Just starting to dabble in moving toward a diet with less
meat, and more vegetables and grains? It
could be helpful to do some brainstorming on meatless dishes and meals that you
already enjoy, or basic ingredients that you like. I’ve compiled a list of vegetarian options
for meatless breakfasts to get you started thinking.
Grits
& eggs: This is our
weekend favorite breakfast. I cook
grits, which I like with cheese.
Sometimes I make tomato gravy to serve over grits and biscuits. We also like “scrambled eggs and stuff” at
our house. I sauté vegetables such as
onions, mushrooms, and spinach, and scramble eggs into them.
Oatmeal
and cream of wheat: This
one is not for me. I like grits, but
with butter or cheese, not with sugar. I
don’t like hot cereals other than grits, but I do realize some people really
enjoy other hot cereals for breakfast.
Dress up your oatmeal or cream of wheat with some fruit.
Cereal
and milk: Need to eat
quickly? What’s faster than a bowl of
cereal with milk, and maybe some fruit?
And there are scores of choices in breakfast cereals.
Granola,
muesli, and breakfast bars: To
me, granola and muesli are in a category of their own, and not merely breakfast
cereal. Make a nice mix of your favorite
grains, seeds, nuts and fruits. I like
breakfast bars that are reminiscent of granola.
I have a great recipe from TV.
Next time I make them I’ll be sure to share!
Toast
and Bagels: Try toasting your
bread with a slice of cheese, or put an open faced pimento cheese under the
broiler until bubbly. Smear your toast
or bagel with your favorite jam, jelly, or cream cheese. Spread butter on your bread, sprinkle with
cinnamon, and toast for classic cinnamon toast.
Biscuits
and Croissants: You
could make some really fabulous and delicious vegetarian breakfasts with
bread. Place some scrambled eggs and
hash browns on refrigerated croissant sheets.
Roll up and bake according to package directions. Chocolate chips or Nutella would also be good
baked in a croissant. Press refrigerated
biscuits into a muffin tin. Top with
scrambled eggs and cheese, and favorite vegetables such as mushrooms, broccoli,
or asparagus and bake. You could use a
vegetarian sausage crumble, but I personally stay away from texturized
vegetable protein (TVP).
Chocolate Chip Pancakes (Personal Photo)
Pancakes, Waffles, and
French toast:
For me this is another weekend breakfast. There are endless tasty options here. I enjoy the occasional chocolate chip
pancakes. When I was a kid, Mom made
pear preserves every few years. One year
there were a couple pints of extra liquid, which made fabulous pancake
syrup. You can dress up pancakes,
waffles, or French toast with fresh fruit, syrup, or whipped cream. Try dipping apple rings in pancake batter,
sprinkle with cinnamon, and cook on the griddle.
When I was visiting in Holland, I had some of their famous
pancakes a couple times. They served a
single huge pancake, which must have had extra eggs, because they almost had a
crepe texture. There were a couple dozen
choices, but I always liked the ones with vegetables, like mushrooms and
onions, over the fruity ones.
Egg and Cheese Sandwich with Baby Spinach (Personal Photo)
Breakfast
sandwich: Grilled cheese
would be a good breakfast sandwich. My
favorite breakfast sandwich is a fried egg sandwich with Swiss or cheddar
cheese. I also like sliced tomatoes,
avocado, or baby spinach on my egg sandwich.
For a sweet treat, try a Panini made with bananas and Nutella.
When I need to grab a fast food breakfast, my favorites are
Wendy’s artisan egg and cheese sandwich, without the bacon, or their Panini,
also without bacon. The Panini has egg,
cheese, and tomato.
Panini with Banana and Nutella (Personal Photo)
Breakfast
tacos: Breakfast tacos
were my mainstay for my vegetarian breakfast last fall when I was
teaching. I’d get potato, egg, and
cheese breakfast tacos from Taco Cabana, which are relatively inexpensive.
Fruit: Fruits like grapefruit, honeydew melon, and
cantaloupe make a good light breakfast.
Quiche
and Frittata: The
possibilities are endless for these classic egg pies. Add a few of your favorite vegetables, and
vary vegetables every time you make one.
For ideas and pictures, visit my Breakfast and Brunch board
at Pinterest. Look for vegetarian
options, and recipes that could easily be adapted into meatless versions.
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