Start with Your Breakfast

Episode #3 of the course How to go vegan by Karina Inkster

In today’s lesson, you’ll learn how to “veganize” your breakfasts. Once you get accustomed to vegan breakfasts, you can gradually expand to your other meals. Much of what you already enjoy for breakfast is likely already vegan, including fresh fruit, cereal, coffee, tea, oatmeal, and more. It’s easy to substitute plant-based milk (try soy, almond, rice, or coconut) for dairy milk in your cereal and hot beverage of choice. You can even find plant-based creamers for your coffee! (The Silk brand is especially delicious.) Also try coconut, almond, or soy yogurt with your fruit and/or granola.

Here are four practical, easy, and nutritious vegan breakfast ideas:

Oatmeal
Place 1/3 cup of rolled oats into a bowl and cover with water. You can experiment with the amount of water to get your desired consistency. Microwave on high for 3.5 minutes.

Oatmeal serving suggestions: Add plant-based milk, berries, sliced apples, dried fruit, ground flax seeds, chia seeds, crushed nuts, and/or hemp hearts.

Smoothies
Smoothies are a delicious and easily digestible way to kickstart your day with nutrients. Here’s a sample recipe:

1 1/2 cups plant-based milk
1/4 cup berries of your choice
1 banana
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Also try using avocado, vegan protein powder, chia seeds, spinach, or ginger as ingredients in your smoothie creations.

Homemade granola
Enjoy with non-dairy yogurt, chopped fresh fruit, dried fruit, nuts, soy milk, and/or hemp hearts. Store in an airtight container for 2-3 weeks.

4 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup olive oil or melted coconut oil
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 250ºF and line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium mixing bowl, mix all ingredients until well combined, then spread in a single layer onto baking sheets.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until granola is lightly browned and crunchy.

Makes about four cups, or four servings.

Tofu scramble
Perfect for a weekend morning and packed with protein and nutritious veggies.

2 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil
1 small onion, diced
3 cups vegetables of choice (e.g., mushrooms, asparagus, kale, red pepper, tomato)
1 package (350g) extra firm tofu
1 tsp turmeric
Salt & ground black pepper to taste
Ketchup to taste (optional)

Heat oil in a large saucepan or skillet over medium heat and cook onion for four to five minutes.

Add vegetables and cook about five minutes until they’re almost done to your liking. If ingredients start to stick to the pan, add a few tablespoons of water.

Crumble tofu into saucepan or skillet. Add turmeric, salt, and pepper and mix well. Cook for two to three minutes to heat through, then serve. Delicious with ketchup!

Serves four.

Tomorrow, you’ll learn how to stock a vegan pantry so you can have all the necessary staples on hand when you need them.

 

Recommended book

“Vegan Vitality” by Karina Inkster. The recipes you see here are from this book, which contains more than 100 easy-to-make vegan items.

 

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