Two brunch recipes from new cookbook that will make your weekend

Nicola Halloran from the well known blog “The Wonky Spatula” has just published a wonderful new cookery book under the same name. She has always been passionate about teaching people how to feed themselves healthy, wholesome and nutritious food and so she set about providing simple step by step recipes to help followers make healthy choices without making them feel like you are on a diet.

Her debut cookbook The Wonky Spatula: Cook Healthy, Live Happy, is out now and it's wonderful. 

Written in a wonderfully accessible way, The Wonky Spatula: Cook Healthy, Live Happy is packed full of 100+ easy-to-follow recipes that pack a serious punch in the flavour department, to inspire readers to break off the shackles, get into the kitchen and start cooking. With many of the recipes taking under 30 minutes, this book is perfect for those who struggle to find the time to cook healthy and nutritious meals.

Whether you’re a seasoned cook or have never boiled an egg, The Wonky Spatula will take you on a journey to find the perfect balance, leaving you feeling energised, healthy and ready to take on anything that life throws at you. It’s a wonderful cookery book and it should be on your wish list for Christmas.   

To give you a taste of Nicola’s new book, we are sharing two brunch recipes from the book here.

Brunch Bowl

This recipe was inspired by a breakfast I had on a trip to London, we stopped off in Balthazar’s and I had their breakfast salad. It was absolutely stunning and led to the inspiration for this Brunch Bowl which has fast become one of my staple late Saturday morning meals.

Serves: 1

1 large handful of mixed leaves

45g quinoa, cooked

50g bacon lardons

1 large handful of baby kale

1 large handful of baby spinach

8–10 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

¼ – ½ tsp Tabasco sauce

1 egg

¼ avocado, diced

½ tsp coconut oil

To garnish: 1 tsp pumpkin seeds, ½ tsp flaxseeds, ½ tsp linseeds.

Method:

1. Add the lardons to a dry cold pan and begin to cook over a high heat.

2. Once the lardons are fully cooked and nice and crispy, add the quinoa to the pan and stir well, cook for 2–3 minutes until the quinoa has begun to heat up.

3. Next, add the tomatoes, spinach, kale and Tabasco and mix thoroughly.

4. Reduce the heat and cook for 3–4 minutes until the tomatoes are cooked through and the spinach and kale are nicely wilted.

5. In the meantime, heat another pan with some coconut oil and fry the egg to your liking.

6. Finally, in a large bowl place the mixed leaves in the bottom, place the quinoa mix on top followed by the avocado and fried egg, finish by sprinkling over the seeds, some salt and cracked black pepper. Serve and enjoy!

Chicken Zoodle Soup

This recipe is one of my favourite things to race home to, grab a big woolly blanket and cosy up on the couch with during colder months. Prepare the broth ahead of time and add in your zoodles as needed, for comfort in a bowl any time of the day!

Serves: 3–4

For the broth:

3 chicken thighs, skinned

¾ of a carrot, peeled and chopped

1 small onion, peeled and chopped

2 stalks of celery, roughly chopped

1 handful of fresh parsley

1 handful of fresh thyme

2 cups of water – just enough to cover the vegetables

Coarse sea salt and cracked black pepper

For the zoodles:

¼ of a carrot, peeled

½ a sweet potato, peeled

2 large courgettes / zucchinis

All spiralized!

Small handful of fresh coriander to garnish

Method:

1. Add all of the broth ingredients to a large pot and season well.

2. Bring to the boil over a high heat, reduce the heat and simmer for 30–40 minutes with the lid on, until the chicken has cooked through.

3. Once the broth has finished cooking, remove the chicken and set aside, before straining the remainder of the mixture and discarding the vegetables.

4. Bring the broth to the boil and simmer for a further 5–10 minutes to enhance the flavour.

5. Once you are ready to serve your soup, tear the chicken away from the bones, add into the broth and simmer for 5 minutes.

6. Add the carrot and sweet potato and simmer for a further 5 minutes.

7. Turn off the hob, add the zoodles and leave to stand for 3–5 minutes with the lid on.

8. Garnish with coriander and enjoy snuggled up on the couch with a woolly blanket!

You can visit her blog here or order her book here.

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