
Veggies for breakfast? Huh? I was raised on pancakes, oatmeal, cereal and toast with jelly. As much as I have come to adore vegetables–for lunch or dinner there is nothing better–I still struggle with incorporating them into my breakfast. Every day more research is presented on the value of a plant-based diet. Since most veggies are not complete proteins we need to eat a large variety to assure that we are meeting the full amino acid profile. Incorporating vegetables as often as possible is a great way to make certain that you are satisfying your protein (as well as vitamin and mineral) requirements.
On a basic level, I tend to revert back to my childhood and feel like breakfast should be comfort food. Both my stomach and I prefer to be woken up gently. So, I set out to create a breakfast dish that would be veggie-based, yet leave me with the feeling of having eaten a bowl of warm, sweet oatmeal. The spinach and carrots span the vegetable rainbow nicely, while the walnuts bring more protein and healthy fats (omega 3’s), and the raisins a delightful pop of sweetness. The flaxseed-cashew milk sauce also contributes omega 3’s while it blankets the dish with the serene addition of nutmeg and cinnamon. Originally, I was going to call this dish a breakfast porridge, but it can be so much more. It would make a great side dish to any meal!
Spinach and carrots span the vegetable rainbow nicely, while walnuts bring more protein and healthy fats (omega 3's), and raisins a delightful pop of sweetness. The flaxseed-cashew sauce also provides omega 3's while it blankets the dish with the serene addition of nutmeg and cinnamon. Originally, I was going to call this dish a breakfast porridge, but it can be so much more. It would make a great side dish to any meal!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon golden flaxseed meal
- 3 tablespoons cashew milk
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves (washed and dried)
- 1/3 cup grated carrot
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts
- shaved nutmeg (to taste)
- ground cinnamon (to taste)
- Stevia (if more sweetness is desired)
- olive oil to grease saucepan
Instructions
- 1) In a small bowl, mix golden flaxseed and cashew milk. Let stand.
- 2) Lightly grease bottom of small saucepan with olive oil. Place spinach, grated carrot, raisins, and chopped walnuts in saucepan.
- 3) Place saucepan on medium-low heat and gently toss mixture till spinach and carrot begin to loose some of their crunchy texture, but before the vegetables begin to wilt, approx. 2-3 minutes. (preferably stir with tongs so as not to damage the vegetables)
- 4) While mixture is cooking, add fresh ground nutmeg and cinnamon to the flaxseed-cashew milk mixture and stir. If you prefer an even sweeter dish you can add stevia (to taste) to this mixture as well.
- 5) Before removing saucepan from heat, add flaxseed-cashew milk mixture and gently toss with tongs. Remove immediately from heat and serve.
Notes
You can easily make this recipe as a side dish by increasing all of the ingredients respectively. Also, you can substitute jarred nutmeg and cinnamon for the fresh ground, if necessary.
I am so happy to say that I finally have joined the ranks of those who consider veggies an option at the breakfast table. Enjoy!
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