The Next Divan Breakfast Club

Wake up happier with Next Divan

Busy schedules and early mornings often distract us from the beauty of relaxing from the comfort of your own bed. If your morning consists of jumping out of bed in a hurry to switch off the startling alarm sound, rushing to get dressed and struggling to find time to eat a balanced breakfast… then these are all signs that your morning routine is bad for you. 

Experts suggest that creating healthy habits from the moment that you wake up can be beneficial for both your physical and mental health. The main reason for this is because when you don’t allow enough time in the morning or you feel unprepared you can often feel stressed throughout the day. 

How to start the morning right:

To ensure a happier start to the day, Next Divan suggests following 5 simple steps.

Prepare 

Whether you are a full time worker or parent, setting aside a 10 minutes of your time, the evening before, to lay out your outfit, pack your bag and prepare your lunch for the next day - saving you from a lot of morning stress.

Light

If you can’t get out of bed in the morning, try to take in some sunlight to help you wake up naturally. It has been scientifically proven that individuals who see less light during the day are more likely to show increased symptoms of depression. Let the sun light up your room, especially for the first ten minutes of the day.

Movement

It can be hard to wake up and be filled with motivation to exercise. However, doing light movement such as a short yoga routine or even walking your dog, can help to increase your productivity and boost your mood. 

Hydrate

Rehydrating yourself after a long night's sleeping is beneficial for cognitive function. Start the day with a fresh glass of lemon water to wake you up a little bit more. 

Nourish

A healthy breakfast is the key for a positive mindset and productive day. If you start work feeling hungry you are less likely to be productive. Health experts suggest eating breakfasts with a protein and healthy fat base, such as nuts, yoghurts or eggs. However, with Pancake Day soon approaching we believe in taking advantage of this delicious occasion by celebrating with breakfast in bed!

Breakfast in Bed:

Put on your comfiest pyjamas and sit back against your Next Divan padded headboard with a tasty plate of pancakes and start your day the right way! Staying in bed is considered a luxury in today’s busy world so why not add a touch of luxury into your breakfast diet with our favourite pancake recipes: 

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes:

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

¼ cup sugar

1 and ½ tsp baking soda

¾ tsp baking powder

¾ tsp salt

2 large eggs

1 and ½ milk

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 and ½ sp vanilla extract

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

2 tsp lemon zest

Fresh whipped cream

Method:

In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Add eggs to a separate bowl and beat well, then add milk, ricotta and vanilla.

Combine wet and dry ingredients 

Gently fold in lemon juice and zest

In batches pour in batter for 3 minutes then flip for 1 minute

Serve with cream or an extra squirt of lemon juice

Nutella Pancakes

Ingredients:

150ml milk

3 tbsp nutella

2 tbsp butter

1 beaten egg

2 tsp caster sugar

100g Plain flour 

2 tbsp cocoa powder

½ tbsp baking powder

1.2 tsp salt

150g dark chocolate

100ml milk

Method:

Heat milk and Nutella in a small pan and whisk

Leave to cool then mix in butter, egg and sugar

Add flour, cocoa powder and baking powder in a bowl then gradually mix in wet ingredients until batter is formed

Heat a large frying pan with a little bit of butter and cook pancakes on both sides until bubbles appear - when ready leave aside to rest

To make the sauce, gently heart the ingredients in a small pan until shiny

To finish pour chocolate sauce over pancakes. Top with fruit or nuts for a healthier kick. 

French Toast Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 cup flour

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 large egg

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs

½ cup milk

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

Method:

Heat a large pan on medium heat

Whisk together flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a small bowl, mis together buttermilk, egg, oil and vanilla

Combine wet and dry ingredients 

Pour ¼ cup of batter into pan and cook for 3 minutes - then flip until cooked through

Repeat with remaining batter and set aside to cool

Place each pancake into the egg mixture and then cook for 2 minutes per side

Top with fresh berries, whipped cream and maple syrup

We also recommend a Next Divan crushed velvet headboard to provide maximum breakfast club style and comfort. The Jubilee collection is a comfortable headboard for reading and enjoying those Sunday morning breakfast in bed. 

How do you start your morning?