Twice the plums

Prunes…tasty, sweet and full of goodness are your first thoughts-right? Or is it ‘old people’ and ‘fiber’? I find it strange prunes are famed for their fiber when beans are so full of it and even in the fruit world, dried figs have more fiber! Let’s go back to prunes being lovely!

Spot the prune!

This morning my plum was a little sad, it was so over ripe I had to operate on it and remove bits. In order to top up the fruit per serving I added 2 prunes, chopped and mixed through. Heated up they smelt intoxicating-kind of yeasty. That might not be the best description, and truly the photos don’t do this justice- but just try a prune chopped up as a topping and see!

Plum and Prune Porridge

Plums look a lot better before mixing! 

1 small plum

1-2 prunes

1/2 cup oats

1 cup milk

Method

1. Chop up the plums, mix with a fork in a bowl to make them really mussy.
2. Chop the prunes (its much easier with scissors).
3. Mix the plums with oats and milk
4. Top with the prunes and microwave for 2-3 mins
5. Enjoy the plummy goodness!

Something New

Passion fruit and toasted coconut porridge
I've never tried passion fruit before. As I am trying to focus on food being fun, I was excited to find out its in season now (Ok-so not in season in the UK, but available at the least). Seroisly excited, I WANTED to go food shopping. And not to ensure the right stuff was bought so I wouldn't freak out (I still get a bit panicky about food sometimes, if its out of the ordinary or 'wrong' e.g. peanut butter with added sugar), but to ensure that my passion fruit was remembered!
It's really nice, kinda sweet and sharp and very, very fruity tasting! Such a shame its so expensive-even when in season :/ I decided to stick with something safe for tring it out, a tropical fruit goes with tropical nuts so I added coconut and cashews. After the sucess the other day of toasting seeds, I tried toasting the coconut. Defiantly worth it for me- It made the whole house smell coconutty! My brother wasn't so happy though, I don't know why, its  a sweet, nutty smell.

 Ingreadents
1 tbsp dried coconut
small handuful cashew nuts
1/2 cup oats
1 cup milk
2 small passion fruit

Method

1. Heat up a small frying pan and add the nuts and coconut, stir until the coconut starts to brown and smell toasty-it changes very quickly!
2. Mix the oats, milk and toasted coconut, cashew mix (save some for the top if you like).
3. Chop the passion fruit in half, scoop out the seeds onto the oat mixture.
4. Microwave for 2-3 mins, then enjoy!

You have what for breakfast?

Carrot and Blueberry Porridge

I promise this is not as weird as it sounds! I tell people I have carrot in my porridge and they freak out! I do not get it. Just because its a vegetable doesn't mean its not good in sweet stuff...Hello, carrot cake?! I could understand if I said 'oh yeah I put cabbage in my porridge' but not carrot! I thought combining it with blueberries would be a nice gentle introduction of carrot in porridge.  I topped it off with some ground cashew nuts I had left over. Once stirred in they make the porridge lovely and creamy, for some reason I'm not quite sure of!

 I actually made this a few weeks ago and I also added a few cranberries, because they'd been sitting there for a while and needed using up... OK I lie-I just wanted them. this bowl is about 1/3 of what I started off with. And  I didn't even feel guilty!! :D Trying to remember that now!

As It would feel dishonest of me to blog about something I didn't actually have today, I recreated it this morning. According to my grandmother it looked 'interesting' . I just smiled brightly and offered her some grated carrot...wrinkled nose and a "I'll pass". Hopefully you'll be more adventurous!?



Ingredients:

• 20g ground cashews/almonds or small handful (20g) cashew nuts
• 1/2 carrot
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1 cup milk

Method

1. If you want ground cashews, blitz them in a food processor, or with a hand blender (it works if you cover the bowl with a tea towel, else they go everywhere!!) or bash them with a pestle and mortar if you don't have a processor or blender. If you want normal cashews, feel free to chop them up or just chuck 'em in whole! (why not after all?).
2. Wash/peel the carrot, Then Grate.
3. Mix the oats, carrot, milk, blueberries and half of the nuts in a bowl.
4. Sprinkle with the rest of the nut mixture.

Apple and peanut butter

Apple and peanut butter

I love eating slices of  apple and dipping them in peanut butter. I thought it was about time I tried this on porridge. I left half of  the apple raw, so it was lovely, crisp and a little sharp which helps to tone down the richness of the peanut butter.

Recipe

• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 Apple
• 1-2 tbsp peanut butter

Method

1. Mix the oats and milk
2. Chop the apple and mix half of it in with the oat mixture
3. Top with peanut butter.
4. Microwave for 2-3 mins
5. Add the rest of the apple and enjoy!

I went for this topping this morning, as I thought it would help me power through my run! I normally eat peanut-banana butter or make peanut or blended fruit nut balls for after my run to re power and give me a high enegry snack. I have to replace the calories I loose running! Todays post-run snack will be a smoothie and even though I add peanut butter, I cant taste it, so I can cope with the double peanut dose!! I have to say, running is getting tougher, not physically-but because my grandparents dont understand it! They also dont get any of my food. If I get one more that looks interesting comment about my food-I may scream. I’m sure it’ll happen to my smoothie (its going to be green and healthyful) but I don’t get how putting apple in my porridge is that different or unusual? 

Just 2 weeks left...

Apple and dried fruit with a twist

Apple, current, raisins and sultanas

Today was a little different. This is a mixture of currents, raisins and sultanas. I normally don't bother with all these (I just chuck in a few raisins) but today was special. Why special? Not really sure! I just felt like splashing out. Its amazing how different they all taste, although all sweet, I think sultanas are the sweetest and currents are lovely and chewy. I just left the apple sliced, rather then chopping/dicing. This was great on top, the slices just softened slightly and heating them really made them sweet.

Recipe

• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 apple
• 1 tbsp each currents, raisins and sultanas

Method

1. Mix the oats and milk and mix in the dried fruit
2. Slice the apple and put on top of oats
3. Microwave on high for 2-3 mins
4. Enjoy!

Mango and dried fruit morning starter

Mango and dried fruit porridge
 Just looking at this makes me hungry! I started off with a mango, but it was so sadly bruised I didn't feel there was enough for one portion. So I added some lovely dried fruit. Chewy natural dried apricot, dried cherries and the 'super food' gogi berries.
I drizzled with coconut milk to make this a fabulous start to the day.

Recipe

• 1/4 mango
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/2 cup milk
• Mixed dried fruit (cherries, gogi berries, apricot).
• 2 tbsp coconut milk

Method

1. Chop the mango.
2. Mix the mango, milk and oats.
3. Microwave for 2-3 mins
4. Top with dried fruit, and drizzle with coconut milk
5. Enjoy!

Unfortunately this was the only really good thing today, as my dad was taken into hospital after having chest pains on the weekend. Hopefully all will be OK.

Its not Terry's...its mine!

Chocolate Orange porridge

Today I knew I would need a bit of cheer. It’s a-level results day and I was pretty much convinced I’d failed chemistry at the very least, which considering I’m apply for it an university was a bit worrying. I decided to go for a ‘ Terry's chocolate orange’ inspired breakfast, quite simply chocolate orange! I always get one for Christmas, but didn't this year, so have been hankering after one since. This is pretty lovely-not as sickly and chocolaty as a real chocolate orange, but sweet, juicy and just a little chocolaty! If you want it to be really chocolaty add 2 tsp. of cocoa powder and maybe melt a little milk chocolate on top. Of course the perfect a compliment would be a real segment of Terry’s…Oh we can dream!

This lovely bowl kept me through until I got my results I ended up getting Chemistry-A, Biology-A, General studies-A and Psychology-B. Unfortunately now I've got my results and found out  got an A I almost feel worse. If I failed the pressure would be off and the decision out of my hands. I don’t want to do chemistry, and hate my lessons but I also don’t know what else to do. My back up plan is now out the window as psychology didn't go too well.

Enough of my moaning- here’s the recipe!

• 1 Orange
• ½ cup oats
• 1 tsp cocoa powder
• ½ cup milk
• Milk/dark chocolate* (optional)

Method

1. Peel the orange and cut up the segments into chunks
2. Mix the oats, orange and cocoa powder in a bowl.
3. Add the milk and stir well to mix all the chocolate in
4. Microwave for 2-3 mins*

*(if adding real chocolate, take out 30 secs before the end and add, before finishing off to avoid burning)

<--Mmm...Just look at the lovely chocolaty mix (although I must say sorry about the terrible photographs, I only had my small digital camera, complete with flash).

Apple and raisin porridge

Apple and Rasin Porridge

This is one of my favorite basic breakfasts. I often chop up the apple the night before, mix with the oats to stop it going brown and save myself a bit of time in the morning. Let’s face it at 7am no one wants to be wielding a knife and my family certainly don’t want me to be doing so!

Recipe

• 1 apple
• small handful sunflower seeds
• small handful raisins
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 serving of oats (1/2 cup)
• 1 serving of milk

Method

1. Chop up the apple, small and big pieces adds texture.
2. Put the chopped apple, rasins and sunflower seeds into the bowl and sprinkle with cinnamon. Mix together. Then add the oats.
3. Pour in the milk, if leaving overnight add a little more milk then normal (just a dash) as it will absorb into the oats. Top with nuts (or mix in).
4. Microwave for 2-3mins
5. A perfect warming meal!

A special treat

Chocolate and Raspberry Porridge

 This is my all time Favorite porridge. ever. Its the best! I love raspberries  and they'd be great on their own, but combined with a chunk of  lovely dark and bitter chocolate it makes a completely irresistible bowl. I think the cashew nuts look like white chocolate chips too-which isn't a bad idea, why not double chocolate!
 Raspberries are expensive at the best of times, but right now they are 3 pound a punnet :O. Thank goodness for frozen berries! They work just as well, and once microwaved you don't notice the difference really. Normally I'd have this as a treat, but today there was no special reason-but hats no bad thing, sometimes its good to just treat yourself isn't it?!

Recipe

• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/2 cup milk
• 80g/a handful of raspberries
• cashew nuts/other nut
• 1-2 squares chocolate

Method

1. Gently mix together oats, milk, nuts and raspberries.
2. Microwave for 2-2.5 mins
3. Add the chocolate and microwave for 20 seconds further  ** the chocolate wont melt fully at first, but it will do once you start eating as the oats heat it up.
4. Enjoy!

Pear and cinnamon porridge

Pear and cinnamon Porridge

Today I jut felt like a nice simple breakfast. Even simpler then normal! Probably as I was so hungry-not even sure why! Just chopped up a pear, added to oats, sprinkled with cinnamon and microwaved. I ate half of it before microwaving today-I was that hungry! It still tasted good raw though, really good.So if the bowl looks a little empty, its not because I'm down sizing portions (haa ha-that would never happen nowadays!!). I drizzled the lot with some coconut milk, which is so rich its like cream, but a bit healthier! I can hardly keep myself from drinking it straight from the can.

Recipe

• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 small pear
• 1/2 tsp-1 tsp cinnamon (depends on how spicy you like it!)
• 1 tbsp coconut milk/cream

Method

1. Put oats and milk in one bowl
2. Chop up pear.
3. Mix pear and cinnamon in one bowl, then put on top of oats
4. Microwave for 2-3mins

Or..combine stage 1-3 and skip the rest and shovel raw porridge into your mouth.... (Really the whole time consuming cooked way is better even when your starving). 

Can you be ready for a test?

Double pineapple, mango and coconut

Today is the day of my driving test. I've been driving for 8 months, with 28 hrs of lessons and have been driving with my mum so i should be OK. However I'm still a bit nervous. So I wanted a brilliant, bright and tasty breakfast. Whats brighter then a tropical bowl? Yesterday my brothers had pineapple and ham pizza (the veggie had an egg Florentine pizza-nom!!), so I used the ring of pineapple that was left over. This wasn't enough for 1 portion, so used my little mix of dried mango and pineapple and sprinkled with shavings of coconut. If you don't have dried mango and pineapple, chopped apricot or dates would work nicely too.





Recipe-Serves 1

• 1/2 cup of oats
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 ring (or more) fresh/canned pineapple
• Dried mango and pineapple
• Dried/Dessicated coconut

Method

1. Chop up the pineapple
2. Mix together fresh pineapple, oats and milk.
3. Top with dried fruit.
4. Microwave for 2-3 mins
5. Enjoy!!

And If your wondering, this lovely breakfast worked!! I passed my test with 3 minors and did a three point turn I'm extremely proud of! I'm yet to drive unaccompanied on the road, but hopefully will try it out soon, before I loose my nerve. For now I feel so elated its amazing!

"Roasted" nectarine

Dry fried nectarine porridge

Today the nectarines we bought where finally ripe! I really wanted to roast a few, but ran out of time and waiting 30 mins in the morning just wasn't going to work! I still had more time then normal though as its half term (the last day though..) So I sliced up the fruit and dry fried them in a hot pan. The smell is amazing-like fruity caramel! You can add sugar but it isn't really necessary at all. If you think my porridge looks a little brown, I used almond milk which makes it lovely and creamy and is lactose free :)
This isn't the quickest breakfast, is defiantly worth while-perhaps a Sunday morning treat?

Recipe--for 1

• 1 nectarine or peach
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/2 cup of milk
• Nuts (I used cashews)
• yogurt (I added alpro soya after pics)

Method

1. Chop nectarine or peach into slices
2. Heat up a non-stick frying pan, add the slices and wait until they start to sizzle a little.
3. When they are a little brown on one side, flip (I found using a blunt knife is the easiest!)
4. Put oats and milk in a bowl. Heat for 2-3 mins
5. Add the fruit and either leave on top, or mix in with the oats.
6. Top with nuts and/or yogurt
7. Enjoy!

Finally browning up!

And after all, we can all just pretend they are roasted, they still taste great!

Doubly fruity!

Blueberry and Shannon fruit porridge

This is the result of the Shannon fruit left over from the other day, turns out I used slightly more then half, so I chucked in some lovely blueberries from the freezer. Add some coconut and the result was this lovely sweet porridge, with bursts of hot berries every few mouthfuls! If you don't like coconut try sprinkling with ground almonds or seeds.

Recipe—serves 1

• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/2 cup milk
• small handful blueberries
• 1/4-1/2 shannon fruit (peeled and chopped)
• 15(ish)g coconut

Method

1. Pour milk over the oats
2. Top with fruit.
3. Microwave for 2-3 mins
4. Top with coconut
5. Mix in the fruit and coconut or enjoy in layers!

Double Pom Power Porridge

Double pomegranate porridge

I still had half a pomegranate left over from the other day, and decided to spice it up  little compared to just a plain old porridge. I don't really know any spices which work well with pomegranate, but I do have some pomegranate tea bags! They only contain 5% real pomegranate (the rest is orange peel and cranberries) but they taste lovely and fruity! I also added some yogurt, which helps make the creamyness you loose when using what if effectively water and also some calories and calcium to make this a more complete breakfast! I only had Greek yogurt, but coconut would be great! Now I cant eat yogurt, and soy stuff makes me sick so I hope others will enjoy this!!

Recipe--serves 1

• 1/2 cup oats
• 1 cup pomegranate tea, brewed and left to cool
• 1/2 pomegranate, seeds removed
• 3 tbsp  greek/natural yogurt (or way more if your like me!)

Method

1. Pour the tea over the oats and leave to soak in over night
2. Top with pomegranate seeds.(You can do this in the morning or get prepared and do it the night before also!)
3. Microwave for 2 mins (seems to take less when left to soak)
4. Top with yogurt and honey if you like
5. Enjoy something a bit different!

Fancy a look at these tea bags?

Click here (a bit if free advertising for asda)

Shannon fruit porridge

Shannon Fruit porridge

Remember a few days ago I said my Dad bought me a strange orange fruit like a tomato? Well he told me it was a summer fruit-only 50p in ASDA. But after much googling it turns out it was a Sharon fruit! Some people said it tastes like a sweeter tomato others like plum, so I thought I’d give it a go in porridge.

I added pumpkin seeds for protein and also because they look rather nice against the yellow don't you think? Dates give sweetness and make it all a bit more tropical!

To prep the fruit you have to peel it (I used a potato peeler) then just chop it up. The flesh is a nice orangy yellow-and I think it actually tastes rather like melon. Anyhow it is still in season right now and worth a try if you can find it.

Recipe--for 1

• 1/2 cup oats (or 1 serving)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 shannon fruit (peeled and chopped)
• 20g *ish pumpkin seeds
• A few dates, chopped

Method

1.   Pour the milk over the oats
2. Mix in the fruit and pumpkin seeds
3.  Cook in microwave for 2-3 mins
4. Top with dates and enjoy!
5. 
   

Sunny Mango Porridge

Sunny Mango Porridge

Not feeling well for 5 days reached its peak this morning and what better than a lovely mango to give a vitamin C hit and shine through the illness!

I decided to make it all tropical with Brazil nuts (what else!) and a sprinkling of coconut. After I tucked in I remembered I don’t really like Brazil nuts (they taste like grass) but despite this it was still unbelievably yummy and just looking at the sunny bright mango made me feel better. If you chop half the mango, and slice half it adds a bit more interest and I think they actually taste different!

Recipe--for 1

• ½ Mango (80g and you have 1 of your five a day)
• 25g Brazil nuts
• 1 Serving of porridge oats
• 1 portion of  Milk
• A little desiccated Coconut

Method

1. Chop 3/4 of the mango into cubes and slice the rest.
2. Chop the nuts, then mix the mango, oats and nuts together
3. Pour over the milk, and then arrange slices of mango on top.
4. Sprinkle with coconut
5. Pop in the microwave for 2-3mins (or longer if you have lots of milk)
6. Enjoy!