Chia-up - breakfast cheer

Getting a good breakfast can be a challenge at times, especially if you're short of time or have run out of inspiration. It's easy to get stuck in the same routine, grab the nearest empty calorie cereal or, worse, have nothing at all.
Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day - your body has been fasting over night and needs good fuel to get it going again. And it doesn't have to be boring, even though cereals and toast sometimes seems like the only things to have. When you're eating a dairy or gluten free diet, you do need to get a bit imaginative at times.
There's loads of different things on offer to power you up for the day - just because you don't have time for a full English (or it's veggie equivalent!) doesn't mean you have to miss out.
Planning the morning meal is as important as any other during the day, so keep ahead of the game, and if mornings are a rush, prepare it the night before.

This chia breakfast bowl is one of the recipes that features in my Eat Well, Live Well course, a five week foray into the world of eating a whole food plant based diet. It's so simple to make, tastes fabulous and is packed full of amazing nutrients and fibre that will keep you going all the way to lunch. Because of it's high fibre content and lack of refined sugar, you won't get that sugar dip mid-morning.
Chia seeds are part of the 'in crowd' at the moment. But rather than just another nutrition fad, these tiny little black seeds really are worth the hype. Just a couple of tablespoons gives you 5g of protein, 11g of fibre and are a great source of plant based omega 3 fatty acids. There's also fabulous amounts of calcium, manganese, magnesium and phosphorous, plus zinc and vitamins B1, 2 and 3. Not only that, there are loads of anti-oxidants that help munch up free radicals that damage our bodies and contribute towards the ageing process.
The fibre content of chia seeds is amazing - not only will it help keep you full for longer, it helps keep your gut happy, providing food for the friendly bacteria deep down that aid digestion and absorption of nutrients, but also keeps our guts a healthy and happy place. And the nutrient profile of these seeds is perfect for bone health - a clean source of protein and lots of calcium, magnesium and phosphorous, all essential to keep bones healthy and strong.
This chia breakfast bowl only takes a couple of minutes to make before you go to bed;  the chia seeds swell up in the milk overnight, so when you grab it in the morning, it's all thick and gooey, and ready to get you going. There's all sorts of toppings you can add - hemp seeds, fruit, coconut etc

- or just eat it as it is. On the photo, I've added some ground hemp seed with goji berries and passion fruit. So think ahead, and have a chia-full day!
Chia seed breakfast bowl
1 small banana
2 tablespoons chia seeds
200mls dairy free milk of choice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Mash the banana in the bottom of a bowl. Pour the chia seeds in then add the milk. Stir in the cinnamon, then place in the fridge overnight. Add your toppings of choice in the morning, and enjoy!

Original kedgeree

Every now and then my husband gets the urge to have a session in the kitchen. Apart from the inevitable mess, I love it when he's inspired to try out something different - not only does it give me the night off, but it's usually something he's been thinking about for a while and researched within an inch of it's life. Big contrast to my sudden inspiration, throwing things together to see what happens approach!

He's been mainly plant based for over a year and a half now which is quite a surprise to both of us! Having gone for it, he's quite happy not to go back eating to meat and dairy for now as it stops him from pigging out on pastries and burgers. There are a few things he misses though (thankfully beer is plant based). Oddly, one is kedgeree, something we rarely ate but obviously on his list of 'foods I love'. So he decided to get researching to make a completely plant based version.
It didn't take him long to discover the original version of kedgeree - kichiri, a simple Indian comfort food, traditionally given to those under the weather. Legend has it that kedgeree, which includes milk, fish and egg, was devised by Colonial Brits in India, then brought back to England, although according to Wikipedia, there is some contention that it appeared in Scotland in the 1700's; the India connection remains intact though. When exactly a fish, rice and egg combo became a breakfast dish, I'm not so sure.
Kichiri is the perfectly balanced plant based dish. A mixture of rice, lentils and some super spices, it's tasty, satisfying and remarkably moreish despite the simplicity. The lentils give it a little bit of texture and it's aromatic rather than spiciness, so gentler on the palate.
Rice and lentils create the perfect plant based protein - both these lovelies contain the full range of essential amino acids. Even though it's one of the top arguments detractors will come up with when you decide to go plant based, there's no fear about missing out on protein as long as you eat a wide range of products. And of course wholegrain is best as more nutrients are retained. And lentils give you much more than just protein - they also have a wonderful dollop of fibre, manganese, iron and B vitamins amongst others.
A cucumber raita completes this dish perfectly - using dairy free yoghurt of course! You could get flashy and add make a little spicy tempering to go on the top - toasted cumin and mustard seeds with a couple of dried red chillis and some fresh curry leaves to finish. Lovely.
So why not give this a go and see what you think - is definitely different to kedgeree but still comfortably familiar!
Kichiri (serves 4)

160g green lentils
270g wholegrain basmati rice
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 onion, diced
1 inch piece fresh ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 carrot, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
pinch of salt
1 litre water
couple of handfuls fresh coriander
Heat a glug of olive oil in a large pan and sauté the cumin and black mustard seeds until they start to pop. Add the onion and ginger and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring so it doesn't burn. Add the carrot and red pepper and cook for another minute or so, then add the garlic, rice and lentils as well as the ground coriander, turmeric and salt and cook on a low heat stirring all the time. After a minute or so, carefully pour in the water, bring to the boil and pop on the lid. Turn the heat down low and cook for 15-20 minutes until the water has been absorbed and the lentils are tender. Turn off the heat, and leave to steam for a couple of minutes.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle fresh coriander over the top to serve. Enjoy!

Tofu scramble

Wouldn't it be great to find a dish that is quick and easy to make, and suitable to eat at any time of the day? Well, I'm happy to say that tofu scramble fits the bill just perfectly. A great breakfast alternative to scrambled eggs, a quick and easy lunch option or bulked up with a range of vegetables for a more substantial evening meal, tofu scramble is super easy and packed with masses of flavour as well as a shed-load of nutrients.

I first came across tofu scramble in India on one of the cooking courses I attended. There's an Indian breakfast dish called Akuri that is basically scrambled egg with vegetables and chilli. Replacing the eggs with tofu created tofu akuri and I have to say I really didn't like it! Looking back, I think it was the type of tofu used but I avoided trying it again for some time. Then whilst in New York last summer, we found a fabulous boutique cafe that served tofu scramble, so I decided to give it a go and was delighted I did. It was amazing and I've been making it at home ever since.

There's a lot of mixed opinions on tofu. Tofu is made from fermented soya milk, and it's the humble soya bean that courts controversy. Many people are concerned about genetically modified soy that is grown mainly in the States along with the fact that vast swathes of land, including previously pristine rainforests, are used to grow it. But most of the soy grown is actually used for animal feed, not for direct human consumption, and as long as you know where your soya and tofu comes from, or buy organic, you can make sure that you're not unwittingly consuming GMO if you don't want to. My favourite is Dragonfly tofu, made down in Devon, but there a number of different options in the shops, it's all a matter of taste.

Strictly speaking, tofu is a processed product and not whole food as the soya bean has been cooked and strained to get milk then strained again to separate off some of the fluid. Calcium carbonate (or traditionally seaweed) is added to help it set in a block. But even with this processing, it's still a great product to include in a plant based diet as it's high in protein as well as calcium, iron and manganese. Being dairy free, it can be used in dishes as an alternative to cheese and cream, as well as an ingredient in it's own right. Soya products also contain phyto-oestrogens that are particularly useful for women especially around the menopause and research shows that it can help reduce the incidence of breast cancer. It can also help lower bad LDL cholesterol so suitable for both women and men!

There are a number of different types of tofu - silken, firm, extra firm, smoked or flavoured. By itself, it doesn't score high on taste or texture, but it absorbs flavours really well and so can be a great asset in the plant based kitchen. For tofu scramble, extra firm is best as you don't want it too watery. I have used lightly smoked and it gives a different flavour, but I prefer to use plain so I can taste all the flavours. 

Cooking this for breakfast, I tend to go simple and just add in a few herbs or mushrooms. But if I'm using this for a quick but substantial supper, I cook a pan of additional vegetables such as courgette, mushroom, peppers and spinach, and stir them in at the end with whatever fresh herbs I have to hand. You can serve it on toast, or with saute potatoes or salad. Really, it's up to whatever you feel like, and what ever you have in the fridge - there are no rules! So why not give it a try and see what combinations you can come up with. Let me know what your favourite turns out to be.

Tofu scramble (serves 2) basic recipe

200g extra firm tofu drained and dried

1 small onion or shallot

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 tablespoon tamari

pepper to taste.

Heat the oil in a small pan and saute the onion until soft. Crumble in the tofu and cook gently for a minute then add the turmeric, tamari and pepper. Continue to heat gently for another few minutes then serve.

I like to add mushrooms to my breakfast tofu scramble, so add in some finely chopped mushrooms when the onion is nearly cooked and saute them for a few minutes before adding in the tofu etc. Before serving, I sprinkle some freshly chopped parsley over the top and serve on a bed of baby spinach leaves. Super healthy and tasty!