Looking for breakfast ideas

[Pratima]

Does it really stick together though? I don't understand what holds the couscous together in the pan.

I told my husband about the bagels with cream cheese and olives. We're both big bagel fans, but never thought of that. We'll have to go out and get olives!

Still waiting for the tofu salad recipe...

[Charlene]

I don't think cream cheese really has much protein in it, but you could always layer it with some soy product to boost it up.

And I am also waiting for the tofu salad recipe

Charlene

[amyzan]

Funny, when I went to look up the recipe, it didn't seem all that familiar! I had the cookbook wrong, too. It was one of Deborah Madison's earlier titles: The Greens Cook Book with Edward Espe Brown. I guess it's been a good while since I made this one, but I ate a lot of it, so know it's tried and true! The vegetables and sunnies are crunchy and the tofu takes on the flavors really nicely. You can also add curry powder, as a variation. Penzey's makes a mild one called Maharajah, with a high proportion of saffron for beautiful color. Try adding paprika or other spices you like, as well. There are lots of ways to make this to your taste. Good on honey whole wheat type bread with tomato and lettuce.

So, here's the recipe:

18 ounces firm tofu
5 tbsp red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, finely diced (You can use green, but I never did like the flavor)
5 tbsp celery, finely diced
4 tbsp carrot, finely diced
2 tbsp scallion or red onion, finely diced
2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, marjoram, etc. These are very important--don't substitute dried)
up to 1/2 c. mayonnaise
2 tsp capers or chopped sour pickles (I used sweet relish in a pinch)
dijon mustard or other flavorful mustard to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper
red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
raw sunflower seeds, optional
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast, optional

Rinse the tofu under cold water. To dry and crumble tofu, place it in a clean kitchen towel, gather corners, and twist until all the water has been squeezed out. Put the tofu in a bowl and crumble any remaining pieces with fingers. Add the vegetables (I recall adding more sometimes, but be conservative because it won't bind well if you add too much), herbs, 4 tbsp. of the mayo, capers or pickles, and mustard to taste, plus sunflower seeds and nutritional yeast, if you like. Mix everything together with a fork and taste, then season with salt, pepper, and vinegar. It will taste bland at first, but as it sits, the flavor will improve considerably. Let sit, refrigerated, at least a half hour before using, overnight if possible. Adjust mayonnaise, mustard, and vinegar as necessary to get the consistency you like. (Thicker salad will make a more compact, portable sandwich!) Will keep tightly covered in the fridge 3-4 days.

[Pratima]

Sounds good! And filling.

I just used up this soy stuff from Trader Joe's, can't remember what it's called. It comes in dried chunks though, and you soak it in vegetable broth until it hydrates. I chop it up and make "chicken" salad with it. I don't know if they carry it anymore though, so this tofu recipe will be a great alternative.

[gamber]

I often use celery seed instead of celery in soup and in my own tofu salad. Just a bit easier and I don't have to keep celery around.

[jazzy75]

I'm in the search for a breakfast bar of some sort to go with my daily breakfast of cottage cheese and fruit (just find I'm needing a little something more to help hold me over until it's banana time at 10:30 ) In my search, I came across this recipe and made them last night. Quite yummy (though crunchy and I'm looking for something more of a muffin texture - but it does fall around the 100 calorie mark which is what I'm looking for).


Crunchy Granola Bars

1 3/4 cups (425 mL) each POST 100% Bran Cereal and quick-cooking rolled oats

3/4 cup (175 mL) all purpose flour (I used whole wheat )
1 cup (250 mL) BAKER'S ANGEL FLAKE Coconut

3/4 cup (175 mL) each;firmly packed brown sugar and butter

2 Tbsp (30 mL) corn syrup

1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda

1 square BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted, (optional) - I didn't do this - nothing against chocolate, i t was just an extra step



Directions

COMBINE cereal, oats, flour and coconut.

COOK brown sugar, butter and corn syrup in small saucepan over medium heat until mixture boils, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in soda. Immediately stir into cereal mixture mixing well.

PRESS evenly into lightly greased 15 x 10 in (40 x 25 cm) jelly roll pan.

BAKE at 350°F (180°C) for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool slightly, cut into bars while warm. Drizzle with melted chocolate, if desired


Nutritional Info
Serving Size = 1 bar
Calories 116
Total fat 5.8 g
Carbohydrate 16.1 g
Dietary fibre 2.1 g
Protein 1.7 g
Calcium 13 %RDI

(note - I also threw in a handful of flax seeds ...i'm thinking of adding a dash of ginger or cinnamon next time)

Overall, I liked this crunchy treat with my breakfast this a.m. . I've gotten away from buying individually packed bars. I like with this recipe, I know everything that's in 'em!


Anyone have any "breakfast bar" recipes!?

[Pratima]

I think the couscous "cake" recipe above could be used as a breakfast bar. I'm still not sure what makes it stick together though.

[Pratima]

I just tried a bagel with cream cheese and green olives, plus a boiled egg, this morning. Mmmm! I usually don't like green olives, but I got these "spicy" olives at Trader Joe's and just love them!

[Pratima]

Over a year later, I'm digging up this thread to say I've tried MANY of the suggestions posted here, and my husband has become quite hooked on them! He loves the bagels with cream cheese and olives and anything with peanut butter and banana. He's currently going through a box of Kashi Go Lean Crunch (plus banana or blueberries) a week.

He suggested I post his recipe ideas for everyone here to get hooked on. He's actually a very good cook--a meat-eater who cooks vegetarian for his *lovely* wife. Seriously though, I'll try to come up with some and start a new thread.

[tapdancer]

I like the almond butters that you can purchase at Trader Joe's. You can try Crunchy, Raw, or Roasted. (My favorite is the roasted.) You can buy almond butters in a health food store, but they are more expensive than the butters at Trader Joe's.

Almond butter is wonderful on toast with organic blueberry spread, also from Trader Joes. The blueberry spread was one of the highest rated fruit spreads for containing the most antioxidants.

I find that if I am hungry and I want to reach for something unhealthy during the day, if I eat a little almond butter even on a whole grain pretzel, it stays with me and I can make it until dinner.