Country Breakfast Vegetarian Style

Just because you've given up meat, doesn't mean that you have to give up big delicious breakfasts complete with sausage and eggs (ahem, imitation sausage and eggs). Fantastic Foods offers a mouth-watering tofu scramble that will definitely please any breakfast crew. Want to add a little oomph to that mix? Try this easy vegetarian recipe:

• 1/2 cup grits


• 1 cup water


• salt (optional)


• margarine or butter (optional)


• 1 block of firm tofu, drained


• 1 packet of Tofu Scrambler mix


• 1 tablespoon yeast flakes (optional)

Boil the water and add grits (this is also when you would add the margarine and salt). Simmer the mixture for five minutes. While the grits are cooking, sauté the tofu and the Scrambler mix together in accordance with the instructions. Add the grits to the fried mixture and sauté for some more. Allow the grits to brown a little bit around the edges but don't burn them.

Blueberry Corn Muffins

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup cornmeal
1-1/2 cups soy or dairy milk
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup maple syrup, honey, or corn syrup
1 tbsp ground flaxseed or 1 egg
1-1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or thawed frozen

Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In a large bowl, combine cornmeal, milk, oil, maple syrup, and flaxseed and let sit for 3 minutes. Add flour mixture and mix just until blended. Fold in blueberries and spoon into lightly oiled muffin tins. Bake in a 400 F oven for about 20 mins. or until golden brown.

Pumpkin Muffins

A healthy snack to have anytime, but especially first thing in the morning!

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 teaspoon ground ginger
l teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups fresh pumpkin or butternut squash puree
(or substitute 1 cup canned pumpkin puree—
more convenient but not as good!)
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2/3 cup raisins or currants
1/3 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the first 6 (dry) ingredients in a mixing bowl. In another bowl, combine the pumpkin or squash puree, applesauce, brown sugar, and oil and stir together until smooth. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir together vigorously until thoroughly combined. Stir in the raisins or currants and the optional
walnuts.

Divide the mixture among 12 oiled or foil-lined muffin tins. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin tests clean. Cool on a rack, then remove muffins from the tin and store
in an airtight container.

Quick Breakfast Fix

I'm sure that you've heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And, the good news for vegetarians is that breakfast is the easiest meal to find healthy meatless options for, even healthy fast food options that are meatless. If you want a vegetarian breakfast that's low in fat and fast, here are some great tips:

• Take your breakfast with you; pack a whole-grain bagel or muffin, a hard-boiled egg, yogurt or a small jar of peanut butter and some fruit in your bag and take it with you to work.


• Make a weekly trip to the grocery store and buy things like whole-grain cereal (unsweetened) and eggs that you can hard-boil at home.


• Stop at a café on the way out in the morning. However, skip the sweet sugary stuff like doughnuts and pastries and stay away from the fried stuff too. Try to find things that are whole wheat or have no added sugars.


• Low-sugar and high-fiber and high-protein choices are the way to go. Get something like a bagel w/ light cream cheese or a piece of quiche.


• Read the labels on breakfast bars (many are high in sugar).


• In a pinch, grab a piece of fruit.

Scrambled Tofu

An excellent replacement for scrambled eggs, and a great no-cholesterol source of protein.

1 lb medium-firm tofu
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
2 tbsps chopped green onions
1/2 small clove garlic, minced
2 tbsps vegetable stock or 1-1/2 tsp canola oil
1 tsp chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 tsp ground cumin and salt
pinch tumeric
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp salsa (optional)
Drain tofu and mash with a fork. Saute mushrooms, green onions and garlic in vegetable stock or oil for 3-5 minutes. Stir in tofu and spices, saute for 5 more minutes. Stir in yeast and salsa. Excellent with toast.

Homemade Granola

A healthy and delicious start to your day.

1/2 cup apple juice concentrate
1/2 cup almond butter or tahini
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla or almond extract
8 cups rolled oats
1 cup chopped almonds or sunflower seeds
1 cup raisins, currants or chopped dates.
Combine apple juice, almond butter, maple syrup and vanilla in bowl or blender, and mix well. Combine oats and almonds in large roasting pan and coat with liquid mixture. Bake in 350 F oven until golden brown (30 mins.) stirring every 10 minutes. Cool, stir in fruit and store in air tight containers.

Orange Shake

Combine all the following ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth.
1 pkg. soft tofu
1 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
1 ripe banana
1 1/2 cups water

Makes a great pick-me-up first thing in the morning!

Oatmeal Porridge

A healthy comfort food.

2 cups water
1 cup rolled oats
2 tbsp raisins or chopped dates
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup soy or rice milk
2-3 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp flaxseed oil (optional)
Bring water to boil in covered saucepan over high heat. Stir in rolled oats, raisins and cinnamon. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve garnished with milk, maple syrup and flaxseed oil.

Breakfast Grains

Try cooking whole grains, such as millet and amaranth, and mixing them with cinnamon and maple syrup for a great breakfast or dessert.

Apple Muesli

Here´s a great recipe that should leave you looking forward to breakfast.

1-1/4 cups apple juice

1 cup rolled oats

2 tbsp. raisins or currants

chopped dates, or nuts

1/8 tsp. cinnamon pinch of any 2 of nutmeg, coriander, allspice or cloves

Combine all ingredients, cover and refrigerate overnight. For variations, add grated apple or mashed ripe banana just before serving.

Soy Milk Cappuccino

A healthy, delicious alternative to the popular drink.

1 cup soymilk, unflavored
2 tsp maple syrup, brown sugar or honey
2 tsp grain beverage powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
pinch ground cinnamon
chocolate shavings (optional)
Heat soymilk in saucepan or microwave until just below boiling. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients. Beat with egg beater until frothy, garnish with chocolate shavings if using.

Breakfast Entertaining

Since a vegetarian breakfast can consist of exactly what a non-vegetarian would ordinarily eat for breakfast, it’s a good meal to serve when you are entertaining non-vegetarian guests. For example, try French toast, OJ, apple compote, and maple syrup, and all will be satisfied.

Eat the Leftovers

There’s nothing wrong with having leftovers from last night’s dinner, cold pizza, cold Chinese take-out or a bowl of soup for breakfast. Nobody said that breakfast had to be cereal or toast.