Potato Florentines with spinach and Poached egg

Here's a simple breakfast quick and nutritious and fun for all the family.

1 potato
1 onion
gruyere cheese
1 egg
rosemary
thyme
salt
pepper
spinach
plain flour

Grate the potato, onion and cheese into a bowl, mix with the rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. between floured hands shape the mixture into patties. Fry in a shallow frying pan with oil until golden brown on each side. Meanwhile, in a pan wilt the spinach with a teaspoon of water. In another pan add a little white vinegar and swirl with a spoon breaking the egg into it as you swirl it. For soft boiled yolk leave it 4 minutes, for hard, 6 minutes. Arrange the florentine on a plate with the spinach followed by the egg. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Sinful chocolate sponge cake

Wickedly chocolatey this little number will be a hit at afternoon tea parties and cake mornings. Simple and straightforward with a wonderful finish. Looks more complex than it actually is!

4oz self raising flour
4oz butter
4oz caster sugar
3tsp organic cocoa
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 eggs
3oz icing sugar
2oz butter
1tsp organic cocoa with chocolate bits
whipped cream
1 bar milk chocolate
1 bar dark chocolate

Butter two sandwich tins and pre heat the oven to 180c. In a clean bowl cream 4oz of butter and 4oz of caster sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in 2 eggs until smooth. Sift in the flour and fold until smooth. Add the bicarbonate of soda and 3tsp of cocoa. Pour into the two tins and put into the oven for 25minutes until springy to touch.

Meanwhile, cream the icing sugar and 2oz of butter with 1tsp of cocoa. Whip the cream until firm.

When the cakes have cooled sandwich with the buttercream and the whipped cream. Melt the two bars of chocolate. Pour on top the dark chocolate. Drizzle with a piping bag the milk chocolate, drag a fork through the two chocolates on the top to create a marbled effect. Leave to cool. Cut and serve with a cup of tea.

Banana and Walnut loaf

Here's a wholesome little loaf to nibble on, and its vegan friendly too! Though you can substitute 2 eggs for soya flour if you want it plain vegetarian and miss out 50ml of milk. Serve it sliced and buttered warm - with a cup of tea in an afternoon.

8 oz Wholemeal plain flour
4 oz butter
2 oz soya flour
150 ml milk
2 bananas
walnut pieces
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

In a bowl sift the wholemeal flour and bicarbonate of soda. Break the butter into pieces and rub into the flour to make breadcrumb consistency. Stir in the soya flour and the milk add the mashed banana and whisk thoroughly. Finally add the walnut pieces and stir. Pre heat an oven to 200C, butter a loaf tin and pour in the mixture. Pop into the oven for 1 and a quarter hours or until well risen and a skewer when pocked through the top comes out clean.