Three Easy Brunch Ideas

I love brunch. It really has to be my favourite meals of the day. Many times, I have woken from a food related dream (sad, I know) and instantly know what I feel like eating and how experimental I want to be. Other lazy weekends, I have sat about in bed mentally running a list in my head of what ingredients I have to work with. Pancakes are an obvious weekend treat, and my mother has always told me the results are much better if you are prepared and make the batter the night before and let the gluten relax overnight. I, of course, have never been this organised, but one can set herself goals!

I was given a blender and food processor for Christmas and I cannot live without them! A blender makes smoothies in an instant, and I always make sure I have frozen bananas or mangoes waiting in the freezer. I have experimented with various fruit but our verdict is the simpler, the better. We like ours dead simple: 1 diced banana (either fresh or frozen), a squirt of honey or agave nectar, cinnamon and milk or soy milk. You can also add in a tablespoon or two of peanut butter, or my personal favourite: speculoos paste, with a sprinkle of mixed spice.

My boyfriend is very skeptical when I tell him he is eating something vegan, so now I don't reveal my kitchen secrets. A couple of years ago, I was very excited to buy a copy of Vegan Brunch as soon as I could get my hands on one. Isa is one of my favourite cookbook authors and I would definitely recommend you invest in all her books! I love her recipe for Brazilian French toast. Creamy banana and soy milk and mixed with other ingredients and soaked into stale bread, and with a sprinkle of cocoa powder you have yourselves a delectable treat so indulgant that you won't even miss the eggs.

Green Tea Pancakes

So the weather is total craphouse in Wellington right now and Winter is not even here yet. What's with everyone saying how warm it is? My scarf is permanently glued to my neck! I wish I was back in Thailand. But more realistically, I wish I could stay at home and eat breakfast in bed instead of traipsing about in the early morning frost and waiting for a bus that is always late. Sigh.

This recipe is adapted from one I found online, I can't remember where exactly cos I scribbled it down in my notebook, so if it's yours.. uh, thanks? The amount of soymilk depends on how thick you like you pancakes. Actually, pancakes in New Zealand are along the lines of thick crepes, so I think these are more like hot cakes or large pikelets.

GREEN TEA PANCAKES

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp Matcha powder

2 cups soy milk

1 Tbsp oil

Sift all dry ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. Add wet ingredients and mix just to combine.. a few lumps are okay.

Heat a non-stick frypan on medium heat and pour on a blob of oil. When hot, use a large spoon to make the pancakes in a circular motion or else the pancakes will get too thick in the middle and won't cook evenly, and no one likes a soggy pancake. When bubbles start to appear on the surface, use a spatula to check the bottom is nicely browned and flip. I think it's common for the first pancake to be a disaster, so if yours tanks, don't be discouraged. Sometimes it helps to re-oil mid flip.

Serve with a nice glug of maple syrup.

Serves 1-2