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Sweet corn polenta with crispy bacon

Sweet corn polenta with crispy bacon

I've been playing around with a few unique takes on breakfast. I've been wanting to mix things up and keep it fresh whilst still keeping it on the healthier side. I've used polenta as it reminds me of porridge. Maize is packed with energy and the parmesan and bacon topping will leave you in taste heaven! It's quick and easy to make and a wonderful recipe with this cooler weather as it is a very comforting dish! If you want to adapt it to vegan skip the cheese and bacon and add avocado and some crunchy greens like rocket! Start to play with the flavours and trust your palette and body when it comes to food. Life is too short to not enjoy flavours or feel bad after food. Some people enjoy meat for example where as others feel sluggish after eating it. For what ever the reason, make it yours! -Enjoy! 

*Serves 2

Ingredients:

  • 200g streaky bacon
  • 1 sweetcorn
  • ½ cup polenta
  • 2 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large spring onion
  • parmesan

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 200°C.

In a roasting tray lay the streaky bacon flat except for three pieces.

Pop your bacon into the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes. Keep and eye on it and make it as crispy as you like. 

Finely dice your remaining bacon pieces.

In a small frying pan over a medium heat add your bacon bits and fry until crispy. Set aside.

Meanwhile, remove the sweet corn kernels off the cob.

In a medium pot, over a medium heat add two cups of vegetable stock and teaspoon of salt.

Bring the water to a boil, turn down temperature and reduce to a simmer.

Slowly add your polenta while whisking continuously.

Whisk the polenta until it is all incorporated and there are no lumps. About five minutes. Add the sweetcorn to the polenta and continue whisking.

If your polenta gets a little dry, feed it with a small amount of hot water.

Your total cook time for the polenta is ten minutes.

Finely slice the spring onions.

For the last two minutes of the bacon being in the oven, turn the grill on to crisp it up.

Add the polenta to a serving bowl. Top with bacon, spring onion and parmesan shavings.

Option to add rocket if you are wanting to add more greens or top it with a poached egg! 

-Melissa 

Squash Blossom Frittata

Squash Blossom Frittata

Don't you find conventional breakfasts a little boring? I am going through this phase where I just simply cannot stomach the standard bacon and eggs. I mean, its the most important meal of the day so shouldn't we give it a unique twist where ever we can? 

As my Saturday morning ritual goes I was at the market and found these awesome squash blossoms. I wanted to do the usual, exceptionally delicious version where you stuff them and fry them (which might happen after another visit to the market). However, this time I wanted to do a take on a breakfast classic. 

A frittata is an Italian dish of whisked eggs that have been baked, sort of like a Spanish omelette. Squash blossoms have this sweetness to them which is simply divine. I loved pairing it with the creaminess of the ricotta, which I also got at the market. Organic food simply tastes better, and when I married the two with farm fresh eggs this beautiful dish was born. It is as tasty to eat as it is to look at. The great thing with a frittata is that you aren't limited to the vegetables and meats you would like to put in. If the combos work in an omelette, they will work in a frittata. So give it a try next time you want to make your breakfast a little more interesting. 

Ingredients: 

1 tablespoon coconut oil
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
4 spring onion chopped
1 leek, washed and chopped
12 fresh eggs, whisked
15-20 squash blossoms
150g fresh ricotta
2 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper 

Instructions: 

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius 

Cut the stems off the squash blossoms and give them a good shake upside down to remove any bugs. Use your fingers to remove the pistils inside. 

In a medium oven-proof skillet over a medium heat add the coconut oil and onion. Fry until translucent. Add the garlic, spring onion and leek. Fry for a further 5 minutes or until soft. Turn down the heat. 

Pour in the eggs and let cook for 1 minute. Add the squash blossoms and ricotta. Making sure space is filled in the pan! I use this as a moment to make my food pretty! Because why not! 
Season the dish to your liking and pop in in the oven for 7 minutes or until the egg has cooked. When ready remove from the oven and cover with butter. 

You can serve this dish hot or cold and it keeps wonderfully in the fridge for those of you who food prep for the week! 

-Melissa