Back, with breakfast!

Why hello there! 

I've been missing from here for a while now and I'm sorry!

Don't worry though, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth and I'm not dead - I've just been veeery busy. 

I was recently reminded that I need to spend more time with my loved ones as well as helping them out wherever possible.

My sister had an almost one month stint in the hospital (and was even interviewed by Kyle and Jackie O)

and I became the stand-in mum - washing/cooking/cleaning/you name it - as well as trying to be at the hospital as much as I possibly could.

Because of that (and my incredible boyfriend coming for Christmas) I decided to take December off completely. 

No work, no blogging, no plans.

It's been incredible to relax and spend some serious quality time with my family 

but I've been getting a little restless (and it wasn't ants in my pants!) and feeling the need to be productive once again - SO I'M BACK!

So for my first blog post of 2012, I wanted to share my favourite breakfast with you. 

It's gluten free, DELICIOUS!, super easy and perfect for weekends or that special treat.

It can also be made in advance and frozen so you can have a yummy baked breakfast any day of the week!

Banana Buckwheat Bake

gluten free, can be vegan, can be eggless and totally personalisable.

Adapted from Ashley @ The Edible Perspective 

1/4 cup buckwheat flour

1 tbsp Buckwheat groats (see notes) 

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp Milk (whatever you like)

1 medium banana

1 egg/1 chia/flax egg/egg replacer (see notes)

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

pinch of salt

Optional: spices/chocolate chips/cocoa powder/fresh fruit/dried fruit/nuts/whatever you fancy

Preheat oven to 190*C. 

Mash 3/4 of the banana, leaving 1/4 aside to slice and add to the top - Mix in milk and vanilla. 

Add buckwheat flour, groats, baking powder, baking soda and salt to wet ingredients and mix until combined.

Pour mix into a non-stick baking pan (single serve), slightly greased ramekin or muffin cups. 

Top bake with banana slices and bake for 30-40 minutes until cooked through.

Then add whatever toppings you desire - I love adding nut butter, cream cheese, yogurt or fresh fruit - it's up to you!

Make sure you view my new blog, Southern In-Law for lots of delicious healthy recipes

Notes: 

Buckwheat flour is readily available at supermarkets as well as health food stores, or you can grind your own from raw buckwheat groats/kernels

Raw buckwheat groats are also readily available at supermarkets/health food stores. Sometimes you'll find them labelled as "buckwheat kernels" or "buckwheat grain" - just make sure you get the RAW version not the toasted kind. 

Chia/flax egg - Whisk 1 tablespoon chia seed/bran or ground flaxseed and 2 tbsp warm water until it "gels" and has an egg-like consistency.

If you like things sweet add in some maple syrup/honey/sugar to your tastes

If you don't have buckwheat it works fine with oats - just use oat flour (ground from oats) and whole rolled oats instead of the buckwheat flour/groats. 

So there you have it! The best breakfast you will ever make!

But do tell me, 

How was your holidays?

and What's your ultimate breakfast?  
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Is that it?

Are the holidays really over already? 

Christmas and New Years seem to have flown by me

and now they're gone for another year. 

Yesterday we took down all our christmas decorations.

Does anyone elses house feel a little bit duller as soon as the decorations come down?

My loungeroom looks bare without our ginormous 7ft tall christmas tree taking up a huge chunk of the room.

Christmas is definitely my most favourite time of the year,

even moreso than my birthday!

I love being around family and friends,

having excuses to spend hours in the kitchen whipping up desserts or holiday meals

and Christmassy plates, bowls and cups make my meals even better!

But that's okay, 

once one Christmas passes it means I have a whole year to plan for the next! 

and you can guarentee that's what I'll be doing. 

So tell me, 

How was your Christmas and New Years?

and does your house feel empty once the decorations come down?  

Turning over a new leaf

First off, may I just say...

HAPPY NEW YEAR! :)

2010 is now in the past and we're just starting out a new year.

For me 2011 brings a fresh start, a new perspective, change.

No longer am I dreading the start of the new school year

or starting to write lists of all the books, pens and tools I'll need for the year ahead.

Hey, I won't even have to go looking for the calculator I always seemed to lose! 

A new year is also a time for many to come up with lists of resolutions for the year ahead, but not me!  

How many people actually keep their new years resolutions?

Sure, I could say "This year - I want to practice yoga every single day" but I know that will never happen,

because I'd soon tire of it.

I'd much rather have a goal, a broad goal at that - but a goal all the same.

This year, my goal is to embrace the new year and whatever comes with it. 

So starting from today, I'm turning over a new leaf and starting fresh in the hopes that this year will have a lot in store!

But do tell me,

What are your hopes for this new year?

and do you make new years resolutions?