Wheat Bran Morning Cakes with Pears

Quick breakfast cakes are made from the same type of batter as muffins. They share the same uneven, sometimes cake-like crumb. They are breads we fill with nuts and cranberries at Christmas, pumpkin puree near Thanksgiving, and zucchini at summer's end when garden is overrun with the squash.

Full of the goodness of wheat, these wholesome, hearty morning cakes taste wonderful on their own, yet are made even better by stirring a handful of pumpkin seeds and the poached pears into the batter.

Banana Oat Bran Muffins with Flax, Sesame Seeds

Line a basket or pretty dish with a gingham napkin and fill with muffins-hot, tender, and a little sweet. Breakfast is a delicious meal and muffins are one of the best things about it.

Oat Bran Pancake Cake with Mushroom Caviar

These oat bran pancakes are often served with caviar and sour cream in our house. Here is a vegetarian savory alternative that uses a selection of delicious mushrooms in place of fish roe. The pancakes can be made ahead of time and warmed in the oven before topping. Perfect for lunch with fresh salad.

Rolled Dill Frittatine with Mushroom Ricotta

Note: Make Rolled Dill Frittatine with Mushroom Ricotta up to one day in advance. Refrigerate. Slice up up to 1 hour before serving.

Use fresh seasonal ingredients, organic eggs and have fun if you are cooking for a party!

Ingredients:

For the frittatine:

• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 Tbsp. Wheat Bran
• 1 Tbsp. yogurt  (or heavy cream if you don't mmd some rich version)
• 1 Tbsp. fresh dill, finely chopped
• ground nutmeg to taste
• salt and fresh ground pepper
• 1 tsp olive oil for pan

For the filling:

• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 cup mushrooms, chopped
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• oil for pan
• salt and fresh ground pepper

Directions:

Beat eggs, yogurt or cream, wheat Bran, fresh dill, nutmeg, salt, and pepper until combined. Heat the olive oil in pan over medium heat. Pour of egg mixture. Cook until golden and set on both sides, 5 minutes in total. Slide frittatine from pan on to kitchen paper to drain. Let it cool.  

Meanwhile, in a large skillet sauté the onion and mushrooms in the little oil until golden, about 5-7 minutes.  Combine together ricotta, mushroom mix, salt and pepper to taste. Spread cooled frittatina evenly with the filling to within 1/2in of edges. Roll up. Wrap in plastic wrap, twisting the ends to secure. Refrigerate for about one hour. With a serrated knife, trim the ends. Cut frittatina into 7-8 slices. Discard the plastic wrap after slicing. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Oat Bran Bread with Onions, Mushrooms, Dill and Coriander Seeds

Ingredients:

• 10 Tbsp. oat bran
• 6 Tbsp. wheat bran
• 6 Tbsp. fat free fromage frais or philly, room temp
• 4 eggs, room temp
• 1 packet of fast rise yeast
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 cup mushrooms of your taste, chopped (I used Chanterelles)
• 1 tsp fresh dill
• 1/2 tsp olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Meanwhile, in a ovenproof sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm  the olive oil. When the oil is hot, put chopped onion, mushrooms and sprinkle with the fresh dill. Cook until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes.

In the large bowl mix all the ingredients together with mushroom mixture. Leave it to to rise a little for about 20 minutes.

Pour mixture into a loaf pan (or two slam ones), sprinkle with seeds (sometimes I leave the batter on top of the stove for about half an hour to rise a little in the pan one more time, it makes the bread a little lighter in texture). Bake it for about 25-30 minutes until the bread is brown. Check doneness by inserting a skewer which should come out dry. Take out of the pan straight away and leave to cool on a rack.