Classy American Brunch

Sometimes we like to do fancy brunch.  Going out to an expensive restaurant is nice and all, if there are good vegan options.  But sometimes the vegan options are meager, not ideal, and don’t taste all that good.  When we do brunch, we normally like to do it ourselves.  It’s a little different every week, based on what fresh and seasonal veggies we have, but our recipe below is for a pretty typical one.  The list below is from the dish pictured, but feel free to sub out based on what peppers, squash and potatoes you have available.   

Ingredients:

16 Oz Tofu (organic, firm or extra firm)

1 Poblano Pepper

1 Habanero Pepper

1 Small Red Onion

1 medium summer squash

2 Medium Red Potatoes

10 Small Purple Potatoes

½ pound Asparagus

1 Large Avocado

4 cloves garlic

2 teaspoons Turmeric

1 teaspoon Paprika  

1 teaspoon chili powder

It all starts with the tofuscramble for us.  Not something we eat that frequently, but when we do, we do it right.  Our recipe is linked above, but we’ll run through it again briefly. 

       1)      Place your tofu in between towels and something heavy to drain.

       2)      Brown the onions and garlic in a non-stick or slightly greased pan on medium heat.

       3)      Add in the red potatoes and peppers and pan sear the veggies on high heat until the potatoes start        to soften and brown.

       4)      When the veggies are 90% cooked, add in the drained tofu.  Simply tear pieces in whatever size you like, no need to chop precisely. 

       5)      Add in your spices and mix around so the veggies and tofu are nicely coated.

       6)      In a separate pan, start searing your potatoes and asparagus.  One trick we like is to pre-cook your potatoes, either by boiling for 3-5 minutes or cooking in microwave for a minute. You can tell they are down when a brownish caramelization forms.

       7)     I like to season about half way through cooking.

             Season potatoes with salt, pepper and paprika

             Season the Asparagus with lemon pepper or Za’atar.

       8)      Serve your breakfast with avocado or fresh herbs and enjoy!

      

Prep & Cook Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 3 people 

Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes (Oil and Sugar free!)

Here’s our go-to quick and easy pancake recipe.  We like to keep it simple, no need for oil or sugar, only five ingredients.

Ingredients:
1 Cup whole wheat flour
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder

1 cup water

2 Ripe bananas

1/2C Rolled Oats

Directions: 

Place the whole wheat flour and baking powder in a bowl and mix together, slowly adding 1 cup of water.  Try mix it evenly to avoid clumps.  Now add in the bananas and mash them up with a fork.  Finally, add in the rolled oats and mix everything together into a nice slurry.  If you’re a serious banana fan, you can put in some sliced bananas at this point.

Cook the pancakes on a lightly oiled, or non-stick pan for a minute or so on each side, or until golden brown and dry on the edges. 

We like to top these with some fresh berries or bananas and some coconut yogurt or maple syrup.  Apple sauce or peanut butter can also be good toppings.

Enjoy!

Prep/cook time: 10 minutes

Serves: 3    

Rise & Shine Oatmeal

We're busy dudes, so some mornings we don't have much time, but we need our hearty bowl of oatmeal. As it would be tough to pack this much goodness in everyday, we like to mix together the ingredients and leave it in the fridge for the rest of the week and cook it as needed.

Combine all ingredients in a container that can be stored in your fridge. You can play around with the oats/nuts/dates ratios. You can always adjust based on how you like it. I like cooking everything together and then adding berries, but that’s just my style.

4C raw, organic rolled oats (not the quick, instant oats stuff)
½C raw walnuts
¾C raw cashews
¼C raw pumpkin seeds
½C raw sunflower seeds
3T raw flax seeds
3T raw chia seeds
1C dates (5-10 avg. size) chopped

Feel free to substitute the nuts with whichever you want, just keep in mind the hardness of them. Walnuts and cashews are nice because of how soft they are. Also, mix in whichever seeds you have handy, but make sure they are not roasted and not salted. You can also use figs, apricots or other dried fruits. I just really like dates because when they melt, those potent sugars come out and no other sweeteners are needed.

You can cook this mix in the microwave or stove top. You can use water or a plant based milk to cook it in. Stove top is pretty self-explanatory…cook until you get a nice gooey consistency you like and everything start to come together. If you’re cooking in the microwave, add enough liquid so there is a (1/2”) of liquid on top of the oatmeal mix. Let the mixture set for a minute or so to allow the liquid to soak the oats and nuts before you begin cooking; then zap in the microwave for 4-5 minutes.

I like to add berries on top. A little trick is to add frozen berries to help cool down the oatmeal post cooking, but fresh ones work too. You’ll just have to be patient enough to let it cool down. Enjoy!

Serves 4.
Prep time is about 5 minutes.

Chia Pudding

Start your morning off right with an easy chia seed pudding. It's the perfect addition to any breakfast! The nutritional benefits of chia seeds include fiber, omega fatty acids, calcium, antioxidants and much more – even protein! Seize your day!

2/3C Chia Seeds
2 Cups Almond Milk (or any non-dairy milk)
1/2t Pure Vanilla Extract

Whisk all the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Once everything is evenly mixed, seal the bowl with a lid or foil. Place in the refrigerator and let it sit in there over-night.

Serves 1-2.
Prep Time: 5 minutes.

Tofu Scramble

Who says you can't enjoy a lovely scramble in the morning? Tofu is an extremely easy ingredient to use in the kitchen and this egg-free dish might be better than ever!

16 oz Tofu (Extra Firm)
1 Bell Pepper
1/2 Red Onion
2C Kale

Spice Mixture:
1t Tumeric
1t Chili Powder
1t Garlic Powder
Pinch of Salt and Pepper to Taste

4T water


Drain the tofu out of the packaging. Then, place the tofu between two towels and set a heavy object (like a cast-iron pot) on top. Allow the tofu to drain for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the onion into small pieces. Cut the the bell pepper into long strips. Then, cut the kale into bite-sized pieces. On the stove, saute the onion and the bell pepper for about 5 minutes. Once the tofu is done drying, add the tofu to the stove on medium heat. You can break it down to any size that you want. Allow the tofu to get a light golden brown. Add in your spice mixture and add in the kale. Serve immediately. You can add any topping you would like: avocado, cilantro, salsa, tomatoes, vegan cheese.

For the potato wedges, cut up your favorite potato in bite size pieces. Place them into a large bowl. Add a few rosemary sprigs and a pinch of pepper and salt. Mix well and spread them out on a baking sheet. Place in the oven at 425 degrees for at least 30 minutes, or golden brown. You will want to toss them them at the half-way mark.


Prep time: 15 minutes (except tofu drying process)
Serves about three people