Top 5 Plant-based Breakfasts

Guten Morgen! Buongiorno!

If it’s not already a good morning, we present to you our top five plant-based breakfasts which provide:

• Fiber to help your digestive system get moving as you start your day
• Protein – seeds and nuts are great sources of plant-based protein, as is amaranth (technically a seed, though typically considered a whole grain)
• Fun – these are colorful and customizable, so get your DIY on!
• Antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals so you’re taking care of your body right out of the gate!
• Fuel for the morning! Test your coffee and bagel against any one of these options and you’ll see which ones hold you until lunch.

Without further ado, your new breakfast options!

1. Amazing Amaranth Bowl – Move over, porridge! We have a higher-protein option that also provides minerals such as iron, manganese and phosphorus.

2. Express Detox Smoothie – Love your liver by providing it with the vitamins and minerals it needs from greens! This recipes takes less than 5 minutes and is one of the most-loved from the Green Smoothie Challenge eBook.

3. Sweet Potato & Black Bean Southwestern Skillet – Smoothie. Oatmeal. Rinse & repeat. We know that breakfasts can get a bit repetitive and unimaginative so we’re going to shake it up with this inspired southwestern dish. Make it vegan by not adding an egg on top.

4. Great Goji Groatmeal – This easy recipe can be popped into the slow cooker and you can get fancy with goji berries and other accoutrements. Enjoy this warm breakfast on a cold morning!

5. Cherry Almond Pancakes – Waking up and enjoying a fresh stack of cherry almond pancakes is both a joyful and nutritious way to start the day. May it be the same for you!

Remember to try the 7-day Breakfast Experiment to see which breakfasts work best to fuel you for your day!

10 Easy Switches for a Plant-based Diet

Check out the video

Hear ye, hear ye!

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: you do not need to eat twigs and tofu to be a healthy person. More importantly, you can ENJOY your food while improving your health!

Our position on the non-exclusivity of health and enjoyment of delicious food remains unchanged. With regards to the plant-based diet and your health goals, it IS possible to have it all. We present to you 10 easy switches for a plant-based diet, from simple substitutions for recipes to a plethora of meal and snack ideas. Here we go!

Simple Substitutions

Try non-dairy milk instead of cow’s milk (i.e. almond, cashew milk are healthy alternatives and are widely available in grocery stores – or easy to make yourself!)

Instead of butter, consider coconut oil (for baking, spreading on toast)

Try nutritional yeast instead of cheese (sprinkle on top of popcorn, make mac+ cheese)

Tahini and hummus instead of dairy-based dressings or dips (i.e. Ranch)

Ideas for Meals

Breakfast

oatmeal with fruit and nuts

avocado or nut butter on toast

green smoothie

Lunch & Dinner

rice, beans, and veggies in a bowl

cauliflower walnut ‘meat’ tacos

pasta with tomato sauce and vegetables

spicy Indian dal

baked sweet potato with vegetarian chili on top

Snacks

popcorn seasoned with nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and sea salt

raspberry coconut ice cream

carrots, apple, or celery with nut butter

sweet potato fries

DIY trail mix with nuts, seeds, & dried fruit

Did you notice? Being over-achievers, we gave more than 10 tips and ideas to help You make the transition to more of a plant-based diet. Whether it’s a ‘meatless Monday’ or ‘vegan before 5pm’ goal you have, these ideas will tickle your tastebuds and provide your body with nourishment.

Solar Eclipse Smoothie Bowl

It turns out that the earth revolves around smoothie bowls; during this morning’s ‘solar eclipse’, you’ll see the sun temporarily blocked by, not the moon, but this colorful dish (safe to view with the naked eye) .

We used to call it ‘smoothie ice cream’ back in the day, whenever our too-thick fruit and vegetable blends were just easier to eat with a spoon. Now you can find them quite a few places, including fresh-juice establishments such as Native and Zest (if you’re in Columbus). Or…how about making your own?! It’s easy and there are so many ways to add variety, you’ll never be bored with breakfast again!

Prep time: 5 minutes, more if you want to have fun and take pictures

Ingredients

1 bag, 10oz of tropical fruit (strawberries, mango, banana) from Whole Foods
8oz of cranberries
1-2 cups of spinach
water to desired texture

Toppings – cacao nibs, walnuts, and shredded coconut

….but again, this is what we did; if you want to use chia seeds, sliced bananas, fresh blueberries, or almonds,  do so. Try your own smoothie bowl adventure!

Instructions

Put all ingredients (minus toppings) into blender and blend until desired thickness. Pour smoothie into bowl and top with your favorite fruits, nuts, or seeds.