Thee Best Vegan Breakfast is....

Veggin’ Out At Home

BY MARISSA OSWALD As a veganomic consumer, sometimes going out to eat isn’t the most efficient choice.  Whether you’re in the City of Brotherly Love or the wilds of Pennsylvania, a home cooked meal can save you moola while promoting a healthier yet equally satisfying break from Cheerios and coffee.
A week vacationing at PA’s Lake Harmony was the inspiration for this rustic breakfast;  Tempeh bacon, tofu scramble, biscuits, and coconut iced coffee. The biscuit recipe is especially magical, coming from Babycakes, a gluten-free, vegan bakery that started in NYC.  Erin McKenna, founder of the Babycakes enterprise, recently published her first bake book in which she shares her shockingly simple recipe for semi-healthy biscuits.
Tempeh Bacon
1 package LightLife’s Organic Smokey Tempeh Strips
Tablespoon of oil of your choice (I like coconut oil)
Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat.  Adding 4-5 strips at a time, cook flat on one side for 5 minutes or until the sides begin to wrinkle.  Turn over and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes.  Take off heat, serve over your breakfast, and enjoy.  Keeps really well in the fridge for up to a week.
Tofu Scramble
1/2 block extra firm tofu, pressed for at least 1 hour
1-2 tablespoons oil; canola, coconut, or whatever vegetable oil you prefer
1/2 white onion, diced
1/2 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium carrot, halved and chopped
1-2 tsps Bragg’s liquid aminos or soy sauce
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp curry powder
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 cup spinach, chopped
handful cherry tomatoes, chopped in half
salt and pepper, to taste
Coat a pan with oil and cook the onions over medium-high heat until soft, about 2-3 minutes.  Add peppers and carrots and cook 2-3 more minutes, until soft.  Turn heat on medium and cook about 5 more minutes.  While cooking, crumble entire block of pressed tofu into a bowl so it resembles a “scrambled egg” consistency, then add to pan.  Mix ingredients and add tamari and remainder of spices.  After stir-frying for a few minutes, add chopped spinach and cherry tomatoes to heat without getting too soft.  Take off heat and serve immediately.
Babycakes NYC Biscuits
2 cups spelt flour, and additional for dusting
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup hot water
sea salt, to taste
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Mix together flour, baking powder, and conventional  salt.  Slowly add coconut oil and hot water while whisking into a thick batter.  Dust your counter top or a large cutting board with additional flour.  Drag dough through the flour until it’s coated evenly.  Gently pat until dough is evenly 1 inch high.  Cut biscuits with cookie cutter and arrange on a greased cookie sheet.  Bake for 4 minutes, then flip 180 degrees to bake for 4 more minutes.  Let set and enjoy with margarine, strawberry jam, icing and fresh fruit, or melted Daiya cheese (like I did.)
Coconut Iced Coffee
Brewed coffee
handful of ice cubes
So Delicious brand coconut creamer
raw sugar, to taste
Dissolve sugar in freshly brewed coffee.  Pour desired amount of coconut creamer over cup of ice, followed by the sweet coffee.  Mix immediately and enjoy through a straw.