Recipe

Vegan Breakfasts – A Great Way to Start the Day!

People are working harder than ever to live healthier and longer, and many of those have made the personal choice to adopt a vegetarian diet (a/k/a “vegan”).

This can be a special challenge at breakfast-time, since the traditional American breakfast is laden with meats and meat by-products. However, a vegan breakfast can be a healthy, appealing, and delicious way to begin the day. Below are sample recipes for a vegan breakfast that you will be happy and proud to serve to your most discriminating guests.

Vegan Crepes (Yield: 4 servings)

This recipe, when prepared, presents beautifully when embellished with your favorite preserves, chocolate chips, or other favorites!

Ingredients:

-One-half cup of soy milk

-One-half cup of water

-One-fourth cup of melted soy margarine

-One tablespoon of turbinado sugar

-Two tablespoons of maple syrup

-One cup of unbleached, all-purpose flour

-One-fourth teaspoon of salt

Directions:

1. Blend all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl until mixture is smooth. Cover and chill for two hours.

2. Using soy margarine, lightly grease a small skillet (5-6 inches in diameter) and heat the skillet until a small drop of water dances on the hot skillet.

3. Pour a small amount of batter on to the hot skillet, approximately three tablespoons full. Swirl the skillet until batter covers the bottom of the pan. Return skillet to heat, and allow to cook until the bottom side is golden, then flip over with spatula and allow the other side to cook until golden as well.

Feel free to embellish crepes as desired!

Carrot Cake Oatmeal (Yield: 6 servings)

Oatmeal alone is a warm, comforting, stick-to-your-ribs way to begin the day. This Carrot Cake Oatmeal recipe will dress up the traditional oat fare while adding the nutritional benefits of apple, carrots, and raisins.

Ingredients:

-Four cups water

-One cup steel-cut oats

-One apple, peeled, cored, and chopped

-One-half cup shredded carrots

-One-half cup raisins

-One teaspoon ground cinnamon

-One-half teaspoon ground nutmeg

-One-half teaspoon ground ginger

-One pinch of salt

-One tablespoon of butter or soy margarine

-Three-fourths cup of chopped pecans

-One tablespoon brown sugar

-One-half cup plain yogurt

Directions:

1. Bring the four cups of water to a boil in a saucepan that is large and heavy. When the water begins to boil, add the oats, stir, then reduce heat to simmer and cook the oats about 10 minutes, or until they begin to thicken. Add the chopped apple, and the next six ingredients. Stir until thoroughly mixed and allow the entire mixture to simmer about another 20 minutes, or until the oats are tender.

2. As the oats simmer, melt the butter or soy margarine over medium-low heat. When the butter has melted, stir in the pecans and toast them until lightly browned and fragrant, usually 2 to 5 minutes; then, sprinkle with brown sugar and stir until the sugar has dissolved and coated the pecans.

3. Serve the oats in bowls, topped with a couple of tablespoons of the nut mixture and top with a spoonful of yogurt.

Muesli

There are some great commercially prepared cereals on the market today, but as with about anything else, nothing is better than that which you prepare yourself! The same applies with this delicious recipe for Muesli. Feel free to put on your creative hat and add additional dried fruits, nuts or whatever strikes your fancy!

Ingredients:

-Four and one-half cups of rolled oats
-One-half cup of toasted wheat germ
-One-half cup of wheat bran
-One-half cup of oat bran
-One cup of raisins
-One-half cup of walnuts or other nuts, chopped
-One-fourth cup of brown sugar, packed
-One-fourth cup of raw sunflower seeds

Directions:

Using a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and stir well to mix evenly. Store in an airtight container to preserve freshness.

To serve, add desired amount of Muesli to a bowl and add soy milk to desired level. On a cold, wintry morning, Muesli can be warmed in the microwave for an especially satisfying and comforting breakfast.

Flavorful Fruit Smoothie

This easy and delicious concoction is an easy and nutritious way to begin the day. Use your creative talents to add additional frozen fruits to suit your own palate. To freeze the bananas, simply peel fresh bananas, cut into thick sliced, toss into a freezer bag and freeze. By keeping a supply of frozen fruits handy, a tasty and nutritious breakfast is always at hand.

Ingredients:

-Two frozen bananas

-One-half cup of frozen blueberries

-One cup of orange juice

-One tablespoon of honey

-One teaspoon of vanilla extract (optional)

Directions:

Combine frozen fruit and juice in a blender, and puree. Add honey and/or vanilla to taste preferences. Soy milk can be substituted for the juice for a consistency resembling a milk shake, and overall liquid levels can be increased or decreased, depending upon the thickness and consistency desired.