Living in Raglan doesn’t protect Aaron Brunet from early starts and rushing out the door. His creativity kicks in on these days with breakfast solutions that give you a good start.
Ahh Raglan, where the waves keep rolling in and the biggest decision is whether to have a coffee down the lane or head off for a surf, no pressures, no worries . . . unless it’s one of those school mornings where things get hectic. ”OMG is that the time? C’mon guys we gotta go in five minutes or we’ll miss the bus. Wait, where’s my lunchbox and I can’t find my shoes”. Etc.
For mornings such as these I love finding ways to eat great healthy stuff that’s super quick. I’ve become a chia seed fanboy and have used them in these two breakfasts.
The silky chia and dried plum breakfast is a soak-in-the- fridge-overnighter which becomes smooth and luscious by morning. What are dried plums, you ask? Well, they um, sort of come in a packet with the word "prunes'’ on the front. Let me know when that word loses its stigma and I’ll be chuffed. They have such a great texture and taste, I love them to bits.
When I want breakfast in the car I look forward to my get-up-and-go green smoothie. The chia seeds add a smooth silky texture along with omega-3 oils, while the oats keep me satisfied through the morning. With fresh sprouts and spinach it’s packed full of goodness. I can feel the nutrition soaking in to me while I drink it. Oh and did I mention, yummy?
Okey dokey, things are looking up: got the teenager on to the bus, now I’m off to the lane to see Tony for a coffee.
Get-up-and-go green smoothie
It’s interesting to ponder what goes on in our minds when we eat. I find that knowing the goodness of all the ingredients in this green smoothie has a real effect on my perception of taste. At first the sprouts might seem a bit grassy, but then I think of all the lively goodness in them and very soon that same taste becomes delicious to me. It’s probably a similar process to what happens when kids help grow veges and they start eating food they might not have enjoyed before.
Serves 1-2
1 cup water (or juice)
1 Tbsp chia seeds
1 Tbsp flaxseed oil
2 Tbsp rolled oats
3 dried plums (aka prunes)
½ sweet pear or orange
1 small bunch spinach
½ avocado
1 grab of fresh sprouts (½ cup)
1 banana (frozen is ideal)
- The easy way here is to just stick everything into a blender and go for it, giving it a good minute to really process everything smooth.
- If you want to add a layer of finesse you can start with the first five ingredients and blend them for a minute so the water can beautifully hydrate everything. Then add the fruit and veges and blend again until nice and smooth. Other great additions to this smoothie are fresh grapefruit and tangy apple, they give lots of zing and freshness.
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Silky chia and dried plum breakfast
Serves 2
3 Tbsp chia seeds
3 Tbsp desiccated coconut (fine works best)
1½ cups soy milk
10 dried plums (aka prunes), chopped
1 orange, peeled and chopped
2 green kiwifruit, peeled and chopped
- Before you go to bed pop the chia seeds, coconut, dried plums and soy milk into a bowl. Stir briefly and leave in the fridge overnight.
- In the morning give it a stir to mix then top with the orange and kiwifruit (or any other fruit you prefer).
