Zizi's Adventures - Real Food, Real Stories

Superfood Breakfast: Vegan Spicy Pumpkin Oatmeal

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Do you remember superfood breakfasts? I started these posts in February when I. (my boyfriend) and I did a sugar free diet month (thanks for the inspiration for Sarah Wilson). Now that the weather is cold and murky again I feel that only fruit is not enough for breakfast anymore. I need nutritious, hearty breakfasts that give energy for my body. So superfood breakfasts are back!

Porridge is a dish made by boiling oats (whole-grain, rolled, crushed, or steel cut) or other cereal meals in water, milk (also non-dairy milk), or both. Daily consumption of a bowl of oatmeal can lower blood cholesterol, because of its soluble fibre content. Oat also has a warming effect so it’s ideal to eat it during cold months.

I always make oatmeal with non-dairy milk. I mostly use oat- or ricemilk – they have a slightly sweet taste even if they’re unsweetened! You can also substitute soymilk, or almond milk for milk. You won’t even be able to tell the difference in most recipes, including breads, muffins, cakes, cookies, puddings and other creamy desserts.

I added pumpkin purée to this meal that’s why its colour looks bright yellow. With a bit of maple syrup and spices it is one of the best comfort food breakfast during winter time. It is a small bowl of harmony in terms of its colour and taste.

Suggestion: I always make my homemade pumpkin purée because in Hungary canned ones are not sold. Autumn and winter time I usually bake a small batch of pumpkin every Friday evening for the weekend and next week. It is a good trick when time is short and days are long. Pumpkin purée can be kept in the fridge for 4 or 5 days.

Vegan Spicy Pumpkin Oatmeal

Ingredients (serves 2)

– 60 g rolled oats
– 110 g pumpkin purée
– 350 ml oatmilk
– 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup (you can substitute with agave, rice syrup or honey)
– 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
– a pinch of grated nutmeg
– a pinch of grated clove
– small handful of walnut

Method

Roast the walnuts in a dry pan for 6-8 minutes then set aside.

In a small pan over medium heat start cooking rolled oats with the oatmilk. When milk is almost absorbed and oats are fluffy, add pumpkin purée, maple syrup and the spices. If you find it too thick, add more milk, a little at a time. Stir gently and serve it in small bowls. Sprinkle the top with the roasted walnuts.

Superfood Breakfast: Almond Butter Toast With Almond Milk Coffee

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I don’t deny it… We are in love with almond. Roasted almonds, almond butter, almond milk… yum. We found a great producer at the organic farmers market who sells creamy, thick, light beige coloured almond milk that smells like marzipan when you open the bottle.

I know I could make my own almond milk (only need almond and water) but to be honest I’m a bit lazy that’s why I buy it. You can sweeten or make it spicy with vanilla, cinnamon or cardamom. There are great recipes on the internet, I would choose this or this.

Almond butter is a food paste made from almonds; it may be crunchy or smooth. It is high in monounsaturated fats, calcium, potassium, iron and manganese. It’s considered a good source of riboflavin, phosphorus, and copper, and an excellent source of vitamin E, magnesium, and fiber. Almond butter also provides dietary protein. Recipe here and here. It’s excellent to spread it on toasts, use it for baking (cookies, cakes) or eat it as a snack, dipping apple or pear slices in it.

I’m sharing a very easy recipe today. It’s not even a recipe just and idea how to have a nutritious, healthy breakfast. We sprinkled maple syrup on the almond butter toast and put strawberry slices on top (choose whatever fruit you would like). We used roasted grain beverage as a substitute for coffee, sweetened with coconut flower sugar and added almond milk to it. The result was a creamy, silky, light coffee.

Almond Butter Toast with Almond Milk Coffee

Ingredients (serves 2)

For the toast
– a few slices of whole wheat bread
– almond butter
– maple syrup / honey / rice syrup / agave syrup
– fresh strawberry, sliced

For the coffee
– 400 ml almond milk
– 4 teaspoon organic cereal – barley, rye, chicory – beverage (you can use Nescafé too)
– 2 teaspoon cane sugar

Method

Toast the bread slices then spread them with almond butter. Sprinkle with maple syrup and place a few slices of strawberries on top.

In a pan heat almond milk. Put 2 teaspoons of coffee and 1 teaspoon of cane sugar in each cups, add the hot almond milk and stir it until smooth.

Superfood Breakfast: Raspberry Almond Milk Smoothie

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My newly discovered non-dairy milk is almond milk. I know I could make it easily at home (recipe here and here) but to be honest I’m a bit lazy and buy it at the organic farmers market from a Hungarian farmer. He makes a thick, creamy almond milk that tastes and smells like marzipan. I love it!

Almond milk contains ground almonds and water. It’s a healthy alternative to cow’s milk, and contains more vitamins and minerals (vitamin E, A and D, manganese, selenium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, iron, fiber, phosphorous and calcium) than soy or rice milks. Unlike animal milk, it doesn’t contain cholesterol or lactose so it’s suitable for lactose intolerants, vegans and vegetarians. It doesn’t contain saturated fats or cholesterol, but it does contain omega-3 fatty acids, so it’s very good for your heart. Almond milk is also high in protein.

Five years ago I had a different breakfast habit than now. I used to have a slice of toast with butter and a cup of tea. I slowly changed my eating habits so my breakfasts changed too. I usually drink a big glass of vegan smoothie (green or fruit) or juice every morning. As I studied at the school of natural therapies fruits in their raw forms are exactly what your body need for energy. They are easy to digest and the sugar from fruits (glucose) are in the form that your body can easily turn into energy. And this is what we need every morning: energy, right?

Fruits make you energetic in the mornings, grains nourish at lunch time and vegetables clean your body in the evenings.

Raspberry Almond Milk Smoothie

Ingredients (serves 2)

– 500 ml almond milk
– 60 g raspberry (frozen or fresh)
– 3 teaspoon honey / maple syrup / rice syrup

Method

Place all ingredients in the blender and process for 5 minutes, until smooth. If you find it too thick, add more almond milk.

If you leave it thick you can use it as a vegan yoghurt. I added oatmeal to it and it became a wholesome nutritious breakfast.

Superfood Breakfast: Creamy Coconut Bulgur With Lemon And Poppy Seed

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Until now I always used bulgur in savory meals (like in this tabuleh). It is a cereal food made from several different wheat species, most often from durum wheat. Its use is most common in the Middle Eastern and the European cuisines.

I never thought I could make a slightly sweet, nutritious breakfast meal from it. The recipe comes from Heidi’s wonderful book Super Natural Every Day. Her style of cooking feels so comforting to me. Heidi’s vegetarian, nutritious, simple but delicious recipes are so close to my heart and inspire me to cook and bake everything from her book.

Creamy Coconut Bulgur with Lemon and Poppy Seed

Ingredients (serves 2)

– 180 ml coconut milk
– 120 ml water
– 70 g bulgur
– 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
– greated zest of 1/2 lemon
– 4 teaspoon honey
– 1/4 teaspoon salt
– 15 g almond, roasted, chopped

Method

Roast the almonds in a dry non-stick pan for 5-7 minutes. Set aside to cool, then chop them roughly.

In a pan heat coconut milk and water. Stir in the bulgur and bring it to boil. Turn down the heat to medium and cook the mixture for 15-20 minutes, until the bulgur is tender and creamy (if the liquid is absorbed before the bulgur has cooked, stir in more water or coconut milk – 3-4 tablespoons at a time). Add honey, poppy seeds and lemon zest. Serve warm with toasted almond on top.