Well, here comes daylight saving time for those states and territories that acquiesce. The worst thing about this – other than the whole confusion if you live on the Queensland/NSW border – is that clocks go forward by an hour.

That means breakfast inevitably suffers from the time squeeze. But turn your back on that rushed bowl of chocolate-coated sugar-bomb cereal for something a little more virtuous. Here are my ideas for quick, simple ways to begin your day when you’ve slept in a little too long.

PLAN-CAKES

Plan ahead to save time. Make your pancake batter before you go to bed and leave it overnight in the fridge. Try adding a protein powder or using a more virtuous flour than bleached white. Fry in a hot, non-stick pan and serve with berries.

If virtue doesn’t matter to you, then perhaps sprinkle the uncooked side of the pancake with white sugar before flipping so the sugar brûlées into a crispy crust on that side when it hits the hot pan. Balance the sweetness with some oranges or grapefruit.

QUICK CORN FRITTERS

Make the pancake batter the night before as above, but reduce the milk by one-third and crumble in a stock cube (chicken or veg). The next morning, stir in loads of fresh corn and then fry flattened spoons of this mix, with a little oil, into fritters. Add crushed cumin seeds, diced green or red capsicum and a herb of choice. Serve these fritters with leftover roast, poached or smoked chicken, dabs of hoisin and some sliced spring onions. A fried egg can easily replace the chicken.

Related story: Matt Preston’s favourite ways with oats for any time of day

SMASHED AVOCADO SMOOTHIE

Forget the toast. Make a smashed avo smoothie by blending your avocados with coconut milk, ice and some agave syrup or coconut sugar.

BREAKFAST HASH

Time matters, so a brekkie that cooks itself while you shower – like a hash made with last night’s leftover potatoes – is a speedy sensation. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. Fry chunks of salami, speck, bacon or ham in a splash of olive oil in a roasting pan on top of the stove to colour slightly. Deglaze the pan with a little vinegar, then toss in slices of cooked potatoes. Place in the oven to roast together while you shower (quickly). You can add cherry tomatoes, crushed garlic and a sprinkling of smoked paprika with the potatoes if you have a spare minute.

MORNING STIR-FRY

After a night in the fridge, leftover plain rice can be perfect for breakfast. Fry some lap cheong (Chinese sausage) and then a little omelette in your wok. Chop up the omelette and stir in the rice to toast. Add a splash of hoisin, dark soy and spring onions. Feel free to add diced ham, corn kernels or frozen peas as well.

BREAKFAST WRAPS

Fry fat slices of chorizo until the fat renders, and then fry eggs in that fat. Pile them both onto warm tortillas or wraps along with a spoon or two of diced tomato, and fresh coriander. If these will be eaten on the run, cook the eggs covered to just set their yolks.

YOGHURT AND HONEY

A bowl of thick, creamy yoghurt is quick and delicious with honey and some nuts or sliced stone fruit. You can also infuse your honey in advance with rosemary or cinnamon, or try using Sri Lankan kithul (palm) syrup instead; it has a smoky, slightly molasses-y edge. Otherwise, you could try making frozen yoghurt and fruit juice pops for breakfast on the run.

MUESLI

When I’m in a big rush, I make my muesli in a mug with milk to eat in the car. (And, obviously, I’m not the one driving!)

VILLAGE SALAD BREAKFAST

Dice some chilled watermelon and a few fat ripe tomatoes and squeeze over a little lemon juice. Add some torn mint, crumbled feta or goat’s cheese, and some sunflower seeds for crunch.

FRUIT TOAST BRUSCHETTA

Love French toast but have no time? Try a fruit toast bruschetta. Dice a few ripe nectarines or peaches, quarter some cherries or (depending on the season) flash-fry apple slices in butter with cinnamon and a sprinkling of brown sugar to finish. Load fresh ricotta on some raisin toast, and top with the fruit and a drizzle of honey if you so desire.

JAMMY EGGS

Boil three eggs per person for six minutes (when added to boiling water). While they cook, fry some finely diced capsicum and pour over some sweet chilli sauce. Squeeze in lime juice to balance. Peel and halve the eggs and cover with the chilli jam. Garnish with coriander.

BROKEN-RULE EGGS

The best scrambled eggs are cooked slow. For quick eggs, you need to cheat. Warm some butter in a pan until sizzling. While it melts, loosely beat eggs with a splash of water. Add the eggs to the hot pan and constantly fold with a spatula over the heat as the curds set. Dollop in cream or crème fraîche to finish. Serve on lightly toasted white sourdough with a pinch of salt and some fresh herbs.

Find the recipe for the Indian-style fennel seed pancakes with whipped ricotta and oranges pictured above, here.

Related story: Matt Preston cracks the code to cooking the perfect poached, fried and scrambled eggs