Brunch recipes from The Food Wife

recipes BRUNCH TIME

This month FRAN STEVENS, aka The Food Wife, shows you some delicious brunch recipes to enjoy with family and friends!

I was asked today how the diet was going. Here’s the answer! We’d just had this for breakfast and we could not be happier! Yes it’s indulgent but my goodness it’s delicious.

I don’t think I need say anything else, other than try it…

Ingredients 4 slices of white bread Chocolate spread 2 eggs Milk Pinch of sugar 2 tbsp (vanilla) caster sugar ½ tsp ground cinnamon 1 tbsp vegetable oil 50g dark chocolate 1 tsp coconut oil

Method Begin by making two chocolate spread sandwiches. Cut each in half and then each half into three fingers. Set aside.

In a bowl mix the two tablespoons of caster sugar and the cinnamon together. Set aside.

Whisk the two eggs, a splash of milk and a pinch of sugar together in a wide dish. Set aside.

Melt the dark chocolate and the coconut oil together in a bowl. I do this in the microwave in 30 second bursts - stirring each time - until you have a smooth chocolate sauce. Set aside. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium/high heat.

While the oil and pan are heating up, dip each sandwich finger in the eggy mixture, allowing it to soak up some of the liquid before flipping each one over to coat the other side.

Now the pan is hot add the eggy sandwiches and cook for a couple of minutes a side until golden.

Remove from the pan and toss in the cinnamon sugar and arrange on a serving plate.

Once all sugar-coated sandwiches are on the serving plate, drizzle the chocolate sauce over. Serve immediately.

INDULGENT CHOCOLATE BREAKFAST Serves 3-4

blueberry pancakes (VG)

Makes approx 12, serves 2-4 So what do you do when you want pancakes for breakfast but you don’t eat (or just don’t have any) eggs? Make a stack of these and everyone will be happy. These are easily made gluten and dairy-free (although if that is not an issue, regular flour and milk work great too!)

If you’ve always got berries in the freezer this is a great brunch to have on standby.

CHORIZO SCRAMBLE

Serves 2 A perfectly quick and satisfying brunch which is ready in minutes. The flavoursome oil released from the chorizo as it fries, gives everything a glorious orange hue.

Ingredients 75g chorizo, diced 2 spring onions, chopped 3 eggs Pinch of salt and pepper Bread/toast/rolls to serve

Method Place a frying pan on a medium heat, and once hot add the chopped chorizo. Allow the chorizo to become golden, releasing its oil, then add the spring onion.

Beat the three eggs together in a bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper, then lower the heat on the frying pan to its minimum and add the eggs. Immediately begin scrambling them with a spatula and switch off the heat and let the remaining heat of the pan finish the cooking.

Serve immediately on your choice of bread/toast/rolls (with butter/dairyfree butter as desired).

• thefoodwife.co.uk

Ingredients 2 large ripe bananas, mashed to a purée 1 tbsp of caster sugar 120g self-raising flour (gf if required) 1/2 tsp baking powder (gf if required) Pinch of salt 150ml milk (plant-based if required) Vegetable oil A couple of handfuls of blueberries (frozen or fresh)

Method In a large bowl, mix together the mashed banana, sugar, flour, baking powder and salt along with a splash of vegetable oil. Once combined, create a well in the centre and begin whisking in the milk, until you have a smooth thick batter.

Heat a non-stick pan over a medium high heat and add a little vegetable oil. Use a small ladle or use 2 tablespoons worth to make small American style thick pancakes. Once each one has been put in the pan, immediately put four or five blueberries into each one. Cook for a couple of minutes on each side until golden and fluffy. Be careful as you turn than as they are more delicate than egg-based pancakes.

Serve as a stack, with syrup or more berries and yogurt, as desired.