my top five recipes for fruity american pancakes.

Other than the trendy avocado and poached eggs on toast pairing, you can't beat a stack of freshly flipped pancakes for a lazy breakfast or weekend brunch. In particular, I've mastered a basic 5 ingredient American pancake recipe which makes the perfect fluffy base for a whole host of toppings. What's more, I've found using non-stick hot plate and a tiny spritz of sunflower spray gets great results that are all warm at once. You can also get lots of frozen fruit, or of course freeze the fresh leftovers to use at a later date!

So, why wait until February to enjoy your favourite combination? As part of this month's collaboration with Central England Cooperative, here are a few healthy pancake recipes with delicious combinations that go towards your five a day.

eggs en cocotte with salmon and leeks.

I do love a good breakfast. Eggs Florentine, avocado on toast and smoked salmon and scrambled eggs are up there on my priorities. It turns out I'm not alone. British Lion Eggs conducted a little study and found Brits are willing to spend 30% longer preparing breakfast at the weekend than they are during the week. The survey also revealed that the Full English is the nation’s favourite breakfast, with a whopping 42% of people saying they always order it. Also making the top three are classic Eggs Benedict and creamy scrambled eggs with smoked salmon.

A relaxing weekend brunch is a favourite activity of mine and I'm always looking for new breakfast based ideas to add to my morning routine. Lazy baked eggs, one pan huevos rancheros and simple frittatas to name a few. If someone makes it for me, even better. These eggs en cocotte are a French twist on the classic baked eggs, featuring delicious salmon, softened leeks, fresh dill and indulgent double cream. Duvet optional.

charlotte's, w5, london.

Charlotte's W5 is the new kid on the block amongst the other London eating establishments of the same name. Unsurprisingly found in the W5 district of Ealing, the baby sister of the Charlotte's group serves up brunch, lunch, dinner and cocktails between the sandy walls of an old stable block. Depending what time of day you go, you might find business meets over breakfast, ladies what lunch or cocktail connoisseurs lining the bar. The cheeseboard is on all day every day, which is good with me.

breakfast at gee's, oxford.

 

Just outside of Oxford city centre and past a few of the beautiful university parks, you'll find the decadent glass house that is Gee's. As well as serving up trendy cocktails and curating three course meals, the elegant glass conservatory, bar and terrace is said to do a rather good breakfast. Turns out the rumours are true.

homemade sweet chilli salmon fishcakes with poached egg, smashed avocado and tomato and chilli chutney.

We all love brunch these days, don’t we? With menus packed to the brim with smashed avocado, delicate smoked salmon and scrambled tofu, there really is everything for everyone, specifically between the hours of 10am-12pm. For me, I’m a real seafood and fish lover, often opting for the likes of Egg Royale, smoked kippers and spicy kedgeree.

Recently, I was lucky enough to be invited to the sauciest of brunches for seafood fans, hosted by The Saucy Fish Co. With four courses of delectable dishes to show of their seafood selections, I really was in my element, in particular the Lime and Coriander Salmon Breakfast Wrap and Smoked Haddock Kedgeree with Cheddar and Chive Sauce. 

Inspired to create my own brunch at home, I’ve used the Saucy Fish Sweet Chilli Salmon Fillets with Tomato and Chilli Chutney to create a stacked up breakfast treat with fresh avocado and a runny poached egg. Plus, the panko breadcrumbs and sesame seeds give that extra texture and crunch. How do you have yours?

almond butter quinoa granola with indigo herbs (vegan and dairy free).

A vegan, dairy free and gluten free granola for all. It's certainly not taste free either; Indigo Herbs stock some delicious products that are perfect for shaking up your own homemade granola. Featuring puffed quinoa, cacoa nibs, chia powder and raw almond butter, the vegan and sugar free granola is packed with protein and lots of good stuff to take you through the morning. Fellow fans of nuts will love it too, as the almond and toasted flavour of quinoa really comes through. I enjoy it served up with almond or hazelnut milk but the rest is up to you.

a breakfast banquet with brioche pasquier: #shareamoment

Bringing people together with breakfast! Whether it be smashed avocado on toast, a piping hot bacon sandwich with lashings of tomato sauce or stack of sugary pancakes, everyone has their favourite breakfast dish. Out for brunch with friends or staying in for a lazy weekend breakfast, a good natter over a cuppa is the perfect way to #shareamoment. In their latest campaign, Brioche Pasquier are encouraging bloggers to embrace breakfast with both hands, sharing a moment with their delicious pastries and brioche. When I say both hands, I mean a cup of tea in your right hand and a jam filled croissant in the other.

creamy tarragon mushrooms on potato rostis.

A brilliant brunch recipe featuring a creamy mix of mushrooms, fresh thyme and sweet tarragon. A brunch recipe and it doesn't contain avocado, eggs or salmon? Am I feeling okay? Actually I'd forgotten how much I love potato rosti and how they are the base for any ideal breakfast setting. 

On the third and final recipe of my series with Albert Bartlett, today we're talking Elfe. Rather than the crazy Purple Majesty or cute Apache potatoes, these look a lot more like your regular Joe. These white but slightly golden potatoes have a lovely creamy texture which makes them really versatile. Here they formed the base of my weekend brunch... 

#goodmornings with belvita breakfast.

Hands up if you didn't want to get out of bed this morning? Yep, me too. We may have gained an hour, but all I want to do right now is cuddle up in blankets and light every Autumnal smelling candle in my house. I love Autumn, I've made that pretty clear. I love the colours, wrapping up in gigantic coats, buying a new pair of boots, pumpkin spices, all the wholesome slow cooking and... my birthday is just a few days after the clocks go back. (So you still have time to get me a present). But there's no doubt that the evenings drawing in and mornings getting darker make it hard to get out of bed and not turn to hibernation.

When belVita Breakfast got in touch asking if I'd like a few things to make the clocks going back that little bit easier, I couldn't say no. They sent me a little parcel of their latest Honey and Nut Biscuits and a handy alarm clock, ready to kick start my Autumn mornings.

super brunch: with the m&s chef range.

Brunch is totally the in thing these days. Forget cereal for breakfast or the same old sandwich fillings, between 10-11 is the prime time for the likes of beautifully seasoned avocados, hot buttered sourdough bread, lashings of smoked salmon, wilted spinach and eggs. All the eggs. When M&S Food got in touch to see if I'd fancy hosting a super brunch I just had to rustle something up. Showcasing their latest M&S Chef Range of pans, utensils and serveware, I created two recipes just waiting for a lazy Saturday morning. 

The first was a jumble of pan fried chorizo, plum tomatoes and avocado, simply served in a stack with fragrant fresh thyme. The second was a salmon and spinach frittata in their mini copper pan. The frittata is finished with a dollop of cream cheese, lots of black pepper and fresh basil. Avocado and chorizo vs. salmon and eggs. Which would you choose?

enjoy a gluten free breakfast with genius.

Say Good Morning to a glorious gluten free breakfast spread from Genius. The popular gluten free brand Genius have three rules when they bring a new product to their ever growing ranges; it has to taste great, be the best quality and of course, it has to be gluten free. I was sent a selection of their gluten free pancakes, fruit loaf, crumpets and blueberry muffins to enjoy over the long Bank Holiday weekend. Bliss!

brunch at victor café, marseille.

All foodies love brunch, it's just a known fact. So when on my travels I just can't resist looking up a good brunch. In France, or Marseille at least, it seems a lot of breakfast places don't open until 10am in the week and all you can eat brunch is served on Sundays. What was I going to do without poached eggs and smashed avocado every day? When I found Victor Café in the four star New Hotel Of Marseille, I couldn't wait to try the island buffets of cheese boards, breakfast items, fish of the day, unlimited drinks and that dessert table. For €33, the all you can eat Champagne brunch runs from 12:30 – 3:00 pm in the arty surroundings of the Victor Café and terrace.

sausage, spinach, mozzarella and egg pan bake with debbie&andrew's.

A Mother's Day breakfast treat for that special person in your life. With this Sunday 6th March just around the corner (note: remember to put that card on your shopping list), I've teamed up with debbie&andrew's to create a breakfast recipe to make her smile. This one pan wonder is so simple to rustle up and can even be made with leftovers. Inspired by Andy Bates' sausage, spinach and egg bake, I've made a version which switches mushrooms for red peppers and cheddar for mozzarella. Of course don't forget fresh flowers and a cuppa just the way they like it. 

a bloody mary brunch with ketel vodka.

Is there a finer meal of the day than brunch? Kicking back on a Sunday morning, the scent of rich coffee circulating through the kitchen and a couple of eggs frying in a hot pan. You've got your favourite record on and the comfy armchair is waiting for you to snuggle back and delve into your gooey eggs with an extra twist of black pepper and sea salt. But not before you Instagram it of course.

This weekend, I created a rather spectacular brunch if I may say so myself. Inspired by the Ketel One bloody mary and brunch recipes from around the world, I created a mouthwatering stack of spring onion and dill potato rosti with oak smoked salmon, topped with a fried egg with a runny yolk. I served it up with an Australian inspired Bloody Mary recipe, which has an extra dash of balsamic, squeeze of lemon and is topped up with pale ale. 

soften up the colder mornings with belvita soft bakes.

The clocks have officially gone back and Autumn has begun. No more wishing for an unexpected September heatwave - let's dig out our cable knits and embrace the season in all its chilly glory. I for one have already invested in my Autumn coat and am sporting my favourite tartan scarf. The clocks going back is always a nostalgic one for me, since it bring back memories of my birthday being just around the corner. (Hint hint, it's November 8th...) 

Luckily for us, belVita have made getting up on our first dark October morning that little bit easier with their new flavours of Soft Bakes. With a choice of Red Berries or Golden Grain, I'll certainly be digging into mine this morning with a piping hot mug of pumpkin spice latte. 

strawberry and coconut overnight oats.

I have recently discovered the joy of overnight oats! Yippee! Let's just put it out there, I'm not a morning person. So if there's a quick and healthy breakfast recipe that lets me press that snooze button just one more time then I'm in. What's more, I love my almond, coconut and hazelnut milk so all these easy overnight oats recipe suggestions are dairy free and vegan friendly.

feel all bran new with kellogg's + giveaway!

this weekend was spent sorting out my new kitchen, getting used to a different oven and remembering what cupboard i'd put everything in. i didn't get time to make my latest granola recipe for the week, and so this new all bran cereal from kelloggs couldn't have come at a better time. 

caravan, king's cross, london.

if you're ever in need of an awesome brunch whilst waiting for a london train, head on over to caravan nearby king's cross for a menu packed of british breakfast delights. whilst down in the big smoke the other week, my friend grace took me here for a brilliant saturday brunch. be warned, it can get pretty busy so head over early. but it was worth the wait.