day 50

Oops I did it again breakfast. Is it just me that struggles to juggle baking and small people? Today I almost ruined a perfectly good batch of coconut and banana bread by forgetting to take it out of the oven after turning the oven off. Somewhat deflating would be understating the effect of that particular oversight on the finished product. Unfortunately I can no longer use the blanket term "baby brain" to explain the absentmindedness, nor the usual sleep deprivation as I only got woken once last night, and that was by the dog. Thankfully although rather moist and now incredibly dense it tastes delicious. Which goes to show that this recipe is as bullet proof as Ramona described. Even after my usual alternate ingredients and health benefit additions. And I like that.


MENU: coconut and banana bread, coffee.

day 49

Green eggs no ham breakfast. Who'd have thought that the one morning this week I actually have time to whip something special up for breakfast I am flat as one of my blueberry pancakes and cannot be assed. Had grand plans for something new from this book (which is excellent by the way). But deflated by news in the morning papers and complete disarray of contemporary Australian politics opted for green eggs. At least it's healthy, unlike the current political landscape.
MENU: poached eggs on spinach and Zeally Bay wholewheat sourdough with avocado, tomato chutney, and chives.

day 48

Catch up breakfast. Pre children I loved nothing better than a long leisurely breakfast with the weekend papers and a couple of cups of coffee. Me and just about every other parent in Melbourne I suspect. Of course these days if I'm lucky if I get to see the paper in short bursts in either the office  or toilet at home. Um hang on that last part might be a little bit of an over share, especially on a food blog but what the hell it's true. Today was a little different in as much as I did get half and hour with the newspapers while one child was napping and the other was busy with his first Kung Fu Panda experience. Shame they were last weeks.
MENU: Blueberry pancakes with butter and honey, coffee, last weeks weekend papers

day 46

Foraged Fair breakfast. Had the good fortune to happen on an wildly unkempt peach tree in the neighborhood as we cruised the back alleys looking for overhang. Usually people around here cover their peaches in net to keep both urban grafters and birds at bay but this one was free!!! I loaded up the bottom of the pram while also being respectful and leaving a good ten or so for the owners and other would be foragers. Unbelievably good, as were the nectarines i'd picked up under similar circumstances a few days earlier. Also tried out rice syrup as a pourable alternative to honey. Perfect viscosity, but a little like pouring liquid malt on your breakfast, SHUDDER. Definitely a cooking only proposition.


MENU: mountain muesli with fresh raspberries, bio dynamic yoghurt, brown rice syrup, poached foraged peaches and nectarines.

day 45

Yawn.
MENU: organic bananas, honey, and tahini on Dench grain sourdough, coffee

day 44

Valentines breakfast for one. So it's back to work today and already I've started with the muffin and coffee take out combo. This time it's from my old high street haunt Palomino on my way back from an 8am doctors appointment for the littlest Larobina. Thankfully he's AOK. As was this breakfast.
MENU: soy latte, ginger and date muffin

Radio killed the video star breakfast. Today's breakfast was eaten in the car on the way to do my monthly craftiverse with my HML partner in crime Ramona on RRR's Grapevine. Did an all nighter with tag team toddler wake ups. Of course, because today I had to be organised and up early. My crafting compadre described this breakfast as sad. Can't say I disagree with her.
MENU: Dench grain sourdough, avocado, coffee;

day 43

Another by request breakfast. Max in mad for these big assed heavy pancakes. I load them up with chia seeds, LSA, buckwheat, banana and blueberries so he get's a helluva health kick while thinking that he's eating something so delicious it must be kind of naughty. Not that I believe in Naughty food - unless of course it starts back chatting me during preparation.
MENU: buckwheat and blueberry pancakes with butter and maple syrup, coffee

day 42

I got nothing breakfast. Drained of all but the energy it took to cook this for breakfast. Desperately hoping that it puts back some of whatever my life is sucking out at the moment.
MENU: Parmesan scrambled eggs on rocket and natural tucker sesame sourdough with chives and tomato chutney.

day 41

Easy being green breakfast. I realised this morning that the likely reason i'm so hung up on breakfast is because it's the only thing I regularly do to please myself. I'm not sure if this is a good or tragic revelation.
MENU: natural tucker sesame sourdough with avocado, Danish feta, parsley and lemon juice. Oh and coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.

day 40

French connection breakfast. So bored with the tiredness of teething, as bored as you are all with reading about it, but at least I know it passes quickly, so we'll all be able to move back to things more interesting like what I watched on the teev while eating soon enough.Yesterday at Finn's check-up the mother-craft nurse said today that ideally there should be no first children only second, because everything is so much easier second time around. I completely concur, but I digress. Back to breakfast - I really wanted something hot and savoury this morning because it was cold (so cold we actually put the heater on to warm up the house, crazy)  but there was only one egg and rubbish packet bread left over from my other half's BLT weekend specials. So what was I to do but turn to french toast. Thankfully we still had a solitary banana doing time in the fruit basket, so I was able to go with the walnut, banana and maple version of french toast which is my new favourite. Without getting all masterchef and talking about the nuts really adding another layer of texture, the nuts really do add another layer of texture to what otherwise can be a bit of a one note dish. especially when you get them coated in a little crunchy burnt brown sugar. Totally satisfying, and almost covered the fact that bread wasn't real.
MENU: cinnamon french toast with fried banana, walnuts and maple syrup, coffee

day 39

Same old same old breakfast. Absolutely Nothing to report.

MENU: poached nectarines, mountain museli, biodynamic yoghurt, rice malt.

day 38

YUM, big protein hit needed to pull through after another long night awake with sick bub. Thank god he's number two because at least I realise that he'll be better soon and all this bleary eyed and blank brain will end. In the meantime better power up the batteries with another oversize coffee. Yes barrista* that will be a triple shot.
MENU: dench light rye sourdough with avocado, poached free range eggs, and chives.
* and when I say Barrista, of course I mean me.

day 37

Trifecta breakfast. Melbourne is currently doing it's best to flummox even the most seasoned of seasonal dressers by turning on a different season each day. As a result everyone in the house is now either sniffling, coughing, sneezing or complaining. Summer colds, such fun. Today's breakfast is making nods to this by including anti-oxidant, cough suppressant, vitamin boosting and indeed stay awake ingredients in an attempt to cover all the bases and keep me upright while the rest of the crew stays cranky and bed bound. Less than convinced it will work but what the hell, anything's worth trying at this point.
MENU: bagels, avocado, coffee, fruit salad of oranges, grapefruit and blueberries.

day 36

Breakfast for two. House husband has man flu and 'could not be disturbed' so Maxwell and I left him and the baby and scooted (literally) down to Foxy Brown for a bit of breakfast for me and morning tea for Max. They do a great granola here that I keep trying to replicate at home, without success. Maybe it's time to just bite the bullet and ask if they'll either give me the recipe or make it up in bags for me to buy in bulk. Super windy and super hot today and Max chose the table right next to the open kitchen so noisy and bacony as well.
MY MENU: granola with berries, pears, yoghurt, coffee.
MAX'S MENU: banana and chocolate muffin, chino and three thomas books.

day 35

Badly Behaved Breakfast. So the result of a lack of sleep turns out to be a lack of respect for the other people I co-habit with. Ouch and apologies to all. Mummy promises to do better tomorrow. The only thing (apart from a mid morning nap) I could think of to right the situation was to go back to basics and the bagel. And you know what, it has perked me up no end. Lucky I bought a six pack.
MENU: Glicks poppy-seed bagel, avocado, Murray pink salt, cherries, coffee.

day 34

Eggs eleven. Thank god a little more sleep, although nowhere near enough. I know all mothers of children under five talk about is sleep or the lack of it but seriously people it's ALL we care about - even if no-one else does. Anyway, yet another three year old request for breakfast "mummy I want to try a lovely egg please" how could I refuse? You can tell I'm sleep deprived because I didn't even twig that this translates to "oh look eggs in the fridge I want one, oh look Thomas is on TV I've forgotten all about eggs and will refuse them as soon as they're on my plate". No matter, at least he used good manners while asking for them.
MENU: cheesy scrambled eggs on Dench grain sourdough with rocket, avocado and tomato chutney.

day 33

Once, twice, three times at breakfast. Things started badly, sick baby, no sleep, big meeting in morning. I could barely open my eyes and stuff something in my mouth before leaving home. Very dissatisfied with my appalling attempt at breaking my fast so decided to try again at breakfast to see if I could manage to fill the enormous void left after the night sitting up in bed comforting snotty son.
MENU: banana, rooibos tea

So over to my favorite creperie for the mushroom crepe and coffee. Good but no cigar, still felt like death and barely coherent. What to do? Why not give it another crack - third times a charm as they say.
MENU: spinach, field mushroom and tallegio crepe, coffee.

So on to breakfast number three at meeting number two at mixed business in Clifton Hill on the way home - and at last we have a winner.  Two more coffees and a coddled egg and I'm finally starting to string a sentence together. Praying to the gods of sleep tonight or people are going to start thinking I'm "Winning".
MENU: coddled egg with silverbeet, Dench sourdough grain bread and something else sprinkled on top which I've forgotten, coffee.

day 32

I'm so bored by this breakfast. chew chew chew.
MENU: yellow poached peaches, mountain muesli, honey yoghurt, soy milk.

day 31

Breakfast by request. Max insisted on pancakes this morning, I happily obliged... after all you know my feelings on maple syrup, its a little like my love of cream, the carrier is just that, a vehicle to justify the consumption of either. This morning I took a leaf out of my clever sister's kid friendly cookbook and added soaked chia seeds and LSA to the batter. Genius, super healthy, great texture and the nutty flavour definitely added something special. I'll be doing that again. I was also well chuffed with the crema on my coffee. All round a top points breakfast.
MENU: super extra banana and blueberry pancakes with maple syrup, coffee

day 30

good scones, good jam, good company... perfect.
MENU: Ramona and Womble scones with Miss Penelope's strawberry jam, lashings of double cream, coffee.

day 29

Better. Yesterday was a HELL DAY, sick as a dog all day looking after both kids in sweltering heat while in-house architect/renovator was under the house re-doing wiring for wall mounting television. First world problems. Thank God mum and dad pitched in to help with the wrangling of kids, the feeding of wires and knocking on floors trying to find said renovator. Today I'm trying out new crockery from my secret store. LOVE the new coffee bowl almost as much as the Mountain Muesli, which I am awarding 3.75 Neil Diamonds. I do believe we have a legitimate fall-back front-runner for the weeks we can't afford the award winning yet budget busting Brookfarm. How excellent, my accountant* will be pleased.
MENU: Aldi Goldenvale Mountain Muesli, organic blueberry yoghurt, dried cranberries, coffee.
*when I say accountant of course I mean the in-house architect/renovator, whose idea of a luxury breakfast is a bowl of Nutrigrain.

day 28

Ewwwwwwww. shiver. groan. I think we all know what this breakfast means. And no it wasn't self inflicted.
MENU: dry crackers, water.

day 27

HOT HOT HOT. BURP! It's a beautiful scorching morning... summer has finally re-arrived and we're all in recovery after the mega feast yesterday. I ate three lots of dessert last night - cheesecake, trifle and chocolate pear cake so really I the last thing I should be doing is carb loading right now. Yet here I am with toast. AGAIN.
MENU: natural tucker sesame sourdough, avocado, coffee.

day 26

bonza, you beaut. Its the highly contentious Australia Day today, which I actually like to call Invasion Day for reasons too obvious to mention. I could go on about the lack of real self reflection and overindulgence of lamb, rhetoric and racism masquerading as national price that has become this day of back slapping but many others have done it much more eloquently than I so I won't. I will however take the goodwill and public holiday and get on with our own now traditional Clarke street BBQ with grace, good humor and an open door policy. There will be lots of un-Australian things like tofu and freekeh alongside the obligatory lamb, so I just need to power up with some coffee and muesli this morning. There will also no doubt also be at least one PAVLOVA which makes everyone happy, even a cantankerous old bird like me.
MENU: Aldi's toasted mountain muesli, fresh white nectarines, bio dynamic honey yoghurt, coffee.

day 25

Today promises to be a pretty weird one, too many mismatched activities (somewhat like this breakfast) and the pressure of getting ready for a big barbie tomorrow. AND MAN ITS HOT! (unlike this breakfast).

MENU: seedless sultana grapes, cherries, old school natural tucker sesame sourdough (remember when they were the only alternative bakery in town), avocado with sumac, and coffee.

day 24

Better late than never. A rare treat, a sleeping baby, an episode of the trip and fresh farm eggs. I saved the last episode of The Trip to watch alone, in the quiet, at my leisure. I often do this, I don't particularly like sharing my favorite 'entertainment' things with others unless they are as maniacally in love with them as I am. Other televisual and filmy things I just like saving. like the last episode of Buffy, which I still haven't watched (sorry Pen I still have the DVDs) and random movies (just as Ramona the list is LOOOOONG) . I don't quite know why I do this but there you have it, another idiosyncratic behavioural twitch outed.
MENU: organic cornbread, scrambled eggs, 'outback tomato' chutney, avocado, orange juice.

day 23

Muesli as metaphor: Watched that new 'highly anticipated comedy' New Girl with Zooey Deschanel last night. I like her and her sister and Bones is definitely a guilty pleasure at ours. But seriously people this was awkwardly un-good. And maybe i'm a cranky old feminist but something was a bit off and I don't just mean the timing. Sure, all the ingredients were there, and it ostensibly was what it said it would be on the packet. But do I want to watch it again. ah no. Just like this muesli. Today is round two and while it improved somewhat with the addition of dried cranberries, IT STILL tastes like a cross between horse feed and cardboard packaging. So it will be straight into the biscuit making barrel for you my inappropriately named friend. And no more New Girl.
MENU: REAL GOOD FOOD muesli, poached white nectarines, dried cranberries, honey yoghurt, soy milk

day 22

Sweltering morning = fruit salad breakfast. You could put toasted coconut on pretty much anything and I'd eat it. Must have been all the toasted marshmallows from Darrel Lea I ate as a child. Anyhoo, no doubt most of today will be spent dodging my garden hose wielding three year old so I'd best power up with a decent breakfast.
MENU: cherries, white nectarines, yellow peaches, flame seedless grapes, toasted shredded coconut, coffee

day 21

Another day another museli, REAL GOOD FOOD wheat free museli. Well if you ask me that title is a little presumptuous - I'll be the judge of whether it is indeed REAL GOOD thank you very much. I meant to pick up the granola version but to my dismay when I got home I realised i'd picked up the oven roasted museli instead. Blerk. Horse food.
MENU: Real Good Food wheat free oven roasted museli, poached yellow peaches and white nectarines, real yoghurt.
RATING: one Neil Diamond - will probably go straight into the biscuit making pile with all the other fails.

day 20

I'm still not convinced muffins are anything but glorified cupcakes, despite knowing the butter vs. oil etc arguments. That said i'm totally into cake for breakfast, especially when it's filled with fresh blueberries. And yes that blue mug is a giant vat of coffee. It was a long night last night. Thank god I woke up early, checked face bag and saw that my friend Peters had posted this. Now I have cake, coffee and the little purple man wiping the floor with his freaky genius. PERFECT start to the day.
MENU: freshly baked blueberry 'muffins', coffee, prince.

day 19

Just peachy. Apologies that was appalling. Haven't had coffee yet so my wit setting hasn't been activated. White peaches are a particular favourite of mine, and in season so i've been eating truckloads. However seeing as we reverted back to winter this morning after the heatwave of the last couple of days (go Melbourne) I decided on poached rather than plain. Which turned out an excellent choice. Totally delicious. Still unsure about the soy yoghurt, I want to like it but it's just not that great. Bit like a Prius really.
MENU: last of the morpeth museli, poached white peaches, soy yoghurt, honey.

day 18

Well I reminded myself today that it is possible to make kick ass vegan* pancakes and still feel like you've eaten a vat of butter. Which is good because the last thing my mid section needs at the moment is a vat of butter.
MENU: vegan whole wheat pancakes with maple glazed bananas, blueberries and coffee.
*I was a vegan for a long time before I met my cheese loving Italian house husband nearly a decade ago. In the spirit of new years resolutions I decided to revisit my vegan cooking exploits as much as possible throughout 2012,  except for the time I tried to make croissants with nuttlex. ahem.

day 17

And the Golden Globe goes to... no surprises there. Or with this breakfast.
MENU: avocado on pane di casa with butter and sumac, soy latte.

day 16

Its now night time, and a long time since I ate what's above. It was hot today. To be honest I cant really recall breakfast much beyond there being screaming kids, the building of a crashing train track in the sand pit and me embarrassingly having to be told I was having a temper tantrum by my 3 year old. Not my fault the stupid bloody stupid shit head bits don't fucking go together properly when they're coated in sand. Oh yes, now its coming back to me that's why I was cranky, I'd made a delicious breakfast but by the time I sat down to eat it it was COLD AGAIN. Thank god the rest of the day went a little smoother.
MENU: Dench multi-grain sourdough, cheesy scrambled eggs with chives from the garden, tomato jam and avocado.

day 15

No excuses, piggy breakfast. The fruit a small nod toward healthy eating but really its all about the maple syrup. As you can see. Excellent text conversation over breakfast re Game of Thrones has left me with this to say: plusses - excellent production values, tip top cast, gorgeous scenery, on the negatives however - clunky dialogue, lame assed lady character development and totally crapola dye jobs. Still I'm watching all of it, and loving it because truth be known I'm never happier than when I'm surrounded by gloomy castles, windy moors, clashing swords and muddy hemlines. There, now it's out.
MENU: banana pancakes with mango, strawberries and maple syrup. LOTS of maple syrup.

day 14

Fibre Plus (no not the cereal although that may get a look in later in the year) to help cleanse away the sins of yesterday. And yes Oops. Its not that I forget to post breakfast yesterday more that I was too busy with small people and flat pack furniture to find a moment to get to the computer. Still I did have breakfast. A make up breakfast if you will. Hopefully I will remember that truckloads of cream, sugar and coffee do not make for a pleasant 'family day' despite how enjoyable their consumption.
MENU: cantaloupe, cherries, sourdough with avocado and sumac.

day 13

Friday the 13th, and yes this breakfast is scary. No amount of fruit, yoghurt and whole grain organic low GI carb can save me now. Lord knows what i'm going to feel like by lunchtime.
MENU: chocolate fairy cakes, coffee

day 12

Last day of relative freedom before the descent into chaos as i'm beset by both boys instead of just one. I'd like to say I was having a breakfast of champions or champignons even. But its museli, fruit and yoghurt again. I still haven't warmed to this Morpeth caper, despite matchings with multiple topping options. And it's too expensive. But I have devised a rating system for my search for the perfect granola. Instead of stars I'll be awarding Neil Diamonds. Why should be obvious.
MENU: poached organic white nectarines, Morpeth museli, bio-dynamic sheeps yoghurt. Nectarines genius, museli -2 1/2 Neil Diamonds.

day 11

Who stole summer? Freezing this morning, hot breakfast called for. Something a little 'gor-mette' as I'll be catching up with Coogan again and watching episode three of The Trip while eating it. I know eating and watching TV is verboten but seriously whoever said that didn't have two children under four to contend with. My life is multi-tasking.
MENU: Brunetti's Casalinga cinnamon french toast with banana, toasted pecans and maple syrup. Ridiculously good.

day 10

Yawn, its 5.30 am and I'm ravenous. Unfortunately the house full of slumbering monsters I co-habit with will no doubt awaken if I get out the pots and pans and start whipping up waffles. Which is what I really feel like eating. Instead I've got a quarter of a cantaloupe and a cup of rooibos tea. At least I've got a good book to read.
MENU: cantaloupe, tea.

day 9

Last night * Jimmy Smits and I snuck off for a joint in the backyard treehouse only to discover that Ron Perlman and Vince Neil had commandeered the clubhouse. Jimmy was even starting to make googly eyes until Marisa Tomei turned up. Marisa bloody Tomei. Ah yes, ahem, I think even Dr's Freud and Jung would chalk that one up to the Roquefort. 

MENU: Faux Bircher Museli with stewed Rhubarb and biodynamic bush honey yoghurt.

* yes people I was dreaming.

day 8

Not exactly what I had planned but after i'd read three Thomas books and built a cubby house come Tidmouth sheds for the 3 yr old my breakfasting window was closing fast. Slightly higher rating for the Morpeth museli today. Got loads of dried cherries in this serve - vast improvement on the last two bowlfulls... we might be onto something here.

MENU: Morpeth Sourdough bakery museli with blueberries and biodynamic bush honey yoghurt. Large soy latte on the side. Bowl from my secret 100 Yen shop.

day 7

Dreamt I was trading quips and googly eyes with Steve Coogan last night. It has left me in a strangely ponderous mood which is not altogether unpleasant. Am thinking that the combination of my school girl desire for out of my league bad boys mixed with the ten Peppa Pig books I had to read the 3 year old last night made for an excellent evenings entertainment.

MENU: avocado bagel with coffee and fresh juice (beetroot, pineapple, pear, orange, carrot, apple) satisfying - although not as much as the dream.

day 6

Much better sleep and much better breakfast! Toddlers request for a Hungry Bears breakfast today and truth be told mama's as well. Feels like a guilty pleasure, but only I can see how much butter is sandwiched between that short stack.
MENU: buckwheat banana and coconut pancakes with butter, maple syrup and strawberries.

day 5

Weird morning, very little sleep last night - seven month old teething. Nuff Said. Sigh. Very early and very little inspiration for creating something both good looking and good for me. Breakfast today is mere fuel. That and the vat of strong coffee that will accompany it. Having another crack at the Morpeth Granola - unconvinced.

MENU: Morpeth Sourdough bakery oven baked mulitgrain museli with cherries, strawberries, blueberries, and organic blueberry yoghurt. It'll do.

day 4

A new day and a new granola. This one served up in a very special black Kris Coad porcelain dish. I am a sucker for a good bowl, I have loads of single bowls I only eat certain things from. For a long time I had a blue Japanese bowl that was my favorite and I ate everything from it. Then I found myself in a new workplace surrounded by kick ass ceramics I clearly couldn't live without. It's a weird obsession i'll grant you.
MENU: Morpeth Sourdough Bakery oven baked berry multigrain museli, with strawberries, blueberries, and biodynamic bush honey yoghurt. Quite good.

day 3

Went scrounging the urban orchards yesterday and found plums, figs and the last of the apricots. We are very lucky to live in such an old school Greek/Italian neighborhood with plenty of well established trees and loads of variety. This year i'm keeping track of who has what and when it's coming into season so I know whose door to knock on come summer!

MENU: Fresh Figs and golden plums followed by organic sourdough with Jarlsburg and tomato.