Chorizo and Potato Hash

This is a great, hearty weekend breakfast or brunch idea which is especially good if you're feeling the effects of the night before. You can top with a fried egg (or two if you're greedy) if you're that way inclined but it's great on it's own too.

If you're following Slimming World, this works out to 6 syns per portion which is entirely for the cooking chorizo - but it's totally worth it; everything else is free or speed!

Chorizo and Potato Hash

The below serves 2.

Here's how:

• 100g cooking chorizo
• 2 white potatoes
• 1 white onion
• 1 green pepper
• 1 roasted red pepper (you can use an ordinary red pepper)
• 2 tomatoes
• Lots of black pepper
• Eggs (optional)

Begin by boiling the kettle, placing the oven onto 180 degrees and peeling and rinsing the two potatoes. 

Chop the potatoes into small 1cm cubes and place into a saucepan, cover with the just boiled water and a pinch of salt and place on a high heat for ten minutes, then drain. 

In the meantime, place a pan, preferably one which is oven-proof onto the hob on a medium heat. 

Chop the chorizo into small discs then halve them and add to the pan.

Slice the onions, dice the peppers and tomatoes and set aside until the chorizo juices are all around the pan. Now add just the onions and make sure they all get a coating of the juices. 

Add the potatoes to the pan and use a wooden spoon or tongs to move around and again, make sure they get a good coating of the flavoured oil. Cook for five minutes. 

Now add the tomatoes and peppers and again, cook and move around for five minutes or until the vegetables are starting to soften then place into the hot oven. If you're using a different dish, obviously transfer to this and spread out the hash dish so it's pretty even. 

Bake for twenty minutes or until the potatoes are just beginning to char a little. 

If you're having fried eggs, you can cook these while you're removing the dish from the oven and dishing up - they will cook through in just a couple of minutes in a hot pan. Enjoy!

If you're looking for further brunch inspo here are a few of our family favourites:

• Shakshuka - Spicy Tomato and Pepper Baked Eggs
• Salmon & Dill Potato Pancakes
• Smoky Sausage & Bean One Pot
• Tomato & Feta Baked Eggs
• Smoky Chorizo Beans on Toast
• Berry Yoghrut Pancakes
• Creamy Mushrooms on Toast

Shakshuka - Spicy Tomato and Pepper Baked Eggs

This spicy tomato and pepper baked egg dish - originating from North Africa, is a winner for any weekend brunch or leisurely breakfast. It packs a punch and whilst this is for one or two people, you can always up the ingredients quantities to make it go further.

You can also throw the dish into the oven once the sauce is complete, and you've cracked the eggs in if you prefer, but it only takes minutes on the hob too.

Serve it with toasted, buttered bread and a spoonful of natural yoghurt. 

Shakshuka - Spicy Tomato and Pepper Baked Eggs

Here's how:
x4 tomatoes or x1 tin of chopped tomatoes
1 onion
1 clove garlic
1 red chilli
1 pepper (I used green but any colour is fine)
1/2 tsp caraway seeds
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried cumin 
1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
1 tbsp tomato puree
2 eggs
30g feta cheese
Handful fresh parsley
Salt
Black Pepper
1 tbsp natural yoghurt
1 tsp olive oil

Firstly place the olive oil into a frying pan or ovenproof pan and place on a low heat.

Peel and dice the onion, mince the garlic and finely chop the chilli. Slice the pepper and add all of this to the pan and increase the heat slightly.

Whilst that is cooking down, chop the tomatoes (if you are using fresh ones) or open the tin. 

Once the peppers, onion, chilli and garlic have begun to soften, add the tablespoon of tomato puree and the caraway seeds, paprika, dried chilli flakes and cumin and mix. 

Allow this to cook down for a few minutes and then add the tomatoes and about 3 tbsp water. Season generously with black pepper and a pinch of salt and mix. 

Allow this to cook for at least five minutes. 

In the meantime, crumble the feta and roughly chop the parsley and set aside for garnish.

By now the tomato and pepper sauce should be bubbling away, if you're satisfied with the consistency, make a couple of wells or 'holes' in the sauce, so the egg can be cracked directly onto the heat of the pan and do just that. 

Now scatter the feta all around the dish to almost melt whilst the eggs cook. Also directly season the egg to your own liking. 

At the same time, pop your bread into the toaster and butter. 

The egg should only take 1-2 minutes to cook through - you ideally want the white cooked through, with a still-runny yolk. 

Once ready, I always serve at the table on a wooden board in the original cooking dish and just scatter over the parsley leaves. Add the tablespoon of natural yoghurt and serve. Enjoy!

Tomato and Feta Baked Eggs

This is like an easy, milder introduction to Shakshuka for children, fusspots or spice novices and is a wonderful breakfast or brunch recipe. 

You can play around with the sauce to get it just how you like your tomato sauce - add rosemary, balsamic vinegar, a drop of red wine, or pump up the heat with cayenne pepper, fresh chilli or flakes or even a generous helping of sriracha.

My children absolutely adore this with some toast soldiers and if you are adhering to any kind of calorie control (as I am) then a half portion of this with one slice of buttered toast will bring you in at 199 calories - not a bad start to a weekend day.

Tomato and Feta Baked Eggs

Here's how:

• 1 shallot
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 tin chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• Smidge of cumin
• Smidge of dried oregano
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 eggs
• 15g feta cheese

Pop the oven on at 180 degrees and heat the olive oil in a pan.

Finely dice the shallot and mince the garlic and add to the pan on a low heat.

Once softened add the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, paprika, cumin and oregano, stir and cook for a few minutes on a high heat. Season to your taste - go easy on the salt if preparing for the children.

Pour into a small oven-proof dish.

Now crack in two eggs spaced apart without breaking them.

Crumble the feta and scatter it all around.

Place into the oven and cook until the eggs are done to your preference - we do about 4-5 minutes until just cooked, so the centres are still soft. 

Enjoy with buttered toast. 

Healthy Cheese and Veggie Omelette Muffins

These healthy little breakfast bites are great for the January diet or generally for a quick, healthy and nutritious breakfast on the run. They're fab for little ones, my girls are big fans, and they're also good as a weaning finger food for tots.

The recipe below is only for four muffins, but if you're into food prep, you could bulk cook and re-heat when you want - each eggy muffin is approximately 83 calories (MyFitnessPal). 

They're so easy that aside from putting into the oven - my two girls prepared them themselves this morning (they're four and almost two) so if you are challenged in the kitchen, these are a great starting point.

You can also add whichever vegetables you either have to hand or are your kids' preference - mine love broccoli, peppers and sweetcorn, but you could use any type of vegetable leaf here too, peas or anything you like.

Healthy Cheese and Veggie Omelette Muffins

Here's how: 

• x2 large eggs
• Splash of milk (about 50ml)
• 25g Cheddar
• !/2 red pepper
• Handful cooked broccoli florrets
• Salt & pepper, to taste

Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees and line a muffin or cake tin with x4 muffin cases.

If you need to cook the broccoli, do so, and rough chop into small, bite-sized pieces and set aside. Chop the pepper into small pieces too and set aside.

Now in a jug, crack the two eggs, add the splash of milk and season to taste, then mix well and add the grated cheese, cooked broccoli and the pepper pieces. 

Healthy Cheese and Veggie Omelette Muffins

Pour into the four muffin cases and place into the oven to bake for 20-25 minutes or until firm and muffin-like. Enjoy! 

Smoky Chorizo Beans on Toast

Weekend breakfasts are often heavy on bacon and sausages around here, and as we are embarking on the pre-holiday trim of our bodies, I thought I’d concoct my alternative beans on toast for this morning.

Beans on toast is always a winner in this house anyway – and these ones pack a punch and have some extra hidden veggies meaning you’re nearing that five-a-day goal before 10am. Win, win.

I use a little chorizo in these, as they add an extra smokiness and a little meat kick for Glen, who feels he is hard done by if he misses out on a bacon or sausage sandwich at the weekend, but you could equally use a little pancetta or smoked bacon or if you’re looking for a vegetarian or vegan option, you can omit altogether.

Making your own beans is a sure-fire to avoid any nasty additives, I don’t bother with salt here, as tinned kidney beans etc. tend to have salt, but I do add a smidge of honey, as we know that the big brands rely on a big hit of sugar in their products – you can adjust accordingly depending on your preference. The chipotle adds a beautiful smoky barbecue flavour – but again you can experiment with your own flavourings.

I top with a little grated parmesan for me and a couple of poached eggs for Glen – one slice of toast generously topped is a really filling and delicious breakfast. These beans work really well as a jacket potato filling or a side to any American barbecue dish.

The below ‘tops’ 5 slices of toast comfortably – feeding the four of us.

Smoky Chorizo Beans on Toast

Here’s how:

• 1 can kidney beans
• 1 can cannellini beans
• 75g diced chorizo
• 3 spring onions
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 green chilli
• 1 red pepper
• 1 carrot
• Jar of passata
• Splash of Worcestershire sauce
• ½ tsp honey
• 1 tsp chipotle paste (I use Discovery)
• Black pepper

Firstly dice the chorizo, slice the spring onion and garlic and add to a dry pan on a medium heat – the chorizo will exude a little oil – enough to cook everything in.

Now slice the green chill and chop the red pepper into small cubes and add to the pan, allow to cook for five minutes or so.

In the meantime, peel and grate the carrot and open and drain the cans of beans.

Now add the cannellini and kidney beans to the pan, and give a good mix in the chorizo mixture.

Now add the passata, Worcestershire sauce, honey, chipotle paste and carrot and season generously with black pepper and give a thorough stir.

Cook for twenty-thirty minutes or until the sauce is bubbling away nicely.

Serve on top of buttered toast with the optional addition of a poached egg or a little grated cheese. Enjoy!

Smoky Chorizo Beans on Toast

Here are some alternative family breakfast recipe ideas:
Creamy Chocolate and Nut Porridge
Mushrooms on Toast
Berry Yoghurt Pancakes
Banana and Oat Breakfast Muffins
Banana and Berry Muffins
Eggy Bread
Yoghurt & Fruit

Creamy Chocolate and Nut Porridge

This seems like an apt post for a Saturday morning, it has an indulgent feel to it from the chocolate and yoghurt that make it super creamy; but it is still packed with goodness, from the fibrous slow-release energy from the porridge oats, to the good fats and numerous health qualities of pecans. I add just a little dark chocolate to each portion to make it feel like a real luxurious treat, but you can always omit that.

This is a crowd-pleaser in my house, and if you've been training hard all week, I can assure it feels like such a reward breakfast. The below makes enough for x5-6 portions.

Creamy Chocolate and Nut Porridge

Here's how:

• 200g porridge oats (I use the Lidl Simply range)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 150ml milk (I use semi-skimmed)
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder (Green & Black's or the Cadbury's Bournville one are great quality)
• 2 tbsp fat free natural yoghurt
• 80g pecan nuts
• 2 squares of dark chocolate per portion

First pour the porridge oats into a heavy-bottomed pan, and pour on the milk. Place on a low heat and stir with a wooden spoon. Allow to cook at a low heat for three to four minutes, until the oats absorb the milk well.

In the meantime, take half of the pecans, and roughly chop and set aside.

Now remove the porridge from the heat and add the yoghurt and stir well. The porridge should take on a creamy texture now, and be cooled enough for little ones to eat right away.

Divide into bowls and scatter over the chopped nuts, and a few halved pecans.

Finally add the chocolate into the middle and allow each recipient to stir the chocolate through their bowl of porridge to add that final flourish of luxury. Enjoy!

Breakfast at Caravan, Exmouth Market

There are tons of places in London where you can enjoy a completely delicious, and no doubt, bang-on-trend breakfast in London, and Caravan, Exmouth Market remains up there.

I chose this last Thursday for a working breakfast as it was close to where I needed to be later that morning and mainly for the laid back vibe, prompt yet un-stuffy service and some of the best coffee in the City.

The entire Caravan breakfast menu shouts of delicious combinations such as Coconut Bread with poached rhubarb cream cheese and lemon curd and plenty of different items on toast, but I chose for the Instagram breakfast of choice, Avocado on Toast (granary), with a side of crispy streaky bacon and roasted tomatoes. 

Avocado on Toast, Caravan

The avocado was mashed and topped with a drizzle of olive oil and some chilli and every mouthful positively sung and was only improved by the addition of bacon and the tomatoes were slow roasted, sweet and absolutely gorgeous.

I've long loved the coffee at Caravan and enjoyed a latte plus some fresh apple juice.

Latte, Caravan

My colleague had a scrambled egg dish on toast, a flat white and a juice too and the entire breakfast came in at £35 which I didn't think was bad considering the location and ambience.

Some of my other favourite breakfast spots in London:
1. The Modern Pantry’s Turmeric and Coconut Waffle with Rhubarb Compote
2. Duck & Waffle’s Full Elvis
3. Roast – The Full Borough breakfast and some of the best black pudding I've tried
4. Black Forest Pancakes at The Table
5. The Bacon Naan Roll at Dishoom – the perfect hangover fodder

Baby Bites Yoghurt and Fruit

This is a quick and simple breakfast idea for during the weaning process - it isn't a recipe, just an idea that might be popular with other little ones other than Bridget.

We use St Dalfour to make like a 'fruit corner' type yoghurt without any of the added sugars associated with those types of products. St Dalfour is simply smashed fruit spread so the only sugars are the natural ones found in the fruit. 

Finger foods of some description are a must at every meal too, so a plate of fruit appears with most breakfasts - this one I've used blueberries and strawberries.

Here's how:

• 2 tbsp natural yoghurt
• 1 tsp St Dalfour (I used Apricot here but you can use any variant)
• Handful of berries

Simply dish up the yoghurt into your baby's favourite bowl and pop the St Dalfour on top - stir through to distribute the sweet and fruity flavour.

Wash the berries, and slice the strawberries to make them easier to hold. Squish the blueberries a little if you like to make them easier to hold.