Rise and shine

Breakfast can be a rushed and often neglected affair in many households, especially if you are on the run, Bevan Smith writes.

Bevan Smith
Bevan Smith

Yes, Weet-Bix is a time-honoured favourite, but with a little forethought I think we can do a little better.

What could be simpler than natural yoghurt with strawberries and honey? Guilt-free, delicious and light, it leaves regular yoghurt for dead. Feel like some superfood to start your day? A chia seed pudding with almond milk, fresh bananas, toasted coconut and maple syrup should do the trick.

Straightforward and able to be made in advance, this is fast food at its best. Feel like going old-school? Bircher muesli still hits the spot, and with apple season upon us it is the perfect time to start soaking those oats.

Soft and nourishing, you can jazz it up any way you like. I personally like a heavy hand with the apple juice and then cut it with a healthy dash of lemon juice. Weet-Bix this isn't, but sometimes it is good to shake things up a little. Change is good.

- Chef, restaurateur, author and father of two, Bevan Smith is the owner of the award-winning Riverstone Kitchen, north of Oamaru. His life revolves around food. Sharing that passion is central to his philosophy that all people should and can eat well.

 

Photo by Emma Willets.
Photo by Emma Willets.
Natural yoghurt with strawberries and honey

Serves 2

Ingredients
2 cups yoghurt
1 small punnet of ripe strawberries, hulled and sliced
2-3 Tbsp liquid honey

Method
Spoon yoghurt into two large glasses. Top yoghurt with strawberries and finish with honey to taste.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo by Emma Willets.
Photo by Emma Willets.
Chia seed pudding with almond milk, bananas, toasted coconut and maple syrup

Serves 2

Ingredients
½ cup chia seeds
1 cup almond milk
¼ cup maple syrup
1 banana
3 Tbsp toasted coconut

Method
Make the chia seed pudding the night before.

Mix the chia seeds, almond milk and half the maple syrup together in a bowl until well combined. Place in the fridge overnight.

The following morning, spoon the chia seed mixture into two glasses.

Slice banana and place on top of the pudding.

Top with the remaining maple syrup and toasted coconut and serve.

Note: Chia pudding keeps for up to a week in the fridge.

 

Photo by Fiona Andersen.
Photo by Fiona Andersen.
Bircher muesli with apple and sunflower seeds

Serves 2

Ingredients
1½ cups rolled oats
5-6 medium-sized apples
¼ cup sunflower seeds
½ cup raisins
1½ cups milk
juice of half a lemon
¼ cup roasted almonds, crushed or roughly chopped

Method
Make the bircher muesli the night before you want to eat it. Place the oats in a bowl.

Juice 4 of the apples. Add the apple juice to the oats along with the sunflower seeds, raisins and half the milk. Mix well to combine and leave the oats to soften in the fridge overnight.

The following morning, grate or finely slice the remaining apple and fold through the muesli along with the lemon juice and roasted almonds.

Spoon into 2 glasses, finish with remaining milk and serve.

Add a Comment