DAPHNE'S BREAKFAST CHIA POTS

Good Morning to you,

March is a very busy month here in the Bryson household, not only because we celebrate Mother's Day, but also because the three females of this family, celebrate their birthdays during the month of March.

The first birthday in March belongs to our youngest daughter, Danielle, the second belongs to Natasha, with me bringing up the rear at the end of the month.... and the strangest thing is, we always celebrate our birthdays on the same day of the week. One year we can all celebrate on a Monday, the following year a Tuesday and so on.  This year our individual birthdays fall on a Friday.

This was something which was not planned, not that it could really be planned, it is how things turned out.... my baby girls decided they would arrive in this world, on the same day of the week. It's quite incredible really, because they were born 4 years apart.  How I managed to be born on the same day as well, is a mystery, but I love that we celebrate our birthdays on the same day of the week.

So as you can imagine, there has been a little bit of nostalgia floating around our house this month.  This is nothing new, I have to say, this always happens during the month of March, well to be truthful, not only March, nostalgia, can pop by to say hello, at any time of the year.

For instance, today, I was putting the finishing touches to our breakfast Chia pots and whilst waiting for his breakfast, George decided to go into the loft to look among the stored boxes, for something he wanted to give his Godson.

Whilst George was in the loft,  he discovered our old photograph albums, neatly packed away in one of the boxes, so he decided to bring them downstairs to show me what he had found. I was thrilled when he showed me what was hidden inside the box and we quickly decided to put breakfast on hold, whilst I made us both a cup of coffee. We then sat on the sofa together, ready for a good healthy  dose of nostalgia.

There were a few photographs of me as a child, when I lived in Cyprus.... there were never many, because people did not take photographs in the way they do nowadays. Was it because we were busy enjoying ourselves or was it because many people couldn't afford a camera.  Probably the latter, which seems incredible by today's standards. Having said that, Ivy and Gramps did own a  Brownie Box camera, so the few photographs of me are thanks to my lovely grandparents.

Whilst looking through the albums we came across  our very first Bryson family album.  There were photographs of Natasha as a baby and then as a toddler.... my word how the years have flown by.

.... and how young did George and I look.

There were photographs of Natasha in the pram, out of the pram, in the bath, wrapped in a towel, being cuddled, being fed.... actually being thoroughly loved.

.... and this tiny little baby grew up to be the beautiful woman she is today.

As a woman and a mother, I felt it was very important to encourage Natasha and Danielle to embrace what the world had to offer, that if they were brave enough, the world was their oyster. They were free to explore the world in a way that was not available to previous generations of women.

.... and explore they did.  They have experienced so much in their lives.

....and now it is my turn to learn from their experiences.  Nowadays life moves at such a rapid pace, that at times it is hard to keep up with this ever changing world. If I am unsure of anything, I speak to my daughters, because I know I will receive an honest answer.... maybe not always the answer I was looking for, nevertheless, it will always be the right answer.

For instance, today,

we are making Breakfast Chia pots.  I have seen the name, Chia, floating around the Internet, for quite sometime, but to be honest I have not really taken any notice. I mentioned to Natasha that I thought they were another fad and that they would be out of fashion at some point in the future.

.... How wrong was I, because when  Natasha came home at Christmas time she introduced me to the world of Chia seeds. A seed I have never used before.

I must confess, that for a while now, I have wanted to eat a healthier diet.  That is not to say that my diet was unhealthy, because it included a lot of fruit, vegetables, olive oil, nuts, grains and seeds, but it also included cake and if you have been reading Ivy, Phyllis and Me! for a while, then you know I also  have a deep affection for chocolate.... is the phrase 'a deep affection' too extreme.... no I don't think so.  If chocolate is not in the house, I don't bother, but if it is in the house, I cannot leave it alone. I swear I can hear it calling me to visit the cupboard where it is hiding.... It calls, 'Daphne I'm here, come and find me, you know you want to eat me,' which I invariably do.

I also wanted a breakfast which would take me through the morning without feeling peckish.  In the winter I do eat porridge, but I fancied something a little different.

So Natasha came to the rescue, she brought me 4 small Ball jars, I think my American friends call them canning jars.  We bought the seeds and she gave me a brief outline as to what I needed to do.... but do you know, we never got around to making Chia pots whilst she was here, as we were too busy going here, there and everywhere.

So last week I decided to find the notes I had written, which took some time to find as they were written on a scrap of paper and tucked inside a book. I then read the instructions on the packet of Chia seeds and I haven't looked back.

So it's on with the pinnie and time to organise my ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

YOU WILL NEED

TO MAKE

DAPHNE'S BREAKFAST CHIA POTS

MAKES 2 SERVINGS

4 dessert spoons of Chia seeds ~ preferably organic

300ml unsweetened almond milk

handful of mixed berries (I use frozen)

2 tablespoons of Greek Yoghurt

4 teaspoons of Maple Syrup

4 walnuts ~ crushed

YOU WILL NEED ~ 2 SMALL BALL JARS

HOW 

TO MAKE

DAPHNE'S BREAKFAST CHIA POTS

The pots are made in 2 parts. 

THE EVENING BEFORE

Divide the Chia seeds between the 2 jars.

Pour 150ml of almond milk into each jar

and stir.

Place the frozen berries on top.

Pop the lid on the jars and place in the fridge over night.

THE NEXT MORNING

Remove the lids from the jars and stir the Chia seeds and fruit.  You will notice the fruit has defrosted. If you feel the Chia seeds need a little more almond milk, then add now and stir again.

Add the Greek yoghurt

Pour over the maple syrup

Sprinkle the crushed walnuts on top,

then

all there is left to do

is

Enjoy.

Interestingly, since we have been eating these Chia pots for breakfast, both George and I, feel we have so much more energy.  I had thought this, but I did not say anything to George, I thought it might be my imagination, although the information does state that these little seeds are energy boosting, but then George mentioned, and to use his words, 'he was feeling full of beans', so we have decided to stay with the Chia pots and have them for breakfast everyday.

I have also added Chia seeds to smoothies and yoghurt and I am going to do a little research to find out their other uses.

You can also change the fruit, I have added banana and mango, really any fruit that appeals. I do buy a lot of frozen fruit, because there is nothing worse than finding the blueberries in the fridge, which have turned mouldy.... and I find this happens quite often, they don't seem to keep as long as they used to.

Just an added tip. Sometimes I find that I need to add a little more milk to the Chia pots in the morning, I cannot explain why, but they are very absorbent little seeds.

Now looking at the seeds, you might be thinking that they are not very appealing, I think the best way I can describe them is, they look a little like sago pudding which we all used to have for school dinners, but without the taste, as I cannot detect a flavour when I eat them.  So please do not let the 'sago' reference put you off, because I know many people hated sago.... although I think I am in the minority, when I say I use to love school milk puddings.

Just a thought,

If you don't own any Ball jars, don't worry, any small jar will work, although I use Bonne Mammon jars for George, because he has a heartier appetite.  It might seem strange to my British friends to eat out of a jar, but what I have discovered is these little pots hold just the right amount of breakfast for me.

So go on, try these healthy little Chia seeds and let me know if your energy levels rise.

Take care and I will catch up with you next Thursday.

As Always.

ENGLISH MUFFINS WITH LABNEH, SALMON AND POACHED EGG

Good Morning to you,

Isn't it amazing how quickly Easter seems to be creeping up on us and like me, I feel sure your thoughts are turning towards your Easter traditions. 

I was thinking last night about how we used to celebrate Easter, when Natasha and Danielle were little girls.

Like many families, one of our traditions, was the visit from the Easter Bunny. This always excited the girls, because they never knew where they would be looking for the Easter eggs. If the weather at Easter time was warm, then the eggs would be hidden in the garden, but if it was cold, the chocolate eggs would be hidden around the house.  Armed with a wicker basket each, Natasha and Danielle had great fun looking for the chocolate eggs.... and as an added bonus they would often find the odd fluffy bunny or chick as well.

I remember one year, deciding it would be a good idea to make the Easter eggs myself. So I wrote to a company requesting the moulds.... remember this was way before the Internet, and after about a month or so, I received a box with the moulds and instructions on how to make the Easter eggs.

When the girls were at school, out came the moulds and so began the task of making the Easter eggs.  I brushed layer upon layer of melted chocolate into the moulds, waiting for each layer to dry before applying the next layer.

I have to tell you, even using a brush I managed to get chocolate all over my hands... now I wonder if that was intentional, because thinking back, there was no reason to get in such a mess.... but you know me and my love of chocolate.

When the eggs were ready, I carefully released them from their moulds.... the first time I did it, half of the egg broke into pieces, so I had to repeat the layering of the chocolate again.

Finally, with great care, I managed to remove the chocolate halves from their moulds and placed a handful of Chocolate Drops and Smarties into the centre of each of the eggs. Then came the sealing of the two halves with a little melted chocolate.

The final flourish was to decorate the eggs with yellow ribbon and little yellow chicks, then I placed the eggs into two boxes filled with shredded green tissue paper.

I was really pleased with the end result and we hid the eggs for Natasha and Danielle to find. When they found the eggs, they came running into the house so excited. They quickly removed the ribbons and the chicks and proceeded to smash the eggs and started eating pieces of the chocolate.

If you could have seen the look on my face, obviously, I was thrilled Natasha and Danielle loved their eggs, but I had hoped they would last a little longer than they did.... rather silly of me, I know, but I had hoped to admire my handiwork for a little longer. 

..... and did I make any more chocolate eggs?

Well, I could say yes, I made them year after year, but I would be lying to you. I never made chocolate Easter eggs ever again. I did what most parents did, I resorted to buying them.... and if I am honest, I really don't think the girls noticed, they were just happy to receive Easter eggs.

..... and the moulds, well I kept them for years and it wasn't until we left Cyprus that I gave the moulds away to a friend who had young children.... I wonder if she ever used them, I will have to ask her.

So with Easter still on my mind.  George and I have an Easter tradition which we enjoy and that is,

a brunch of English muffins, with Labneh, smoked salmon and topped with a poached egg. This is not so much a recipe as the gathering of a few ingredients, but the end result makes for a very nice brunch.

So it's on with the pinnie and the music I am listening to today is,

the fabulous Edmundo Ros.  I was trying to think of the first time I heard Edmundo's music, but for the life of me I cannot remember, but a couple of years ago I saw the film 'A Good Year' with Russell Crowe and Marion Cotillard and Edmundo's music was featured in the film.... and it reminded me of how much I loved Edmundo's music.

This album so reminds me of the time we all went to 'Eclipse di Luna' in Dunwoody, Atlanta, for New Year. We had the most wonderful evening.  The band played Latin music all night long and George, who doesn't particularly enjoy dancing anymore, grabbed my hand, and to my astonishment lead me to the dance floor. I was so surprised to see we were the first couple on the dance floor. So if this music can make George want to 'shake his hips', then I feel sure, once you hear Edmundo's music, you will not be able to help yourself, your feet will start moving, your hips will be shaking and you will be in a little world of your own.

Listen to,

'No Can Do'

'Sorta on the Border'

'Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White'

So whilst 'I Talk to the Trees' is playing, yes it is the song from 'Paint Your Wagon' but sung so differently, I am dancing around my kitchen gathering my ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

YOU WILL

NEED TO MAKE

ENGLISH MUFFINS WITH LABNEH,

SMOKED SALMON AND A POACHED EGG 

Serves 2

1 English Muffin

2 large eggs

4 strips of smoked salmon

1 - 2 tablespoons of labneh

or cream cheese

HOW TO MAKE

ENGLISH MUFFINS WITH LABNEH,

SMOKED SALMON AND A POACHED EGG

Cut the English muffin

in half.

Place the smoked salmon

on a plate,

ready to place on the muffin.

Toast the 2 halves

of the English muffin

and 

place in a warm oven

until ready to use.

Boil a kettle of water

and pour the hot water

into a wide pan.

Make sure it is deep enough to cover the eggs
with water.

Place the pan on the heat and

bring the water to a rolling boil.

Whilst the water is coming to the boil.

Remove the English muffins

from the oven

and

spread each half with labneh
or if you prefer
cream cheese.

Divide the smoked salmon

between the halved English muffins.

Crack the eggs into

a cup

and

gently place into the 

pan of boiling water.

Return the water to a rolling boil
and

allow the eggs to cook for  three minutes.

Then

using a slotted spoon,

remove the eggs from the water,

making sure you drain away the excess water.

Place

 the poached egg on top of the salmon.

All there is left to do
is,

take your brunch straight to the table

and 

enjoy.

As you can see, my poached egg cracked when I placed it on the salmon. Why does that happen, I poach eggs all the time with no problem, but I have to say, I was a little disappointed as I bought the eggs on Wednesday morning, so they should have been fresh, but I felt the egg white spread too much.

It did not spoil the flavour, but I was a little disappointed with the final photograph.

If you would like step by step instructions on how to poach an egg I wrote about it here.

I was just thinking, you probably know what Labneh is, but just in case you don't, it is a spread which is made using yoghurt.  I will show you how it is made after Easter, it really is easy, but next week I want to make a Simnel Cake for the Easter weekend.

.....Oh just a thought, do you remember at the beginning I told you that my first attempt at removing the chocolate egg from its mould was a disaster as the chocolate broke into pieces.  Just in case you were wondering what happened to the broken chocolate pieces.

Why, I ate them of course..... I know you are not surprised.

Take care and I will see you next Thursday.

This week I will be joining,

Leslie from Lamberts Lately

SPANISH EGGS

Good Morning to you,

After all the excitement from the Woman's Weekly Magazine article and finishing my Hostess Apron for the Hillarys Blinds Country Craft Competition..... I have finally come back down to earth.... well maybe not fully.... I am still so happy and to be honest I am still flying quite high..... I have to tell you it is the most wonderful feeling.

Just as well, because the weather here has been dreadful.  Yes, I am English and yes, I do talk about the weather.  I spoke to Phyllis on Saturday and she said the sun was shining and it was a beautiful day in the South of England. Here in the North the skies are grey and the mist is relentless...... it really is time that we had some colour in our lives.

So today, I thought I would make a colourful dish to brighten the day,

a bowl of colourful Spanish Eggs. This dish is  filled with so many colours, red, yellow and green peppers, red tomatoes, orange carrots and bright green spinach. Oh yes, and not to forget the yellow eggs. Yes this is doing the trick..... the colours are lovely.

..... and then I thought about the music, what would make me think of warm sunny summer days.  There is only one album which fits the bill,

the surfing, beach sounds of the Beach Boys.  The album  I have shared with you is my 1965 33 1/3 RMP  Beach Boys Album.... can you believe, this album is 49 years old.

Where were you, when you first heard the sounds of The Beach Boys?  Was their music playing on a Juke Box? I first heard the Beach Boys singing when we visited my Aunt Margaret and her family. My cousin Lin, who is a couple of years older than me, played their single... and I loved it.  For me, The Beach Boys encapsulate summer days and so with "Do You Wanna Dance" playing, I really don't mind that the day is grey, as it feels really sunny in my kitchen.

So, it is on with the pinnie, and yes I am really singing along to "Do You Wanna Dance"..... I know all the words.....do you?

INGREDIENTS

4 medium sized potatoes

1 red onion

3 peppers

(they can be all one colour or mixed)

1 tin of tomatoes 

2 medium sized carrots

125g spinach

100g Spanish Chorizo

100g bread
2 cloves of garlic

1 teaspoonful of chilli flakes

4 eggs

4 tablespoonfuls of olive oil

1 cup of water

salt flakes

Oven temperature: 180C

Serves 4

HOW TO MAKE

SPANISH EGGS

Cut the bread into cubes.

Drizzle with olive oil

and bake in a 180C oven until golden brown.

Set aside.

Slice the onions

and add 1 tablespoonful of olive oil to a pan

and cook the onions until translucent.

Add the grated garlic to the onions

and cook for 1 minute.

Remove from the pan and

set aside.

Peel and chop the potatoes into cubes

and using the same pan as you used

to cook the onions,

place  another tablespoonful of olive oil

into the pan and

add 1 teaspoonful of chilli.

Cook for a couple of minutes.

then add the cubed potatoes and

 fry the potatoes until they are 

golden brown.

You might need to add a little more olive oil.

Peel and finely slice the carrots.

Add a cup of water to a pan and add the sliced carrots.

Place a lid on the pan

and cook the carrots until al dente.

Add the spinach to the carrots.

Replace the lid

and cook until the spinach has wilted.

Drain the water and set aside when cooked.

Wash and slice the peppers.

Place 1 tablespoonful of olive oil

in a pan and cook until the peppers

are slightly brown and  cooked through.

Now it is time to put the ingredients together.

Add

1 teaspoonful of salt flakes

to the

browned potatoes
and place in a wide pan.

Add

the cooked onions

and  toss together.

Add

the cooked carrots and spinach

and toss together.

Add

the cooked sliced peppers

and toss together.

Add the tinned tomatoes

and

Spanish Chorizo

and 

finally

add the 

browned, cubed bread.

Place the pan on the heat and cook for 5 minutes.

Occasionally tossing the mixture.

At this point

check the seasoning.

Meanwhile crack 4 eggs 

(1 at a time) in to a cup.

Divide the vegetables and Chorizo mixture 

between 2 oiled, heatproof dishes.

Make two wells in each bowl

and pour the cracked eggs into the wells.

Place in a 180C oven and cook

for 10 minutes or until the eggs are cooked.

When cooked,

remove from the oven 

and

allow the dish to cool a little,

 as you do 

not want to eat Spanish Eggs piping hot.

There is no need for bread.

This dish is just so delicious,
there is nothing else needed..... well
maybe a nice glass of red wine would be nice.

I love Spanish eggs and I love dunking a crouton into the runny egg, just as much as I love dunking "soldiers" into a boiled egg.

Now if you prefer, add 4 fresh tomatoes instead of the tinned tomatoes.  I usually use fresh tomatoes, but there was not a tomato in sight...... my store cupboard of tomatoes was bare. So I turned to my standby of tinned tomatoes which work well.

Also depending what is in season, I will add courgettes, aubergines or mushrooms.  This time I added carrots and spinach because I had these in my store cupboard.

Before I go, I wanted to say, thank you so much for all your wonderful comments.  You really made my heart swell with pride. I am slowly catching up with my comments and then I will be out and about visiting you.

Take care and I will see you on Sunday.

This week I will be joining,

Lynn from Turnips2Tangerines for The Great Blog Train

and

Miz Helen's Country Cottage

and
Anyonita Nibbles for Get Him Fed Friday

MUESLI ~ MY VERSION

Good Morning to you,

I have been doing a lot of baking, cooking and steaming lately, so today, I thought I would make something which requires no cooking at all..... well just a little toasting..... and a little chopping, which is not very hard work, is it.

Do you have a favourite breakfast, which you enjoy during the summer, but find, when the winter arrives, that lovely summer breakfast will just not do, because the weather is so much colder.

During the summer months, I enjoy eating a breakfast of,  thick Greek yoghurt, with a tablespoon of walnuts and a drizzle of honey..... just perfect.... I picked up that lovely habit whilst living in Cyprus, but during the winter months, I find, I need something a little more substantial, such as porridge, but  I don't want to eat the same breakfast day after day, so on other days I will eat a breakfast , chocka block with nuts, dried fruits and rolled oats..... and that breakfast is,

Muesli.  Visually it is lovely to look at, but I don't want to look at the Muesli, I want to eat it.

This is a breakfast which you can throw together easily, then all you have to do is find a Kilner jar or a Tupperware box to store your healthy breakfast and you are on your way to beginning your day, feeling very virtuous. 

The only thing  I need to tell you is,  you need to put a few tablespoons of Muesli in a bowl, pour over some milk and place the bowl in the fridge, the night before you are going to eat it..... but that doesn't take a lot of thinking about does it. If I want Muesli the following day, when I am making George's evening cup of mint tea and my cup of ginger tea, I organise the breakfast while I am waiting for the kettle to boil.  Then by the time the kettle has boiled, the job is done, and breakfast is ready and waiting the next morning.

So let us begin, it's on with the apron and the music I have chosen to listen to day is,

Doris Day, doesn't she have the most beautiful voice.  I love watching her in films as well, often if George is watching the sport on a Saturday afternoon, and there is a Doris Day film on the television, I will snuggle up on my sofa and watch it.  I love her in "Pillow Talk" and "Lover Come Back" and how about "Calamity Jane" when she sang "Secret Love".  When I was a teenager I remember Kathy Kirby singing "Secret Love", and it was a huge hit in the Hit Parade (old 1960's speak I'm afraid), it wasn't until much later, when I saw Doris Day in Calamity Jane that I heard Doris' version. At the moment Doris and I are singing Sentimental Journey, while I gather the ingredients we will need.

INGREDIENTS

500g Scottish Whole Rolled Porridge Oats

75g Oat bran

250g Tropical Fruit Mix

(mine included dried apricots, sultanas,

pineapple and papaya)

200g Brazil Nuts

100g prunes

2 tablespoons of cinnamon

To serve,

a few raspberries and blueberries

1 tablespoonful of  ground Flax seed

HOW TO MAKE
MUESLI

Place the rolled oats 

on a baking tray and

toast under the grill until browned.

Please don't walk away, as you will have to keep an eye

 on the oats,

because the lovely colour brown can

very quickly turn to black.

You will need to toss the oats

to make sure they are browned.

Allow to cool

While you are waiting for the oats to cool,

chop the Brazil nuts

then

chop the prunes

chop the dried fruits

Using a large bowl,

place the oats, chopped fruits and chopped prunes,

 into the bowl.

Add 

the Oat bran

and two tablespoons of cinnamon,

add the chopped Brazil nuts 

and

mix together

Now you are ready to find a bowl,

 place a couple of tablespoons of Muesli into the bowl,

 pour over some fresh milk, allow the oats to soak overnight to become soft and squishy.... that is a professional term.... 

only joking, as I know, that you know, that it isn't, but at the moment, I cannot think of a better word to describe the oats,

 when they have been soaked in milk.  

The next morning,

add

a tablespoonful of ground Flax seed,

(I use a coffee bean grinder to grind the Flax seed)

add a few raspberries and blueberries,

some more milk if you prefer,

and you have a very healthy breakfast.

I do ring the changes when  I make this Muesli, as  sometimes  I add chopped walnuts and other times I will add chopped almonds.  I will also change the fruits,  I will  add dried dates  and dried  apricots.  It really  depends on  what you fancy at the time.  I  have  also made  this  Muesli  with refined porridge oats, but always toasted.  Admittedly not as healthy as whole rolled oats, but they are still enjoyable.

I have to tell you, we had a sudden burst of sunshine when I was taking the photograph of the Flax seed, and as sunshine is so rare these days, I had to share it. I just love seeing the shadows which were created by the sunshine...... don't you.

Take care and I will see you on Sunday.