Inspiration

‘This is a staple in our house for the morning after the night before. Not only is it a delicious way to put a twist on your regular bowl of porridge, but coconut milk, passion fruit and pomegranate are top of their game in nutritional value – packed full of vitamins, calcium and phosphorous. Coconut milk is also a fab alternative to using cow’s milk when you’re trying to avoid lactose.’ Makes enough for four people.

What you’ll need:

200g porridge oats
400ml tin of coconut milk
400ml water (a little more if you prefer it thinner)
A pinch of sea salt flakes 
Maple syrup or honey, to taste
4 passion fruit
4 tsp pomegranate seeds
4 tsp desiccated coconut          

What to do:

1. Start by putting the oats, coconut milk and water in a saucepan over a medium heat to warm until bubbling, stirring gently all the while.
2. Lower the heat a little, add a pinch of salt and allow the mixture to heat through for five minutes, still stirring gently so that the porridge doesn’t stick to the pan. You might want to add a little more water to keep the porridge thin – it depends how you like it.
3. Once it’s creamy and the oats have started to dissolve a little, remove from the heat and set the pan aside. If you like your porridge with a little sweetness, now’s the time to stir in the maple syrup or honey.
4. Cut the passion fruit in half and scoop the pulp and seeds from the inside with a teaspoon, dolloping them onto the porridge oats.
5. Give the porridge a final stir before dividing it between your favourite bowls. Top each with a teaspoon of the pomegranate seeds and desiccated coconut – delicious.

‘Sweet potatoes lend themselves to a good breakfast hash. They have wonderful natural sugars which caramelise quickly, adding loads of flavour. This is another great breakfast recipe which you can adjust, add to and make your own really easily.’ Makes enough for two people.

What you’ll need:

For the hash:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 medium-sized sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1cm cubes
1 sprig of fresh thyme
1 banana shallot, finely diced
2 spring onions, roughly chopped
1 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
A pinch of sea salt flakes
A pinch of coarse black pepper

For the fried eggs:
2 large eggs
1 tbsp olive oil                         

What to do:

1. Starting with the hash, heat up the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan or, ideally, a cast iron skillet.
2. When the oil is nice and hot, add your sweet potato cubes and thyme sprig, cooking them over a medium-high heat until the edges start to caramelise. It should take around five minutes.
3. Reduce the heat slightly and add in the shallots and spring onions to cook for a further five minutes. Stir them every minute or so, until the sweet potato is soft and the shallots and spring onions have taken on some colour. You might need to add a drizzle more oil if the potato has sucked it all up.
4. Throw in your chopped parsley, salt and pepper and give it a good mix. Then, reduce the heat to the lowest setting.
5. Now for the fried eggs. The secret here is to cook them slowly over a medium heat. I love a crispy, hard-fried egg but, on this occasion, you want the yolks nice and runny so you can let them trickle through the hash. Heat your oil in a non-stick pan over a medium heat for about 30 seconds. Crack in your eggs and let them cook for four–five minutes or until the white is cooked through and the yolk is soft and runny.
6. Use a fish slice to take the eggs from the pan and place them on top of the hash while it’s still in the skillet.
7. Finally, take the skillet off the heat and serve the hash straight away with a little salt and pepper scattered on top.

‘I’m the Bloody Mary’s biggest fan! To be honest, I could take or leave the vodka element, but the rich, spicy, zingy tomato juice with the addition of a splash of left-over port is a real winner on New Year’s Day.’ Makes enough for two people.

What you’ll need:

300ml tomato juice
½ lemon, juiced
½ tsp celery salt
1 tsp freshly grated horseradish or horseradish mustard
10 good glugs of Worcestershire sauce                                           
6 shakes of Tabasco sauce (less if you want it milder)
50ml vodka (optional)
Ice cubes
2 slices of lemon
2 celery stalks
A couple of splashes of port or red wine (optional)
A pinch of salt and pepper                            

What to do:

1. Add all the ingredients (besides the lemon slices, celery stalks, port, salt and pepper) and three or four of the ice cubes to a cocktail shaker (if you don’t have one, have a root around your kitchen for an alternative, like a smoothie cup or lidded jug). Shake for 10–15 seconds so that everything combines.
2. Prepare your garnish by taking the washed celery stalks and chopping them down to the length that’ll best suit your glasses, keeping the leaves on – the stalks should be long enough so the soft leaves lean over the top of the glass.
3. Now your drinks are ready for pouring. Fill two tall glasses with ice, pour over the Bloody Mary mix and garnish each glass with the celery and a lemon slice. With your thumb over the end of the bottle, slowly pour in a splash of the port or wine. It’ll sit nicely on the top of the drink, adding depth to the flavour as you sip through it. Plus, it looks the part too.
4. Finally, add a pinch of salt and pepper, put your feet up and enjoy.