breakfast Archives - Page 4 of 4

Breakfast Poppy Seed Crepes with Strawberries and Yogurt

9|01|2014

Week 2 of our stay in the new neighbourhood has maintained that we are spoilt rotten to our very existence. The waterfront has been calling out to us ever so often that we find it hard to stay indoors. To add to that our sunny skies have been hiding behind a huge cloud cover making it the perfect weather to sit late at the roadside cafes sipping a cup of hot chocolate or sharing a gooey macadamia brownie as we watch the sun dip into the horizon typically around 8.30 pm.

Talking about brownies, did I tell you I have not made a single dessert in the New Year! Okay…just a quick something which did not qualify as a dessert in my eyes. That was the quickest Tiramisu ever that still managed a few compliments. There is barely room for error when you are dealing Savoiardi biscuits, Mascarpone and Kahlua. Don’t ask me for the recipe though. Or even if I tell you just THROW in (I love that word. In most quick recipes I come across, you THROW everything in) the components into serving glasses, don’t follow my recipe. At least don’t make them in walking shoes and most importantly don’t mix with the back of a strainer when your cutlery is yet to be retrieved from cartons. See what I mean when I say the water is calling out to me!

I’m sure we’ve all had dessert crepes. But this one has yoghurt in it. So it has earned itself a place in the healthy breakfast category. Well, this again is a very THROW-able recipe. Stir, cook, throw, repeat! What are the poppy seeds doing here? They don’t really have a major role to play other than the speckled look and a teeny-weeny crunch. I ‘threw’ them in the last-minute trying to make things a little different. There is not much to talk about the filling either…you can be as creative as you wish to be. For a healthier take, skip the preserve altogether or add a dash of honey to the yoghurt. Or you can straight away use low-fat flavoured yoghurt as a filling.

In this context, I’d love to share a story of a cookie baking session when I asked my pre-schooler to THROW ingredients together. But you would have already guessed:-)

Breakfast Poppy Seed Crepes with Strawberries and Yoghurt
Serves 6

1 cup plain flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
11/2 cups milk
11/2 tbsp. butter, melted
2 tbsp. poppy seeds
1 cup low-fat Greek yoghurt
1 tbsp. raspberry preserves (or any preserve/jam of your choice)
Fresh strawberries or raspberries, to serve

Place flour into a bowl. Whisk milk and eggs together in a jug. Add milk mixture to flour. Add the melted butter and whisk until well combined. Fold in the poppy seeds. Let the batter for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile place the yoghurt and raspberry preserve in a mixing bowl. Gently mix the two together to create a swirl effect.

Place a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Pour 2 1/2 tablespoons batter into the pan. Swirl to cover base. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until light golden. Turn over and cook for 1 minute. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining batter.

Place 2 tablespoons of yoghurt mixture in the centre of a crepe. Fold into triangles to enclose the filling. Repeat with the remaining mixture and crepes. Divide among serving plates. Decorate with fresh sliced strawberries.

Croissant Pudding

20|11|2013

There is not much to write about a Bread and Butter Pudding since it is so popular and probably one of the simplest recipes that exist. I make it all the time for my kids with different fruits, nuts and accompaniments. It is one of those recipes that you make and eat without giving much thought to. Then one day while flipping through a cookbook, the words ‘Croissant Pudding’ caught my eye…actually it was the picture that got my attention. Neat slices of pudding cut and served onto a plate. The idea instantly appealed to me. After all looks do matter and variety is the spice of life! And for some reason nothing excites me more than a recipe makeover.

We are big fans of Croissants so the hardest part is to let it stale for a day. My husband was quite disappointed when he found out that they were meant for a sweet recipe and not being served with afternoon tea. However, the kids loved it and went back for seconds. The pudding is not too heavy or rich on account of soaking the croissants in custard for about an hour, as the original recipe stated. Serve it with fruit or cream or even caramel sauce. The best thing about this pudding is that it tastes great, warm or cold.

It has been a busy week for me and our weather has not exactly been the best. But I have been feeling happy planning my boy’s birthday and on account of a few things that have been happening to my blog lately. My Cauliflower and Broccoli Gratin was featured on the Huffington Post and that made my weekend. This was exactly a month after the Golden Apple Ginger Cake was featured on the Kitchn. There have been others too but now I really don’t intend to blow my own trumpet. I just wanted to say that it means a lot to me to see all the hard work I do being recognised and appreciated. And to know that so many people out there give me their time…reading through my posts or pinning my pictures…following my recipes…I am overwhelmed…I am moved and I am ever so grateful.

Croissant Pudding (adapted with variation from the Delicious Cookbook)
Serves 6-8

4 croissants (preferably day-old), torn into large chunks
4 eggs
1/2 cup (110 g) castor sugar
300 ml milk
300 ml pure (thin) cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
Finely grated zest of 1/2 orange
Caramel sauce, to serve
Toasted flaked almonds and seasonal fruit, to serve

Grease the base and sides of a 1-litre terrine or loaf pan and line with baking paper. Pack the croissants into the terrine or pan, then set aside.
Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a large bowl until just combined. Place the milk, cream and vanilla pod and seeds in a saucepan over low heat and bring to just below boiling point, then gradually pour the warm milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Add the orange zest and whisk well to combine, then pour the mixture over the croissants in the pan and stand at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the custard to soak in – this will make for a lighter pudding.
Bake the pudding for 45 minutes until just set and golden on top (cover with foil if it’s browning too quickly). Remove the pudding from the oven, allow to cool slightly, then turn out and slice. Place on a serving platter and drizzle with caramel sauce and scatter with almonds and fruits.

Blueberry and Maple Syrup Pancakes with Bacon

20|10|2013

I simply love sweet-savory food combinations! When balanced well they can do wonders for your taste buds. What better than fluffy pancakes dripping in maple syrup with crispy salty bacon. And to tie them together juicy blueberries that are bit sweet..a bit tart!

I did tell you about our big Sunday breakfasts and brunches. This is one of the simpler dishes I make for my family with different combinations. With the abundance of seasonal blueberries, I couldn’t have thought of a better addition to my pancakes. I love the way they melt and ooze out when cooked with the batter.

These pancakes are smaller in size than normal ones so you can easily fry two at a time. Smaller stacks work for me. They look cute and cook faster so you can keep the plates coming out quickly when you have guests for brunch. In, Australia, we call them pikelets. You can substitute blueberries with two ripe mashed banana or even a cup of pumpkin puree. These are combinations that I use with the pancake batter.

So do you like food that combines sweet and savory? And which one is your favourite combination?
Without a doubt, Salted Caramel tops my list!

Blueberry and Maple Syrup Pancakes with Bacon (adapted with variation from Good Taste magazine)

11/2 cups plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp castor sugar
1/2 tsp salt
125g blueberries
11/4 cups milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
30 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Bacon rashers, to serve
Extra blueberries, to serve
Maple syrup, to serve

Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar and salt. Stir in the blueberries. Make a well in the centre and add the milk, egg and butter. Use a metal spoon to stir, until just combined.
Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Grease with butter. Pour 1/4 cup portions of batter into the pan (2 at a time). Cook for 1-2 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface. Turn and cook for 30 seconds or until cooked through.
Transfer to a plate. Cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the rest of the batter.
Serve pancakes with cooked bacon, extra blueberries and maple syrup.

Celebrating Mommy! Corn and Chive Pikelets with Smoked Salmon and Sour Cream

9|05|2013

The sweetest message I have ever read. ‘I BELIEVE IN LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT…Because I’VE BEEN LOVING MY MOTHER SINCE THE TIME I OPENED MY EYES…’

I don’t really follow ‘day-s’. Birthdays are an exception of course. But I would still call myself a person who can go lengths to make someone smile. Just that it would never be restricted to time or occasion. I am certain all of us are like that.

Until a few years ago, I couldn’t relate to all the hype about Mother’s day. Though I have probably participated every year since I was a little girl by bringing little gifts for my Mommy or cooking something special for her, I have to admit that I did it without much thought or understanding of the significance of Mother’s day. I would only think about what gifts she would like or what would make her happy. After my twins came, I looked at motherhood with a whole new perspective. Mothers don’t really expect anything..rather nothing!

Having said that, being a Mom is the most rewarding role in itself, however thankless or sacrificing it is. Ask any Mommy out there! And making a surprise brunch or a meal can be a small gesture in acknowledging all that she does selflessly day after day. Daddy-s too, I think can lead by example and involve younger kids in putting something together to show how much she is appreciated. You always have the option of taking her out for lunch but isn’t it worth spending a little time and doing it at home?

Keeping that in mind, I am posting a recipe that is quick and easy but looks great. Pikelets are nothing but baby pancakes. I often make the batter a day in advance and shallow fry the pikelets when needed. Canned creamed corn is readily available in Australian supermarkets but if you do not have access to it, its easy to make your own and store. Vegetarians can substitute smoked salmon for grilled shaved pumpkin or sweet potato. It looks fantastic and tastes just as good. You can use a grilling pan (or a normal frying pan) sprayed with a little olive oil and cook for 2-3 mins on each side.

In my house, though the kids are too young to understand celebrations, I have received notes every year on their behalf leaving me teary eyed (of course, Daddy at work).Last year, the boy’s daycare got their hand and feet impressions in different colours on a card with a sweet message. When I went to pick them up, they came running to me with the cards in their hands shouting ‘Appy appy day’. It was touching!

A Mother’s love is UNCONDITIONAL. You realise that far more when she is not around. Can you tell me in the current world how many things are unconditional?

To all the Mommy’s out there, you are amazing…you are beautiful…what you have accomplished, NOONE else can. Your kids love you and so do I. Happy Mother’s day!

Corn and Chive Pikelets with Smoked Salmon and Sour Cream (pikelets adapted with variation from Taste.com)
serves 4-5

1 cup self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
A pinch of salt
3/4 cup milk
1 egg lightly beaten
1 cup creamed corn (store-bought or home made- recipe below)
2 tbsp freshly chopped chives
1/2 cup grated cheese (I use cheddar)
Olive oil for frying
8-10 thinly sliced Smoked Salmon
Sour cream
Fresh Dill for garnish
Extra Virgin Olive oil and cracked pepper (optional)

Sift flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Make a well in the centre.

Whisk milk, egg, corn together in another bowl. Add to the flour mixture and stir to combine. Stir in chives and cheese.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Using 2 tablespoons of batter at a time, cook pikelets in batches till bubbles appear on the surface (2-3 minutes). Turn over the other side and cook till golden and cooked through. Repeat with the remaining batter to make 20 pikelets.

To serve, place 3-4 pikelets on a plate. Top with 2 slices of smoked salmon. Add a dollop of sour cream and garnish with dill leaves. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of cracked pepper.

Creamed Corn

2 cups frozen whole corn kernels
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup heavy or whipping cream
1 tsp sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Place butter in a large skillet over medium heat to melt. Add the frozen corn and stir, cooking over medium heat until the corn is mostly thawed. Add in the heavy cream, sugar, salt and pepper. Continue cooking, stirring constantly to prevent cream from scorching (10-15 mins) until corn is cooked through and sauce is thick.