It's that time of the month again when I share my breakfast, lunch, and dinner from one ordinary day.
I don't have any particular allegiances where breakfasts are concerned. I disagree with the notion that some foods are "breakfast foods" and others are off limits.
Actually, before I went vegan, breakfast was my least favorite meal of the day. I'd often skip right over it and head straight to classic lunch items. So many of the typical American offerings were unappealing to me.
Nowadays I can't wait to start my morning with a breakfast burrito, eggy tofu and toast, or a chickpea scramble and hash browns. However, there are many times when I’ll just grab leftovers from the day before or make something that’s generally considered “lunch food.”
Breakfast:
On this day I made salad for breakfast. It included green leaf lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, bell peppers, pumpkin seeds, and a new dressing recipe that I'll be sharing soon.
On top are slices of Sriracha tofu. I picked up a package while at Trader Joe's recently. It wasn’t incredibly spicy. But it had a mellow undertone of heat. I still prefer my own baked tofu. However, the Sriracha tofu was very convenient and a nice change of pace.
It's fig season, and figs are one of my favorite fruits. They are so beautiful and delicate. (Did you know they are actually inverted flowers?) I sliced a few and served them on the side.
Lunch:
For lunch, I made smoky sweet collard greens that are dotted with dried cranberries. The recipe was inspired by a visit to Bean Vegan Cuisine in North Carolina. I served the collards with creamy polenta and sautéed pinto beans.
I made the pinto beans in a similar fashion as my refried bean recipe, except that I didn't smash the beans. However, when I was using up the leftovers, I blended the beans in the food processor for some impromptu refried beans that were terrific in a burrito.
Dinner:
These days I am looking for any excuse to eat tomatoes. They are bursting with juicy flavor and wholly unlike the tomatoes you find the rest of the year.
I had some salad leftover from breakfast that I filled out with more green leaf lettuce. On the side, I grilled slices of sourdough bread and topped them with classic tomato bruschetta. Instead of the usual green basil, I opted for purple. I finished it off with a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
Grace
For your trips to the Twin Cities, if you hadn’t heard there is a new plant based restaurant coming to St. Paul.
Cadry
Yes, I’m so excited to check it out! The Twin Cities just keep getting more and more vegan-friendly. Thanks, Grace!
Shell
Ok, you have convinced me that I need to make a special trip to Whole Foods ASAP! So, there isn’t any skin to peel or anything? You just eat it?
Cadry
Yay! Let me know what you think. You don’t have to peel the skin or anything. Just eat all of it, except for the stem.
Shell
I was very curious about what you had around the side of your breakfast plate. I’ve never had an actual fig before. Are they easy to pick out? Once they are sliced in half how do you eat them?
Cadry
Oh, Shell. You would love figs! You could find them at Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s; although, I find that the ones at Whole Foods taste a lot fresher than at TJ’s in WDSM. So I would go for those if you have a choice. I don’t typically slice them in half. I did it for my meal this day, because I was photographing it. They’re prettier when they’re sliced. However, I usually just eat them whole like a strawberry, except for the stem. Now is the time to get them, because they are in season. Do it, do it!
KZ
That tofu/fig plate looks so amazing. You are the master.
Cadry
Aw, you’re too kind!
Becky Striepe
I love the idea of a salad in the morning! That might be a good way to make myself eat breakfast more often.
Cadry
It is a healthy start to the day when you crowd in some vegetables first thing. Plus, if you always make large salads, then a bowlful is the easiest thing to eat since it’s already prepared.
Dianne
I agree with you about breakfast – anything goes! Your meals all look delicious!
Cadry
Thanks, Dianne!
Mary Ellen @ VNutrition
Great day of eating! Yes, tomatoes are sooo good right now! I’m looking for excuses to eat them as well. 🙂
Love the idea of polenta and beans!
Cadry
Thanks, Mary Ellen! Aren’t the tomatoes incredible right now? During the winter I eat a lot of polenta and beans, often for breakfast. They play very nicely together. 🙂
Caitlin
i love the way you eat.
Cadry
Thanks, Caitlin! 😀