How to boss breakfast

Supercharged recipe ideas to fuel the busiest of days (and the longest nights)

Keep reading for a breakfast recipe that will fuel busy days and sleepless nights. These cute teaspoons are made by Artemis Deco.

I’m a reformed breakfast hater. I never used to feel hungry in the mornings, often fasting until lunchtime, smugly sipping a black coffee. Um – no thanks! These days, coffee alone – while crucial – just isn’t going to cut it. I need a breakfast that gets some fuel in the tank.

The ravenous hunger after a night spent feeding/rocking/willing the baby back to sleep is something else. At one point, I was convinced the only way to get my son back down was by doing squats while holding him in a very specific position until he dropped off. It was full on, sweat-inducing workout. At 3am. No wonder I woke up starving. If the shared WhatsApps during those dark and lonely small hours are anything to go by, many of you are in the same boat. Even if you’re not looking after a newborn, the chances are your day throws up more than its fair share of energy-sapping challenges.

But how to switch up those endless rounds of Marmite on toast? I’ve found prepping some of the elements the night before helps make it easier to eat a sustaining breakfast on frantic (read: exhausted) weekday mornings. Below are some of my favourite ideas, and a recipe for overnight oats that, if you manage to prep in the evening, your future self will be eternally grateful for.

Come the weekend, I like to escape to the kitchen and make something ever so slightly more elaborate – cue my last recipe this week, for chilli-spiked greens on toast with fried eggs.

Get-ahead breakfast ideas

A frittata is a cheap, easy and filling breakfast. Chuck in whatever you’ve got in the fridge, and don’t scrimp on the sriracha on top

• A frittata made by pan-frying spring onions, halved sprouts and shredded cabbage then topping with beaten eggs before baking. You could add leftover roasted vegetables, smoked salmon, ham or cooked potatoes too.

• Proper porridge, made by slowly cooking oats with water and a pinch of salt (flavour with 1/2 tsp of cinnamon, ground cardamom, vanilla paste or mixed spice, if you like) stirring often, until very creamy. Store in a Tupperware then quickly reheat with a splash of milk and serve with fruit and honey.

• Night-before smoothies, made by adding a small handful each of frozen bananas, berries and spinach to a blender with a spoonful of peanut or almond butter, a pinch of salt, a small handful of oats and a splash of oat or almond milk, ready to be blitzed into two smoothies the next day.

  

Supercharged overnight oats

A powerhouse breakfast, packing in fibre, vitamins and protein. Prep the fruit compote – which makes use of cost-effective frozen berries – on a Sunday, ready to be used all week.

For the compote (makes enough for five days’ worth of brekkies for 2)

• 400g frozen mixed berries

• 1 tbsp caster sugar

• 1 lemon, zest and juice

For the oats – serves 1

• 1 banana

• 35g oats

• 85ml oat or almond milk, or a milk of your choice

• Pinch cinnamon

• 1 tsp linseeds

• To serve

• Fresh fruit of your choice, such as apples and pears (optional)

• A handful of seeds (optional)

• Yogurt of your choice – I use full-fat Greek (optional)

1. To make the compote, add all the ingredients to a pan and simmer over a medium heat for around 10 minutes, until the fruit has broken down and the mixture has thickened.

2. The night before, mash the banana in a bowl with the cinnamon. Stir in the oats, milk and linseeds.

3. The next day, serve the oats with the fruit compote, any other fresh fruit you have, yoghurt and a handful of seeds.

This versatile compote, made with frozen berries, is your shortcut to delicious breakfasts. Use leftovers in pancakes at the weekend.

Switch it up

• Use apples and pears instead of berries in the compote.

• Add a spoonful of cocoa to the oats for a chocolatey flavour.

• Top with a spoonful of peanut butter instead of the seeds.

Use it up

• Pop used lemon halves in the dishwasher for shiny glasses and to eliminate smells.

• Leftover compote is great on pancakes, over yoghurt or with ice cream.

Greens and eggs on toast

My go-to weekend breakfast. You could use spinach or purple sprouting broccoli in place of the kale and cavolo nero, if you like

This dish is inspired by the brilliant food writer Rachel Roddy, whose recipes I turn to time and time again. Her book The A to Z of Pasta is definitely worth adding to your collection.

Serves 2

• 2 thick slices sourdough toast

• 2 eggs

• 1/2 red chilli, finely sliced

• Large handful greens, such as kale, cavolo nero or a mixture, woody stalks removed, roughly chopped

• Squeeze of lemon juice

• 1 clove garlic

1. Pop the toast in the toaster. Heat a splash of oil in a frying pan and fry the eggs to your liking.

2. Meanwhile, heat a splash of olive oil in a separate pan over a medium heat. Fry the chilli for a minute before adding the greens and a splash of water. Cook for a couple of minutes, until tender, then finish with the lemon juice.

3. When the toast is ready, rub it with the garlic clove and drizzle over a little extra virgin olive oil. Serve with the greens and fried egg on top.

PS – this week I’m loving…

The prettiest pink rhubarb jam

This sweet-and-sharp rhubarb and vanilla jam from Marmelo in Leyton. I’ve been eating it on crumpets or yoghurt, but I reckon it would be great used as a cake filling or in a crumble, too.