Category: Breakfast
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Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
“Do you know the muffin man who lives in Drury Lane …” is mentioned by Snopes as a popular nursery rhyme which is rumoured to have been used as a “caution to children, warning them to beware of a 16th-century baker-turned-serial-killer who enticed his young victims by pulling a muffin down the cobblestone streets of London with a string”.
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Vegan Chocolate Marble Milk Bread
If I could only eat one food for the rest of my life, there is no doubt that bread would be high on my list. My favourite types of bread have always been the heavier loaves such as pumpernickel, multigrain and soda bread. So, in complete contract, when I recently discovered Japanese Milk Bread with its soft, light texture, it was a surprise to find it so appealing.
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The “Happy Pear” Flapjacks
Although these treats are definitely unlike any flapjack I have ever tasted, the appeal of this healthy treat is that you can be creative with the ingredients and mix up the fruits and nuts as long you keep approximately the same volume of ingredients. I modified the original recipe replacing some of the walnuts with pistachio nuts and adding sunflower seeds in place of some of the pumpkin seeds to add colour and texture.
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Quick and Easy Lunches (Vegan and Gluten Free)
Today lunch is generally a light meal eaten around midday and usually includes foods such as soups, salads and sandwiches. I have always tended to eat the same thing for this meal which is a salad with some form of bread on the side. Even though eating similar meals day after day tends to make it easier when grocery shopping for a small household, it can become limiting when trying to provide the body with a variety of nutrients. For this reason, it helps to have some quick and easy ideas on hand. A nutritious lunch can help us stay full, alert and energized throughout the afternoon and so there is less temptation to snack. However, as a healthy lunch can sometimes be challenging to plan for, these savoury toasts are quick and easy to prepare and can include a variety of tasty and nutritious toppings to provide a satisfying healthy meal with a variety of nutrients.
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Apricot and Peanut Recovery Bars
After any endurance event the body needs time to recover so it can reenergize itself for next time. For the body to recover more quickly, another important piece is choosing the right foods. This is one of the challenges I face as I often don’t feel like eating after strenuous activity. However, these tasty apricot and peanut butter bars provide a great mixture of healthy ingredients that I find appealing even right after a workout to help kickstart the recovery process.. If you are not athletically inclined, the good news is that recovery bars are not just for after sports! There are lots of situations in life that involve recovery and the one most of us experience at some point is stress. Much like a workout, the “fight or flight” response of stress can impact the body leaving it needing recovery. As this can come in the form of time, rest and healthy sustenance, these decadent bars make a great recovery treat for even the worst of days!
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Oat and Apple Biscuits (Vegan and Gluten Free)
What comes to mind when you think of a biscuit? My guess is that it probably depends on where you live! Having grown up in one country and then lived most of my adult life in another, I have found there are several words that are used quite differently in each country. One of these is the humble biscuit!
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Double Blueberry, Lemon and Almond Granola
There is nothing quite like the sweet taste of a fresh, ripe blueberry. These small, plump berries with their deep, rich color are amazingly versatile and their fresh, fruity flavour can serve to enhance many foods as well as being a delicious addition to a variety of dishes including pancakes, pies, tarts, muffins, sauces and cakes. This double blueberry, lemon and almond granola is vegan and gluten free and full of wholesome ingredients and by making your own, you can control the amount of sugars, fats and overall ingredients to suit your preferences.
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Matcha Chocolate Avocado Emoji-Buns
It is interesting what a difference a smile makes, and it is so true that like attracts like and a smile begets a smile. Despite the name, these Matcha Chocolate Avocado Emoji-Buns have no avocado in them. They are basically a sweet bread shaped like an avocado with matcha in the main dough to give a green avocado colour and cacao powder in the portion which represents the avocado stone. Once they are baked, the Emoji expressions are painted on with an edible marker. Their faces are simply to make you smile!
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One Bowl Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins (Vegan and Gluten Free)
There are a number of countries that celebrate Thanksgiving and although the dates, culinary offerings, and nature of the celebrations vary from country to country, the purpose of the festivities is to express gratitude, often for the fall harvest, and generally includes a feast to be shared with the community. Around Thanksgiving, pumpkins are a popular ingredient in many dishes. For a pumpkin dish this year, I decided to made a quick and easy recipe for chocolate pumpkin muffins. The muffins are vegan, gluten free and, as the name suggests, can literally be made in one bowl!
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A Toast to Toast
My early memories of toast is a breakfast food usually topped with the basic spreads of butter and jam. At that time toast was considered a “thrifty” choice and was often an economical way to use up stale bread. Over the years, this “comfort food” has evolved and become a significant food trend to the extent that some toast creations are now often referred to as “artisan”.
The Dragon's picnic 