10 Delicious Breakfast Ideas

We need a little diversity when it comes to breakfast. It’s the most important meal of the day and we cannot just go for milk with cereal or toast. Here are ten delicious breakfast ideas.

1. Breakfast muffins

Ingredients

• 300g/10½oz self-raising flour, sifted
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 150g/5½oz light brown sugar
• 250ml/9fl oz full-fat milk
• 2 free-range eggs, beaten
• 100g/3½oz butter, melted
• 100g/3½oz toasted, skinned hazelnuts, chopped
• 25g/1oz dried cherries
• 25g/1oz dried cranberries
• 75g/2½oz crunchy granola

Preparation method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and line a muffin tray with paper muffin cases.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon and then stir in the sugar. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs and melted butter, then pour into the dry ingredients and quickly mix together. Stir in the hazelnuts, dried cherries and dried cranberries.
3. Divide the batter between the 12 muffin cases and sprinkle the top of each with the granola.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the muffins comes out clean. Leave to cool for five minutes in the tin before serving warm or at room temperature.

2. Breakfast frittata

Ingredients

• butter, for frying
• 3 onions, sliced
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 4 pork sausages, cooked and sliced
• 6 large free-range eggs
• 125ml/4fl oz double cream
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 400g/14oz can baked beans, cooked
• black caviar (optional)

Preparation method

1. Preheat the grill to its highest setting.
2. Melt the butter in a large frying pan over a low heat. Add the onions and garlic and gently fry for 15-20 minutes, until soft and beginning to caramelise.
3. Add the sliced sausages to the pan and stir well.
4. Whisk the eggs, cream and thyme together in a bowl and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
5. Add the egg mixture to the sausage and onion mixture and gently stir over a medium heat for ten minutes.
6. Transfer to the grill to cook for five minutes, or until set and golden-brown.
7. To serve, turn the frittata out onto a large plate and cut into quarters. Serve the portions on clean plates with a generous spoonful of baked beans and a spoonful of caviar, if using.

3. Breakfast hash

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp groundnut oil
• 50g/1¾oz butter
• 3 herby sausages, skinned
• 1 onion, sliced
• ½ large potato, including skin
• 2 free-range eggs

Preparation method

1. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the butter and skinned sausages and cook for a few minutes, stirring to ensure all the meat browns.
2. Add the onion to the pan.
3. Grate the potato including the skin and squeeze over the sink to remove any moisture.
4. Add the potato to the pan.
5. When the pan ingredients are cooked, crack the eggs into the pan. Serve.

4. Waffles

Ingredients

• 250g/9oz plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½-1 tsp ground cardamom (optional)
• 2-3 tbsp sugar
• 6 free-range eggs
• 250ml/8½fl oz cream (whipping or double)
• 250ml/8½fl oz milk
• 200g/7oz butter, melted and cooled

Preparation method

1. In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, cardamom and sugar. Add the eggs, cream, milk and butter and mix with a hand-mixer until it becomes a smooth, thick batter.
2. Let the batter rest for a minimum of 30 minutes, or overnight in the fridge.
3. Preheat the waffle iron on a medium heat.
4. Put a medium ladleful of the batter mixture in the waffle iron, making sure not to overfill. Cook each waffle until golden-brown and cool on a rack so that they don’t steam up and get soggy.

5. Smoked salmon with scrambled eggs on toast

Ingredients

For the scrambled eggs

• 2 tbsp butter
• 3-4 free-range eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tbsp milk
• 3 tbsp double cream
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve

• 4 slices brown toast
• 4 slices smoked salmon
• lemon wedges
• 1 tsp chopped fresh chives
• freshly squeezed orange juice

Preparation method

1. For the scrambled eggs, melt the butter in a saucepan over a low heat. Add the eggs and milk, stirring continuously until thick and scrambled, then stir in the double cream. Remove from the heat when just cooked and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
2. To serve, place the slices of toast in the middle of two serving plates. Spoon over the scrambled eggs and place the smoked salmon on top. Garnish with the chopped chives and lemon wedges and serve with a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.

 

6. Flapjacks

Ingredients

• 175g/6oz butter
• 175g/6oz golden syrup
• 175g/6oz muscovado sugar
• 350g/12oz porridge oats
• ½ lemon, finely grated zest
• pinch ground ginger

Preparation method

1. Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2 and line a 20cm/8in square baking tin with baking paper.
2. Melt the butter in a medium pan over a low heat. Dip a brush in the butter and brush the baking tin with a little bit of it. Add the golden syrup and sugar to the butter and heat gently. Once the sugar is dissolved and the butter is melted, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the porridge oats, lemon zest and ginger.
3. Pack the mixture into the baking tin and squash down. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes.
4. Once cooked, remove from the oven, leave to cool for 15 minutes, then turn out on to a chopping board and cut into squares.
5. These flapjacks are delicious in a packed lunch or as a grab-and-go breakfast.

7. Banana French toast

Ingredients

• 50ml/2fl oz whole milk
• 2 free-range eggs
• 2 thick slices slightly stale brioche
• 2 knobs unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• pinch – ½ tsp ground cinnamon, to taste
• 1 ripe banana, peeled and sliced
• maple syrup, to taste

Preparation method

1. Whisk together the milk and eggs in a wide shallow bowl.
2. Dip the brioche slices into the egg and milk mixture for one minute, making sure the liquid soaks into the brioche on both sides.
3. Heat a knob of butter in a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted, fry the brioche slices for two minutes on each side until golden-brown and crisp. Remove from the pan and place onto a serving plate.
4. Combine the caster sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.
5. Add another knob of butter to the pan over a high heat. Once melted, add the sliced banana to the pan, toss in the melted butter and fry for two minutes, or until caramelised lightly on the outside.
6. Serve the French toast with the caramelised banana, a sprinkle of the cinnamon sugar (any extra can be stored and used again) and a drizzle of maple syrup.

8. Mexican sweetcorn pancakes, poached eggs and salsa

Ingredients

For the sweetcorn pancakes

• 100g/3½oz plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 free-range egg
• 150ml/5fl oz whole milk
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 corn on the cob, kernels only
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

For the tomato chilli salsa

• 3 tomatoes, skin and seeds removed, chopped
• 6 coriander sprigs, leaves only, chopped
• 1 green chilli, very finely chopped
• pinch sugar
• ¼ small red onion, finely chopped
• 1 lime, juice only
• pinch sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

For the poached eggs

• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 4 free-range eggs

Preparation method

1. For the sweetcorn pancakes, sieve the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl, then whisk in the egg and half of the milk to form a thick batter with a consistency slightly thicker than double cream. Add more milk as necessary to loosen the mixture. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then stir in the sweetcorn.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium to high heat. Spoon half of the batter into the pan and fry for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until the pancake is golden-brown on both sides. Set the pancake aside on a warm plate and cover loosely with aluminium foil. Repeat with the remaining batter.
3. For the tomato chilli salsa, mix the tomatoes, coriander, chilli, sugar, finely chopped onion, lime juice and salt until well combined. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper.
4. For the poached eggs, bring a pan of water to the boil, stir in the vinegar and turn down the heat so that the water is simmering. Add the eggs and poach for 3-4 minutes, or until cooked to your liking, then remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
5. To serve, place one of the sweetcorn pancakes onto each plate, arrange two of the poached eggs on top, and finish with a spoonful of the tomato chilli salsa.

9. Gingerbread pancakes with parma ham and maple syrup

Ingredients

• 225g/8oz self-raising flour
• 3 tbsp soft light brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• pinch salt
• ½ lemon, zest finely grated (optional)
• ½ vanilla pod, or a couple of drops of vanilla extract (optional)
• 300ml/½ pint semi-skimmed milk
• 1 medium free-range egg
• 4 tbsp sunflower oil
• 12 slices Parma ham or bacon

To serve

• 100ml/3½fl oz maple syrup
• 100ml/3½fl oz sour cream or crème fraîche

Preparation method

1. Preheat the oven to 110C/225F/Gas ¼ (this will be to keep the pancakes warm as they are cooked in batches).
2. Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and salt into a large bowl, give them a quick mix and make a well in the centre. Finely grate the lemon zest in, if using. Split the vanilla pod open, scrape the seeds out and add them, too (or vanilla extract). Then gradually pour the milk in bit by bit, stirring all the time to give a smooth mixture. Then beat the egg in well and set aside.
3. Put a drizzle of oil into a large frying pan on a medium heat and cook the Parma ham for 2-3 minutes on each side until nice and crisp. Then remove with tongs and drain on kitchen paper. Keep the ham warm in the oven until ready to serve.
4. Leave the pan on the heat, but reduce the heat to low and add a little bit more oil if need be. Then spoon in four dollops of the pancake mix (to spread to about 10cm/3¼in wide). Leave to cook for about 1-2 minutes until golden, then flip them over and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Slide them onto a baking tray and put in the oven to keep warm. Then, repeat with the remaining mix to make about 12.
5. Once you have made all of the pancakes, divide them between four plates. I like to pile the parma ham high on them and then drizzle with the maple syrup and serve with a dollop of sour cream or crème frâiche.

10. Ham and eggs with grilled tomato

Ingredients

• 1 big beef tomato
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• dash olive oil
• 3 slices prosciutto
• 2 slices sourdough bread
• 3 free-range eggs
• 50ml/2fl oz cream
• knob of butter

Preparation method

1. Preheat the griddle to hot. Slice the tomato in half, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, drizzle with oil and place on a grill pan with the prosciutto. Grill until the tomato is softened and the prosciutto is crisp.
2. Lightly toast the sourdough bread.
3. Crack the eggs into a bowl. Season them with salt and pepper and beat well. Beat in the cream.
4. Pour the mixture into a non-stick pan and cook the scrambled eggs until they reach a sloppy consistency. Remove from the heat.
5. Pour the scrambled eggs onto the sourdough toast and place the grilled prosciutto on top. Arrange the grilled tomatoes on the side and serve.

Recipes courtesy of BBC Food.