Vegan breakfast picnic: Anniversary edition

David and I recently celebrated 11 years of marriage! It's like Gretchen Rubin says, "The days are long, but the years are short."

Just yesterday we were making honeymoon plans. And then somehow in May we attended our ring bearer's college graduation.

When it comes to special occasions, it can be a little tricky figuring out things to do and ways to celebrate in our town since we've done everything a million times over. It's hard for it to feel "special" when you've gone to the same places again and again.

So we decided to make something old new again.

David and I love going on hikes together. It's one of our favorite ways to exercise.

It just feels good - being in the outdoors amidst beautiful scenery. It doesn't feel like work. It feels like fun.

I've wanted to have a breakfast picnic in the woods for a while after reading about them on What Should I Eat For Breakfast Today.

Most of the blogs I read are vegan, but that is one of the rare exceptions. I love Marta’s dark, moody photography. It's so different from the everything-white Instagram standard.

She regularly takes early morning excursions to wooded areas with friends in tow. Her breakfast picnic pictures are covered in mist and morning dew.

Our anniversary seemed like a great excuse to make a vegan breakfast picnic happen.

So the day before our anniversary, I pulled out the handmade basket we bought from some Amish ladies at a roadside stand.

I got the coffee ready. (Just needed to press start on the coffee pot.) I whipped up some cashew milk for creamer. Then I rinsed raspberries and cherries, which are so juicy and amazing right now.

Finally, I made a vegan frittata.

It's a user-friendly recipe, because you can use 2 to 3 cups of whatever vegetables appeal to you at the moment or that you happen to have in the crisper. It's an ideal way to use seasonal produce from the farmers market - or not.

This would also be good with pantry staples like artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives. Choose your adventure!

I went with steamed broccoli, onions, chopped cilantro, thinly sliced tomato, and a sprinkling of berbere on top.

It is wonderful hot, cold, or room temperature. And it's filled with protein-packed tofu, meaning it's not going to leave you hungry an hour later.

(Update: I have since adapted this recipe into a mini version too! Vegan quiche bites can be made in the air fryer or oven! Check it out if you like cute food.)

I had big plans that we'd be up and at 'em at 7 or 8. I said to David the day before, "I want to make sure we're out the door before we get too hungry, since we'll need to hike out to the picnic spot…"

And so just like clockwork, we were out the door a little after 10:00. Haha! The days are long, but the hours between 7 and 10 are short. 😉

So our anniversary breakfast picnic became an anniversary brunch picnic instead.

Oh, well. Everyone prefers brunch anyway.

I had a chance to use my beloved frog thermos, which hasn't gotten any action in a while, as I'm usually not drinking coffee on the road anymore.

(It was my regular companion when I did touring children's theatre all over Southern California.)

Funnily enough, this frog thermos was from our wedding registry! Not surprisingly, it wasn't an item that people were quick to buy.

Before our wedding, I followed the purchases on our wedding registry with much interest. I checked the list with the same fervency that a vegan watches the “opening soon” sign on new Trader Joe’s construction.

I followed along as our guests bought sheet sets and tableware, while the $40 novelty thermos collected dust in the corner. For some reason, people didn't think it was a necessity for this new married life. 😉

Every day I'd give David the rundown on what had been purchased and more notably, what hadn't.

"No one has bought the frog thermos yet…"

And then one day, it happened. I openly gasped when I saw a checkmark next to my thermos. David was in his work carpool when I called him.

"Someone bought the frog thermos!"

When it arrived a few days later, I quickly looked at the tag to see who I needed to thank… And I didn't have to walk far to thank him.

It was David!

He bought a gift off of our own registry, because he didn't want me to have to wait and wonder any longer. And that's him. That's love. I am so thankful to have a husband who really gets me - now as much as ever.