fbpx

Category: Breakfast

Posted on

Cabbage, Potatoes, and Mushrooms

potatoes and cabbage and mushrooms_small

This recipe can be eaten at any time of the day. Today I had it for breakfast. The ingredients are simple and it’s easy to prepare, especially if you have leftover cooked potatoes. This makes about 2 servings.

Ingredients:

  • 2 – 3 medium golden potatoes
  • 1/4 onion (or 4 green onions), thinly sliced
  • 1/4 of a head of cabbage
  • 5 – 6 white or baby Bella mushrooms (or any mushrooms which you prefer)
  • 2 TBS fresh parsley

Directions:

Option 1: (Already cooked potatoes such as those cubed/sliced/hashed and oven-baked.)

  1. Stir-steam onions and mushrooms for about 2 minutes. (If using green onions, use the bottom harder parts first and reserve the green tops for serving.)
  2. Add the cabbage. Stir-steam until it begins to wilt.
  3. Add in the cooked potatoes and heat until warmed.
  4. Serve with fresh parsley (and chopped green onion tops, if using them) and additional seasonings such as salt/pepper.

Option 2: (If you do not have cooked potatoes.)

  1. Stir-steam onions and mushrooms for about 2 minutes. (If using green onions, use the bottom harder parts first and reserve the green tops for serving.)
  2. Add cubed/sliced potatoes and about 1/4 cup of water.
  3. Allow the potatoes to cook slowly until they are soft but still firm.
  4. Add the cabbage. Stir-steam until it begins to wilt.
  5. Serve with fresh parsley (and chopped green onion tops, if using them) and additional seasonings such as salt/pepper.

Notes:

  • You could also cook all the vegetables and then add a side of already cooked hash browns so that they can be served crispy.
Posted on

Potato Casserole

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound of hashbrowns (or shredded potatoes, see notes/tips below)
  • 8-10 ounces fresh spinach, chopped
  • 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced (or even finely diced)
  • 1/2 of a medium onion, chopped
  • dried parsley flakes (to be sprinkled on top)

Cheezy Sauce:

  • 2 cups plant-based milk
  • ½ cup raw cashews (or use 1/4 cup of cashew flour)
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch**
  • ¼ cup nutritional yeast flakes
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon tahini
  • 1 tablespoon miso paste
  • 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt (or to your taste preferences)
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

**Try to find a NON-GMO cornstarch

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  2. Saute the mushrooms and onions in a bit of water/broth over medium-high heat until tender the onions become translucent and caramelized. Add water/broth as needed to prevent sticking.
  3. Combine the “cheeze” ingredients in a high-speed blender and process until smooth. Taste to make sure it’s to your liking.
  4. Pour half of the blended cheese sauce into the bowl of hash browns and mix until thoroughly combined.
  5. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Begin to add layers: “cheeze” sauce, potatoes, onions & mushrooms, chopped spinach. Make two layers and top it all off with “cheeze” sauce.
  6. I like to top with more parchment paper (but this is optional) bake for 30 minutes, and then remove the top so that it can brown and the sauce can thicken. (Or you can simply bake uncovered in the oven.)
  7. Sprinkle with dried parsley.

NOTES/TIPS

  • I think the onions are the star of this dish that adds the most flavor. I like to add a splash of balsamic vinegar to help with the caramelization of the onions. (You can use any vinegar you have for cooking.)
  • I like to salt and pepper the potatoes as I layer them.
  • Taste your “cheeze” sauce prior to using it in the dish so that you can make adjustments to suit your taste buds.
  • Look for organic potatoes to avoid added ingredients and preservatives.
  • If shredding your own potatoes, make sure to dry them well – using a kitchen towel or paper towels.
  • I’ve also used sliced potatoes to make this recipe. Use a mandoline slicer for best results
  • This recipe is originally from https://www.plantpurenation.com/blogs/recipes/breakfast-potato-casserole

Posted on

Oatmeal Bars with Berries and Seeds

oatmeal bars with blueberries and pumpkin seeds

I usually just have a bowl of oatmeal in the mornings to keep things quick and easy. There are many options when it comes to adding flavor to oatmeal.  Similarly, the same is true for these oatmeal bars. You can easily switch out the types of berries and seeds.

Berry options include blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, or cherries. Also, I suggest using your favorite nut or seed in this recipe. The recipe shown in the photo uses blueberries and pumpkin seeds.

Oh, and as always, you can use whatever sweetener is your favorite. Even a banana or pureed dates would be excellent options. 

With these oatmeal bars, you can be just as creative as you can with a bowl of oatmeal. 

And, guess what else? This recipe allows you to begin your day with G-BOMBS! G-BOMBS is an acronym that you can use to remember the best anti-cancer, health-promoting foods on the planet. These are the foods that you should eat every day, making up a significant proportion of your diet. 

Here are links to our podcasts regarding G-BOMBS. Each episode includes some ideas on how to incorporate them into your diet.

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 1+ 1/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1+ ½ cups oat flour
  • 1+ ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 TBS ground flaxseeds
  • 2/3 cup applesauce
  • 1  to  2 cups of berries
  • 1/2 cup nuts or seeds
  • 1/3 cup liquid sweetener  (or pureed bananas/dates)

Directions:

  1. Mix the ground flaxseeds and applesauce. Put to the side.
  2. Add all the remaining dry ingredients and the nuts/seeds to your mixing bowl.
  3. Add the liquid sweetener and applesauce mix and mix well. The mixture will be thick. You can add water or nutmilk if you need to make it thinner, but it should not be runny and much thicker than pancake mix.
  4. Gently stir in the berries.
  5. Place some parchment paper on the bottom of a square (8×8 or 9×9) baking pan for easy removal once baked. Press mixture into a square cooking pan.
  6. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned on the top and edges.

Looking for other ways to enjoy oatmeal? Check out Oatmeal Options.

Posted on

Tofu Scramble

Tofu Scramble

Tofu scramble is sometimes my Saturday or Sunday breakfast. When I want to take a break from the usual oatmeal I will prepare this dish. It does take a bit more time than a bowl of oatmeal, but it’s well worth it.

The best part is that it contains plenty of vegetables. And incorporating vegetables into your first meal is a great start to any day.  I used the typical vegetables of onions, bell peppers, and spinach in this recipe, but you can add any vegetable you like. For instance, on this particular day, I added celery. Yet, my favorite part is the addition of potatoes. The potatoes are sure to fill you up and prepare you to focus on the work that’s ahead.

But, hey, this could also be a lunch or even a dinner meal. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

  • 6 cups of yellow or white flesh potatoes (even red-skinned potatoes), cubed and pre-cooked in the oven if possible
  • 1/2 package of firm or extra-firm tofu (ORGANIC if possible), liquid removed
  • 1/4 to 1/2 of a bell pepper (whichever you like)
  • 1/4 to 1/2  of a small onion (whichever you like, substitute scallions or green onions too)
  • 1/2 – 1 stalk of celery
  • a handful or two of fresh spinach
  • Seasonings (See suggestion below.)

Directions:

  1. Add vegetables to a (preferably non-stick) skillet with a bit of water to begin sauteing (skip the oil, continue to add small amounts of water to prevent the vegetables from sticking).
  2. Once they have softened, continue to cook until the water evaporates and the onions begin to carmelize.
  3. If you have pre-cooked potatoes, go to step 5.
  4. If you have not pre-cooked the potatoes, remove the vegetables from the skillet. Then add cubed potatoes and water (plus salt/pepper if you’d like). Add about 1/2 cup of water at a time and cover the skillet slightly to allow the potatoes to steam and simmer. Add more water as necessary. End cooking the potatoes when they are done and the water is absorbed. Add vegetables back to the pan. Go to step 6.
  5. If you have pre-cooked potatoes, add the pre-cooked potatoes to the pan.
  6. Add tofu and seasonings and stir until well mixed, heated, and until most of the water has evaporated.
  7. Don’t forget to taste

I like to serve with fresh avocado slices and fresh pico de gallo (or simply fresh onions and tomatoes are a good option too.)

Seasoning Mix: The goal is to add some sort of yellow color so that the scramble will resemble eggs. Here is a recipe I found at NutritionStudies.org. You can create this mix and then sprinkle it onto the scramble to satisfy your desired taste.

  • 1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes
  • 2 1/2 Tbsp plus 1 tsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp curry powder
  • 2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground pepper

Other possible add-ins:

  • Mushrooms
  • Fresh peas
  • Garlic
  • Kale
  • Tomatoes

Toppings:

  • Tomatoes or Fresh Salsa
  • Avocado or Guacamole

Posted on

Polenta with vegetables

Polenta is a corn-meal porridge. You can top polenta with anything you like which makes it a delicious options for breakfast, lunch and even dinner.

Polenta is identified as a yellow corn-meal. The way it’s process produces a more whole form of what many know as grits and contains 6 g of fiber. ( The most popular form of grits only have .7 g – yet I believe there is a white corn that can be used to create white polenta “grits” which reserves the whole kernels.

If cooking on the stove-top it takes about 30 minutes. Use 1 cup of polenta to 6 cups of water.

But I prefer the much easier option of using an Instant Pot. This recipe makes 4 – 6 servings.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup polenta
  • 6 cups water or broth

Vegetable Toppings:  (in photo)

  • `1 bell pepper
  • 2 stalks green onion
  • 8 ounces mushrooms
  • 4 ounces cherry tomatoes
  • 4 cups spinach
  • Salt, pepper and crushed red pepper (optional)

Directions: (for Instant Pot)

  1. Add polenta, water and sprinkle with a little salt (optional) into Instant Pot and stir.
  2. Cook for 10 minutes (manually set or use ‘Rice’ button).
  3. After time is up, Press ‘Cancel’ to switch to ‘Off’ and allow natural pressure release (usually 10/15 minutes).
  4. Stir to combine water and corn-meal. Using a whisk makes this easier.

Cooking Vegetables:

  1. Heat griddle or pan on stove-top.
  2. Add 1 tsp of oil and/or 2 TBS water to the pan.
  3. Add all vegetables except for spinach and stir-fry (stir-steam) until desired tenderness, sprinkle with seasonings of choice.
  4. Remove vegetables to a plate, turn off heat, add spinach and allow to wilt. (Adding a bit of water to create steam will help spinach wilt.)

Serve by adding polenta to a dish and topping with the vegetables.

Posted on

Buckwheat and Millet Pancakes

This is my go-to recipe for breakfast (in addition to a morning smoothie which I usually have while cooking pancakes). Notice there aren’t any sweeteners, gums or extra fillers in this gluten-free recipe. Just the basic ingredients and I enjoy them with unsulphured molasses, a touch of maple syrup and cold-pressed flax seed oil (an optional boost of Omega-3’s).

Ingredients:
1 cup buckwheat flour
1 cup millet flour
2 TBS ground flax seeds (can add up to 4 TBS)
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
2 cups nut milk (or water will work just as well)
2 tsp baking powder

Directions:

  1. Heat a hot griddle or skillet over low to medium heat.
  2. Mix all ingredients together well, except for the baking powder
  3. Allow the mix to sit about 2 – 3 minutes for the flax seeds to help bind the mixture. (The ground flax seeds are a plant-based substitution for eggs.)
  4. Add a bit more nut milk or water to attain the consistency needed to pour the pancake batter onto a griddle.
  5. Add baking powder and mix slightly. ( You can add another tablespoon of water to help the powder dissolve easily.)
  6. Add just a touch of oil if needed(I prefer coconut oil when needed) to your griddle or skillet.
  7. Cook the pancakes. (They should be easy to pour from the bowl and form round circles on the cooking surface. If not, you can use a spoon to spread a bit or add more liquid).

Note: I make my own buckwheat and millet flours using a Vitamix grain container that has a specific blade for grinding grains.

Suggestion: Mix all the dry ingredients together and store in an airtight container. To use, add liquid of choice in 1:1 ratio of dry mix. Allow to sit for 1 minute. Then, if using, add lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. Cook on hot griddle.

Posted on

PB Quinoa and Oat Bars (Low FODMAP)

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup peanut butter (peanut butter smooth style without salt)
  • 1/8 cup brown rice syrup (maple syrup or other sweetener)
  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar (coconut palm sugar)
  • ¾ cup, 20 grams rice cakes, crushed
  • 1 cup (90 g) oats (soaked would be best)
  • 2/3 cup (100 g) quinoa, soaked (quinoa uncooked)
  • 1 TBS chocolate chips
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 TBS ground flax seeds
  • 3 TBS water
  • 1/3 cup (30 g) walnuts
  • 1 TBS sunflower seeds (or pumpkin seed
  • 1 TBS coconut oil (or similar oil)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and oil baking (6 in x 8 in) dish with coconut oil.
  2. Mix ground flax seeds with the water and set aside.
  3. Melt first three ingredients together, add flax seed mixture.
  4. Add remaining ingredients and stir well.
  5. Press mixture into pan.
  6. Bake about 12 – 15 minutes.

NOTE: This bars contain oats and sugar, so my recommendation is – do not eat more than 2 at a time.

Posted on

Mid-day Green Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 packed cup of Kale

1/2 slice of 1 inch thick pineapple

1/2 of peeled pickling cucumber

1/2 small nectarine or peach*

1 knob ginger (you can juice using garlic press)

2 coconut milk* ice cubes

1 1/2 cups water


*High FODMAP food – remove from ingredients to achieve a Low FODMAP recipe.


Directions:
Put all ingredients into a high-speed blender such as the Vitamix and process until you reach your desired consistency.

Makes about 12 ounces.

Posted on

My “Go To” Get Going Green Smoothie

Lately, this has been my “go to” morning smoothie to “get going”.

Ingredients:
2 cups water
1/2 avocado
1 stalk celery
2 TBS nut butter
2 Medjool dates
1 TBS hemp protein
1/2 frozen banana (or add a couple of ice cubes)
1 scoop green “super food” powder

Directions:
Add all ingredients to a high speed blender. I use a Vitamix – it’s my favorite.

Options:
1. Use fresh vegetable/fruit juice or coconut water in place of water
2. I’ve been using organic cashew butter, but I also like almond butter. Almonds are the only alkaline nut and, by the way, cashews aren’t actually nuts.
3. Use different fruits such as blueberries, mangos, pineapple in place of a banana
4. Add even more “green power” by adding fresh leafy greens (spinach, kale, salad mixes)  – you might want to add a a little more liquid if you do.

Below are the results from a calorie counting program.

Calories: The calculations show 574 Calories. I need all the “healthy” calories I can get. But, if you want less calories, start my removing the nut butter before any avocado.

https://youtu.be/LSWyYpTnKjc
Posted on

Orange You Happy Smoothie

This morning it took me a while to get around to preparing my first meal around 11 am. I had already had 32 ounces of water (mixed with barley green powder and 1/2 of a lemon which has now become my regular morning routine.) But at this hour of the morning,  I felt like I wanted more than just juice. So I mixed together this quick smoothie.

You can use frozen pineapple, mango* and/or blueberries which are easy to find in the frozen food section of the grocery store these days. Actually, I purchase most of my blueberries frozen because that’s almost the only way I find organic berries. But I prefer fresh pineapple and fresh mango, especially the Ataulfo mangos that are plentiful in the beginning of summer time.

This recipe will make 28 – 32 ounces and can easily be doubled.

Ingredients:
3 oranges
1 – 2 cups of pineapple (slices or chunks, and any of its juices)
1 mango*
5 mint leaves
1 cup blueberries

*High FODMAP food – remove from ingredients to achieve a Low FODMAP recipe.

Directions:

  1. Juice oranges (I used a manual juice press)
  2. Peel and remove seed from mango
  3. Toss all ingredients into a high speed blender (I use my all-time favorite, the Vitamix)
Optional Add-ins:
I added a handful of greens (kale & spinach are my favorite).