Friday 1 June 2012

Thermomix does breakfast

As I've mentioned before on this blog . . .I have always been one of those unusual people who really enjoys a good, healthy start to the day and have never understood how anyone could skip this important meal. My motto is that regardless of how busy you are, you should always make time for a nutritious breakfast. If you're a busy person, you are probably most in need of this healthy start to your day!

I love to 'mix it up' for brekky . . . which has a double-meaning in my case, because I have a growing repertoire of breakfast ideas to choose from, and of course love to employ my Thermo'mix' to make them :-)  I go through phases of enjoying either my homemade, nutrient-packed, carrot, seed, nut & fruit loaf smothered in ripe avocado, CADA+P (fresh coconut, almonds, dates, apple + pear) turbo pulsed a couple of times in the Thermomix and served with a dollop of yoghurt, or my healthy version of traditional Swiss breakfast. 

We also enjoy our favourite dairy-free 'Good morning' Thermomix smoothie (pictured left), which contains all the usual suspects . . . a combination of frozen berries and any fresh fruit I can get my hands on, with the addition of freshly ground flaxseeds and coconut water, (never let this go to waste when you cut open a fresh coconut for your CADA breakfast). Coconut water is a potent source of electrolytes, calcium, potassium and magnesium plus a variety of vitamins and antioxidants, especially the water from a young coconut . . the perfect sports drink really! I freeze it in ice cube trays and always add it to our smoothies. 



On weekends we often enjoy my banana, oat & spelt pancakes, and when I have the time to fuss a little, I like to whip up a batch of spelt crumpets . . . both recipes my girls adore.


Always looking out for, or thinking up my own healthy breakfast ideas, I recently developed these nutritious good-sized biscuits with brekky in mind. They are not only a healthy start to the day but also perfect for a brekky on the run or if you prefer, a mid-morning snack! So if you're one of those busy people I mentioned above who can't quite make the time for a nutritious breakfast, make these on the weekend and then there's no excuse not to start the day off well :-) 

Thank you Thermomix for your continued inspiration at breakfast time and for making it so easy to opt out of sugar-laden commercial cereals :)

Breakfast biscuits
makes 5 (serve 1 for breakfast)
These brekky biscuits are packed full of dietary fibre and sweetened with natural sugars contributed by the fruits and a little honey. They are also dairy-free and wheat-free.









ingredients
20g brown basmati rice 
25g walnuts
40g dried apricots
20g dried goji berries (wolf berries)
3 fresh medjool dates
20g coconut oil
20-30g raw honey
1 large egg
25g shredded or desiccated coconut
90g wholegrain oats

method
  1. Preheat oven to 160 C (fan-forced). Line a baking tray with baking paper or silicon sheet.
  2. Place the brown rice into the TM bowl and grind for 40 seconds on speed 9. Decant into a bowl.
  3. Add the walnuts and chop using turbo pulse x 2. Set aside in the bowl with the rice flour.
  4. Add dried fruit and turbo pulse 2-3 times to your desired texture and set aside with the other ingredients. 
  5. Add coconut oil and melt for 1-2 minutes at 50 C on speed 1 until melted. Add the egg and honey and whisk for 10 seconds on speed 4. 
  6. Return all ingredients plus coconut and oats to the TM bowl. Mix on reverse speed 2 for 20 seconds or until the mixture begins comes together.
  7. Shape 3 tablespoons of the mixture into a ball. Place on the tray and press down until 7-8cm in diameter. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
mixture rolled into balls
press to 7-8cm diameter
    8. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool on the baking tray for 15 minutes,      
        then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

These biscuits will keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or wrap individually in plastic and place in a ziplock bag to freeze for up to 3 months. Incase you're wondering, the 5th biscuit was my test subject that's why it's missing from the photos ;-)

variations

  • Use any combination of dried fruit of choice (I like to use dates & goji for their natural sweetness and health benefits)
  • Omit the walnuts and add a little extra flour to make these nut-free
  • Substitute a flax or chia-egg for the chicken egg to make these vegan 

no thermomix?
Use brown rice flour in place of the rice. Chop your fruit in a food processor (or by hand) and combine with all other ingredients using an electric mixer or wooden spoon :-)



 Find me on Facebook at Mixing it up in HK



10 comments:

  1. Hi, these turned out great. At first I was unsure if they were going to set because I used a chia seed egg. My little boy has an egg allergy, not only did they turn out perfect we both thought they were delicious. Thankyou!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. These look like the perfect thing to have for recess (I'm a teacher) / morning tea. I'm sure they'd keep you going till lunch!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Is there a way to make them Gluten Free?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Kristy. In theory this recipe is already gluten-free as oats are naturally free of gluten, but to ensure that they have not been contaminated in production in a factory that also processes gluten-containing grains, you will need to ensure that you purchase 'gluten-free' oats. Another option is try using quinoa flakes in place of the oats or perhaps even buckinis :)

      Delete
  4. Hi Paula, Love your blog. In the breakfast biscuits recipe you mention a carrot, seed, nut and fruit loaf. Do you have a recipe for this?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes I do. You are not the first person to ask me this, so I must ensure that I get around to blogging it for you :)

      Delete
  5. This is a great recipe. A perfect snack for after school. Lovely chewy sweet texture which my kids love.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Could I replace the oats with quinoa flakes? Would I use the same quantity? Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes this would work. Try the same quantity, I don't use quinoa flake I'm sorry. Let me know how you go! I tend to use a mix of activated buckwheat groats (buckinis) & rolled oats these days :)

      Delete
  7. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete