It’s time to share with you another guest recipe – one that I can’t believe I’ve lived this long without: Vegan French Toast! This is something I didn’t think I would be eating after going plant-based, and it completely slipped off my foodie radar. Until, that is, I discovered Bianca Zapatka’s blog full of beautiful, mouthwatering recipes, including an irresistibly simple and incredibly delicious version of French Toast, using ingredients you probably have on hand.
Cookies for breakfast? Sure! I remember when I was on holiday as a child, my sister and I would always make a beeline for the sweet breakfast treats at the hotel buffet: pancakes, pastries, cakes and cookies. It was so exciting to us that we could have these foods for breakfast. (My mom always made sure we ate a bowl of fruit first, though – something I appreciate today more than back then!)
As much as I still love the idea of having cookies for breakfast, my tastes and preferences have changed and I no longer consider cookies with lots of sugar and refined ingredients an appealing way to start the day. That’s why I’ve created this recipe – cookies so wholesome and nourishing that they really can replace breakfast, but also sweet and yummy enough to taste like a little treat.
I’ve been seeing tempting bowls of chickpea cookie dough around Instagram and couldn’t resist making my own. After all, who doesn’t want to feel like they’re eating cookie dough for breakfast, while nourishing and fueling themselves for the day ahead? There’s just something so satisfying about eating “dessert” for breakfast.
Porridge is one of the ultimate nourishing comfort foods, and – as we’re heading towards colder weather – it seems like many of us are finding ourselves drawn to the cozy comfort of a hot bowl of oats.
While I do always like to mix things up with my porridge, my absolute favorite right now is tea-flavored porridge, using the limited edition ‘Indian Summer‘ rooibos blend by innovative tea company Yumchaa. I took one whiff of this and knew I would love its exotic, warming fragrances, which include chai spices, cinnamon, holy basil, ground roasted almonds and carrot flakes. The mix also contains fun little shooting stars that look absolutely delightful if you pick them out and use them to decorate your porridge.
I always love coming across new, exciting and – of course – delicious things to make. Best of all are those that are simple enough to become part of your regular food repertoire, but still special enough that you get excited about them. I very much suspect this will be the case for me with this chickpea ‘omelette’ that I recently tried out for the first time, after hearing about it from my friend Amy.
Probably more of a farinata, if we’re being technical, this vegan ‘omelette’ is not only super simple, but also so satisfying, nourishing and filling. It’s also very adaptable, as you can flavor it any way you want and chuck in whatever ingredients you have lying around.
Oats are one of my ultimate comfort foods. I used to regularly have overnight oats for breakfast with mashed banana and hemp protein, but since making my first smoothie bowl I rarely have them for breakfast. Instead, I’ve been indulging in my love of oats later on in the day, as a quick, warming dinner or the perfect post-workout lunch. They’re full of carby goodness and are wonderfully versatile! It’s so easy to switch things up, adding different ingredients to the porridge, or playing around with toppings.
I’m back with more purple goodness! đ (click here to check out my purple sweet potato falafels and find some information on the nutritional benefits of purple sweet potatoes).
Due to requests I received on Instagram, I’m sharing these purple sweet potato pancakes with you here. They’re adapted from the Sweet Potato Pancakes by Deliciously Ella and reflect my fascination with these vibrant tubers. Quick to make (especially if you cook the sweet potato in advance) and super satisfying, they are especially irresistible with walnut butter and maple syrup – I can’t even begin to describe how good they were, so you’ll just have to try them yourself!
I’d like to share  with you this super simple but decadently delicious recipe for a hot, nourishing and sweet bowl of oaty goodness (what could be better on a cold winter’s day?).
While it’s no secret that cacao and any nut butter under the sun are a match made in heaven, using tahini instead is a great way to switch things up. It adds a hint of bitterness that contrasts wonderfully with the sweetness of the chocolatey pancake, giving it a slightly more sophisticated edge. Don’t worry, the tahini isn’t at all overpowering, though, and, while it maybe gives a bit more of a “grown up” flavor, this is still a chocolate pancake at heart and, essentially, a way to have dessert for breakfast and feel like a kid again.
This bowl of goodness came about by accident. I was up the other night and couldn’t sleep, so I started dreaming about breakfast the next day (anyone else?) What I’d actually cooked up in my head was pancakes, but the next morning the half-finished batter tasted so good and I was so impatient that I just poured it into a bowl, topped it with some sliced banana and cacao nibs and my new favorite smoothie (big statement) was born.
Inspiration behind this whole pancake-turned-smoothie bowl was the Blissful Brown Rice and Raw Cacao Super Protein from That Protein that I’d bought on a whim at Holland & Barrett . (For my usual breakfast smoothie I always use hemp – check out the recipe here.) The protein powder along with the peanut butter and banana make this breakfast a great source of plant protein.
Chocolate Protein Smoothie / Mousse
Makes: 1 serving
Ingredients
1 ripe banana
2 heaped tbsp (ca. 30g) brown rice and raw cacao protein powder*
1 heaped tbsp peanut butter (or other nut butter); I use the 100% one from Meridian
1 tbsp ground flaxseeds
1/3 cup brown rice milk (I use Rude Health, which has a wonderful natural sweetness)
optional: cacao nibs, to decorate; maple syrup or a different sweetener
*My blend is made up of 60% brown rice protein powder and 40% organic raw cacao, so you can easily make your own mix, using a different protein source as well if you’d like – although the taste may vary (brown rice protein is great because it’s quite neutral and doesn’t interfere with the chocolatey taste).
Method
Blend all the ingredients together (you probably don’t even need a blender if you mash the banana well), pour into a bowl and I dare you to eat this without a big smile on your face! It’s so beautifully indulgent and keeps you fuelled for a while. I find the ripe banana and the brown rice milk make this perfectly sweet, but you can always add a bit of maple syrup, honey or even a date if you’d like.
Variation: Chocolate Protein Mousse
If, like me, you are always in search of more indulgence, then this is a way to take the “dessert for breakfast” element of this smoothie bowl to the next level. By omitting the brown rice milk (or adding just enough so it all comes together) you end up with a lusciously thick and luxurious mousse that honestly tastes like dessert. No joke, this stuff is amazing. Without exaggeration, it is the most indulgent healthy breakfast I’ve ever had. Enjoy!
Feel Good Fact #1: Cacao is high in essential minerals, including magnesium and iron (did you know it has a much higher iron content per 100g than meat?) and chock-full of antioxidants, which may protect against cancer and other disease by preventing cell damage.
Feel Good Fact #2: Peanut butter is full of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats (make sure you buy the most natural version possible or make your own using just peanuts) and peanuts have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Blueberrysmiles 