Long, leisurely breakfasts are a great way to relax at the weekend.
But if you’re not careful, you can eat half of what you normally consume in a day in one sitting.
So, in the final part of my series of comfort food recipes where I’ve cut back the calories, I’m dishing up delicious brunches to help you beat the bulge.
Fabulous guilt-free 'fry up' : 179 calories per serving
A great weekend ‘fry-up’ — you bake everything in the oven — with hardly any washing up. Make sure you use really fresh eggs, so they don’t spread too far across the baking tray when broken.
A great weekend ‘fry-up’ — you bake everything in the oven — with hardly any washing up and only 178 calories per serving
Serves 2
● Oil, for spraying or brushing
● 4 smoked back bacon rashers
● 2 large portobello or field mushrooms, stalks trimmed
● 150g (5½oz) cherry tomatoes on the vine
● 2 very fresh medium eggs
● Flaked sea salt
● Ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 220c/fan 200c/Gas 7. Spray or brush a large baking tray with oil.
Trim any visible fat from the bacon with kitchen scissors and place the bacon on the tray along with the mushrooms, stalk-side up. Bake for five minutes.
Add the cherry tomatoes and crack the eggs directly onto the tray, seasoning with salt and plenty of pepper.
Bake for another five to seven minutes or until the egg yolks are hot, but not completely set. Tip away the juice from the mushrooms and divide everything between two plates to serve.
The ultimate smoked salmon bagels: 385 calories per serving
Wholemeal bagels take the place of thickly buttered toast for these smoked salmon treats
Wholemeal bagels take the place of thickly buttered toast.
One bagel can serve two people and, if you slice it thinly enough, it looks deceptively generous.
If you prefer, use a couple of thin slices of toast from a small wholemeal loaf instead. You can lower the calories even further by reducing the amount of butter.
Serves 2
● 4 medium eggs
● Flaked sea salt
● Ground black pepper
● 1 wholemeal bagel
● 10g (¹³oz) butter, plus 1tsp, softened
● 4 smoked salmon slices (around 75g, 2¾oz)
● Snipped fresh chives, to serve (optional)
Beat the eggs in a bowl using a metal whisk until well combined. Season with a pinch of salt and lots of black pepper.
Cut the bagel carefully in half horizontally and then each half in half again to give four thin slices. Melt the butter in a non-stick saucepan over a low heat. Pour the beaten eggs into the pan and cook gently for 2 to 3 minutes, or until softly scrambled, stirring regularly.
Remove from the heat. While the eggs are cooking, toast the bagel and spread very thinly with the softened butter.
Divide the bagel between two warmed plates, cut side up. Spoon the scrambled eggs over the bagel toasts, add slices of smoked salmon and season with a little more black pepper. Garnish with chives before serving if you like.
Extra creamy porridge & berries: 212 calories per serving
Use any combination of berries you like or thaw frozen mixed berries and sweeten with a touch of sugar
I’ve found that by soaking oats overnight, I can make my porridge taste extra creamy while still keeping the calories fairly low.
Mix your fruit the night before and the berries will be lovely and juicy the next day, too.
Use any combination of berries you like or thaw frozen mixed berries and sweeten with a touch of sugar.
Serves 4
● 200g (7oz) fresh strawberries, hulled and halved or quartered if large
● 175g (6oz) fresh raspberries
● 75g (2¾oz) fresh redcurrants, blueberries or blackberries
● 1 tbsp caster sugar
● 120g (4½oz) jumbo porridge oats
● 500ml (18fl oz) semi-skimmed milk
● 200ml (1/3pt) water
● 1 tbsp soft light brown sugar (optional)
Put the fruit in a bowl and mix lightly with the caster sugar. Cover and leave in the fridge overnight. The sugar will help draw out the juices. Put the oats, milk and water in a bowl and stir well. Cover and leave in the fridge overnight.
The next day, place the soaked oats and liquid in a non-stick saucepan over a medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for five minutes, stirring frequently until the oats are tender and very creamy.
Pour the porridge into bowls and top with the fruit. Sweeten with a little soft light brown sugar (adding nine calories) if you like.
Easy eggs Benedict: 320 calories per serving
My usual recipe for hollandaise sauce contains almost a whole block of butter!
This one is much lower in fat because I’ve thickened the sauce with cornflour rather than making a buttery emulsion.
Serves 4
● 4 medium eggs, fridge-cold
● 2 English muffins, sliced in half
● 4 slices of lean smoked ham (about 120g, 4½oz)
● Snipped fresh chives, to serve (optional)
FOR THE LOWER-FAT HOLLANDAISE
● 4tbsp white wine vinegar
● 1 small bay leaf
● 4 peppercorns
● ½tsp flaked sea salt, plus extra to taste
● 200ml (1/3pt) semi-skimmed milk
● 15g (½oz) cornflour
● 20g (¾oz) butter
● 3 large egg yolks
● Ground black pepper
This variation of Eggs Benedict uses a Hollandaise sauce with much less butter than normal
To make the hollandaise, put the vinegar, bay leaf, peppercorns and salt in a non-stick saucepan over a medium heat and bring to a simmer. Boil until the liquid has reduced to just 2tbsp.
Strain through a fine sieve into a small bowl. Mix 2tbsp of the milk with the cornflour to form a smooth paste.
Pour the rest of the milk into a medium non-stick saucepan and add the butter and cornflour mixture. Bring to a simmer, stirring continuously until smooth and thick.
Beat the yolks in a bowl until light and pale and add to the cornflour and milk mixture, stirring continuously. Stir in the vinegar reduction and cook very gently over a low heat for a few seconds, stirring continuously. The sauce should have the consistency of custard.
Do not allow the mixture to overheat or the eggs will scramble. Take the pan off the heat and adjust the seasoning. Half-fill a pan with water and bring to the boil. Reduce to a very gentle simmer. Crack the eggs gently into the water and let them drop to the bottom of the pan. Cook the eggs for three minutes or until softly set.
The water should be gently bubbling and the eggs will rise to the surface when they are nearly ready. While the eggs are cooking, warm the sauce gently, stirring continuously.
Toast the muffin halves and arrange them on warmed plates or a platter. Top with a slice of ham and a poached egg. Spoon over the hollandaise and sprinkle with snipped chives.
Note: This recipe contains lightly cooked eggs, so may not be suitable for pregnant women, the elderly or young children.
Indulgent french toast & banana: 434 calories per serving
You don’t need any particular cooking skills to prepare it and it makes a lovely treat at the weekend
French toast, also known in our household as eggy bread, is a delicious breakfast for all the family.
You don’t need any particular cooking skills to prepare it and it makes a lovely treat at the weekend.
The calories are a little higher than in some other breakfasts, so keep this for an occasional treat.
If you use medium slices of plain white bread from a small loaf, instead of fruit loaf, you can knock off 40 calories per serving, but each teaspoonful of maple syrup will add 13 calories.
Serves 2
● 2 medium eggs
● 10g (¹³oz) butter
● 2 tsp sunflower oil
● 4 slices fruit loaf (about 40g or 1½oz each)
● 1 banana, peeled and sliced
● 50g (1¾oz) fresh raspberries
● 2tsp maple syrup (optional)
Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl with a metal whisk. Melt half the butter with half the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat.
Place two slices of the bread in the whisked egg. Turn the bread until lightly soaked with the egg and put in the frying pan. Fry the bread for about one minute until lightly browned. Using tongs, turn the bread over and cook the other side for a further minute until crisp and golden brown.
Put on one large warmed plate or platter. Cook the remaining bread in exactly the same way. Top the French toast with sliced banana and raspberries. If using, drizzle with a little maple syrup and serve immediately.
Spicy Mexican Bean breakfast: 304 calories per serving
I love this spicy start to a lazy weekend and it makes a wonderful lunch or supper dish, too.
Choose mini flour tortilla wraps – often sold for children’s lunchboxes – to serve alongside, as they contain around 90 calories each, about half the calories of a large one.
Serves 4
● Oil, for spraying or brushing
● 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
● 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
● ½tsp to 1tsp hot smoked paprika, depending on taste
● 400g tin chopped tomatoes with herbs
● 400g tin red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
● 2 tbsp tomato puree
● 15g (½oz) fresh coriander, leaves roughly chopped, plus extra to garnish
● 4 medium eggs, very fresh, fridge-cold
● Ground black pepper
● 40g (1½oz) ready-grated mozzarella or half-fat cheddar (optional)
● 4 mini flour tortilla wraps
● Lime wedges, to serve
I love this spicy start to a lazy weekend and it makes a wonderful lunch or supper dish, too
Spray or brush a large non-stick frying pan with oil. Add the onion and pepper and fry gently for three to four minutes until lightly browned.
Stir in the paprika and cook for a few seconds more. Tip the tomatoes and kidney beans into the pan and add the tomato puree.
Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally until thick. Stir in the coriander.
Make a hole in the tomato mixture and break an egg into it. Repeat with the other eggs. Season the eggs with black pepper, cover the pan with a lid or large piece of foil, and cook for four to five minutes until the egg whites have set and the yolks are hot, but runny.
If adding the cheese, sprinkle it over the eggs after the first couple of minutes so it has time to melt. Scatter more coriander over the top if you like.
Meanwhile, heat the tortillas in the microwave or a moderate oven, according to the packet instructions. Take the eggs and beans to the table and serve with the warm tortillas and lime wedges for squeezing.
Fluffiest fruit pancakes: 247 calories per serving
For this recipe, I make four large pancakes rather than 12 small ones and serve them topped with lots of berries and a drizzle of maple syrup
American-style pancakes make a delicious treat for breakfast, but can be time-consuming to prepare.
For this recipe, I make four large pancakes rather than 12 small ones and serve them topped with lots of berries and a drizzle of maple syrup.
Serves 4
● 175g (6oz) self-raising flour
● ½tsp baking powder
● 275ml (9½fl oz) semi-skimmed milk
● 1 eating apple (about 140g, 5oz), peeled, cored and coarsely grated
● 2 large egg whites
● 1 tbsp caster sugar
● Oil, for spraying or brushing
● 250g (9oz) mixed fresh or frozen and thawed berries
● 2 tbsp maple syrup or clear honey
Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Stir the milk slowly and gradually into the flour mixture, then beat hard with a metal whisk to get rid of any lumps.
Stir the grated apple into the batter. Whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff but not dry.
Whisk in the caster sugar. Fold a quarter of the whisked egg whites into the pancake batter with a large metal spoon until evenly combined, then very gently fold in the rest. You want to try to keep as much air in the pancakes as possible, so they are light and fluffy when you cook them.
Spray or brush a medium non-stick frying pan with a little oil and place over a medium-high heat. Ladle a quarter of the mixture into the frying pan.
Cook the pancake for 2½ minutes on one side, or until the surface looks almost dry and you can see small air bubbles rising to the surface.
Flip the pancake over and cook on the other side for a further 2½ minutes until puffed up and lightly browned. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Cook the three remaining pancakes in the same way.
Serve the hot pancakes topped with plenty of fresh fruit and dribbled with maple syrup or honey.
To freeze: Put the cooled pancakes uncovered on a dish in the freezer. Once solid, place in a large zip-seal bag, label and freeze for up to one month.
To serve, there’s no need to defrost them. Simply heat through in a dry non-stick pan over a low heat or microwave for a few seconds until piping hot.
Blueberry muffins: 145 calories per serving
These muffins make a light, sweet breakfast or snack. Because they are so low in fat, you may find that when they’re hot the mixture sticks a little to the cases, but the paper should peel off easily when the muffins have cooled.
Serves 12
● Oil, for spraying or brushing
● 1 very ripe banana (around 100g, 3½oz peeled weight)
● 250ml (9fl oz) semi-skimmed milk
● 3tbsp sunflower oil
● 2 large eggs, beaten
● 275g(9¾oz) self-raising flour
● 3tbsp soft light brown sugar
● 1tsp bicarbonate of soda
● Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
● 150g (5½oz) fresh blueberries
Preheat oven to 210c/fan 190c/Gas 6. Line a 12-hole, deep muffin tin with non-stick paper cases or folded squares of baking parchment.
Spray or brush the insides of the muffin cases lightly with oil — this will help prevent the batter sticking to the paper.
Mash the banana with a fork until almost smooth and stir in the milk, oil and beaten eggs. Put to one side. Put the flour, sugar, bicarbonate of soda and lemon zest into another large bowl and stir until thoroughly mixed. Make a well in the centre.
Pour the banana mixture onto the flour and mix until lightly combined. Stir in two-thirds of the blueberries. Divide the batter between the muffin cases and top with the remaining blueberries.
Bake for 20 minutes or until well risen, golden brown and firm. Serve warm or leave to cool on a wire rack.
Store in an airtight container and eat within two days. (Reheat for a few seconds in a microwave oven if you like, but not for too long or the muffins will toughen.)
To freeze: Put the cooled muffins in a large freezer bag and freeze for up to one month.
Thaw at room temperature and heat for a few seconds in the microwave or reheat for five minutes in a hot oven before serving.
These muffins make a light, sweet breakfast or snack and at only 145 calories per serving are light on fat
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/article-2992216/Comfort-food-without-calories-Brilliant-weekend-brunches.html#ixzz3UEYhrvgq
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
