Sunday Hangover Breakfast - Sweet Oats With Mango & Peach

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Hangover meals may traditionally have been a great big fry-up but that certainly was not what the Frenchmen ordered for breakfast..

I remember only too clearly when my Frenchman had his friends over from France one year.  After a big night out, I suggested that we go out for English Breakfast with tomatoes, mushrooms, a bit of sausage and so on for the next morning.  This suggestion was instantly crushed with disapproval.  'We want sugar,' said the Frenchmen.  'We want croissants and hot chocolate'.  Hmm..

What do you think?  What do you like to eat for breakfast or brunch after an energetic night out?  I usually am consumed with a great need for sustenance to get on with the rest of the weekend.  I think my sweet tooth might request sweet foods.  I love American style pancakes with fruit and maple syrup as a treat.

If you plan to stay in for breakfast and need to put something together within a few minutes that is also heart loving, choose oats with yoghurt and fruit.

This is what I did.

RECIPE

Few tablespoons of jumbo oats*

Few slices of tinned peaches (tinned in juice)

Freshly sliced mango

Teaspoon of strawberry jam (or save this for your toast)

1 - 2 tablespoons of yoghurt 

Skimmed milk

TIP - choose gluten free oats as required.  For a milk and soy free option, skip the yoghurt and use any of the calcium enriched nut flavoured drinks available on the market today.

You can add any fruit you like.  Fresh blueberries or strawberries would be lovely and a sight for sore eyes I am sure.  You may enjoy including at least one choice of tinned fruit in juice as the natural sweetness will stop you reaching for the sugar bowl.

Why this particular choice of meal you ask?

POTASSIUM

Fruit is abundant in potassium which is an important mineral in heart health.  It may have a role in regulating blood pressure.

ANTIOXIDANTS

Fruit is also abundant in antioxidants such as vitamin C, polyphenols and others.  Don't forget that vitamin C has a role in maintaining healthy skin.  You will definitely want to bear this in mind when selecting your breakfast, as alcohol can have 'dehydrating' effects on skin.  Alongside your bowl of superfoods, do reach for that glass of water too.

FIBRE

Oats are a wonderful source of fibre.  My favourite brand MornflakeGold Scottish Jumbo oats provide an impressive 10.8g per 100g.  Why the fuss with fibre?  Besides relieving symptoms of constipation, the fibre in oats help release its energy slowly thus improving the glycaemic index score of your meal.  More excellent news is that oats have been quoted to play a beneficial role in reducing total blood cholesterol levels.

Did you know that a 45g serving of this particular brand would give you nearly 5g of fibre? What a healthy start to your day!

So here we go, this elegant bowl is absolutely heart loving after a fun night out.  It is full of calcium for healthy bones as well as potassium, antioxidants and fibre for a healthy gut, skin, hair and heart.  

Go on, reach for the hearty bowl..

What do you like to eat after a big night out?  Do comment below lovely readers, I do love hearing from you!

Health Benefits Of Soy Products & Satay Tofu In Chilli Shrimp Recipe

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Tofu is one of my favourite things in the world.  This is an excellent vegetarian meat alternative and is incredibly easy to prepare if you find yourself cooking for one.  When your other half is painting the town red this weekend, use this opportunity to fill up on isoflavones.  To find out the nutritional properties and health benefits, read below.

ISOFLAVONES

So what are isoflavones?  They are a type of ‘plant’ phytoestrogen resembling the chemical structure of human estrogen.  Their predominant role is in the activation of estrogen receptors.  They display anti-inflammatory activity and therefore may play a role in the prevention of metabolic syndrome, atherosclerosis and various other inflammatory diseases, as quoted in Nutrients in 2010. 

Isoflavones can be found in soy products but also in chickpeas and other legumes.

MENOPAUSE

If you are thinking tofu is ‘boring’ think again.  This soy based food is prepared from mashed soy beans.  It is a great source of protein, containing calcium and iron.  Soy products have been quoted to improve menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes but the evidence is not concrete in this area. 

HEART HEALTH

Soy isoflavones have been reported to significantly improve your cholesterol profile by reducing LDL cholesterol as reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.  Reductions in cholesterol were larger in those with very high cholesterol levels compared to individuals with a normal cholesterol profile.

CANCER

Soy isoflavone consumption may protect against breast cancer, but this area is highly controversial. 

For the rest of you who just like tofu here’s a quick and tasty recipe if you are cooking for one. This makes a large portion and is perfect if it’s end of the week and your fridge is looking a little bit bare.

Ingredients

300g firm tofu, cut into rectangles

1 red or green bell pepper (capsicum)

2 tablespoons satay sauce

1 tablespoon crispy prawn chilli

2 galangal pieces

2 – 3 kaffir leaves, crushed

1 teaspoon dried lemon grass

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

2 – 3 teaspoons water

100g rice noodle, boiled

Methods

Heat a large non-stick saucepan and place the tofu pieces turning occasionally to ensure that it gets browned.  Check and turn often or it may stick to the pan.  Do not add oil as the aim is to try and remove as much moisture from the tofu as possible.  After a couple of minutes, also add capsicum pieces to the pan. 

Once the tofu is almost brown, coat evenly with the satay sauce and crispy prawn chilli pieces.  Do this gently whilst it is in the pan.  Add the galangal pieces, crushed kaffir leaves and lemon grass, along with a few teaspoons of water.  Cook for a further 10 minutes, stirring without breaking up the tofu.  Finally add the rice noodles and ensure that this is coated with the spicy satay sauce. 

Variation – For a vegetarian option, do not use the chilli shrimp.  You can also add pineapple pieces to balance the heat from the chilli shrimp.

This recipe is milk, egg and wheat free.

How do you enjoy tofu lovely readers?  Please comment below, I love hearing from you.

If you enjoyed reading the nutrition facts or the recipe above, please SHARE this article.  Tweet or LIKE on facebook.