Breakfast

(Source: http://www.theppk.com/category/recipe/breakfast)

Index

1. Puffy Pillow Pancakes
2. Marbled Banana Bread
3. Apple Pie Pancakes
4. Blackened Scrambled Tofu & Garlicky grits
5. Smoky Maple Sausages
6. Fresh Corn Johnnycakes
7. Raspberry Jam Swirl Crumbcake
8. Cinnamon Walnut Fig Waffles
9. Swiss Chard Frittata
10. Carrot Cake Pancakes
11. Tofu Omelets
12. Puttanesca Tofu Scramble
13. Pumpkin French Toast
14. Scrambled Tofu Revisited
15. Brown Sugar Peach Muffins
16. Chesepeake Tempeh Cakes
17. Tempeh Sausages Crumbles
18. Pumpkin Waffles
19. French Toast
20. Marionberry Lavender Scones
21. Gluten Free Buckwheat Pancakes
22. Bikram Baking: Ginger Chocolate Chunk Scones

1. PUFFY PILLOW PANCAKES

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup almond milk (or soy milk)
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Method

1. In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center.
2. Measure the milk into a measuring cup. Add vinegar and ground flax seeds, and use a fork to vigorously mix the ingredients until foamy. This will take a minute or so.
3. Pour the milk mixture into the center of the dry ingredients. Add the water, canola oil and vanilla and use a fork to mix until a thick, lumpy batter forms. That should take about a minute. It doesn’t need to be smooth, just make sure you get all the ingredients incorporated.
4. Preheat the pan over medium-low heat and let the batter rest for 10 minutes.
5. Lightly coat the pan in oil. Add 1/3 cup of batter for each pancake, and cook for about 4 minutes, until puffy. Flip the pancakes, adding a new coat of oil to the pan, and cook for another 3 minutes or so. Pancake should be about an inch thick, and golden brown.
6. Rest pancakes on a cooling rack covered with tin foil until ready to serve. To reheat, place pancakes in on a baking sheet covered with tin foil in a  300 F degree oven for 5 minutes or so.

Notes:

• Don’t use an electric mixer for the batter. Overmixed pancakes tend to result in a dense pancake. I use a dinner fork to get everything mixed.
• You have to let the batter rest for ten minutes or so. The vinegar and the baking powder need to react with each other and the gluten needs to settle in and rest.
• Don’t crowd the pan. Even in my big cast iron, I don’t make more than two pancakes at once.
• Don’t use too much oil in the pan. It will result in a tough exterior. A very layer of oil is what you want and a spray can of organic canola oil works perfectly for this.
• Preheat the pan for a good ten minutes. I use cast iron and put it on moderate low heat (right around 3 on my stovetop), but you will probably need to adjust a little to get the temp just right. Remember, the temp is not set in stone. Lower and raise in tiny increments as needed. Even turning the dial 1/4 inch can result in big changes.
• Use a measuring cup (with a rounded bottom if possible) to scoop out the batter. And remember to always spray ithe cup between pancakes, to prevent sticking.
• Once you drop the pancake in, refrain from futzing with the batter too much. But don’t be afraid to delicately nudge the batter a tiny bit with your fingers to get a more circular shape and more even cooking. But the batter should spread a tiny bit and puff up all on its own.

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2. Marbled Banana Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mashed very ripe banana
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/3 cup almond milk (or your preferred non-dairy milk)
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 6 tablespoons boiling water, divided

Method:

1. Prepare boiling water, no need to measure yet. Also, preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Mash the banana in a large mixing bowl until relatively smooth. It should take 3 average sized ones, but spoon the mashed ‘nanas into a measuring cup to make sure, then return to the mixing bowl. Beat in the sugar, canola oil, milk and vanilla.
3. Now add the flour, baking soda and salt and gently mix just to incorporate. It’s okay if there is some flour still visible, just be careful not to overmix at this point.
4. Scoop one cup of the batter up and transfer it to a separate mixing bowl. Now, in a small tea cup mix the cocoa powder with 3 tablespoons boiling water and stir vigorously with a fork until the chocolate is dissolved. Add this chocolate mixture to the one cup of banana and mix until the chocolate is thoroughly smooth and incorporated.
5. Now back to the original plain banana batter; add 3 tablespoons of boiling water and mix the batter just until relatively smooth.
6. Here comes the fun part, it’s time to marble! Lightly grease an 8×4 loaf pan. Scoop alternate 1/2 cupfuls of chocolate/banana batter into the loaf pan. Nothing has to be precise here, in fact, the more random, the better. Once all of the batter is in, take a butter knife and swirl it through the batter in circular directions for about 10 seconds.
7. Bake for 55 minutes. Use a butter knife to test for doneness. Let cool and enjoy!

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3. APPLE PIE PANCAKES

Ingredients:

For Apple Topping:

• 4 apples, peeled, diced into 1/2 inch pieces (about 1 1/4 pounds)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup apple juice
• 1 tablespoon organic cornstarch or arrowroot
• 1 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

For Pancakes:

• 1 cup plain almond milk (or preferred non-dairy milk)
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds (sold as flax meal)
• 1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose flour, but not regular
• whole wheat flour)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• pinch ground allspice
• pinch ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tablespoons apple sauce
• 2/3 cup apple juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Method:

Prepare the topping:
Toss all topping ingredients in a medium (4 quart) pot, sprinkle on the cinnamon. Mix it up so that the corn starch dissolves. Use an angled wooden spoon to do the mixing since it reaches the bottom corners of the pot.

Cover pot and bring to a boil, keeping a close eye. Once boiling, lower heat to a simmer and cook for 20 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Once apples are nice and tender, smash a few of them to thicken sauce. Remove from heat and keep covered until ready to serve.

Prepare the pancakes:

Pour almond milk into a measuring cup. Mix in apple cider vinegar and ground flax seeds with a fork. Set aside; mixture will thicken.

Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, sift together flours, baking powder, spices and salt. Create a well in the center and add the milk mixture and the apple sauce, apple juice, vanilla and maple syrup. Use a fork to mix until relatively smooth, a few lumps are okay. Let the batter rest, and preheat a large, non-stick or cast iron pan over medium heat.

When pan is hot, spray with a thin layer of cooking spray and use an ice cream scooper or scant 1/4 cup measure to pour batter and form pancakes. If you can fit three at a time that’d be great. The pancake should start to form little air bubbles, but not as much as pancakes with oil do, so don’t worry if they don’t bubble too much. Cook until the edges are dry and the tops of the pancakes are only slightly wet, about 2 1/2 to 3 minutes, then flip and cook for 2 minutes more. Keep warm on a plate covered with tin foil until all pancakes are ready to serve.

Serve hot with apple topping.

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4. Blackened Scrambled Tofu

note: the polenta definitely makes more than you need, so poor the excess into a square tupperware while still hot. When ready to eat, slice into squares and panfry.

Ingredients

For the tofu

Spice blend:

• 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional, if you want it spicy)
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed with your fingers
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, quartered and sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 block (12 to 14 oz) extra firm tofu
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Fresh black pepper
• 1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half (I used sungolds)
• Scallions for garnish

For the grits:

• 1 cup polenta corn grits
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (to taste, depending how salty your broth is)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced

Method

To make the tofu:

1. Combine the spice blend in a small cup or bowl.
2. Preheat a large, heavy bottomed pan over medium high heat. Saute the onion in olive oil for about a 5 minutes, then add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
3. Break the tofu apart into bite sized pieces and saute for about 10 minutes, using a spatula to stir often. Get under the tofu when you are stirring, scrape the bottom and don’t let it stick to the pan, that is where the good, crispy stuff is. Use a thin metal spatula to get the job done, a wooden or plastic one won’t really cut it. The tofu should get browned on at least one side, but you don’t need to be too precise about it. The water should cook out of it and not collect too much at the bottom of the pan. If that is happening, turn the heat up and let the water evaporate.
4. Add the lemon juice, salt and pepper and saute a minute more. Add the spice blend and mix to incorporate. Add the tomatoes and cook until they are warmed through and slightly broken down, about 5 minutes. Taste for salt and seasoning and keep warm until ready to serve.

To make the polenta:

1. Bring vegetable broth and salt to a boil in a 2 quart pot. Lower heat to simmer. Add the polenta in a slow steady stream, stirring constantly with a whisk. Whisk for about 5 minutes, until polenta is thickened. Keeping heat low, cover and let cook for 20 more minutes or so, stirring occasionally.
2. When polenta is almost done, preheat a small pan over medium-low heat. Saute the garlic in oil just until it begins to sizzle, being careful not to burn. Stir for 30 seconds, then transfer to the cooked polenta and mix well.

To serve:

Spoon some polenta onto a plate and scoop on some tofu, overlapping a bit. Complete the plate with greens, then garnish with scallion.

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5. SMOKY MAPLE SAUSAGES

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup cooked pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons liquid smoke
• 2 cloves garlic, grated (with a microplane, or very finely minced)
• 1 1/4 cups vital wheat gluten
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 2 tablespoons chickpea flour
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• Several dashes fresh black pepper

Method

1. Before mixing your ingredients, get your steaming apparatus ready, and bring water to a full boil. The rest of the recipe comes together very quickly.
2. Have ready 4 sheets of tin foil. In a large bowl, mash the pinto beans until no whole ones are left. Throw all the other ingredients together in the order listed and mix with a fork. Divide dough into 4 even parts (an easy way to do this: split the dough in half and then into quarters). Place one part of dough into tin foil and mold into about a 5 inch log. Wrap dough in tin foil, like a tootsie roll. Don’t worry too much about shaping it, it will snap into shape while it’s steaming because this recipe is awesome.
3. Place wrapped sausages in steamer and steam for 40 minutes. That’s it! You can unwrap and enjoy immediately or refrigerate until ready to use. They’re really great sliced up and lightly sauteed, or grilled.

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6. Fresh Corn Johnnycakes

You absolutely need a really well seasoned cast iron pan or something non-stick because corn likes to stick! If using cast iron, also lightly spray a metal spatula for flipping.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup corn, fresh or frozen (thawed if frozen)
• 1 cup plain almond milk
• 1 1/2 cups cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Spray oil

Method:

1. In a blender, pulse the corn and almond milk around 5 times, just to get the corn a bit chopped up. Add all remaining ingredients and blend for about 5 seconds, or until combined. There should still be chunky pieces of corn left.
2. Let the batter rest for around 10 minutes, and in the meantime, preheat a well-seasoned cast iron pan over medium heat. If using non-stick, you only need to preheat 3 minutes or so.
3. Spray the pan with oil and use ¼ cup measuring cup (or ice cream scoop) to ladle out three johnnycakes. Cook for about 3 minutes, the underside should be crisp and browned, the top still wet. Flip the cakes (spraying the pan as you lift each cake) and cook until crisp and flecked with brown.
4. Keep finished Johnnycakes on a plate covered with tinfoil as you prepare the rest. Serve with pure maple syrup and a few blueberries if you have them.

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7. Raspberry Jam Swirl Crumbcake

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 3/4 cup soy milk (or any non-dairy milk)
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup raspberry jam
• For the topping:
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup canola oil

Method

Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly grease an 8×8 round springform pan or regular square pan. Measure out the soy milk for the cake and add the teaspoon of apple cider vinegar; set aside to curdle. Then begin preparing the topping.

Make the topping:
In a small mixing bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Drizzle in the canola oil by the tablespoonful (you can eyeball it, no reason to whip out a tablespoon.) Use your fingers to swish around the mixture until crumbs form. Alternate swishing and adding canola oil until all oil is used and large crumbs have formed. Some of the topping is still going to be sandy and that’s fine, just so long as you have mostly nice big crumbs. You can add another tablespoon of oil if needed.

Make the cake:
In a large mixing bowl, mix together curdled milk, sugar, canola oil and vanilla. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt and mix until smooth.

Pour cake batter into prepared pan. Add spoonfuls of jam randomly on top of the batter and use a knife to swirl it in. Evenly sprinkle on the topping and pat it down just a bit. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted through the center comes out clean.

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8. Cinnamon Walnut Fig Waffles

If your figs are old and dry and have seen better days, use hot water to plump them up. You can do it one of two ways – boil some water and pour the hot water over the figs (in a bowl of course) and let them sit for about 10 minutes. Or, a quickie method is to cover the figs in water and microwave for about 45 seconds. And as always, waffles freeze great! Wrap in plastic and freeze for up to 3 months. Just toast when ready to eat.

Ingredients

• 2 cups almond milk (vanilla or plain), or your fave non-dairy milk
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (all purpose works, too)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup dried black mission figs, stem nub removed, thinly sliced
• 1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped

Method

1. Measure milk out and add the apple cider vinegar, set aside to let curdle.
2. In the meantime, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a large mixing bowl.
3. Add the flax seeds to the milk and mix vigorously until frothy, 30 seconds to a minute. Add mixture to the flour along with water, olive oil, maple syrup and vanilla. Mix with a wooden spoon until mostly combined then fold in the figs and walnuts until all ingredients are moistened.
4. Preheat waffle iron and let the batter rest. Cook according to waffle iron directions, spraying the waffle iron liberally with oil or cooking spray between each waffle is made. Garnish with extra walnuts and fig halves.

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9. Swiss Chard Frittata

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 bunch of red chard, rough stems removed, chopped well (about 4 cups)
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 pound firm or extra firm tofu
• 1 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce (use tamari if gluten free)
• 1 teaspoon wet mustard (dijon or yellow, whatever you got)
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• several dashes fresh black pepper
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
• salt to taste

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Preheat a large heavy bottomed pan over low-medium heat. Add the oil and the garlic and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. What you’re doing here is “blonding” the garlic, it’s ready when it’s turned a light amber color.
3. Add the chard, oregano and and turn the heat up to medium high. Saute for about 5 minutes, until chard is completely wilted/ Add splashes of water if needed to get the chard to cook down. Turn the heat off.
4. While the chard is cooking, prepare your frittata base. Give the tofu a squeeze over the sink to remove a little of the water. Use your hands to crumble and squeeze it in a large mixing bowl, until it has the consistency of ricotta cheese (about 3 minutes). Add the remaining ingredients to the tofu and mix well. When your chard is ready, incorporate it into the tofu. Be sure to get all of the garlic, but if there is any moisture in the pan try to avoid adding it to the tofu. Taste for salt.
5. Lightly grease an 8 inch pie plate and firmly press in your frittata mixture. Bake for 20 minutes, until firm lightly browned on top. Let cool for about 3 minutes, then invert onto a plate and serve.

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10. Carrot Cake Pancakes

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
• 1 cup almond milk (or your fave non-dairy milk)
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• cup peeled grated carrot, about 6 ounces (see note)

Method

1. In a small mixing bowl, using a fork, beat the flax seeds together with the milk for about a minute. Add the vinegar, water, maple syrup, oil and vanilla. Mix well.
2. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Make a well in the center and add the wet ingredients. Mix with a wooden spoon just until combined. Fold in grated carrot. Let batter rest for at least 5 minutes.
3. Preheat a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Lightly coat pan with cooking spray or oil. Add batter in scant 1/4 cup scoops. Use an ice cream scooper for this and it works magically. Cook three at a time for about 4 minutes (or until the tops look mostly cooked), then flip and cook until lightly browned, 2 more minutes.
4. Keep on a plate covered with tin foil until ready to eat. Serve with pure maple syrup.

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11. Tofu Omelets

Tip: If using soft tofu instead of silken, some trial and error may be required because the water content varies so drastically from brand to brand. Some recipe testers added up to 1/2 cup water and it worked beautifully. But if you’re going to experiment, and you should, do it in half batches and try to have fun with it. Start by adding 1/4 cup of water to the batter.  Do a mini-omelet test by pouring 2 tablespoons into the pan. If the batter spreads out on its own and firms up when cooking then you are good to go. If it just sits there in a mound and doesn’t budge, then add another 1/4 cup of water to the batter.

Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic (optional)
• 1 14 oz package silken tofu, lightly drained (not the vacuum packed kind), or soft tofu (see tip)
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon fine black salt, plus extra for sprinkling
• 1/2 cup chickpea flour
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot or cornstarch

Method

1. Chop up the garlic up in a food processor. Add the tofu, nutritional yeast, olive oil, turmeric and salt. Puree until smooth. Add the chickpea flour and cornstarch and puree again for about 10 seconds, until combined. Make sure to scrape down the sides so that everything is well incorporated.
2. Preheat a large, heavy bottomed, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Well-seasoned cast iron works great, but if you’re not sure of the non-stickness of your cast iron, do a test (see tip above) or use a regular non-stick skillet. Lightly grease with either cooking spray or a very thin layer of oil. (The less oil the better for the nice brown speckles we’re going for.) Also,  make sure that you use a large skillet, as you need room to spread out the omelet and to get your spatula under there to flip. Don’t use an 8- inch omelet pan or anything like that. Here you’ll need at least 12 inches (tee hee).
3. In 1/2 cup measurements, pour omelet batter into skillet. Use the back of a spoon or a rubber spatula to spread the batter out into about 6- inch circles. (It’s okay if it isn’t a perfect circle.) Be gentle when spreading it out, if there are any rips or holes, that is fine, just gently fill them in as you spread the batter. Let cook for about 3 to 5 minutes before flipping. The top of the omelet should dry and become a dull matte yellow when ready to flip. If you begin to flip it and it seems like it might fall apart, give it a little more time. When the omelet is ready to be flipped, the underside should be flecked with light to dark brown when it is ready to flip.  Flip omelet and cook for about a minute on the other side. Keep warm on a plate covered with tin foil as you make the remaining omelets.
4. Stuff omelet with the fillings of your choice then fold over. Once the omelet has been filled, sprinkle with a little extra black salt, since some of its flavor disappears when cooked.

Fillings options: It’s What’s Inside That Counts
It’s hard for me to imagine produce that wouldn’t find its calling stuffed into an omelet. When it comes to omelet fillings, think fresh and you can’t go wrong. Look deep within yourself that morning and find your spirit vegetable. And if that doesn’t do it for you, hit up your farmer’s market and go with what’s in season. Each of these fillings makes enough for 4 four omelets. Mix and match them to your heart’s content and come up with scrumptious fillings of your own.

Mushrooms And Spinach
Preheat a large pan over medium heat. Sautée 4 cups sliced cremini mushrooms in 2 tablespoons olive oil. After about 5 minutes, when mushrooms are soft, add 2 cloves minced garlic and about 3 tablespoons fresh chopped thyme. Sautée about 3 minutes more, add fresh black pepper and a few dashes of salt to taste. Stuff into omelets and divide 2 cups of fresh, chopped spinach amongst them. The spinach will wilt in the omelet. Top with homemade cheezy sauce or shredded vegan cheese and fold.

Grilled Marinated Asparagus
Marinate 1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed, in a mixture of 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 smashed cloves of garlic, fresh black pepper and a generous pinch of salt. Let sit for at least an hour or overnight. Grill asparagus on a preheated hot grill or grill pan for about 8 minutes, flipping once. Divide amongst omelets, top with tahini sauce and fold.

Roasted Tomatoes, Ricotta And Basil
Preheat an oven to 300° F. Slice 2 pounds of plum tomatoes lengthwise. Toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and fresh black pepper. Place tomatoes face down on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for about an hour and a half. Stuff omelet with Cashew Rriccotta and about 10 leaves fresh basil for each, then add tomatoes and fold.

Sausage And Peppers
Preheat a large pan over medium high heat. Saute 4  sliced sausages and 2 medium diced red peppers in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Stuff into omelets and, if you like, top with homemade cheezy sauce  or shredded vegan cheese and fold.

Shredded Swiss Chard
Use one bunch of chard. Remove stems and layer leaves on top of each other. Roll up into a bundle and thinly slice. Preheat a large pan over medium heat. Saute 3 minced cloves of garlic in 2 tablespoons olive oil for about 2 minutes. Add chard and saute until completely wilted, add splashes of water if necessary to get it to cook down. Salt to taste. Stuff into omelets and top with homemade cheezy sauce or sprinkle with shredded vegan cheese and fold.

Burnt Broccoli
My aunt Bonnie invented burnt broccoli, probably by accident. It’s simple and even a little silly, but I absolutely love it. Preheat a large pan over medium. Sautée 4 cups of broccoli florettes in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Leave them alone for 2 minutes at a time so they can get a bit charred, then mix. Do this for about 15 minutes. Sprinkle on salt to taste. Stuff into omelets and sprinkle with shredded vegan cheese if you like, and fold.

Omelet Rancheros
Use the bean recipe from butternut rancheros to stuff into omelets. Top with fresh salsa and guacamole.

Capers And Broccoli Rabe
This is a favorite, and maybe the only one where vegan cheese is a requirement for me. Preheat a large pan over medium heat. Saute 3 cloves minced garlic in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add 1 bunch of chopped broccoli rabe. Saute for about 7 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons capers and sauté just until heated through. Divide amongst omelets, top with shredded vegan cheese and serve.

Guacamole And Potato
Stuff with guac and homefries or roasted potatoes. Serve salad on the side instead of potatoes.

Denver Omelet
Preheat a large pan over medium heat. Sauté 1 1/2 cups of diced seitan, 1 small diced red onion and 1 diced green pepper in 2 tablespoons olive oil for about 10 minutes, or until browned. Drizzle in 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke and cook for a minute more. Stuff filling into omelets, sprinkle on vegan cheese if you like, and fold.

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12. Puttanesca Tofu Scramble

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 – 8 cloves garlic thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 lb extra firm tofu, diced
• 4 roma tomatoes, diced
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons fresh oregano
• 1/2 cup mixed olives, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoons capers
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Method

Preheat a large heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. Saute the garlic in the olive oil until lightly browned, but be careful not to burn. 3 minutes ought to do it. Add the red pepper flakes and the tofu and saute for about 10 minutes, until tofu is browned. Add a little extra oil if necessary.

Mix in tomatoes, thyme, oregano and oregano and cook for about 5 minute, until tomatoes are a bit broken down but still whole. Add olives, capers and salt to taste. Cook just until heated through.

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13. Pumpkin French Toast

Tip: These french toast recipes call for stale bread because it’s going to be soaking up custard, but you still want the bread to hold its shape. Fresh bread will get mushy and, worst case scenario, fall apart. A 3 day old loaf should be just fine and 5 days old might be too late (make it into breadcrumbs instead.) If you have only a fresh baguette, you can cut the slices and then put them in a 300 degree oven for about 10 minutes, until they are hardened a bit but not toasted. Then proceed with the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pureed pumpkin (from a can is just fine)
• 1 1/2 cups almond milk (or your favorite non-dairy milk)
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 stale Baguette, sliced diagonally in 1 inch pieces (see tip), or 8 pieces thick sliced bread
• Cooking oil for the pan

Method

1. Mix together all ingredients (except for the bread, obvioulsy). Spread out baguette slices on a rimmed baking pan in a single layer. Pour on pumpkin mixture and flip to coat. Let sit for 20 minutes, then flip over and soak for 10 minutes more.
2. Preaheat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat (I use cast iron). Spray with cooking oil, or drizzle a little into the pan, and cook about half of the soaked breads at a time for 5 to 7 minutes on one side and about 3 minutes on the other. They should be golden to medium brown and flecked with darker spots. Keep warm on a plate covered with tin foil while you cook the second batch.
3. If not serving immediately, cover and place in a 200 degree oven for up to an hour. Serve with maple syrup and earth balance, of course.

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14. Scrambled Tofu Revisited

• Serve in a squash bowl: Serve in half a baked squash (acorn or carnival would work perfectly.) Caramelized onions would be nice, too.
• Breakfast burritos: Wrap up with potatoes, fresh salsa and guacamole.
• Add to mac and cheese: Use up leftover scramble (or make some scramble just for the occasion!) by adding it to your favorite vegan mac and cheese recipe.
• Lettuce wraps: Tuck scramble into lettuce, serve with fresh tomatoes and drizzle with vinaigrette
• Make a sandwich: Not the most ingenious idea, but one of my favorites! A scramble sandwich with avocado, red onion and sprouts.
• Make a knish: Make potato knishes and add a layer of scramble
• Stuff peppers: Mix with a can of black beans and some salsa. Stuff into red peppers, bake and top with a little vegan cheese at the end.
• Crepe filling: Serve in a crepe, with a vegan hollandaise sauce.

Basic Scrambled Tofu

Serves 4

A basic scramble should have nice big pieces in it. It’s crumbled, yes, but not completely in crumbles. Just kind of torn apart and then broken up a bit when cooking in the pan. The flavor should be lip smacking and just a bit salty, but not overly so. Garlic, some cumin, a little thyme – that is the base. From there you can do countless variations using whatever is in your fridge that morning.

So this the basic recipe. When you want a trustworthy and easy to modify standard scramble, this makes a great go-to.

Ingredients

Spice blend:

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed with your fingers
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (or more, to taste)
• 1 pound extra-firm tofu, drained
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• Fresh black pepper to taste

Method

1. First stir the spice blend together in a small cup. Add water and mix. Set aside.
2. Preheat a large, heavy bottomed pan over medium high heat. Saute the garlic in olive oil for about a minute. Break the tofu apart into bite sized pieces and saute for about 10 minutes, using a spatula to stir often. Get under the tofu when you are stirring, scrape the bottom and don’t let it stick to the pan, that is where the good, crispy stuff is. Use a thin metal spatula to get the job done, a wooden or plastic one won’t really cut it. The tofu should get browned on at least one side, but you don’t need to be too precise about it. The water should cook out of it and not collect too much at the bottom of the ban. If that is happening, turn the heat up and let the water evaporate.
3. Add the spice blend and mix to incorporate. Add the nutritional yeast and fresh black pepper. Cook for about 5 more minutes. Serve warm.
4. You can include these additions to your scramble by themselves or in combination with one another.
5. Broccoli – Cut about one cup into small florettes, thinly slice the stems. Add along with the tofu.
6. Onion – Finely chop one small onion. Add along with the garlic, and cook for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Proceed with recipe.
7. Red Peppers – Remove stem and seed, finely chop one red pepper. Add along with the garlic and cook for about 5 minutes. Proceed with recipe.
8. Mushrooms – Thinly slice about a cup of mushrooms. Add along with the tofu.
9. Olives – Chop about 1/3 a cup of sliced olives. Add towards the end of cooking, after mixing in the nutritional yeast.
10. Spinach – Add about 1 cup of chopped spinach towards the end of cooking, after mixing in the nutritional yeast. Cook until completely wilted.
11. Carrots – Grate half of an average sized carrot into the scramble towards the end of cooking. This is a great way to add color to the scramble.
12. Avocado – I almost always have avocado with my scramble. Just peel and slice it and serve on top.

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15. Brown Sugar Peach Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

Muffin perfection with a hint of spice, lots of juicy peaches and a sprinkle of brown sugar on top. This recipe is plenty versatile, I can see using strawberries or mango and switching the spices up to suit your fruit.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups spelt flour
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, plus a little extra for sprinkling
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1 cup almond milk (or soy milk)
• 1 teapoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups chopped peaches (leave skins on or not, whichever you prefer)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly grease a muffin tin.
2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and spices. Make a well in the center and add the applesauce, almond milk, vinegar, canola oil and vanilla. Stir with a wooden spoon until mostly combined. Add the peaches and combine until the dry ingredients are just incorporated.
3. Scoop batter into muffin tins, they will hold their shape a little bit if you use an ice cream scoop. The batter should almost fill the entire tin. Sprinkle one or two teaspoons of brown sugar on top of each. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick or butter knife inserted through the center comes out clean. Let cool for a few minutes in the tin then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely, or just flip them up in the tin to cool, as shown above.

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16. Chesapeake Tempeh Cakes

Makes 10

Make ahead: Make the entire mixture and the remoulade the night before. In the morning, form into cakes and pan fry.

Ingredients

For the cakes:

• 8 ounces tempeh (use the nori tempeh if you can find it, but plain soy tempeh is fine, too)
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 tablespoons Vegenaisse
• 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard (stone ground Dijon works, too)
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup very finely chopped red bell pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspooon salt
• fresh black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs, plus extra for dredging
• Optional: 1 finely chopped nori sheet or 1 tablespoon kelp granules (if you like a little fishiness)
• Oil for pan frying

For the remoulade:

• 2 tablespoons Vegenaise
• 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard  (stone ground dijon works, too)
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 2 teaspoons capers (try not to get too much brine)
• Lemon wedges for serving

Method

1. First we’re going to steam the tempeh to get the bitterness out and also to infuse some flavor with the soy sauce. Crumble the tempeh into a saucier or small pan in little bits. Add the water, soy sauce, oil and bay leaf. The tempeh won’t be fully submerged, but that’s fine. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, let boil for 12 to 15 minutes, until most of the water has evaporated. Stir once during boiling.
2. Transfer contents to a mixing bowl, remove bay leaf, and mash with a fork. Let cool for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to hasten the cooling process. Make sure the tempeh is barely warm before you proceed, or the cakes may fall apart when you cook them. Add the mayo, mustard, hot sauce, vinegar, chopped bell pepper, spices salt and pepper, and mix well. Add the bread crumbs and nori and use your hands to incorporate.
3. Once you are ready to form the cakes, preheat a thin layer of oil in a heavy bottomed non-stick skillet (cast iron is great) over medium heat. Pour a few tablespoons of panko into a bowl. Scoop a little less than 1/4 cup batter into your hands and form into a ball. Flatten between your palms and then roll the sides gently with your hands cupped to smooth them. You should have ten 2 1/2 to 3- inch patties. I do them in batches of five. Press them into the panko to lightly coat. They don’t need to be thoroughly covered, just a little bit for some texture.
4. Fry a batch of five cakes for 4 minutes on one side and flip when dark golden brown. Fry for 2 minutes on the other side and transfer to a paper towel or paper bag to drain. Do your second batch and in the meantime make your remoulade by mixing all the ingredients together in a bowl.
5. Serve with lemon wedges.

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17. Tempeh Sausage Crumbles

Makes about 2 cups

This is delicious over pasta with marinara sace or as a pizza topping. It’s also good as a burrito filling or served for breakfast alongside scrambled tofu.

Ingredients

• 8 oz package tempeh
• 1 tablespoon fennel seed
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried margoram or oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
• 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• juice of 1/2 a lemon

Method

In a saute pan, crumble the tempeh and add enough water to almost cover it. Over high heat, steam the tempeh until most of the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Drain the remaining water and add the rest of the ingredients and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

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18. Pumpkin Waffles

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all purp flour
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 Tablespoons soy yogurt
• 2 cups soymilk
• 15 oz pureed pumpkin, fresh or canned
• 1/3 cup oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Method:

Sift together dry ingredients. In a seperate bowl, vigorously wisk together wet ingredients until well emulsified. Pour wet into dry and combine. Prepare waffles according to manufacturers instructions. I use a normal 4 waffle iron, but I’ve made belgian ones, too.

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19. French Toast

Ingredients:

• Serve with fresh berries, sliced bananas, and pure maple syrup.
• Loaf of Italian or French bread, baguette shaped, preferably stale
• 1/2 cup soy creamer (rice or soy milk would make a good substitute, preferably rice)
• 1/2 cup rice milk or plain soy milk
• 2 tablespoons corn starch
• 1/4 cup chickpea flower
• Several tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

Method

1. Slice the read into 1-inch rounds. The bread should be a bit stale. If not, leave the slices out overnight or put them in a 350° oven for 3 or 4 minutes to dry them out—you don’t want to toast them. (If you’re in a rush, feel free to skip this step—the French toast will still taste good.)
2. Pour the soy creamer and rice milk into a wide, shallow bowl. Mix in the corn starch and stir until dissolved. Add the chickpea flour and mix until it is mostly dissolved; some lumps are okay.
3. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add enough oil to create a thin layer on the bottom (a tablespoon or two).
4. Soak the bread slices (as many as will fit into your pan) in the mixture and transfer to the skillet. Cook each side for about two minutes; if they are not brown enough when you flip them, heat for 1 or 2 minutes more on each side. They should be golden brown with flecks of dark brown. Serve immediately.

Notes

If you are cooking for a bunch, and you want to serve everyone at the same time, you can keep the cooked slices warm in a toaster over pre-heated to 325°.

If you ever, ever get a chance to buy apple-maple jam, do it! It is the most wonderful thing over French toast. You can often find delightfully unusual flavors of jam at farmers markets, craft shows, and little out of the way places in Vermont.

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20. Marionberry Lavender Scones

Makes 12 scones

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups almond milk (or your non-dairy milk of choice)
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 3 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup fresh culinary lavender, chopped
• 1/2 cup non hydrogenated shortening
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups marionberries, or berries of your choice

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Lightly grease a baking sheet or line with parchment paper. Measure out the milk and add the vinegar to it. Set aside to curdle.
2. Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the shortening in small clumps, then use your fingers to cut it into the flour until it appears like small pebbles. (You an also use a food processor for this, but I prefer to use my hands.) Mix in the lavender.
3. Create a well in the center and add the soy milk, oil and vanilla. Mix with a wooden spoon just a bit, then add in the berries. Mix again until everything is moistened, but don’t overmix. A couple of dry looking spots are just fine.
4. Use a 1/4 cup measuring up to scoop the scones out on to the baking sheet. Spray it wth cooking spray first so that the batter comes out easier.
5. Sprinkle tops with a bit more sugar, then bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until tops are firm to the touch and lightly browned. Serve warm!

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21. Gluten Free Buckwheat Pancakes

Makes 8 five inch pancakes1/2 cup buckwheat flour

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup quinoa flour
• 1/4 cup corn flour (NOT cornmeal, corn flour is lighter)
• 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds (or flax meal)
• 2 tablespoons tapioca flour (cornstarch or arrowroot would be okay, too)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup non-dairy milk (I used soy)
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Method

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix together all flours, flax seeds, tapioca, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Create a well in the center and add the remaining ingredients. Use a fork to mix well for about a minute. Let the batter rest, and preheat a large, non-stick or cast iron pan over medium-high heat.
2. When pan is hot, spray with a thin layer of cooking spray and use an ice cream scooper to pour batter and form pancakes. I did two at a time, but do as many as you can fit. The pancake should start to form little air bubbles, but not as much as “normal” pancakes do, so don’t worry. Cook for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes, then flip and cook for 2 minutes more. Keep warm on a plate covered with tin foil until ready to serve.
3. Serve with Earth Balance, maple syrup and fresh fruit.

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22. Ginger Chocolate Chunk Scones

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch allspice
• 1/2 cup turbinado sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/4 cups non-dairy milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• About 5 ounces chocolate

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 400F.
2. Mix all the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl, just swish it all around with a fork.
3. Now take that chocolate bar and just smash it with your knife.
4. Add your wet ingredients.
5. Now breathe. Get it together. Gently fold in the chocolate chunks.
6. Your baking sheet. Lightly grease it.
7. You have your wits about you now enough to grab a 1/4 measuring cup or perhaps an ice cream scoop. Grease that, too. Now scoop up that dough, however it falls, nice big sloppy scoops, and drop them out on your sheet, close together is fine.
8. Grab pinches of pebbly turbinado sugar and fling them onto your scones.
9. Now get those into the oven for 15 minutes.

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