Beyond Beans on Weetabix: 5 Breakfasts That You'll Actually Want to Wake Up for

Beans on Toast and Weetabix are two of my go-to breakfasts, but Beans on Weetabix? Now that’s one step too far, and I’m glad that the controversy on Twitter caused by Weetabix and Heinz’s tweet shows that basically everyone agrees. Still, it got people talking, with brands including KFC and Innocent Drinks chiming in to express their thoughts on the strange concoction. The saga concluded with Specsavers putting their own twist on the combo, tweeting a picture of broken glasses mixed into some baked beans, which should definitely come with a health warning, as NHS tweeted in response to Weetabix’s original post.

Now that the madness is over (unless McDonald’s fancy swapping their Big Mac buns for Weetabix…?), it got me thinking: what are some breakfasts that really make me want to get up in the morning? Here’s five of my favourites below…

Carrot Cake Porridge

I recently made some carrot cake energy balls, and as I was eating them it occurred to me just how tasty one of these would be stirred into a hot bowl of porridge. So, the next time I cooked porridge, I added in some of the same flavours to replicate carrot cake, and one of my new favourite breakfasts was born!

To my porridge I added a small handful of grated carrot, a sprinkle of raisins, chopped walnuts, and a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg. After stirring these in well and transferring to a bowl, I topped the porridge with a drizzle of peanut butter, honey, and pumpkin seeds for some added crunch. Who said you couldn’t eat cake for breakfast?

Veggie Breakfast Hash

Traditionally, breakfast hash is made with chopped meat, onions and potato, and if you’re a lover of a fry up, this is going to be right up your street. But why should meat eaters have all the fun? There’s so many veggie minces and sausages on the market right now, it’s easy to make a meat-free alternative that’s just as tasty.

To start, fry off your meat alternative in a splash of oil until browned and crispy. If you’re using sausages, cook them beforehand so that you can easily crumble them into the pan. My favourite meat(free) options are Meatless Farm’s Plant Based Mince, or Richmond’s Meat-Free Sausages. Remove from the pan and leave to cool, leaving the fat in the pan.

Next, fry off a diced onion and a couple of diced potatoes (leave the skin on) over a low heat to allow the potatoes to cook through, stirring occasionally. As they’re cooking, season with salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Once the potato is soft, turn up the heat so they can get crispy. If you want, feel free to chuck in some extra veggies at this step. Add the veggie mince/ sausage back into the pan, heat through, and serve topped with a fried egg.

Nutella French Toast

If I could eat this for breakfast every day, I totally would. But, as it’s quite rich, I like to save it as a weekend treat or when I need a pick-me-up. You can use any bread this, but to make it the best it can be, I like to use brioche. First, beat together an egg, 50ml of milk and a dash of vanilla in a shallow dish. Cut four slices of brioche and make two Nutella sandwiches, pressing the bread down firmly so it completely adheres to the Nutella. Then, one at a time, leave them to soak up the egg mixture on both sides.

Next, heat up a little butter in a frying pan and fry the two sandwiches on both sides until brown and crispy. Slice diagonally for maximum Nutella oozing and finish with a handful of fresh berries and a dusting of icing sugar.

Granola

Having homemade granola in my cupboard always makes me feel a little smug, because in seconds I’ve got a breakfast I’ve made from scratch with very little effort. If I’m wanting to go the extra mile than just having it with milk, I like to eat it with some coconut yoghurt, chopped fresh fruit such as strawberries and blueberries, and a sprinkle of chia seeds.

There’s loads of amazing granola recipes online that I like to use for inspiration, such as Deliciously Ella’s Cinnamon Pecan Granola or the Minimalist Baker’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola. But if they’re not to your taste, it’s very easy to swap out ingredients for whatever you prefer, or whatever you’ve got in the cupboards.

Homemade Baked Beans

As this article stemmed from the Beans on Weetabix tweet it only seems fair that the final breakfast dish features the humble baked bean. But, it only seemed right to make it fancy, and what better way to do this than with homemade baked beans? Personalise it to make it your own by swapping out the beans to your favourite type, or make it smoky by adding in some barbeque sauce.

To make homemade beans, fry off half a small onion in a tablespoon of olive oil until soft and golden. Add in one garlic clove (thinly sliced) and stir in a small squeeze of tomato puree and a sprinkle of paprika, salt and pepper. Pour in half a can of passata, a tin of beans (I like to use haricot) and a pinch of sugar, and leave to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To serve, toast some sourdough and spread liberally with butter. For an extra hit of garlic, rub the sourdough with a garlic clove before adding the butter. Pile on as much of the baked beans as you like and finish with a few twists of black pepper. If you’re feeling extra fancy, add a poached egg on top.