It's Saturday morning. Maybe you had a few drinks last night. Maybe your head's feeling a little heavy. Maybe you need a greasy breakfast to jump start your morning. No way!
You don't need greasy food to cure a hangover. And, it's no way to start your day!
The best way to start your day, even those with a slow start, is with some healthy calories, nutrients, and delicious carbs and protein! Sure, you might want to turn to eggs or bacon as the foundation of your brekkie, but you can always switch it up with a plant-based option that just as delicious.
Okay - I get it - tofu and tempeh can be a little intimidating. Nothing better sums up those perceptions of vegans as a sad wet tofu cube. But, with some veggies and a hint of nooch (nutritional yeast), tofu can transform to rival even the greasiest scrambler.
Let's talk tofu. There's a few different types of tofu based on their firmness ranging from soft to extra firm. This firmness is based on how processed the tofu is - it's processing is similar to cheese with a lot of mashing and pressing into a cube. I almost only buy extra firm tofu since it's the most versatile for what I want. For a tofu scramble, you'll want a medium firmness or greater.
For a phenomenal plant-based brekkie for two, here's whatcha need:
1/2 block of extra firm tofu (1/4 block contains 11 grams of protein; add more if you need it)
1/2 one large onion
1/2 red bell pepper
6-8 white mushrooms
2 cups baby spinich
2 tbs nutritional yeast
1 tsp each of onion and garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
You can easily tinker with this recipe to add things you love or get some extra nutrients when you need it. Here's how to make it:
Start by drying your tofu. Slice the half block into 4-5 equal slices and place on paper towel. Place more paper towel on top of the tofu and press to extract the moisture. While your tofu dries, chop your onion, pepper, and mushrooms. Once the tofu is dry, crumble it by hand.
In a large pan, begin to cook the onions and peppers in oil. After 3-4 minutes, add the mushrooms. After another 3-4 minutes add the tofu and the spinich and let the mixture cook.
Once the veggies are tender and the tofu begins to slightly brown, add the nutritional yeast and seasonings (pro tip: not sure where to get nutritional yeast? Try Bulk Barn).
Not only is a tofu scramble delicious, it is super easy and only takes about 20 minutes to prepare. I like to top my scramble with salsa, but no one will judge you if you use a little ketchup.
In addition to the scramble, I often have some whole grain toast (sprouted grain is my go-to) with jam or peanut butter (depending on how much fat you want) and some hash browns. Sometimes, I'll swap the hash browns for some healthier sweet potatoes or some protein pancakes (check out Castle Kitchen for a solid pancake mix). If you need some extra protein in the mornings, consider adding some tempeh bacon (check out the Blue Menu option), vegan breakfast sausage, or some breakfast bites.
So there you have it! A healthy breakfast to help you bounce back and start your day right! No need to be intimidated by tofu. With the right ingredients, you won't even miss your bacon and eggs.
