top of page

AVOCADO, COTTAGE CHEESE AND CHERRY TOMATO TOAST


    Waking up to a healthy breakfast is all you need to start your day to boost that energy for the whole day. Wholemeal brown bread layered with cottage cheese and topped with sliced avocado, grilled cherry tomatoes and arugula. This is one of my favorite breakfasts which I eat like 2 to 3 times a week.


    If you love your eggs in breakfast like I do, top it with poached eggs or sunny side up. I made this a vegetarian version, and for those who are vegan, skip the cottage cheese and layer it with hummus or just some mashed avocado...top it with sautéed garlic mushrooms or grilled asparagus...there’s loads of toppings you can use to make it more delicious and interesting to have a variety in your everyday breakfast toast.

    SERVES: 2

    PREP TIME: 10 minutes

    COOKING TIME: 5 minutes



    INGREDIENTS

    • 1 large hass avocado, ripe but firm

    • 8 tbsp low fat cottage cheese

    • 10-12 cherry tomatoes

    • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

    • 1/2 cup baby arugula leaves, loosely packed, washed and dried

    • 4 wholemeal bread slices

    • Salt and pepper for seasoning



    METHOD

    1. In a small pan, warm extra virgin olive oil, drop cherry tomatoes, and grill for 5 minutes on a low heat until soft and slightly pulpy. Season them with salt and pepper.

    2. Lightly brush the bread slices with olive oil and toast them in a griddle pan on both sides. Spread 2 tbsp cottage cheese on top of each toast and season a little with salt and pepper.

    3. Cut the avocado in half, deseed and remove flesh from the skin with the help of a large table spoon. Be careful not to bruise the flesh. Slice it thinly with a sharp knife.

    4. Place a quarter of an avocado on each of the cottage cheese toasts, and top it with few cherry tomatoes and arugula leaves.

    5. If need be, season the avocado with a dash of salt and pepper.



    COOK'S NOTES:

    • Sprinkle a dash of lime or lemon zest on the cottage cheese will totally accentuate the flavours of the toast.

    • You can also serve with poached or sunny side egg on top.



    BREAKFAST GRANOLA


      Do you eat your breakfast for dinner or as a snack? I do that all the time with my homemade granola. Healthy nutritional breakfast is a kick-start and power boost to keep your energy levels up high to work the whole day. Greek yogurt topped with granola, chia, cherry compote and fruits is my all time favorite. I eat this as dinner sometimes or to ease my pallet for sweet cravings I have it after my meals. It’s that versatile! Try my homemade granola recipe and you won’t buy a store bought one. Do you also like to eat the way I eat my granola?

      SERVES: 8-10 servings

      COOKING TIME: 40 minutes

      PREP TIME: 10 minutes

      TOTAL TIME: 50 minutes



      INGREDIENTS

      • 3 cups rolled oats

      • 1/2 cup almonds, sliced

      • 1/4 cup pecan nuts

      • 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds

      • 3 tbsp sunflower seeds

      • 1 tbsp flax seeds

      • 100 g pitted majdool dates, chopped

      • 1/2 cup water

      • 1/2 cup honey

      • 3 tbsp coconut oil



      METHOD

      1. Mix all of the dry ingredients in a bowl.

      2. Separately mix water honey and oil, whisk together to combine, pour it in the dry ingredients, mix them all together.

      3. Spread the granola mixture on a large baking tray and place it in a preheated oven for 40 minutes at 170°C, tossing every now and then to get even toasting.

      4. Leave to cool completely and store it in an airtight container.


      COOK'S NOTES:

      • Serve these as it is with cold or warm milk, or have it with Greek yogurt, fruit compote and fresh fruits. You can also sprinkle on parfaits for desserts.

      • Easily turn this into a vegan recipe by using raw, locally sourced honey from a reputable bee farming source, or use vegan honey!


      CAPRESE SALAD STICKS


        Basil and tomato are honestly a match made in heaven, they go so well together! Here’s my little spin on the classic Caprese Salad; serving it on sticks with curled up cucumber and baby mozzarella. Drooling over this extremely simple and attractive appetisers that will surely impress your friends and family. My basil in the garden is still blooming and the baby tomatoes too, I pluck out almost a handful everyday! Serve this green and red awesomeness with drinks and you will be all praises. And don’t forget – always always always make your own basil pesto at home...you just can’t beat that with a store bought one! BTW if you are growing basil in your garden and you have the white flower stem blooming with seeds, just pluck and dry these seeds and preserve to grow your basil plants next winter. Give this recipe a try right now!

        YIELDS: 15 pieces

        COOKING AND PREP TIME: 15 minutes



        INGREDIENTS

        • 15 Baby tomatoes

        • 15 Mini mozzarella balls

        • 3 Lebanese cucumber

        For Pesto Sauce:

        • 1 cup basil leaves

        • 3 tbsp pine nuts

        • 2 clove garlic

        • 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated

        • 1/3 cup olive oil

        • Salt and pepper



        METHOD

        1. To make pesto, add all ingredients to the food processor and blend it altogether. Store in airtight container and use the left over for your pesto panini or pasta.

        2. With the help of mandoline, slice cucumber into thin strips.

        3. On a skewer, thread baby tomato, mozzarella ball, and rolled up cucumber strip; place them in serving platter and drizzle with pesto on top.



        COOK'S NOTES:

        • Keep the sticks ready in the refrigerator and sprinkle pesto just before serving, you can also sprinkle little pepper on top for a little spicy note.


        bottom of page