yoghurt

Mash avocado with orange juice and set aside.

Mix beaten egg with milk, add flour gradually and mix until smooth. Add the sugar and the avocado/orange mixture. At this stage the mixture may look a little lumpy, that's fine.

Leave the mixture to rest for 30 minutes.

Take a non stick pan and heat a little oil or butter. Once the pan is hot add a ladle or two of the mixture. Once the pancake has turned a light golden colour, flip them over and cook the other side. 

Handle them gently because they are quite soft.

Serve with sliced banana, plain yoghurt and a little Maple Syrup.

Other Serving Suggestions

Omit the sugar and orange juice - Add chopped parsley, salt and pepper to the mixture before cooking. Serve with a poached egg and finely grated Parmesan cheese on the top.

Serve with a dollop of plain yoghurt, mashed banana, sprinkle of cinnamon

Omit the sugar and orange juice -Try serving these pancakes with lightly roasted tiny tomatoes, and mushrooms and asparagus which have been cooked in a little  butter on a hot griddle.

Sweet Potato, Rice and Quinoa Salad

Fires, devastation, floods and now we have Santos Tour Down Under.

Adelaide is crazy at the moment and it wont stop until April. February and March are taken up with Adelaide Festival of Arts and the Fringe Festival. Oh, and did I mention Adelaide Writers Week?  And, they have kept day light saving well into April too!

How is one supposed to concentrate on food? I suppose when your tummy rumbles it's time to consider making a beeline for the kitchen to make something fast, easy but amazingly tasty and nutritious. No time for baking, pastry making or getting out the ice cream churner!

So here is a little tip; this whole salad will take you 30 minutes to make. It's something really tasty and nutritious and with any luck you will score some left overs for another day. It keeps perfectly well covered in the fridge for a couple of days. Serve with an 'Omelette aux fine herbes' (omelet with herbs) and you have a meal fit for a queen

Sweet Potato, Rice and Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

2 Sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1 cup of low GI brown rice
1/2 cup of Quinoa - I used mixed colours; white, black, red
1 onion finely chopped
2 teaspoon smoked paprika
2teaspoon chilli flakes
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
salt and pepper
1 cup of stock or water
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

The rice takes the longest to cook, so once the rice is on, put in your sweet potato and start cooking your quinoa.

Cook rice in whichever way you normally do until it is cooked. I usually use a rice cooker and it takes around 20 -30 minutes. I add salt to the water prior to switching it on. This is the low GI rice I found in the supermarket.

Take an oven proof tray, cover with baking paper and add the chopped sweet potato. Give the potato an nice sprinkling of olive oil and 1 teaspoon chilli flakes, 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika and roast in a moderate oven 180º for 30 minutes or until it is cooked and browned on all sides. 

In a fry pad, add 1 teaspoon of oil and add the minced garlic and the onion. Allow to cook until soft and it is just beginning to turn brown around the edges. Add quinoa and stock or water and continue cooking for around 15 - 20 minutes until the quinoa is cooked and there is no stock left. I used Coles Tricolour Quinoa for extra colour, but you can use whichever you have available.

Take the potato out of the oven. By now your rice should be cooked and your quinoa should be ready to serve. It is just a matter of putting everything together now.

Add the quinoa and onion mixture to the rice in a nice bowl and stir together. Add 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, the red wine vinegar and 1 teaspoon of chilli flakes. Mix together. Top with the roasted sweet potato a handful of chopped parsley and chives. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper to suit. Serve.