What I have for Breakfast on Christmas Morning

For me, a lot of the magic of Christmas revolves around food. From the menu planning with a mix of the traditional and the new, selecting vegetables at the market, to the hours of food prep, some of which gets started weeks in advance. It is a pleasure for me, culminating in the gathering of family and loved ones around the table, sharing flavours, stories (old and new) and much smacking of lips. But what about breakfast on Christmas morning? 

Breakfast on Christmas Morning

Below are the important elements in my household for breakfast on Christmas morning.

It must:

• Taste Christmassy
• Go well with a mug of coffee, as well as hot chocolate
• Be edible from a plate on the floor or lap
• Have some ‘good food’ elements
• Be prepped ahead and ready with no more than 10 minutes of effort on Christmas morning.

Breakfast on Christmas morning this year will be…

Plum, Marzipan and Cinnamon Muffins

This is an adaptation from an Ottolenghi recipe, but don’t worry, the recipe list is fairly modest. Here’s what I’ll do – includes prep ahead timings and tips for food intolerances.

Ingredients

• 200g ground almonds
• 280g plain white flour (use Gluten Free if you need/want to)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• A pinch of salt
• 150g castor sugar
• 2 eggs
• 110g unsalted butter, melted (use goat butter or vegan equivalent if desired)
• 280ml milk (I use oat milk as we have a lactose intolerance in our household)
• Grated zest of 2 oranges
• 120g marzipan (make your own or Crazy Jack organic do a nice one)

For the compote

• 500g ripe red plums, stoned and cut into quarters
• 200g raw beetroot (1 large, 2 medium/small), grated
• 60g caster sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 star anise

Instructions for the day before:

1. Place all the compote ingredients into a saucepan with a splash of water to stop sticking. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has melted, the plums are soft and a delicious thick glossy sauce covers the fruit and vegetable. Set aside to cool. Weigh out 80g of compote into a separate container and put the whole lot into the fridge overnight.
2. Mix the ground almond, flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and salt in a bowl. Cover and set aside.
3. Weight out the sugar and place in a bowl. Place 2 eggs (still in their shell) next to the bowl.
4. Measure out the milk and place in the fridge.
5. Weight out the butter and place in a small saucepan on the stove. No heat yet – that is for tomorrow.
6. Grate the marzipan into a bowl, cover and place in the fridge
7. Line your muffin trays.

Instructions for Christmas morning:

1. Preheat the oven to 170°
2. Stick the kettle on and make yourself a cup of your favourite warm drink (mine’s green tea). Enjoy the fact that you are making everyone wait an additional 10 minutes. Patience is a dying art.
3. Put the heat on under the butter to melt it gently.
4. Add the 2 eggs to the sugar and whisk together. Once combined, add the milk and melted butter, whisking well.
5. Stir the grated marzipan into the sugar and milk batter and grate in the zest of the orange.
6. Add the 80g of compote, stir to combine, then gently fold in the almond/flour mixture until just combined.
7. Spoon into the muffin cases, filling to the top.
8. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

These are truly delicious on their own or, for those you can trust, serve with some extra compote over the top. The compote is delicious over natural yoghurt or as a fruity base to yoghurt and homemade granola on Boxing Day.

Now you know what I am having for breakfast on Christmas morning. For more recipe inspiration, take a look at this warming recipe. If you are looking for tips to get started on your road to better health, have a browse through my monthly blog posts. This one gives you tips on where to start, or try some mindful eating.

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If you feel tempted by this delicious breakfast recipe for Christmas morning, please leave a comment below. If you would like to find out more about my services and how they can help fuel your good health, please book a free call with me here or visit my website and click on any of the ‘Book a Free Call’ buttons. Or reach out by email clare@integral-nutrition.co.uk . There is no pressure with these calls, just a friendly chat to see if I can help you get your health back on track. Find out what to expect from a nutrition consultation here.