We had a wonderful couple of days over the weekend. My brother, his girlfriend and their little puppy Indie came to stay for two nights and we ate like kings and kicked back with lots of fun and laughter!!

For Friday night I whipped up the current favourite recipe in our household, the veggie num num (not)chicken pot pie, with fresh beans on the side. We enjoyed a lovely homemade and deliciously warm meal while it drizzled with cold rain outside. After a glass or two of wine we tucked into a super delish homemade passionfruit and honey cake trifle, yes it was gooooooood!!

We also enjoyed a great meal out on Saturday night at the Mount Tamborine Brewery and Liquid Amber Bistro where both Cam and I, after a few tastings of the local brew, enjoyed an amazing beetroot risotto, something I may be attempting in our own kitchen very soon!!r

On Sunday I couldn’t let them leave without a big hearty breakfast and Cam wonderfully suggested hash browns with all the veggie trimmings. Included below is a quick and simple recipe for golden hash browns and for grilled tomatoes and capsicum (bell pepper).

We served them up for a super filling vegetarian big breakfast with fresh avocado, cress from the garden and poached certified free-range eggs (omit these of course for a vegan breakfast).

I gotta say this is one of the best veggie breakfasts we have ever created and I am so happy to be sharing the recipes with you all. Thanks to Tim, Rhi and Cam for all their help and ideas in the kitchen! Enjoy this vegetarian big breakfast with good company and lots of laughter!!

Golden Hash Browns

• 500g kipfler potatoes
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 wedge of red onion

Scrub and dice the potatoes and add to a pot with enough lightly salted water to cover. Bring to the boil and allow to gentle bubble away for 10 minutes until the potatoes are tender, strain well.

Slice the wedge of onion thinly and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a medium sized ovenproof frying pan, add the cooked potatoes and shake the pan to spread them evenly. Using a fork or potato masher gently mash the potatoes a little to break a few of them up and allow the hash to stick together a little.

Top with the sliced onion and season with salt & pepper. Fry the hash over a medium/low heat for 5 minutes and then place the frying pan under a medium grill. Allow the potatoes to golden under the grill; this should take about 5 minutes. Remove and serve the hash warm straight from the frying pan.

• 1 large tomato, sliced into wedges
• 1 capsicum (bell pepper), sliced into strips
• 2 tsp dried marjoram
• ¼ tsp raw sugar
• 2 tbs olive oil
• fresh basil leaves, torn
• ground salt & pepper to taste

Arrange the sliced tomato and capsicum on a baking tray, drizzle with the olive oil and then sprinkle with the marjoram, sugar and salt and pepper.

Place under a medium grill for 5-8 minutes until soft and golden. Remove from the grill and serve warm topped with torn fresh basil leaves.

• 3 tbs mayonnaise (use egg-free mayonnaise for vegans)
• 2 tsps Dijon mustard

Whisk ingredients together until smooth.

• Golden Hash
• Grilled Tomatoes & Capsicum
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1 bunch of fresh cress or rocket, washed and roughly torn
• Tim’s Dijon dressing
• fresh toasted multigrain or wholemeal bread
• 4-8 certified free-range eggs, poached (optional, for non-vegans)

Divided the prepared hash brown into four wedges and serve topped with grilled tomato and capsicum, avocado, cress and Dijon dressing.

Accompany with fresh toast and a poached certified free-range egg or two if you enjoy eggs!

Perfect either as a vegan or veggie big breakfast that everyone will enjoy. A great Sunday breakfast for the whole family or when entertaining friends, enjoy!!