It doesn’t matter if you’re cooking for a family of eight or just whipping up a meal for yourself, you should always aim to make good tasting food that everyone can enjoy.
 
Dinner is a time for family to get together after a long day of work and studies. We unwind our stresses and bond with each other but some days just aren’t worth the trouble.
 
Free up some time for yourself by making large portions of these desserts the night before and get breakfast done too!
 

 

1. Stuffed puffs

Puff pastries are rather troublesome to make but you can buy them in packs at grocery stores.
 
Roll and mould them into any shape you desire!
 
There are so many different kinds of filling you can make for them too, sweet or savoury. You can make sugary danish pastries for a sweet dessert and an energising breakfast treat. Perhaps even make a Malaysian favourite: the curry puff!
 

 
There are even different options for cooking them because of how versatile the dough is. Whether you choose baking, frying or other methods though, you only need to remember to adjust for the dough’s thickness so that you don’t have uncooked parts when you’re done cooking.
 

2. Yogurt

Another dessert that can pull double duty as breakfast is yogurt. Yogurt is great on its own, but you can make it healthier and more fulfilling by adding fruits, nuts and oats!
 
In fact, if you want to learn about more ways to use fruits in your desserts, read our article here.
 
Oats that are left with yogurt overnight are great because they absorb moisture and become softer and easier to consume. This is sometimes paired with chia seeds which functions similarly.
 

 
Try to use Greek yogurt as it is healthier than other types of yogurts. However, it isn’t as sweet so kids may not enjoy it’s flavour. To encourage them to eat it, add some honey or maple syrup to sweeten it.
 

3. Quinoa

If you have restrictive dietary needs, then you are probably familiar with quinoa. It is a gluten-free seed that people use to substitute rice, bread and other grains.
 
This means that there are several different ways you can cook this and still have it taste absolutely delicious. You can cook it like normal rice or even like a pudding by cooking it with some cream.

 
When it comes to baking, there are some ingredients that you can bake with that can help you build a stronger immune system too. Read more about it here.
 

4. Fruit Smoothies

Fruit smoothies are a great treat for a light dinner or easy breakfast. You only need to blend your desired fruit with some water or milk to make a smoothie. It’s also just so easy to store extra for your meal tomorrow morning.
 
You can top it off with whipped cream for dessert or pair it with some biscuits for breakfast to increase your fiber intake.
 

 
Similar to yogurts, you can also add some chia seeds if you like. Here are some other add-ons you may be interested in are:

  • Aloe vera
  • Sago
  • Oreo cookie bits
  • Tapioca pearls

 

5. Muffins

A familiar dessert that you may have had for breakfast before is muffins. Unlike cupcakes, they can be either sweet or savoury. So this keeps your options open as to what kind of flavours you want to pair your dinner with.
 
When it comes to breakfast, they’re nice to pair with some bacon and eggs too!

 
After your nightly meal, avoid putting them in the fridge as they might dry out. Store them in the oven and you can heat them up quickly for the next day. Besides that, there are so many different kinds of muffin recipes that you canmake a different one for each day of the week!
 

6. Mini pies

Pies are great, after all it’s a whole meal in one recipe. But what’s even better than pies?
 
Mini pies!
 

(image credit: Hey Paul Studios [Flickr])
 
Make use of your muffin pans again and make this easily shareable dish. Your filling can either be savoury or sweet but Malaysians prefer savoury breakfasts as evidenced by our love for nasi lemak and roti canai as breakfast foods.
 
You can top off your savoury pies with these suggestions;
Pastry dough
Cheese
Beaten egg – so that you can get an omelette from the oven!
 
Take some leftover stew or even curry and throw on some of the previously mentioned toppings together in the oven long enough for it to cook. There you have it! A quick and easy pie that you can have for both dessert or breakfast!
 

7. Waffles

Waffles are another recipe that’s well known for being a dessert and breakfast food. They’re easy to make, especially if you’re using a pre-mix.
 
Indulge in sweet delights by topping your waffles off with honey syrup and fruits for dessert or make waffle sandwiches!

(image credit: Wicker Paradise [Flickr])
 
Press some ham and eggs between your layers of waffles and warm them up in the waffle iron to make sure the shapes fit together. Maybe you can even place a slice of cheese there too! Just be careful with melted cheese as they can be hard to clean off your waffle iron.

 
Planning meals can be tiresome, but don’t let it get you down. Food is what brings us together after all.
 
Planning a baking spree however, can be loads of fun!
 
If you’re not sure what to bake and want to try making something a little more complex than you’re used to making, come and check out our available baking classes.
 
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