Mediterranean Tofu Scramble

Breakfast used to be my favorite meal - I loved eggs, but it was never really about the eggs. It was about what I put on or in them! I usually have a smoothie for breakfast these days, but I'll splurge on the weekends and make something like this scramble.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1 block organic tofu
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 large sweet onion, chopped
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 C Kalamata olives, chopped
• 1/4 C sundried tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 C fresh basil, chopped
• 1/2 t Italian seasoning
• 1/2 t turmeric
• 2 T nutritional yeast 
• salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. 
2. Add the onions and cook until the onions are translucent. 
3. Add the garlic and the peppers; sauté until all the veggies are soft and starting to brown. 
4. Cut the tofu into quarters and squeeze out the excess water. 
5. Crumble the tofu and add it to the veggies. 
6. Add the dried spices and sauté until the tofu is hot and the spices have been absorbed. 
7. Add the basil, sundried tomatoes, and olives. 
8. Cook until heated all the way through. 
9. Stir in the nutritional yeast, and enjoy!

Vegan Breakfast Quesadilla

I've gotten in the habit of making a batch of scrambled tofu and soy chorizo on Sunday, enjoying brunch, and using the leftovers for my breakfasts the rest of the week. The scramble portion is very versatile, and today I made it into a lovely breakfast quesadilla.

Ingredients:

• 1 package of veggie chorizo
• 1 package firm tofu (refrigerated)
• 1 package organic baby spinach
• 1 small sweet onion, diced
• 3 green onions (white part, sliced)
• 3-4 cloves garlic
• 1-2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1 t turmeric
• 1/2 t cumin
• salt & pepper to taste
• whole wheat tortillas
• vegan cheese of choice
• salsa
• vegan sour cream
• hot sauce
• any other garnish!

Preparation:

1. Heat a large pan over medium heat.
2. Add olive oil and onions.
3. Saute until the onions are almost translucent.
4. Add the garlic, and stir.
5. Let the mixture cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the chorizo. Cut the casing off and crumble it up in the pan.
6. Stir and cook until the chorizo is warm, then crumble and add the tofu and the spices.
7. Once the mixture is hot, stir in the spinach and green onions, just long enough to wilt the spinach.
8. Remove from heat.
9. Warm the tortilla (I warmed it on a burner covered with foil, but you can use the microwave, the oven, or a pan - whatever method you like), and put it on a large plate.
10. Put vegan cheese on the half that will be the bottom of the quesadilla.
11. Top the cheesy half of the tortilla with the tofu, chorizo, and spinach mixture.
12. Fold in half, cut into sections, garnish with salsa, sour cream, and hot sauce, or whatever garnish you prefer, and enjoy!

Easy Scrambled Tofu

Don't let the ingredient list and the length of the instructions fool you - this is a quick and easy breakfast (or lunch, or dinner). It only takes 10-15 minutes to prepare. The texture mimics scrambled eggs, but this is much more flavorful and nutritious than any scrambled egg dish I've ever had. (Hint: You can also roll this up in a tortilla and enjoy it as a burrito!)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 block firm tofu
• olive oil spray
• 1/2 C white or yellow onion
• 1/2 C chopped bell pepper
• 1/2 C chopped broccoli
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 2 handfuls of fresh baby spinach
• 1 T nutritional yeast
• 1 lemon wedge
• 1/4 t turmeric
• 1/4 t paprika
• 1/4 t cumin
• 1/4 t ground thyme

Preparation:

1. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat.
2. Spray liberally with the olive oil spray.
3. When the skillet is hot, add the onion and veggies. Let them cook for several minutes (4-5) until the onion is translucent and the veggies are starting to brown.
4. Chop the garlic and add it to the pan, being careful not to burn it. Let the veggie/garlic mixture cook for a couple of minutes.
5. Add the spices (turmeric through thyme) and mix with the garlic and onion. Your kitchen will smell divine!
6. Crumble the tofu and mix, making sure the tofu is thoroughly coated with the spice mixture.
7. Add the spinach and squeeze the lemon in to the pan, and stir.
8. Add the nutritional yeast and stir again. The nutritional yeast will give the mixture a creamy texture, and it adds a cheesy/nutty flavor as well as lots of vitamins and minerals.
9. Make sure all of the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated and heated.
10. Enjoy!