rise and shine

Potato hash with greens

Peppers are packed with vitamin C and spinach is rich in iron, so they make a great combo with hearty potatoes. In fact, our brunch packs in three of your five-a-day.

SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 40 mins EASY V

2 Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and cook the onion for 5 mins, stirring frequently until starting to colour. Add the pepper and cook for 5 mins more.

3 Crush the cooked potatoes using a masher. Stir them into the onion and pepper, along with the paprika and tarragon. Cook for 5-10 mins, turning occasionally so they brown.

340g baby potatoes, any larger ones halved

1 tbsp rapeseed oil

1 onion (200g), finely chopped

1 green pepper, deseeded and diced

1 tsp smoked paprika

2 tbsp tarragon leaves, chopped 160g baby spinach

2 eggs

1 Boil the potatoes for 15-20 mins until almost tender, then scoop into a bowl using a slotted spoon. Keep the water for later.

4 Return the potato water to a low heat. Add the spinach to the hash and stir through to wilt. Crack the eggs into the potato water once it’s simmering and poach them for a few minutes until cooked to your liking. Remove from the pan using a slotted spoon. Serve the hash topped with the eggs.

Tip

Because our plans use minimum fat, it’s well worth investing in a good set of non-stick pans.

Overnight oats with apricots & yogurt

Soaking oats overnight is great for a speedy breakfast the next day, and it makes them easier to digest. Antioxidant-rich chia seeds and apricots are thought to benefit heart health.

SERVES 4 PREP 10 mins plus overnight soaking COOK 5 mins

EASY V

FIBRE 1 OF 5-A-DAY VEGAN

200g oats

50g chia seeds

1 tbsp vanilla extract

550ml almond milk, or cow’s milk (if non-vegan)

1 tsp rapeseed oil

320g pack fresh apricots, stoned and quartered

400g pot fortified oat or plain bio yogurt

4 tsp sunflower seeds

Healthy homemade granola

Shop-bought granola can have a lot of added sugar, but our crunchy version is sweetened with prunes. Studies suggest that eating prunes regularly preserves bone density and because they are full of fibre, supports gut health.

SERVES 8 (makes 400g) PREP 10 mins plus cooling COOK 20 mins EASY V

FIBRE VEGAN HEALTHY

290g can pitted prunes in natural juice, drained

1 orange, zested and juiced

2 tbsp tahini

350g oats

25g flaked almonds

25g sunflower seeds

25g pumpkin seeds

2 x 400g pots fortified soya or plain bio yogurt

1 Heat the oven to 200C/ 180C fan/ gas 6 and line a large baking tray with baking parchment.

1 Mix the oats and chia in a bowl with the vanilla and almond milk. Cover and chill overnight.

2 Heat the oil in a small non-stick pan. Add the apricots in a single layer, then cover the pan and cook over a low heat for 5 mins, until softened. Stir well and cook a few minutes more if needed – they will cook a little more in the residual heat as they cool. Cover and keep chilled until needed.

3 The next day, stir the yogurt into the oats and spoon into tumblers, small jars or small bowls. Top with the cooked apricots and sunflower seeds. Will keep covered and chilled for up to four days

GOOD TO KNOW vegan • healthy • calcium • fibre • 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 422 kcals fat 15g saturates 2g carbs 52g sugars 11g fibre 12g protein 11g salt 0.3g

Cooking orange fruit and vegetables, like apricots, in a little oil is a clever way to increase your absorption of their health-promoting carotenoids.

2 Put the prunes, orange zest and juice in a small bowl, add the tahini and mash it all together to make a paste. Tip the oats into a large bowl, then add the prune mixture and knead it all together using your hands, as though you’re making a crumble topping, until all the oats are coated and sticky. Spread out on the prepared tray and bake for 20 mins, turning the oats every 5 mins to help them cook evenly and drive off as much steam as possible.

3 Remove from the oven and stir the almonds and seeds onto the tray, then cool quickly by tossing the mixture. Once completely cooled, the granola will keep for two weeks in an airtight container.

4 Measure 50g granola per serving and enjoy with 100g soya yogurt.

GOOD TO KNOW vegan • healthy • fibre

PER SERVING 336 kcals • fat 13g • saturates 2g • carbs 40g • sugars 8g • fibre 6g • protein 13g • salt 0.3g

Tip

Oats contain a unique source of fibre, called beta glucan, that nourishes and restores healthy gut bacteria.