Imagine my surprise and amazement to see a few of my photos feature in this Saturdays Telegraph magazine. The article is about the new multivitamin and multibiotic powder that the wonderful ‘Zita West’ and ‘Mybaba’ have launched. The photos depict cunning ways to incorporate the vitamins into breakfast; hence a raspberry and almond milk smoothie with said powder on top and the infamous granola pot with again, a healthy scattering of said vitamins! This is for children only, and my goodness it’s a good idea when back to school invariably means back to classrooms with one to many germs and other nasties lurking. Unsurprisingly, the ‘pink one’ thought the magic powder ‘quite yummy’ and happily lapped it up, the ‘blue one’ was more reserved and needed it disguised. The powder itself tastes good but it does have that distinctive ‘vitamin’ smell that just needs a little cunning to mask.

Breakfast has been quite a feature in the last week. One way and another I managed to make what felt like an industrial quantity of pots destined to various clients. I like pots, they work well and have a real novelty factor to them. I mean I wouldn’t make them everyday but for special occasions they certainly hit the spot. I am also notorious for getting bored with breakfast. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not something I want to skip but boy it is something I want to vary. Much as I love granola, I don’t want it religiously. Soaked oats are catching on, I’ve always loved bircher muesli,  chia – treated well can be delicious, seasonal fruit compotes with yogurt – big thumbs up from me and the pink one,  and porridge made with almond milk, scattered liberally with blackberries is also up there. In the liquid format I am a keen fan of ‘juicing’, which sounds like it should be some kind of sport, on occasion it feels like it, as I ram another fistful of carrots through the machine, and also one particular smoothie, made of banana, oat, chia, dates and almond milk has recently won my heart. This all sounds overwhelmingly healthy, which I guess it is but roll on saturday morning and the bacon’s out, mushrooms and eggs in spades.

Chia Pots with Almond Milk, Mango and Passion Fruit

60g chia seeds

300ml almond milk (Rude Health makes a delicious milk)

A drop of vanilla essence

1 passion fruit

Half a mango

Soak the chia seeds in the almond milk and vanilla, overnight in the fridge. The chia will expand, if it’s very stiff in the morning, loosen with more almond milk. Spoon into jam jars. Top with chopped up mango and passion fruit.

Granola with Yogurt and Seasonal Fruit Compote 

Fruit Compote

Make the most of seasonal fruit with handpicked blackberries, damsons and plums. Gently put a combination of the fruit or just one of the fruit, in a pan with a slug of maple syrup. Bring up to simmer and cook gently for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and pass through a sieve to remove stones (if using damsons and plums)! Fruit compote can be frozen or kept in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Raspberry and Almond Milk Smoothie with ‘Mybaba’ multivitamin and multibiotic powder ( makes 1 childsize serving)

150ml of almond milk (or normal milk)

2 organic strawberries

5 organic raspberries

2 grams vitamin powder

Whizz the whole lot up and hey presto a delicious smoothie. If the fruit isn’t sweet enough add a little honey or maple syrup.

Zita West/ Mybaba – multivitamin and probiotic berry flavoured powder can be bought from mybaba.com and zitawest.com