Happy Friday, everybody!
I’m trying to get into the ritual of making myself nice breakfasts as much as possible to soak up the joyous morning light in the new kitchen. Sometimes it is a fried egg taco; sometimes a bircher muesli; often, it is veeery wet and buttery scrambled eggs on toast. If I’m feeling cheeky, maybe even a bacon sandwich smothered with ketchup mixed with a bit of Calabrian chilli paste (WOOF).
In honour of this mode I am in, I thought I’d give you some recipes for EXCELLENT breakfasts. One is a peanut butter and banana granola that I have fallen head over heels with, the other is ham, egg and chips-ish, for a more fancy weekend affair.
Enjoy!
Sophie x
The Recipes
Peanut Butter and Banana Granola
When I really want to feel like I have my life together in the week, I kick off Monday by making a batch of granola. It tastes like a peanut butter and banana sandwich, which was a childhood favourite of mine (don’t knock it till you’ve tried it).
I like my granola to be heavy on the nuts, lighter on the oats, for maximum crunch and protein. This one is loaded up with pecans, peanuts and almonds, as well as a butt tonne of seeds.
The key to good granola is not disturbing it once it has cooked - this allows chunky clusters to form as it cools, and makes for really satisfying pieces to eat.
This serving makes you enough to give you a portion for every day of the week, to be poured into a bowl with yoghurt, or your favourite milk. I actually like this one with milk best, as the peanut butter melts into the milk to give you a sensational drink to slurp up at the end.
Serves 5
30g smooth peanut butter
100ml honey
3 tbsp olive oil
1 ripe banana
50g blanched almonds
50g pecans
50g peanuts
50g pumpkin seeds
25g sesame seeds
80g oats
A pinch of salt
30g dried banana chips
Heat your oven to 160°C fan.
Add your peanut butter, honey and olive oil to a small saucepan, and melt over a gentle heat until you have a much looser liquid. Give it a mix to combine.
Mash up your ripe banana, then mix this into your peanut butter pan.
Roughly chop your nuts. Add your almonds, pecans, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and oats to a large mixing bowl, then pour over your peanut butter mixture. Add a pinch of salt, then give it all a really good mix so everything is combined.
Pour the mixture onto a large baking tray lined with parchment, then bake for 20 minutes. Give it a mix, then bake for another 10 minutes.
Leave to cool on the tray so that nice clumps form. Stir through your dried banana chips, then pop it in a jar or tightly sealed container. It will keep for a week - enjoy with milk or yoghurt, whatever you fancy.
Ham, Egg and Chips-ish
Longtime readers might know that I don’t always get along with eggs, but I am deep in an egg phase at the moment, and you best believe I am making the most out of it by eating eggs most days of the week.
This dish was inspired by the British classic of ham, egg and chips, but turned a bit more brunch-y by replacing the chips with crispy potato rostis. It may feel sacriligious, but you’ll change your mind once you realise how fabulous this tastes.
This dish is a slightly more step-y one to bring together than the granola, so is probably best saved for the weekend when you have a bit more time. Also, I am by no means suggesting that you should bake a ham in the morning before you’ve had breakfast, but having a great chunk of ham in the fridge is a very nice thing, so maybe make it a day or two before you want to eat this one.
Serves 4