My breakfasts...

Inspired by Ania's post on breakfasts I simply couldn't resist the temptation and share with you two of my recent favourite recipes... Both are on the healthy side, still very very yummy, making me have a second helping (if there's any left by the time I finish eating...!).

Originally, the blueberries were added to the pancake batter. However, in the middle of winter, I didn't have any fresh blueberries, I skipped them and simply served them with home-made blueberry preserve (thanks Mom!). I can totally imagine them with fresh strawberries and some yoghurt sauce, some cooked apples or any other fruit. The batter from the recipe is enough for at least 4 servings. You can make up a batch and freeze them, then just thaw in microwave or an oven. Or you can use half of it one day and then put the rest of the batter into the fridge and fry pancakes the second day. This way with almost no effort you have two delicious and substantial breakfasts :)

Oatmeal Wholegrain Buttermilk Pancakes
Recipe comes from The New York Times, by Martha Rose Shulman.

1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (you can replace it with plain yoghurt)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons canola oil (you can replace it with rapeseed or grapeseed oil)

1. Combine the milk and rolled oats in a bowl, and set aside.
2. Sift together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt.
3. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, then add the buttermilk and whisk together. Then whisk in the vanilla extract and the oil.
4. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and quickly whisk together. Do not overbeat; a few lumps are okay. Fold in the oats and milk. Let sit for one hour (I didn't have time to wait for one hour, my batter sat for 15 minutes and the pancakes were totally fine) or refrigerate overnight.
5. If necessary, spray the hot griddle with pan spray. Drop by 3 to 4 tablespoons onto the hot griddle. Cook on a low to medium heat until bubbles begin to break through, two to three minutes. Turn and cook for about 30 seconds to a minute on the other side, or until nicely browned. Remove from the heat, and continue until all of the batter is used up. Serve with fresh fruit or some fruit preserve as well as with maple syrup.

The second recipe - for a detox smoothie - comes from "Healthy Dishes" (Love Food series) that I have received as a gift for Christmas this year. It's full of inspiring and still very simple ideas, that are easy to cook when time's short.

Detox Smoothie

Serves 2.

1 mango
4 kiwi fruit
350ml no added sugar pineapple juice
4 fresh mint leaves

1. Cut the mango into 2 thick slices as close to the stone as possible. Scoop out the flesh and chop coarsely. Cut off any flesh adhering to the stone. Peel the kiwi fruit with a sharp knife and chop the flesh.
2. Put the mango, kiwi fruit, pineapple juice and mint leaves in a blender and process until thorougly combined. (You can also use handheld blender to do so.)
3. Pour into chilled glasses and serve.