Breakfast seems to be everyone’s favorite meal. It can be sweet or savory, hot or cold, quick or gourmet. Mornings can often be rushed, but with a little advance planning you still have time for a hearty meal. It is a great meal to involve children in the preparation. Breakfast recipes are often quite simple and easily accomodate your child’s participation.
The following recipes are an attempt at balance. We’ve heard for years that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” Recent studies have shown that not only does breakfast give you needed energy, it also preps your metabolism for the rest of your meals that day. If you get a healthy start, you may not crave sweets and unhealthy foods as much. Protein, some fat, and complex carbohydrates help to keep your blood sugar at a moderate level. An all-carbohydrate or super-sweet breakfast can start a mid-morning energy crash that leads you to an unhealthy eating cycle. These recipes are not all sugar-free, but the sweet ones have some redeeming qualities, like a dose of protein. Also, many of them can be all or partially made ahead of time so that your mornings go smoothly without losing out on a wholesome meal.
Savory Millet Porridge
(serves four)
Porridge has somehow gotten a bad rap over the years, but it can be easy and, made well, also extremely satisfying. Grains often benefit from reheating, so recipes like this can be made in large batches and eaten throughout the week. You can easily substitute any grain for millet (even brown rice or whole oats). You may need to adjust the amount of liquid used.
- 1 cup millet, rinsed
- 3 cups water
- 1 carrot, scrubbed and diced small
- 1 turnip, scrubbed and diced small
- 1 Tbsp. raw sesame seeds (you can brown them in a dry skillet for 2-3 minutes, if desired)
- 1 cup slivered greens (mustard greens, Swiss chard, etc.)
- 2 Tbsp. miso (a fermented bean paste often made with soybeans or chickpeas)
- 2 Tbsp. Tahini
- Nama shoyu (raw unpasteurized soy sauce containing “live” cultures similar to acidophilus) or soy sauce to taste
Bring water to boil, add carrot, turnip, and millet and reduce to a simmer. Cover. After about 15 minutes, stir in greens. When water has been absorbed, remove from heat and stir in tahini and miso. Add nama shoyu or soy sauce to taste. Serve warm.
Sweet Oat Porridge
- 1 cup rolled (old fashioned) oats (or barley or other grain)
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup soymilk (plain or vanilla)
- 1/2 cup dried apricots, diced (any other dried fruit can be substituted)
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts (cashews work well, as do pecans)
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- Dash of salt
Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook gently until the oats are tender. For a very thick porridge, you can use two cups of soymilk and no water. Serve warm.
Nutty Granola
Makes about 6 cups
This recipe, adapted from an out-of-print book called The Seattle Peace Meal Diet, is not low in fat, but the nuts provide a good amount of protein as well as many needed minerals including calcium. This granola makes a filling breakfast with soy or other milk, or a great snack out of hand. You can also stir it into bread or muffin recipes for a crunchy treat.
- 4 cups rolled oats
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup almonds or peanuts (If you prefer smaller pieces, chop the nuts.)
- 1/4 cup cashew pieces
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (optional)
- 1/2 cup raw sesame seeds
- 1/8 cup honey
- 1/8 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup canola or other light oil
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- up to 1 Tbsp. cinnamon (optional)
- 1 cup raisins or other dried fruit (do not bake!)
Preheat oven to 300°F. Combine all the dry ingredients except the raisins. Whisk together the oil, honey, maple syrup and vanilla. Coat the dry ingredients with the wet mixture, then spread onto a large ungreased baking sheet. Bake for about an hour, or until the mixture is golden and crispy. Keep a close watch while baking, turning the pan to avoid burning and hot spots. Allow to cool completely, then use a sturdy spatula to break the granola apart and remove it from the pan. Stir in raisins or other dried fruit, and store the cooled mixture in an airtight container.
Basic Pancake Mix
(one recipe makes about 12 good-sized pancakes)
Inspired by a recent Veggie Life magazine article, which featured many fancy pancakes, my husband, James, and my daughter, Selma (who’s almost three) set out to develop their own basic pancake recipe. This is the result. They love to cook together. The mix can be made ahead, and then easily turned into endless varieties of pancakes. They love to add fruit, citrus zest, and nuts or, on special occasions, even chocolate chips.
THE MIX
(makes enough for 3 batches of pancakes)
3 3/4 cups unbleached spelt (or white) flour (you can also substitute 1 1/2 cup whole grain flour for 1 1/2 cup of the unbleached)
1 cup soymilk powder
3/4 cup Rapadura sugar, Sucanat, or organic sugar
2 Tbsp. non-aluminum baking powder (such as Rumsford)
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
Combine all of the above ingredients, and store the mix in an airtight container, preferably in the freezer.
THE BATTER
- 2 cups of mix (scant)
- 1 1/4 –1 1/2 cups water
- 1/4 – 3/4 cup fruit, nuts or other “extras” (optional)
- 1 T. canola or other light oil
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla (optional)
- Margarine or oil to grease the griddle
Measure a scant 2 cups of mix into a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, combine oil, vanilla and 1 1/4 cups of water. Gently blend wet and dry mixtures to form a somewhat thick, but not stiff batter. If batter is too thick, add up to 1/4 cup more water. Using a 1/3 cup measure, scoop batter onto an oiled griddle heated to medium-high. (If the oil smokes, the pan is too hot). Fry until you start to see bubbles pop and leave holes on the top of the pancakes, then flip and cook for a couple of minutes on the other side. Serve immediately with margarine and syrup or other toppings.
Sweet Potato Pancakes
(Serves 4-6)
These pancakes are both savory and sweet, and provide Vitamins A and C as well as protein. They’re delicious and satisfying. The batter can be made one day ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
- 3 cups shredded sweet potato
- 1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
- 1 12-ounce package soft, silken tofu, mashed
- 2 tsp. non-aluminum baking powder (such as Rumsford)
- 3 Tbsp. stone-ground mustard
- 1 tsp. dried (or 2 Tbsp. fresh) parsley
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 1 tsp. celery seed
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp. oil for frying
Combine mashed tofu, flour, baking powder, mustard, and herbs, stirring with a wooden spoon until mixture is fairly smooth. Stir in sweet potato. Add salt and pepper to taste. Fry in an oiled griddle heated to medium-high. Brown on one side, then turn and fry other side for 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately. These are great with soy sour cream or applesauce as condiments.
Banana French Toast
(Makes about 6 slices)
If you’ve been searching for a yummy vegan French Toast, you are in luck. I developed this recipe after seeing the idea on a vegetarian Internet newsgroup many years ago. It has been a family favorite ever since. Depending on the ripeness of the bananas, you may need to use more or less liquid, so feel free to experiment.
- 6 slices bread (Stale bread is just fine, and whole grain bread works well, too.)
- 3 ripe bananas
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups rice milk (soy milk works fine, but rice milk has a lighter flavor)
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- Dash of salt
- 2 Tbsp. oil or margarine for frying
Blend bananas, rice milk, cinnamon, and vanilla to a thick sauce consistency. Dip bread in the sauce to coat completely, and fry on an oiled griddle heated to medium-high heat. Serve immediately. Try sprinkling with powdered sugar, or enjoy them with margarine and syrup.
Tofu Scramble, (or “Kitchen Sink” Breakfast)
(serves 4)
I make this scramble when I want a quick and hearty breakfast that uses up leftover ingredients from the refrigerator.
- 1/2 of a medium onion
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 pound soft or firm tofu (extra-firm silken works, too)
- 1 1/2 cups leftover or frozen mixed vegetables (green beans work great, but mixed
- veggies or anything else you have on hand will work fine)
- 2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast (optional)
- 1 tsp. turmeric
- 1/2 tsp. dill
- 1/2 tsp. oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
In a medium frying pan, sauté onion in olive oil over medium heat until translucent. Crumble tofu into skillet and fry until tofu starts to get crispy. Stir in veggies and cover until heated through. After vegetables are heated, stir in nutritional yeast and seasoning. Taste, balance seasoning, and serve with toast.
--Amy O’Neill Houck is currently living in Washington with her husband James and her daughter Selma. She’s a vegan chef and a Web developer.
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