Big B...

Watched an eye-opener programme few days back, The River Cottage! There’s nothing new to most of us, but it hit me hard. It’s about the Big B. No...no...it’s not the legendary Bollywood heartthrob!

It’s BREAKFAST! Yes, you heard me right.

Breakfast to me (on a weekday) is a sip of warm plain water. Breakfast to my two teens is half a mug of warm choc drink. And, breakfast to my the other half is a mugful of oat drink.

In the programme, which featured largely English-style breakfast, the chef encouraged his viewer to “think outside the cereal box”! It’s not only catchy but inviting and challenging at the same time.

Cereal is no doubt the number one food on the breakfast table. Slothful moms would more often than not resort to the magic box, CEREAL when preparing for their kids’ breakfast. I used to be in this dreadful list. Believe it or not, cereal emerged the most popular food in the Brits kids’ breakfast list!

The industrious chef introduced the young school kids a very nutritious and super easy way to prepare food for breakfast. They were none other than pancakes and drop scones.

The show struck my innermost. It reminded me of my long-overdue motherly duty; of how I've shied away from preparing the most important meal of the day for my love ones. I’ve taken things for granted. I assumed that they would be fine of having breakfast at school and workplace; and they confirmed it. They (especially the kids) couldn't stomach any solid food before nine!

It’s never too late to start over, right? I've gathered a few simple yet nutritious recipes for breakfast. Let’s see...mmmm ....

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Fueling My Kids...

Early this month, my son made 'a great request'. Not to worry. He didn't ask for the stars. He didn't demand an iPad neither asking for iPhone! Nonetheless, his request left the mother in me smiling for the rest of the day.

Ok! Ok! Don't fret.
My son wanted me to make him breakfast. Normally, he would gulp down a glass of milk. As he's going to sit for major public examination soon, he realised the need to be fully fueled before going through along day at school. But, he only fancies rice, nothing else but rice.

Almost two weeks into the big breakfast morning, I'm happy to say that I've so far kept to that goal. However, I'm not so happy to say that I'm running out of one-plate rice dish recipes.

Thanks to UcancookThai. I discovered this wonderful recipe, Shrimp Paste Fried Rice. This nutritious one-plate dish recipe could be whipped up in less than 15 minutes if the required ingredients were prepared the previous night. Suit always-rushing working moms like me perfectly well.

Ingredients
4 cups cooked rice
1 Tbsp shrimp paste
4-5 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Ingredients for side serving
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp thin soy sauce
1 Granny Smith Apple
3 shallots
1/4 cup dried shrimps
2 fresh chillies
1 lime
200 g. long green beans


Preparation
1. Peel garlic, wash dirt, and mince. Heat oil in a wok on medium-high heat, when oil is hot, add garlic and fry until fragrant.
2. Add shrimp paste, stir well until shrimp paste is soften, then add cooked rice.
3. Stir to mix thoroughly, then remove from heat.

Preparation for side serving: Thin Sliced Fried Egg
1. Beat eggs, add thin soy sauce, and mix well. Heat oil about 1/2 Tbsp in a wok on high heat. When oil is hot, spread the oil, pour the egg, and spread it in a thin layer over the wok.
2. When the egg set well, roll up, and remove from the wok.
3. Cut cooked egg into thin slices and place on a plate.

Vegetables
1. Peel shallots and remove chillie stems, wash dirt, and pat dry. Thinly slice shallots, slice chillies, and cut lime into pieces.
2. Wash apple and long green bean. Peel apple skin, thinly slice, and shred. Soak in cold salted water (mix 1/2 tsp salt and 2 cups cold water) for 5 minutes to prevent oxidation. Drain, rinse in cold water, pat dry and set aside.
3. Slice long green bean into small pieces and place on a plate with other side ingredients.

Serving
Put shrimp paste fried rice on a plate, place thin sliced fried egg, fried dried shrimp, shredded apple, thin sliced shallot, slice long green bean, sliced chillies and a wedge of lime around the rice. Serve immediately.