10 Ideas for a hearty winter breakfast

The old advice was “breakfast like a king, lunch like a lord and dine like a pauper.” That’s a bit hair-shirt for me, but there’s no better way to start the day than having the time to luxuriate in a proper breakfast. Yes, you can go for a fry-up, or spend some time making hollandaise sauce for some eggs Benedict, but here are ten ideas for a tasty and hearty breakfast with a difference that’ll really set you up for the day. 

A Sri Lankan hopper is a yeasted pancake made in a concave hopper pan, with an egg cracked into the pancake as it cooks. Traditionally made with rice flour, these are made with oatmeal. Top with spring onions and chili sauce for a spicy start to the day.

We start with poached eggs. Nothing particularly special about those: I often enjoy a poached egg on avocado sourdough, but there’s a difference here: sweetcorn fritters. Jalapeno peppers in the fritters add a kick of heat to really wake me up!  

Across the pond, a hearty breakfast means a stack of thick, light and fluffy pancakes. This recipe substitutes a quick blueberry sauce instead of the standard maple syrup. I love the idea of keeping buttermilk powder in the fridge so that I can make these pancakes at any time. 

I frequently enjoy a bowl of warming porridge in the winter, so I’m intrigued by this baked oat dish. Oats, egg and yogurt are mixed (with some added baking powder), and baked into a sort of breakfast cake, with fruit added for sweetness and toasted almonds for a nutty crunch. 

A lovely idea of a sort of breakfast crumble. Apples and pears are sliced and layered in a dish, then covered with an oat and flour crumble mixture; everything is then baked. Walnuts also go into the mix for flavour and crunch

Another American breakfast, this time from the South. Biscuits aren’t what we would call a biscuit, but more of a traybake cake, made with buttermilk, flour, egg, and raising agents. This is then topped with a sausage gravy, to make a filling and rich savoury treat.

Time for a baked egg recipe. The combination of baked tomatoes and eggs is a staple in many cuisines for a good reason: it’s delicious. And whether they’re huevos rancheros, Turkish menemen, or as here shakshuka, it’s a great way of serving a tasty egg dish that can feed the whole family. 

More pancakes because, well, pancakes. Vegan, this time, and made with spelt flour for a nutty flavour, to which coconut sugar and vanilla essence is also added. Served here with blood oranges, but out of season she suggests using regular oranges as a substitute. 

This easy black and blueberry baked oatmeal recipe is a healthy breakfast to make ahead & enjoy throughout the week, or perfect to feed a crowd at brunch, and looks super with the dark blueberries and blackberries. 

The first example of French toast in this selection, but it’s quite the example. This is a properly indulgent recipe, with a banana filling and brown sugar and cinnamon topping. Definitely at the very sweet end of the spectrum, to be enjoyed in very occasional moderation.

Helen Best-Shaw, is a freelance food & travel writer, recipe developer & photographer. She has been blogging at Fuss Free Flavours for over 10 years. 

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