Not
hungry first thing in the morning? Pushed for time? Trying to lose weight?
These calorie-counted treats will tempt you to rediscover the pleasure of
breakfast.
From an
energy-boosting "apple pie" porridge and protein-packed scrambled
eggs, to a nutrient-rich green smoothie and sugar-free granola bars, there's
something for everyone.
"Creating
the habit of eating in the morning is something you can build towards,"
says dietitian Alison Hornby. "Start off with a light bite such as a piece
of fruit or a low-fat yoghurt.
"After
a while, your morning appetite will naturally increase and you'll probably find
you eat less throughout the day, including snacks."
Research
suggests that people who eat breakfast are slimmer because they tend to eat
less during the day, especially high-calorie snacks.
If
you're short on time in the morning, think about ways of gaining time by
keeping breakfast simple, either by waking up 10 minutes earlier or getting
other chores out of the way ahead of time.
'Apple pie' porridge
A warm
and comforting porridge spiced up with the classic flavours of a homemade apple
pie.
Throw
all the ingredients into a saucepan. Heat and stir until boiling, then lower
the heat and simmer gently for five minutes, stirring often. Spoon the porridge
into a serving bowl and add a sprinkling of cinnamon.
Scrambled eggs (with optional
wholemeal toast)
The
secret to perfect scrambled eggs is to fold them gently in the pan to get
curds, rather than a dried, quivering mess.
Lightly
mix the eggs and milk in a bowl. Melt the low-fat spread in a pan and add the
egg mixture. Cook over a medium-high heat, stirring slowly and gently until
they're just set with big soft curds. Serve the eggs on the slices of toast,
sprinkle over the chives and season with some pepper.
Green smoothie
Smoothies
are a great introduction to breakfast if you don't normally have much of an
appetite at the "crack of yawn". They're also a good portable option
for your morning commute.
Compared
with some hardcore green smoothie recipes, our green smoothie is a softer
version that is quite sweet and fruity, while still giving you a healthy
serving of greens. Blend all the ingredients together until smooth. Add more
water to achieve the desired consistency.
Five-minute breakfasts
Sometimes
mornings can be a bit of a rush. Make a batch of these granola bars, made with
no added sugar, in advance for a healthy breakfast on the go.
Preheat
the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C, gas mark 6). In a bowl, mix together the oats,
cherries, cranberries and seeds. Pour in the melted butter and mix in
thoroughly to make sure the oats are well coated. On a separate plate, mash the
bananas into a pulp with a fork, add to the oat mixture and mix well. Spread
the mixture into a 30cm x 20cm tin. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Once cooked, transfer to a wire rack to cool, then
cut into six bars.
English breakfast muffin
Oozing
poached egg on a layer of cheese and roast ham – what's not to love about this
lower calorie version of the classic English breakfast muffin?
Preheat
the grill. Toast the muffins on the cut sides only. Poach the egg in gently
simmering water for 3-4 minutes until the yoke is set but still runny in the
middle. Spread the toasted sides with the low-fat spread and lay on the spinach
leaves, ham and cheese. Place the poached egg on one muffin half, season with
black pepper and top with the other muffin half.
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