Breakfast in a Jar

Doesn't it look yummy.

On my recces through Pinterest recently I have been finding lots of recipes for meals in jars.  To tell truth  I had not really paid much attention to them beforehand but the more I read the more I take on board the simplicity and thorough preparation involved to give you something good to take to work or to have breakfast already prepared waiting for you when you get up of a morning or to take breakfast with you and eat it on the run. Therefore finding the recipe card for September from Waitrose during my tidying up on the dresser the other day seemed almost serendipitous.  I have tended to collect certain Waitrose recipe cards but I had forgotten about this one.  I normally stuff them into a plastic sleeve in a large Lever Arch file I have but this one was waiting patiently in my basket on one of  my dressers,

I am a big believer in having breakfast.  In reality I do not always manage it but more often than not I have breakfast. It does what it says "breaks-the-fast" and feeds the body when the sugars are low.  I shall when I get my new fridge be making things like this on a regular basis,

What I liked about this one is you prepare it in advance for many of you or prepare four in one hit yes its the same breakfast four days running but if its good and it feeds your body and soul and does it good first thing and its tasty does it really matter.  This is natural unrefined eating at its best.

What also struck me is that with the mixed berries one of which has to be blueberries as they are full of free radicals which help fight of infections, and the cranberry juice  which is also the same and which are really good for you and with the oats which are a natural foodstuff that makes you feel full and natural yogurt which is good for putting a lining on the stomach (essential if you are on long term medication) you really do have breakfast in a jar.

Okay so its not September but you do get mixed fruits all year round and there are other alternatives out there and this recipe is basically another take on a well known "Bircher Muesli" ie oats or muesli with grated apple and soaked in apple juice or fruit juice over night which softens the oats and is something else I do for breakfast every now and then

Ingredients:

175g of either fresh or frozen mixed berries.

1 pear peeled cored and diced

150ml of Cranberry juice

180g Dorset Cereals Raspberry and Blackcurrant Bircher Muesli mix, home made Muesli mix, Granola, whatever floats your boat, or just plain porridge oats.

250g Greek style or home made natural yogurt

Method

Place the berries, pear and juice into a small pan then bring to a gentle bubble/simmer for about 5 minutes or so.  Turn off the heat and leave to cool.  Warming the fruit helps burst the berries to make the juices flow.

Spoon half of the fruit compote between the base of four jars or glasses then scatter over half of the Muesli mix and then spoon over the yogurt.

Scatter over the rest of the muesli mix followed by the remaining compote. Seal the jars or cover with cling film.  Chill overnight stir and serve.

A slight variation in this is to spice up the fruit compote by adding a star anise, cinnamon stick or grated orange zest.  Nice for the autumn months or lovely for Christmas morning.

So there is no excuse not to breakfast now  - its just a matter of getting yourself organised and "your butt in gear".

Catch you later.

Pattypan

x