the oatmeal: In a bowl, combine the oats, half of the walnuts, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Pour over the apples.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, honey and vanilla. Pour the milk mixture over the oats, making sure to distribute the mixture as evenly as possible.
Sprinkle the remaining walnuts over the top. Bake until the top is golden brown and the oatmeal is set, about 30 minutes. Cut into 6 rectangles and serve warm from the oven.
FOOD FACTS fill up on fibre!
Studies show that people lose more weight when they fill up on high-fibre foods, such as fruit, oats and other whole grains. Your goal: at least 25 grams of fibre a day for women, 38 grams for men.
Naked Eggs Benedict
Serves 4
When I was a teenager, my mom owned a café eponymously named Marlene’s Kitchen. She worked behind the counter cooking breakfast for all her customers and I helped out, working as a waitress on weekends. It was a quaint little place, where everyone knew one another and felt at home. Of all the breakfast options there, poached eggs topped with cheese were my favourite. I’m also fond of another popular poached pick: Eggs Benedict. But the Hollandaise sauce is all butter, and just a few tablespoons contain a whopping 200 calories. No thanks! My ‘skinny’ solution is simple: use wholemeal muffins, add some greens and skip the Hollandaise sauce. Then I don’t feel bad splurging with a little light Havarti cheese on top.
4 slices back bacon
4 large eggs
2 multigrain or wholemeal muffins, split and toasted
1 cup (45g) loosely packed baby spinach
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
50g light Havarti cheese, grated†
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives, for garnish
Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until lightly browned on each side, about 1 minute.
Fill a large deep frying pan with about 5cm of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low to maintain a simmer. Crack the eggs into individual bowls. Gently slide the eggs one at a time into the simmering water. Using a spoon, gently nudge the egg whites in towards the yolk. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes for a semi-soft yolk or 3 to 4 minutes for a firmer-set yolk. Using a slotted spoon or spatula, transfer the eggs one at a time to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain.
Divide the toasted muffin halves among 4 serving plates. Top each muffin half with a piece of bacon, a quarter of the baby spinach and a poached egg. Season each with a pinch of salt and black pepper to taste. Sprinkle with grated cheese and finely chopped chives and serve hot.
† If you can't find light Havarti cheese, you can use standard Havarti or Tilsit instead.
Greek-a-licious Egg White Omelette
Serves 4
Egg white omelettes can be boring, but not when you fill them with flavour! This savoury omelette is packed with spinach, tomatoes, feta and dill, reminiscent of the popular Greek pie spanakopita. Greek food holds a special place in my heart because I was born in Astoria, New York, which has a large Greek population. Years later, I landed one of my first jobs there, and I used to eat at a little Greek hole-in-the-wall that made the best spanakopita – I ordered it nearly every day. This dish has a lot fewer calories than the original since it skips the flaky pastry, calls for egg whites and uses light feta cheese.
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup (60g) finely chopped spring onions
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 vine-ripened tomatoes, finely chopped
275g frozen chopped spinach, thawed and excess liquid squeezed out
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Sea salt
½ cup (70g) crumbled light feta cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
12 large egg whites
Freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray or oil mister
In a medium frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the spring onions and garlic and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, spinach, dill, parsley and a pinch of salt. Cook until the tomatoes soften and everything is heated through, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and cook for 1 more minute. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the feta and Parmesan, and cover the pan to keep warm.
In a medium bowl, whisk the egg whites with 2 tablespoons water, ⅛ teaspoon salt and a pinch of black pepper. Lightly spray a large nonstick frying pan with oil and heat the pan over medium-low heat. When hot add a quarter of the egg mixture (about ½ cup), swirling to evenly cover the bottom of the pan. Cook until set, about 2 minutes. Spoon a quarter of the spinach mixture (about ½ cup) onto half of the omelette, fold the omelette over and slide it onto a serving plate. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
Winter Potato, Kale and Sausage Frittata
Serves 6
With sausage, potatoes, eggs and kale, this frittata is a meal in one! Frittatas are so versatile, both in what you can put in them and for the fact that they’re delicious for breakfast, lunch or dinner. You can literally clean out your refrigerator to come up with countless ways to whip one up. This dish starts out on the hob and finishes in the oven, so you’ll need to use an ovenproof frying pan. If you don’t own one, you can also slide the half-cooked frittata onto a large plate, then carefully flip it back into the pan and finish cooking the other side over low heat on the hob.
5 large eggs
3 large egg whites
2 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
170g fresh sweet Italian chicken sausages, casings removed*†
1 small onion, chopped
2 medium (350g) peeled all-purpose potatoes, diced into 1cm pieces
⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
⅛ teaspoon paprika
1 cup (70g) chopped kale, stems and ribs removed
*Read the label to be sure this product is gluten-free.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/Gas 6.
Crack the eggs and egg whites into a large bowl. Add grated Pecorino Romano, ⅛ teaspoon of the salt and a pinch of black pepper and beat until blended.
Heat