The Ultimate Chilli Smoked Salmon and Egg Bagel

When it comes to breakfast and setting yourself up for the day there is no better feeling than getting a bit adventurous in the kitchen. Working Monday to Friday with having my breakfast prepped the night before means that the variation and creativity isn’t really apparent on my weekday's. But when the weekend comes around, things get serious and my innovation cap goes on. I am always on the look out on social media and my favourite health blogs for something I can dish up which doesn’t take a lot of time and which requires ingredients which I have on hand. What I love about researching and creating recipes is the fact that I can switch things up and play around with what I have at home.

Every few weeks we get treated by my grandparents to fresh smoked salmon. So when I have that on hand, everyone in the house knows that it's bagel stacking time. I absolutely love having my Country Kitchens Bagel Slims, I have always loved having bagels since I was a child. These bagels are perfect for breakfast or even lunch as they are still very filling yet don’t leave you feeling bloated or uncomfortable. These bagels are not as thick and dense as a regular bagel, they are multi-seeded so they are a great source of healthy fats.

Now let's talk stacking! The only way to truly devour a delicious bagel is to begin with stacking your beautifully prepared ingredients. This is by far my favourite bagel combination as of late. This breakfast creation contains all three macro nutrients such as carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats.

Button mushrooms are the most used and known mushrooms which are consumed daily all over the world. Referred to as the Agaricus bisporus mushrooms or 'nature's nutritional supplement'. These mushrooms are loaded with the nutrients needed by our bodies for energy and repairing cells. Mushrooms have been linked with improving our immune system within improving circulation and fighting off infections. They are also said to help with the prevention of cancerous cells forming in our bodies. Tomatoes are loaded with vitamins and minerals and are well known for good stomach health and reducing blood pressure. Tomatoes are rich in antioxidants and aid with protecting the kidneys and detoxifying the body naturally. Smoked Salmon is a great source of protein, with over 15 grams in each 3 oz serving size. It is a great source of vitamin B and vitamin D which us Irish lack a lot of since we aren't in contact with much sunlight. Smoked salmon contains healthy fats such as omega 3 fatty acids which are great for healthy skin, hair and brain function. Double the protein kick with Eggs, eggs are a great source of high quality protein which 50% comes from the egg white along with vitamin B2. The egg white which is also rich in minerals such as zinc, iron and copper. Eggs are known as the ‘complete’ source of protein as they contain all eight of the essential amino acids. Chilli is great for not only adding a bit of flavour and heat but it also has great nutritional benefits. They are a great source of vitamin A,B which reduces high homocysteine level, C which reduces the risk of colon cancer and E. They are also known for improving your metabolism and help with reducing the risk of heart disease.

Ingredients

1 Country Kitchen Multi-seeded Bagel Slim(Tesco)

Handful Button Mushrooms(Lidl)

Handful of Cherry Tomatoes(Lidl)

Smoked Salmon

Poached Egg(Lidl)

Lidl Jalapeno Tomato Relish(Lidl)

Method

1. Boil up water in a small saucepan. You know the water is hot enough when little bubbles begin to form along the edge of the saucepan.
2. Sliced the button mushrooms, chop the cherry tomatoes in half and place on a small frying plan. I don’t use any oil as I find the water content from the mushrooms and the juice from the tomatoes give enough moisture to the pan.
3. When bubbles start to form in the saucepan then swirl the water with your spoon and gently crack the egg into the swirling water. (The yolk should be soft to the touch)
4. Toast up bagel(These bagels don't need as much time as regular bagels).
5. While everything is cooking, prep your smoked salmon for layering.
6. When everything is ready, lay out toasted slim bagel on your plate, first layer is your mushrooms followed by your tomatoes, smoked salmon and then your perfectly poached egg.
7. I also like to top mine with the Lidl Jalapeno Tomato relish and some chilli flakes. Now enjoy cutting into that perfectly poached egg.

I hope ye all enjoyed this healthy and delicious breakfast recipe post,

I know I enjoyed creating and eating it!

Love Rouxella x

Chilli and Herb Sweet Potato Fries

So here I am with another delicious and nutritious recipe post. Since the end of last year I have been obsessed with making sweet potato fries. It took me forever to get this recipe just right, and when I say forever. I literally mean months to figure out how to get that crunchy and crispy outside. There is nothing worse than having soggy sweet potato fries. There has been various failed attempts with trying different recipes, prepping techniques and cooking methods. I finally found the PERFECT way to not only prep but cook my sweet potato fries. Being honest, I call them fries but they are really chunks. This recipe is so easy and literally takes two minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook. All to get that real ‘crispy’ outer layer.

And just wait till I tell you the biggest secret of all. Are you ready for the shocker? There is NO OIL needed. No vegetable oil, no coconut oil.. nothing. So for anyone that tells you that you need oil to get that crispy outer layer and the soft inside just show them this post. Now having said that, this doesn’t mean I have anything against using coconut oil, I absolutely love using coconut oil and I use it in both sweet and savoury recipes. You can adapt this recipe like all my other recipes to your own preference and taste. As you know me by now, I absolutely love my spice and chilli kick. Every meal I prep has always got to have a bit of spice.

There are huge benefits when it comes to adding sweet potatoes into your diet. One medium sweet potato will provide you with 4 times the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A. Sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin C which is great for fighting off flu’s and common colds, as well as vitamin B6 which is linked to reducing the risk of heart disease. They are a great source of vitamin D which us irish are very deprived of, therefore many of us get it from supplements. Because we lack that source of vitamin D from the sun it is very important that our main source of vitamin D is from the foods we eat. Vitamin D helps with restoring energy levels as it has a lower sugar spike compared to a normal white potato and helps with keeping our bones and teeth healthy and strong. Sweet potatoes are a great source of good carbohydrates which won't leave you feeling bloated and tired as they are not full of starch and are great source of fibre with 7g per serving.

Ingredients

One medium sweet potato

2 tbsp Mixed Herbs

2 tbsp Chilli Flakes

1 tbsp Chilli Powder/Paprika

Method

1.Start off by giving your sweet potato a quick rinse and dry the skin with some kitchen paper. You want the skin to be fully dry before cutting.

2.Cut your sweet potato into the shape you desire(leaving the skin on), I find that cutting them into thick chunks work best for that crispy outer layer and it allows them to bake more consistently.

3.Place on a tray lined with parchment paper/ baking paper and cover with the paprika/chilli powder, mixed herbs and finally the chilli flakes. You want to make sure that all sides of the sweet potato fries are covered to get the most out of the flavour of the spices.

4.Place in a preheated oven at 180/190 degrees. After 20 minutes you will need to turn over your sweet potato fries and allow them to bake for another 10-15 minutes.

5.You will know when they are baked perfectly when they turn a golden brown shade and are crispy on the outside and soft in the middle.

6.Serve up and enjoy! I love pairing my sweet potato fries with a nicely cooked steak or even topped with a chilli con carne/bolognese, low fat cheese and jalapenos for a healthy version of taco fries.

Hope ye enjoyed this delicious recipe post perfect for any night in, 

Love Rouxella x