One thing I have always loved when travelling on the Continent are the breakfasts we have been offered at most of the places we have stayed overnight.
Europeans really know how to do breakfast right . . . with freshly baked rolls, breads or croissants . . . granola or muesli . . . fresh fruits, cheeses and sliced meats . . . yogurts . . . fresh fruit compotes.
When we were staying in Austria we had these beautiful stewed plums on offer each morning. I loved them and had them along with some yogurt and granola every morning while we were there. You might think I would get bored with that option, but I just didn't.
I actually enjoy a breakfast like that much more than any other kind. While I am hungry in the mornings, I am not fond of much that is heavy or that will lay on my stomach uncomfortably. I am a person who enjoys a light breakfast for the most part, unless it is much later in the morning or a brunch. Come brunch time, watch out!
Fruit compotes are a beautiful way to start your day, and they are so very easy to make. All you need is fruit and a sweetener of some kind.
You can use fresh or frozen fruit. Actually, a compote is a wonderful way to use that supermarket fresh fruit that doesn't seem to ripen properly. With a bit of honey or maple syrup, and cooked until soft, it turns into something very beautiful indeed.
You can use it on it's own, spooned over yogurt or granola, or layered in a glass with both . . .
You can layer it in jars when you are making your overnight oats . . .
Its great served as dessert with rice pudding. We especially love a cherry compote with rice pudding.
Its incredibly delicious served warm and spooned over cold vanilla ice cream!
This one here today is an apricot compote which I made using some apricots I had frozen from last year. I wanted to use them up before the new season starts.
I sweetened them with a bit of honey . . . so it's an honeyed apricot compote . . .
Incredibly delicious served layered in a glass with some of my homemade granola and plain yogurt. I could eat this every day, no kidding!
You can also use dried fruit, bearing in mind that you will have to soak them for a while first to plump them back up again. Prunes are especially delicious done this way.
I like to stick to simple sweeteners . . . natural ones, rather than sugar. When I do that I feel like an earth mother. I know . . . its all in my mind . . .
Yield: variable
Fresh Fruit Compote
A very continental fruit compote is a beautiful way to add interest to your morning breakfast. Its also pretty fabulous spooned over scoops of vanilla bean ice cream.
ingredients:
- 450g fresh or frozen fruit
- 2 TBS honey or maple syrup
- pinch salt
Variations:
- Grated Lemon or orange zest (1/4 teaspoon added before cooking) (apples, pears, plums)
- Ground cinnamon or ginger (1/4 teaspoon added before cooking) (apples and pears)
- Vanilla extract or paste (1/2 teaspoon added after cooking) (all stone fruit goes well as does rhubarb)
- Balsamic vinegar, white or dark (1 to 2 teaspoons added after cooking) (berries love this)
- Lemon juice or orange juice (1 to 2 tablespoons added after cooking)
- Fresh mint or basil leaves (add after cooking) (great with berries)
- Freshly ground black pepper (to taste, add after cooking) (especially good with strawberries)
instructions:
- First prepare your fruit for cooking. If you are using peaches or apricots you may want to remove the skin first. To do this, make an X on the bottom and then immerse into boiling water for about 60 seconds. The skin should then just slip off.
- I like to peel apples and pears and core, discarding both the stem and bottom bits.
- For any fruit with pits such as peaches, plums, apricots, cherries, etc. you will want to halve them and dispose of the pits.
- You can keep small berries, such as currants, blackberries, raspberries, small strawberries or blueberries whole. Large berries should be cut in half.
- Cut larger fruits into slices or cubes. If you are using frozen fruit, there is no need to do this, or to defrost.
- Put the prepped fruit into a large non-reactive saucepan along with your sweetener of choice and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil over moderate heat. (This will take longer if you are using frozen fruit)
- Reduce to a simmer and cook until the compote has reached your desired consistency. I like it when i has roughly reduced in volume by half. Mash with a potato masher if you want a smoother puree. I like a mix of chunks and puree.
- Taste and adjust sweetening as desired with more syrup or honey. Cool completely and store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
NOTES:
Note - if you are using a really tart fruit, such as rhubarb, you will need to use appreciably more honey or syrup to make it palatable.
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A fruit compote is a really delicious way to get in at least one of your five a day! Break out your Edith Piaf music, a hot pot of cocoa or coffee, some fresh croissants, yogurt and some muesli and you will feel for all the world like you are holidaying in France. True! Bon Appetit!
I am a huge fan of hummus. I often make it to enjoy with crisp crackers or raw vegetables. It has been my snack of choice for many years.
It is one of the few ways I can tolerate chick peas due to my diverticulitis. I used to love to make a vegetarian chili which used tinned chick peas when my children were growing up. It was really delicious. Sadly those days of enjoying those types of things in abundance are over for me!
So far I have been able to enjoy hummus however. Probably because the chick peas are pureed, which makes them easier to digest.
I love all kinds of hummus. Perfect Hummus is the recipe I normally use. But my Roasted Beetroot Hummus is also very good, and a very pretty pink colour.
This All Dressed Hummus is also a real favourite around here. I call it all dressed because it is topped with lots of lovely bits to dress it up.
Its like the Cinderella of Hummus all dressed up and ready to go to the ball, glass slippers and all . . .
I like to top it with a variety of finely chopped vegetables.
Chopping things up really finely isn't really a chore if you have a good set of knives to work with.
For all of my chopping needs I like to use these lovely knives from the MyKtchn Premium Black Ceramic Kitchen Knife Set.
Along with the variety of diced veg I used, I topped this Hummus with some Crispy Chickpeas. If you have never eaten them or made your own, you really need to try. The oven basically does all the work and they are wonderfully crunchy and crisp, quite addictive as a snack or a garnish.
Yield: Makes about 1 1/2 cups
Crispy Chickpeas
These are crisp and delicious. They are fabulous eaten out of hand as a snack, or used as a garnish.
ingredients:
- 1 (400g) tin of chick peas, drained and patted dry (14 oz)
- olive oil to drizzle
- ground cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and coarse black pepper
- (according to your taste, I find about 1/4 tsp of each is ample)
instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Line a baking tray with foil. Scatter the chick peas over top and then drizzle with a bit of extra virgin olive oil. Only about 1 TBS for the whole tin if that.) Sprinkle with the spices/seasonings and toss to coat well with the oil and seasonings. Spread out evenly leaving space between. Pop into the pre-heated oven and roast for about 25 minutes until crispy. Cool completely and then store in an airtight jar.
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Almost like popcorn, except they contain a lot more fibre and protein. I flavour mine with ground cumin, garlic, paprika, onion powder, salt and pepper, but you can use whatever flavours you desire. As a snack you can also make a sweet variety as I did here with my Gingerbread Roasted Chickpeas. They also make a tasty snack. Again I have to control my consumption of these things because of my tummy. 😓 Getting older is not for sissies for sure.
Today I topped my hummus with chopped tomatoes, red onions, cucumber, coriander leaf, a drizzle of EVO, and some crispy chick peas.
Altogether this made a really delicious and healthy lunch for me, which I really enjoyed.
Yield: Variable
All Dressed Hummus
An incredibly tasty and pretty appetiser. Serve chilled with plenty of warm pita breads and crisp vegetables for dipping.
ingredients:
- 1 (400g) tin of chickpeas, drained (reserve the liquid) (14 oz tin)
- 2 TBS Tahini paste
- 3 TBS extra virgin Olive Oil
- 1 clove of garlic, peeled
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 4 TBS water
- 1 TBS packed fresh coriander leaf (cilantro)
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 tsp coarse ground black pepper, or to taste
Toppings:
- extra virgin olive oil to drizzle (optional)
- 4 TBS chopped cherry tomatoes
- 4 TBS chopped red onion
- 4 TBS chopped unpeeled cucumber
- crispy chickpeas (optional)
- toasted mixed seeds (optional)
- chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
- crumbled feta cheese (optional)
instructions:
- Combine all of the hummus ingredients in a food processor and blitz until smooth and to your desired consistency, adding reserved chickpea liquid as desired to give you what you want. Spread the hummus in a large flat bowl. Cover and chill while you create the toppings.
- When you are ready to serve, sprinkle your desired toppings over top of the chilled hummus and serve immediately with plenty of crisp vegetables and warmed pita bread cut into pieces.
Created using The Recipes Generator
This makes a fabulous group appetizer for when you are entertaining, or for picnics (you can top it just before you serve it) and of course its great in the lunch box. I would pack the hummus and the toppings and the dippers separately in that case. What a treat!
I need to be better at labeling what I put in the freezer.
When I go to Costco, I buy big packs of chicken breasts and thighs, and then I divide them up and freeze them in smaller packs when I get them home, thinking that I am going to remember what is what, but guess what! I don't.
Sometimes I thaw out what I think is chicken breasts only to discover once it is thawed that they are thighs and vice versa.
Not a problem really . . . unless I had something in mind to cook that called for the other. Not to self - buy a permanent marker.
So I had planned on making a curry with chicken breasts, but it ended up being thighs, and so I did something else entirely.
Balsamic Chicken & Mushrooms . . . a skillet entree that is quick and easy and so very tasty!
The Balsamic Vinegar adds a very subtle piquancy . . . its not in your face. Make sure you use a good quality one.
Not the best, because that would be a waste, and a really good Balsamic needs to be enjoyed at the very simplest level.
But you will still want a good one as a cheap nasty one would be too acidic. Go for something in the moderate cost range.
White or button mushrooms work best. Other kinds (portabella, baby portabella) give off too much dark colour to the sauce, which I don't think is very visually appealing.
Also, don't burn your garlic. Burnt garlic is bitter. There is no coming back from that. None.
This is really simple and really delicious. I like to serve it with some steamed Basmati and a vegetable. On this particular day it was corn, but I actually prefer it with peas or beans.
There is a small amount of cream in it, just to make the sauce very creamy, but when you split it 4 ways, its really not a lot and it is worth it.
Yield: 4
Balsamic Chicken & Mushrooms
A simple entree made with boneless, skinless chicken thighs cooked in a creamy balsamic and mushroom gravy. This is fabulously tasty
ingredients:
- 1 TBS light olive oil
- 1 TBS butter
- 1 small onion, peeled and thinly slices
- 2 fat cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1/2 pound white mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
- 1 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2 inch pieces
- 2 TBS flour
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp coarse black pepper, divided
- 120ml chicken stock (1/2 cup)
- 2 TBS Balsamic vinegar
- 60ml double cream (1/4 cup, heavy cream)
- a few spring thyme and some chopped leaves to garnish
instructions:
- Heat the oil and butter together in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally until they start to brown a bit. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
- While the onions are cooking, toss the chicken pieces together with the flour, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
- Push the onions to the side of the skillet and add the chicken pieces, a few at a time, browning on both sides and adding more as they brown. Transfer all to a bowl.
- Add the mushrooms to the pan. Cook and stir until they are lightly browned. Add the remaining salt and black pepper. Add the chicken stock and balsamic vinegar, stirring to release any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken and onions/garlic mixture to the pan along with the thyme sprigs.
- Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Stir in the cream and heat through. Taste and adjust seasoning as required. Sprinkle with a few thyme leaves and serve immediately.
Created using The Recipes Generator
You could use dried thyme if you wanted to, about 1/2 tsp. I have fresh thyme in my kitchen garden and so I always used fresh. This is fabulously tasty.
In fact, I would serve this to company and it makes a great Dinner party dish, although for a dinner party I wouldn't serve corn. I'd be a bit more elegant, and I might serve baby potatoes instead of rice. You are sure to enjoy it any way any how! Bon Appetit!
I've had a pretty busy day today. I went to the grocery store this morning and picked up a bunch of things to make my granola and a few other bits. It amazing how much a few bits can add up to these days, especially if you are trying to eat healthier.
It shouldn't be that way really. They should make junk food more expensive and healthy food cheaper, but that makes sense, and most things the shops do hardly ever make sense. I think my main beef about fresh fruit and vegetables is that it only lasts a couple of days once you get it home, depending on where you buy it.
I find if you shop in the more expensive shops it tends to be of a better quality and fresher, but my days of shopping in expensive shops are long gone now I am not working full-time. So I tend to have to pick up less and go more frequently, rather than do a weekly shop, only getting in what we can eat within a couple of days so that nothing gets wasted.
Today I gave Todd leftovers from yesterday for his dinner. He had chicken and a baked potato and some tender-stem broccoli. He was quite happy with that. (I'll be showing you the recipe for that chicken tomorrow. It's a real winner/winner!)
I had a lovely Tuna Salad Wrap with plenty of raw veg and some of that tender stem broccoli. I did take mine out well before it was finished cooking. I only just blanched it. Todd likes his well done. 😖 We are all different. I'm just lucky I can get him to eat broccoli at all. My father never would.
We were both happy with our dinners. The Tuna Salad is a recipe I pinched and adapted from a Weight Watchers site. Theirs was pretty plain. I added a few things for colour and crunch.
Things like spring onions and red pepper strips. They had their red pepper chopped. I didn't want it chopped.
I also added a layer of fresh baby spinach leaves . . . both for colour and for nutrition . . . and for the crunch.
I spread my filling out really thinly and then laid the pepper strips and spinach on top of it before rolling the wrap up really tightly.
I then refrigerated it for about an hour so that I could cut it into neat little slices. That would be the perfect way to serve it in a lunch box to take to work. So pretty, and easy to eat.
Yield: 1
Tuna Salad Wrap
This makes a large wrap, suitable for lunch, especially when sliced into rounds and served with a variety of raw veg for munching on. Healthy and delicious!
ingredients:
- 1 (150g) tin of white tuna, in water, drained well (3 ounce tin)
- 1 large whole grain wrap bread
- 2 TBS fat free mayonnaise
- 1 tsp grainy Dijon mustard
- 1 TBS fat free plain yogurt
- 2 TBS finely chopped celery
- 2 TBS finely chopped spring onion
- 1/2 small red pepper cut into strips
- a handful of baby spinach leaves, de-stemmed
- 1/2 tsp sea salt with lemon
- 1/4 tsp coarse black pepper
instructions:
- Drain the tuna well and flake into a small bowl. Add the chopped celery and spring onion, mixing well together. Stir together the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, yogurt, lemon salt and black pepper. Mix this into the tuna mixture, combining all and mashing it well together.
- Lay out your wrap on a flat surface. Spread the tuna over the wrap to cover, leaving about 1/2 inch free all the way around. Lay out the pepper strips lengthwise on top of the tuna in rows, leaving about an inch in between the rows. Cover with the spinach, in a single layer. Roll up as tightly as you can from one edge. Wrap well in cling film and chill for about an hour.
- Cut into 1 inch slices to serve.
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In all truth I could not eat the whole thing and so I wrapped the remainder up and put it in the fridge for tomorrow. I don't know what's happening to my appetite lately. I get filled up a lot faster, and I just don't seem to be able to eat as much as I used to, which isn't exactly a bad thing when you think about it! Bon Appetit!
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