Today we are going to look at ways to use veggies in the most important meal of the day. Get a good start by packing veggies into your breakfast. Veggies for breakfast? Absolutely! Here's how:
ZUCCHINI BREAKFAST COOKIES
Who wouldn't want cookies for breakfast?
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter or nut/seed butter of choice
1/4 cup raw honey
1 medium banana
1 flax egg 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal + 3 tablespoons water, or 1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup quinoa flakes
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded zucchini pressed in a dish towel
2 tablespoons chia seeds
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Add peanut butter, honey, banana, egg and vanilla in a large bowl. Mix until combined. Add oats, quinoa flakes, baking powder, spices and salt to the bowl and stir together. Fold in shredded zucchini and chia seeds.
Spoon 2 tablespoons of dough onto the baking sheet and repeat until no dough remains.
Bake cookies on center rack for 15 – 18 minutes until edges are golden brown. Remove and let cool on the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
Enjoy at room temp or slightly reheated in a microwave.
https://www.simplyquinoa.com/zucchini-bread-quinoa-breakfast-cookies/
PALEO CRISPY VEGETABLE CAKES
Crisp up a nice vegetable medley. Top with goat cheese, or yogurt.
1/4 cup Almond flour
1 cup Baby spinach (finely chopped)
1 tbsp Parsley (freshly chopped)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp Thyme
1 Parsnip (peeled and grated)
1 Carrot (peeled and grated)
1 Onion (diced)
1 Garlic clove (minced)
1 Red bell pepper (finely chopped)
1 Egg
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper (to taste)
Combine all of the vegetables in a bowl with the herbs, egg, and almond flour. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. Form into 4 patties.
Heat the oil in a heavy skillet. Add the vegetable cakes and cook until golden brown on both sides. Serve immediately.
https://ultimatepaleoguide.com/crispy-vegetable-cakes/
SAVORY OATS
This is interesting! Jazz up your oatmeal in a whole new way.
1 cup steel cut oats
2 tbsp olive oil
4 spring onions finely chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
2 large handfuls baby spinach washed and roughly shredded
Hot water
Freshly ground black pepper
Heat the olive oil in a pan. Add the spring onion and cook for five minutes, taking care not to burn.
Add the thyme leaves. Reduce the heat and stir in the oats. Cook on a low heat for five minutes. The oats will absorb the oil and develop a toasty flavor.
Add a small splash of hot water and continue cooking for a couple more minutes. The oats should soften slightly but keep their shape. Add a little more water if desired.
Stir in the spinach and warm until the spinach has wilted into the oats.
Serve immediately, ideally in warmed bowls.
http://www.mostlyeating.com/skirlie-fast-savoury-oats
MILLET CHICKPEA CHARD BAKE
Get out your ramekins and bake in a new way. You love this combo.
1/4 cup uncooked millet (or 3/4 cup cooked millet)
1 Tablespoon flax meal
3 Tablespoons chickpea flour
2/3 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 teaspoon salt
a pinch of black salt(optional)
1/3 cup coconut milk (I used So Delicious unsweetened. Canned will work too)
1 teaspoon olive oil(optional)
1 teaspoon herbs of choice (I used Italian blend)
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
1/2 cup finely chopped rainbow chard or other greens
4-5 baby carrots chopped small
1/2 green chili chopped or chili flakes to taste
other options:
few Tablespoons of chopped onion or chopped Red bell pepper
Daiya mozzarella shreds
Fresh herbs like basil or cilantro
In a bowl, add the chickpea flour, flax meal, salt, and baking powder and mix well.
Add the coconut milk and whisk.
To this add the cooked millet, greens and veggies, spices, nutritional yeast, cheese shreds (if using).
Mix well. the mixture will be a thick stiff batter.
Distribute the mixture into ramekins. I used three 3.5 inch ramekins. Use a spoon to even the tops.
Bake in preheated 365 degrees for 20-25 minutes (5 minutes less or more depending on the oven and ramekins used), until a toothpick for the center comes out almost clean. The mixture will continue to cook once out)
Top with favorite non-dairy cheese if you like. to get a melty top. (Daiya pepperjack!)
Cool for 2-3 minutes before serving.
Serve warm as is or with favorite sauce/dressing.
You can also scoop out the bake, fluff a little and serve as a side, or a millet scramble. topped with roasted potatoes.
The batter can also be cooked as fat pancakes on the stove. Cook on greased pan on both sides for a few minutes until golden and not squishy.
Millet:
Wash and cook 1/4 cup millet in 2/3 cup vegetable broth, or water with added salt and dried herbs. (3/4 cup water if you want the millet a bit mushy). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until well done (15 minutes or so). Mix once in between. Fluff when done.
https://www.veganricha.com/2013/03/millet-chickpea-chard-carrot-breakfast.html
CHEESY SPINACH QUINOA BAKE
This dish could be used for any meal, but it is great for breakfast. Add an egg for more protein.
1 cup quinoa rinsed
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 Tablespoon Garlic Infused Oil or olive oil
2 cups packed fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup lactose-free or non-dairy milk
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I like to use Colby-Jack)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the quinoa and simmer, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, until quinoa is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the spinach and sauté just until spinach is wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir the sautéed spinach into the cooked quinoa. Whisk together the milk, egg, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Add milk mixture and 1 cup of the shredded cheese to the quinoa and stir well.
Transfer to a lightly greased 1.5 quart casserole dish and bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese and bake until melted, about 5 more minutes. Serve.
hhttp://www.deliciousasitlooks.com/2013/04/cheesy-baked-quinoa-and-spinach.html
VEGGIE NUGGETS
Yum! Make a little guac and get your good fats too!
1 cup zucchini (shredded and squeezed to remove excess liquid)
1 cup cauliflower riced (squeeze to remove excess liquid)
1/2 carrots shredded
1/3 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch
3 tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp finely sliced green onion
2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
For the gelatin egg (or sub 1 regular egg)
1 tbsp gelatin (grass fed)
1/4 cup water
Preheat the oven to 400 F and lightly grease a parchment lined baking sheet with coconut oil
Add the shredded veggies, coconut flour, and tapioca starch to a mixing bowl and thoroughly combine
Next, add in the coconut oil and seasonings, and combine
For the gelatin egg, add the water to a small sauce pot and slowly pour over the gelatin
Allow it to bloom over 2-3 minutes
Place the pot on the stove and turn in on low heat
Slowly melt the gelatin (this will take just a few minutes) and remove from heat
Vigorously whisk the gelatin egg until it becomes frothy
Add the gelatin egg to the mixture immediately and combine
Start forming patties and place them onto the baking sheet (you should have about a dozen)
Bake for 25 minutes
https://unboundwellness.com/baked-veggie-nuggets/
These recipes are a good start to incorporate more veggies into your first meal of the day. If you want more protein add an egg cooked any way you like. Here are other items where veggies can be added:
pancakes - add shredded veggies and herbs and spices for a savory version
egg muffins - add any veggies to an egg wash, pour into a muffin pan and bake
veggie breads (cauliflower, zucchini, corn, etc.)
flat breads (same as above)
With a little creativity you can keep your taste buds satisfied. Along with that you'll feel great adding more real food to your meals. Isn't that what it's all about?
Here's to your health! Happy Cooking!
Lori