Plant-Based Diet For Dummies
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Following are several recipes for the most important meal of the day. If you are working out a lot or know that your body feels better when you consume more protein, you might try these protein-filled options.

Turmeric Tofu Scramble

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon coriander

1/2 teaspoon chili powder (optional)

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon dried thyme

pinch cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

ground black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon grape seed oil

1 onion, peeled and diced

1 green bell pepper, diced (optional)

2 pounds firm organic tofu, drained

  1. In a small bowl, mix together the cumin, turmeric, coriander, chili powder (if desired), paprika, thyme, cayenne, salt, and black pepper.

  2. In a sauté pan, heat the grape seed oil over medium heat and add the onion, green bell pepper, if desired, and spices. Cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes.

  3. Crumble the tofu into bite-sized pieces with a fork and add it to the sauté pan, Stir to coat the tofu with the spice mixture. Sauté for 5 minutes over medium to high heat.

Per serving: Calories 185 (From Fat 90); Fat 10g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 153mg; Carbohydrate 6g (Dietary Fiber 2.5g); Protein 15g.

Serve the scramble with some sprouted-grain toast and steamed greens for a balanced breakfast.

Liquid Nutrition Smoothie

Preparation time: 4 minutes

Yield: 2 servings

2 cups rice milk, almond milk, or hempseed milk

2 to 4 tablespoons plant-based protein powder (such as Sunwarrior or Vega)

1/2 cup blueberries or mixed berries, fresh or frozen

1 banana

1/2 cup chopped mango, peach, or pear, fresh or frozen

1/2 cup ice

1 teaspoon coconut nectar or raw honey

1/2 to 1 cup packed fresh spinach leaves

  1. Blend all the ingredients in a blender until the mixture is smooth and no lumps remain.

  2. Pour into two glasses and enjoy.

Per serving: Calories 186 (From Fat 27); Fat 3g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 283mg; Carbohydrate 31g (Dietary Fiber 4g); Protein 11g.

The smoothie will keep for eight hours in the refrigerator.

Try adding a tablespoon of any of these superfoods: goji berries, cacao nibs, coconut oil, flax oil, chia seeds, hempseeds, carob powder, maca, matcha green-tea powder, almond butter, or acai-berry powder.

This smoothie will be creamier if your fruit is frozen, so opt for frozen fruit whenever possible (or just add more ice).

Soaked Oats with Goji Berries

Preparation time: 10 minutes plus soaking time

Cook time: 2–10 minutes

Yield: 1–2 servings

1/2 cup whole rolled oats

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup rice milk or almond milk

1 tablespoon almond butter

1 banana, sliced

2 tablespoons goji berries

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

1 tablespoon maple syrup

  1. Combine the oats, water, and lemon juice in a bowl. Cover with a plate and soak overnight at room temperature.

  2. For cold oats, add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and enjoy.

  3. For warm oats, add all the ingredients to a pot with an additional splash of rice milk. Warm for 5 minutes and serve.

Per serving: Calories 433 (From Fat 144); Fat 16g (Saturated 2.5g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 49mg; Carbohydrate 62g (Dietary Fiber 6g); Protein 15g.

If you like your raisins or pumpkin seeds soft, soak them overnight with the oats. If you want to make the warming process even easier, prepare this recipe in a slow cooker the night before and just turn the heat on in the morning for a few minutes to warm it up.

Try using some of these toppings instead for a different flavor: chia seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, currents, apple slices, pear slices, cacao nibs, or hempseeds.

Super Chia Banana Porridge

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Yield: 1 serving

1/4 cup chia seeds, soaked in 1/2 cup water or hempseed milk for 10 minutes

1/2 to 1 ripe banana, mashed

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon green powder (optional)

1 tablespoon softened coconut oil or nut butter

2 tablespoons fresh berries

  1. Stir the soaked chia seeds until a gel-like consistency forms. Add a bit more liquid if desired.

  2. Add the mashed banana. Combine until the mixture has a porridge-like consistency.

  3. Stir in the cinnamon, green powder (if desired), coconut oil or nut butter, and berries.

  4. Serve in a bowl and enjoy. Top with coconut flakes for extra crunch.

Per serving: Calories 382 (From Fat 243); Fat 27g (Saturated 13g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 11mg; Carbohydrate 33g (Dietary Fiber 16g); Protein 8g.

The ideal amount of time to soak chia is approximately 10 minutes for a thick consistency; for an even thicker consistency, soak it longer. If you want it thinner, add more liquid.

Green powders come in many varieties. Aim for a single-source powder such as chlorella, spirulina, or hemp powder, or blends that contain only green ingredients. This ensures that you aren’t getting any other additives.

Try sunflower-seed butter or cashew butter instead of coconut oil for a variation. Also try adding a scoop of protein powder or topping the mixture with hempseeds, goji berries, or pumpkin seeds for an extra boost of protein.

This breakfast is great on the go — you can get it ready the night before and have it ready to take with you in the morning.

About This Article

This article is from the book:

About the book author:

Marni Wasserman is a culinary nutritionist and health strategist. She owns and operates her Food Studio and Lifestyle Shop in Toronto where she teaches people how to make everyday eating simple and delicious. She also writes for Tonic Toronto magazine, Huffington Post, Chatelaine Magazine, and her blog at www.marniwasserman.com.

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