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6 Super Easy Brunch Recipes You Should Make This Weekend

Happy brunchin'.
Thanks a brunch.
Uncle Tobys Oats
Thanks a brunch.

Hands down, brunch is the best meal that has ever existed.

Our guess is because brunch gives us the perfect excuse to have breakfast at pretty much any time of day (that is, whatever time you wake up after a massive sleep in), which makes it feel extra special. Also, it's always delicious.

While going out for brunch is great, sometimes most times you don't have $20 to spend on a measly piece of avo toast. That's not an exaggeration, by the way.

So, because we're not millionaires, what's a better time than now to get in the kitchen and quickly whip up these easy, droolworthy recipes -- some of which are from Uncle Tobys, while others are some of the many recipes from Disney Healthy Family Eating.

Imagine a big stack of pancakes, ricotta and banana on toast, breakfast muffins and oat crumble with strawberries and rhubarb.

Drooling yet?

Disney Healthy Family Eating by AWW

1. Oat pancakes with ricotta and strawberries

Recipe and image courtesy of Uncle Tobys.

Makes 16 pancakes.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup steel cut oats
  • 2 cups spelt flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 40g butter, melted,
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup fresh ricotta, to serve
  • Strawberries and maple syrup, to serve

METHOD

1. Combine oats and two cups of boiling water in a bowl. Refrigerate overnight to allow oats to soften.

2. Sift flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon into a bowl. Whisk eggs with milk, butter and vanilla. Stir flour and milk mixtures into oats.

3. Preheat oven to 150°C. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add a little butter and when sizzling, add ⅓ cup batter. Cook for 2-3 minutes each side or until golden. Keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining batter to make a total of 16 pancakes.

4. Serve pancakes with ricotta and strawberries, drizzled with maple syrup.

That dripping maple syrup... oh boy.
Uncle Tobys Oats
That dripping maple syrup... oh boy.

2. Baked oats with rhubarb and strawberries

Recipe and image courtesy of Uncle Tobys.

Serves six.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 bunch rhubarb trimmed, chopped
  • 250g strawberries, hulled, quartered
  • 1 orange, rind, finely grated
  • 2 tablespoons caster sugar
  • 2 cups traditional rolled oats
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅓ cup shredded coconut
  • ⅓ cup natural sliced almonds
  • Cream or yoghurt, to serve

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Combine rhubarb, strawberries, orange rind and sugar in an 8-cup capacity ovenproof dish.

2. Cover with oats, then pour over combined milk and vanilla. Scatter with coconut and almonds. Cover dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for a further 10-15 minutes or until golden. Serve with cream or yoghurt.

Add a squeeze of lemon for a fresh, zesty zing.
Uncle Tobys Oats
Add a squeeze of lemon for a fresh, zesty zing.

3. Breakfast muffins

Recipe and image courtesy of Disney Healthy Family Eating.

Makes eight.

INGREDIENTS

  • ½ cup (45g) rolled oats
  • 1½ cups (240g) wholemeal plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
  • ⅓ cup (55g) sultanas
  • 2 eggs, beaten lightly
  • ½ cup (125ml) buttermilk
  • ½ cup (110g) apple puree
  • ½ cup (120g) mashed banana
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons honey, warmed

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F. Line eight holes of two 6-hole (¾ cup/180ml) Texas muffin pans with muffin wraps or paper cases.

2. Reserve one tablespoon of the oats. Sift flour, cinnamon, baking powder and soda in a medium bowl. Add sultanas and the remaining oats to the flour mixture. Stir in combined egg, buttermilk, puree, banana and extract.

3. Divide mixture among prepared pan holes. Sprinkle with reserved oats. Bake for 20 minutes.

4. Brush tops with honey. Bake for a further five minutes or until golden and cooked when tested with a skewer. Stand muffins in pan for five minutes before turning, top-side up, onto a wire rack to cool.

Tips: muffins are suitable to freeze, stored in an airtight container, for up to three months. The muffins are best eaten warm: reheat one at a time in a microwave oven on high for about 20 seconds.

Who said you can't have dessert for brunch?
Disney Healthy Family Eating by The Australian Women's Weekly
Who said you can't have dessert for brunch?

4. Ricotta and banana on toast

Recipe and image courtesy of Disney Healthy Family Eating.

Serves four.

INGREDIENTS

  • ⅓ cup (80g) low fat ricotta
  • 8 small, thin slices rye bread (180g), toasted
  • 4 small bananas (520g), sliced thickly
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • pinch of ground cinnamon

METHOD

1. Spread ricotta equally over toast slices. Top with banana, drizzle with honey, then sprinkle with cinnamon.

This brunch dish is wonderfully simple yet delicious.
Disney Healthy Family Eating by The Australian Women's Weekly
This brunch dish is wonderfully simple yet delicious.

5. Quinoa porridge with figs and raspberries

Recipe and image courtesy of Disney Healthy Family Eating.

Serves four.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup (200g) quinoa, rinsed, drained (see tips)
  • 3 cups (750ml) water
  • ½ cup (125ml) soy milk
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 fresh large figs (160g), cut into wedges
  • 150g fresh raspberries

METHOD

1. Place quinoa and the water in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for 15 minutes or until quinoa is almost tender and the water is absorbed.

2. Add milk, sugar and cinnamon, and stir to combine. Cook for five minutes or until tender.

3. Serve the porridge topped with fig and raspberries.

Tips: you can use red or black quinoa for a bit of colour -- the cooking time will remain the same. You can use your favourite dairy free milk for this recipe or, if no one has a dairy allergy, use whichever milk you like.

This porridge is perfect for when you feel like a warming start.
Disney Healthy Family Eating by The Australian Women's Weekly
This porridge is perfect for when you feel like a warming start.

6. Chicken and zucchini cakes

Recipe and image courtesy of Disney Healthy Family Eating.

Makes 12.

INGREDIENTS

  • 7 eggs
  • 1½ cups (225g) self-raising flour
  • 1½ cups (180g) grated cheddar
  • ⅓ cup (80ml) olive oil
  • ¼ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • ¼ cup finely chopped fresh mint
  • 1 large brown onion (200g), chopped finely
  • 4 medium zucchini (500g), grated coarsely
  • 300g skinless barbecued chicken, chopped finely
  • 12 cherry truss tomatoes (180g)

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F. Line two 6-hole (¾ cup/180ml) Texas muffin pans with muffin wraps or paper cases.

2. Whisk eggs in a large bowl. Add sifted flour, cheese, oil and herbs, and mix well. Add onion, zucchini and chicken, and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon ½ cup of mixture into each muffin wrap and top with a tomato.

3. Bake cakes for 30 minutes or until set. Stand in pan for five minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

Tipes: cool cakes before packing into airtight containers -- cakes will keep, refrigerated, for up to two days. Cakes can also be frozen. Pack a frozen cake in the lunchbox in the morning and it will be thawed by lunchtime.

This one is for the savoury brunch fans.
Disney Healthy Family Eating by The Australian Women's Weekly
This one is for the savoury brunch fans.

Recipes and images from Disney Healthy Family Eating (published by The Australian Women's Weekly) available now at selected newsagents, supermarkets and online RRP: $14.95

Disney Healthy Family Eating by The Australian Women's Weekly

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