Carrot Cake Porridge

Since starting Slimming World six weeks ago breakfasts have become a meal that I look forward to. In the past I have, more often than not, skipped breakfast. This often leads to snacking. Breakfast is often known as the most important meal of the day as it gets your metabolism going and sets you up for the day.

Breakfasts do not need to be boring they can be easily transformed into something quite special. My favourite breakfast food has to be porridge oats. They are such a versatile ingredient that can be revamped into so many different flavours and accompanied with endless additional ingredients.

I recently shared my Fruit Layered Porridge Breakfast Bowl which has been a favourite of mine. That was until I tried today's porridge. While I was at my Slimming World group last week someone mentioned a carrot cake porridge bake. This certainly got my attention as carrot cake has to be my favourite cake. So when I got home I looked at my favourite carrot cake recipe, noted the ingredients and got planning as to how I could transfer the flavours into a porridge.

This is what I did..

Fruit Layered Porridge Breakfast Bowl

Last week I joined a local Slimming World group. Recently I have been eating and drinking what I want without much thought to what it was doing to me health. This has caused my weight to naturally go up which is starting to effect my health and well being. So now my meals are all about using as many "free" foods as possible to ensure that I am full, but full of good, healthy foods. Normally I am not a breakfast person but this last week I have been looking forward to my breakfast. This has been my favourite breakfast. It does take a little effort but is so worth it and that is why I am sharing it with you today!

Oats are a deliciously filling fibre rich food that are the perfect way to start the day. Porridge oats should be classed as a super food. They are packed with vitamins, minerals and fibre but they also help reduce high blood pressure, reduce bad cholesterol, keeping blood sugar levels steady and they give you enough energy to keep you going until lunch time! The best part is that you do not need to eat a lot to gain the health benefits. This breakfast, with the oats combined with fruit, is the ideal way to start the day.

This is what I did...

 

Fresh Strawberry and Mint Porridge

As you will probably know we are having a bumper harvest this year of soft fruits. So I am using them in as many different dishes as I can. Today's recipe is now a favourite of mine. There is nothing more satisfying than going down the garden in the morning to pick fresh berries and mint for breakfast.

This is what I did...

Full of Energy Porridge

With the children breaking up for the Easter holidays next week I have been thinking more about lazy breakfasts. During the week, the mornings are manic and breakfasts are quick and easy. But when the school holidays arrive I like to spend more time on breakfast. 

During the cold mornings one of the best ways to start the day has to be with a warming bowl of porridge. There is something so satisfying about a bowl of warm porridge and it is such a versatile bowl of goodness. You can add so many different flavours and it allows you to have a wide choice of combinations. Today I am going to share with you my full of energy porridge. This bowl of porridge will keep you going throughout the morning, it will keep your energy levels up and keep you full until lunch time.

We all know that bananas are full of energy, they are full of natural sugars. The best way for your body to digest these sugars and keep your energy levels up is to combine them with cinnamon. When you add the protein from the nut butter you have a bowl of pure goodness!

This is what I did...

Mushroom, Egg and Avocado Brunch - #CookBlogShare Week 7

Hello and welcome to week 7 of CookBlogShare 2016.

Before I hand it over to the lovely foodie bloggers who return each week I thought that, today, I would share with you a delicious brunch recipe. I say brunch but it would be perfect as a lazy Sunday breakfast, or, as I enjoy it, as a light lunch.

You will probably know that I am currently on my own weight loss journey with Slimming World. If you know the Slimming World plan you will know that avocado's are a high syn food. But I am eating them without counting because they contain a good fat that our bodies need, monounsaturated fat. Monounsaturated fat helps to protect our hearts by maintaining the levels of good cholesterol while reducing the bad cholesterol. So it is not good to cut out all fats in our diets. As I always say, everything in moderation

This dish is so quick and easy to make and is a lot tastier than a boring sandwich or a piece of toast!

This is what I did...

Tropical Quinoa Porridge

As it is National Breakfast Week I thought I would share with you a recipe that I love. Back in November 2014 I shared my Quinoa Porridge recipe. Since then I have been enjoying it but have slightly adapted the recipe and experimenting with new flavour combinations.

This has to be one of my favourite combinations. I love tropical fruits and how well they go together. They make a perfect start to the day!

What is a little different with this porridge is that I have added a tablespoon of coconut oil. You may wonder why I would oil to a porridge. But coconut oil is like no other oil, I love it! Yes it is mostly a saturated fat but it is one of the most healthiest saturated fats that there are. Your body can easily digest the coconut oil so it is an immediate energy source, which is perfect for the mornings!

This is what I did...

Green Goodness Breakfast Bowl

As it is National Breakfast Week I thought that I would share with you my favourite breakfast. Recently I have begun to enjoy breakfast time more and more. My breakfast usually consists of a smoothie or muesli. But recently thanks to Deliciously Ella I have discovered how you can transform a smoothie into so much more by simply adding avocado!

My smoothies have done from a drink to something so much more filling and nourishing. My smoothies are now thicker and have more of a yogurt consistency. 

Today's recipe contains 4 different fruits, avocado, coconut milk, manuka honey, seeds and green matcha tea!

This is what I did...

POM Wonderful - For Your Smoothies and Cocktails!

In January everybody likes to make new years resolutions about their health, fitness or life. I am not one for new years resolutions as they always seem to be empty promises. What I like to do is make changes throughout the year and makes changes which I know will be easy to make into permanent changes. 

One simple change that you can ,make for the benefit of your health is eat and drink healthier foods. Swapping your high sugar fruit juice for POM Wonderful is a step in the right direction.

Pomegranates are a good source of vitamin C, vitamin K, Fibre, Potassium and Folate as well as anti oxidants. POM Wonderful juice is simply 100% pomegranate. Each 710ml bottle contains 6 pomegranates with no added sugar, preservatives or colourants. This juice is so full of flavour, it is a little bit sweet and a little bit sour but both extremities balance this juice perfectly.

Dorset Cereals New Bircher Muesli Mix

Breakfast really is the best way to start the day!

Making sure that you eat a healthy, balanced meal is what is important. Breakfasts not only kick start your metabolism for the day ahead, but it also gives you the energy to get going. Once you have had a good breakfast you are ready for the day ahead.

I do love to have a healthy breakfast which usually consists of a cup of coffee, my must have after a night of being up and down with the twins, followed by either muesli, porridge or a granola. I usually have these with either coconut or almond milk or fat free yogurt.

When I was approached by Dorset Cereals asking me to try their new Bircher Muesli Mix I was really excited to see what delicious breakfast they had come up with. I will admit that we do already love Dorset Cereals muesli and porridge and always have a box in the house. My hubby will not leave the house without a bowl of their fruity muesli!

When their package arrived with two different varieties for us to try I could not wait for breakfast time to arrive!

If you have not had bircher muesli or do not know what it is let me tell you a bit more...

Breakfast Frittata

Watching what you eat doesn't always mean you have to miss out on the foods that you love. Following the Slimming World plan has shown me this. By adapting and swapping a few ingredients you can enjoy meals that you love, and what the whole family will eat!

So when I really fancied a good old fry up I decided to make it with a healthy twist!

This delicious, traditional English breakfast inspired frittata contains just 1 syn per average serving containing 2 vegetarian sausages. I replaced the higher syn content sausages with tasty vegetarian ones and replaced bacon with healthier turkey rashers which are syn free!

I also found that this was a great meal to use up a lot of eggs! We have recently had lot of eggs that needed using up. Having three chickens mean that they soon mount up!

This is what I did...

A 'Berry' Good Start Smoothie

This week we have made a huge lifestyle change. We have decided to cut out processed foods and fill our plates and tummies with fresh, organic fruit and vegetables. Our breakfasts have been transformed from sweet cereals to deliciously nutritious smoothies. As well as cutting out processed foods we are also trying to cut sugar out of our diets too and using healthier substitutions.

Today I thought I would share a delicious smoothie that I have been enjoying. We have found that having a smoothie for breakfast has been keeping us going until after lunch time! They are so filling and you know that they are giving you so many health benefits in just one glass.

This smoothie uses...

Muesli and Chia Seed Morning Buns

When I went too bake the hubby his tea loaf for his morning snack at work I discovered that I have no dried fruit! This is unheard of in our house. However it did give me the perfect excuse to try a new bake for him.

These buns are packed full of muesli, made with spelt flour and contain chia seeds. They are a more dense bake which is ideal for a breakfast bun. They are also made with maple syrup instead of sugar which makes them a great, healthy start to the day!

This is what I did...

Extra Special Scrambled Eggs with The Happy Egg Company

With this week being Breakfast Week I thought it would be the perfect time to share with you a scrambled egg recipe that is extra special.

Scrambled eggs are a great easy meal that is full of protein from the eggs. There are so many different variations but the majority of the time we make the good old cheesy version.

The Happy Egg Company have challenged their Happy Egg Taste Makers to come up with a new scrambled egg recipe. We were told that we must incorporate the following into our recipes:

• A vegetable or a source of fish/meat
• A herb or spice
• A surprise ingredient

This got my taste buds going and this is what I came up with...

 Smoked Salmon and Asparagus Scrambled Eggs

Ingredients

2 eggs
1 slice of smoked salmon, chopped
3 spears of asparagus, chopped
1 tsp soft goats cheese
60mls milk
Sprig of dill, chopped

Method

1 - Place the chopped asparagus in a pan of boiling water and simmer for 3 minutes before draining and putting to one side

2 - Beat the eggs in a bowl

3 - Add the milk, smoked salmon, goats cheese and 1tsp of chopped fresh dill

4 - Place in a pan and heat over a medium heat stirring continuously

5 - After the eggs have cooked for 2 minutes add the asparagus and continue cooking until the eggs are cooked

Serve immediately on a slice of seeded bread with a little smoked salmon and a sprig of dill.

The goats cheese adds a creamy flavour to the smokiness from the salmon. It transforms regular scrambled eggs into something extra special.

Disclosure: I am part of The Happy Egg Company Happy Egg Taste Makers bloggers group. This post is my entry to the January Scrambled Egg challenge. I was sent a voucher for the eggs.

I am sharing my recipe with Honest Mum - Tasty Tuesdays.

Quinoa Porridge

This week has seen the start of my detox with an aim to loose a bit of weight. You can read why in my Time To Loose Weight post. The detox has meant that I have had to cut out a lot of my usual foods.

Yesterday I had a breakfast of fruit but today I felt that I needed something a bit more filling to start the day. I looked at what carbs I could have and thought that quinoa would make a great porridge style breakfast.

Quinoa is a "super food" which has got a high protein content. It also contains great levels of iron, fibre, magnesium, phosphorus and is also a source of calcium!

My quinoa porridge was so deliciously healthy I will be making this from now on as my breakfast.

This is what I did...

Quinoa Porridge

Ingredients

3tbsp quinoa grain
15tbsp water
90mls milk substitute to taste, I used coconut milk
Fruit to taste

Method

1 - Place the quinoa grain in a sift and rinse with cold water

2 - Place the water in a pan to boil

3 - When the water has reached boiling point add the quinoa grains, cover and simmer for 20 minutes

4 - After 20 minutes remove from the heat and leave for 10 minutes

5 - Break up the grains with a fork and place in a bowl

6 - Pour over the milk, this can either be warm or cold milk

7 - Add your chosen fruit, I used blackberries, and serve

This is a delicious breakfast which is both filling and good for you. You will find that this breakfast is all made using "allowed" foods if you are following the Juice Plus diet. If you are following Slimming World the quinoa is a "free food" and the milk substitute can be counted as you healthy extra.

Enjoy x

I am sharing this recipe with:

Honest Mum - Tasty Tuesdays
A Mummy Too - Recipe of the Week

#RealMumsAllBran 5 Day Challenge

I have to admit that before I took the Real Mums All Bran 5 day challenge I was a breakfast skipper.

If I didn't eat breakfast you may be wondering why I decided to take the 5 day challenge.

I was offered the challenge at the same time that I was diagnosed with depression. As soon as I was diagnosed I knew that I needed to make some lifestyle changes. This included the way I ate. I do love food, I love cooking and baking but during the day I tended to pick about and not eat proper full meals.

When I researched further I found out that 90 - 95% of the "happy" hormone serotonin is made in the gut! Therefore it is essential to have a good, balanced, healthy diet to make serotonin. As soon as I read this, I knew I had to make changes. That is where the #RealMumsAllBran 5 day challenge came in.

I was challenged to eat an All Bran breakfast for 5 consecutive days and see if I could tell a difference in my digestion and in my general well being.

I was sent three delicious flavours to try, All Bran Golden Crunch, All Bran Red Berry Crunch and All Bran Chocolate Wheats. For once I was actually looking forward to breakfast time and changing my diet.

I decided to start with the Red Berry Crunch. I love anything berry so had high hopes for day one and I was not disappointed. This cereal is packed with yummy berry bits. A cereal which is not only good for you but tastes good, this really was a winner! With just 184 calories per typical serving it is an ideal way to start the day.

When it came to trying the Chocolate Wheats I will admit to being just a little dubious as to whether they would be truly chocolaty. I was amazed to find the the bite sized wheat packages contained whole chunks of naughty but nice chocolate! What is even better is that you can enjoy the delicious chocolate flavours without the guilt as a typical serving contains just 185 calories! A perfect, sweet start to the day!

The last one that I tried was the Golden Crunch. This cereal was malty flavoured multi grain clusters that had the goodness taste with a sweet bite. With icy cold milk this cereal gives another yummy start to the day. This All Bran variety contains the lowest amount of calories with just 182 calories per typical serving.

My #RealMumsAllBran 5 Day Challenge Verdict

Since starting with the #RealMumsAllBran 5 day challenge I can honestly say that I can feel a difference in both my mental well being and my digestive system.

Breakfast has now become a part of my daily food routine and I have found that I am not only snacking less but I am also feeling less bloated. After having the twins two and a half years ago bloatedness is something which I have suffered with. However I have found that my tummy is feeling happier since I added the extra fibre that All Bran provides into my regular diet.

As for the depression, I have started to feel more like my old self. I feel that this is due to a combination of medication and eating more regular meals and starting the day as I mean to go on, with a good breakfast. I feel confident that eating a healthy breakfast with All Bran is kick starting the serotonin that I need to make each day a good day!

Thank you Kellogg's and BritMums for setting the challenge which really has made a difference to my life.

If you would like to know more about the Real Mums of All Bran 5 day challenge or would like to take the challenge yourself visit Kellogg's All Bran.

This post is an entry for the Real Mums of All Bran linky challenge sponsored by Kellogg's.