So you’re interested in eating vegan — congratulations! Whether you’ve decided to go vegan for a specific cause or for your personal well-being, it’s all good. Eating even just one vegan meal a day can help make positive changes to your health and to the health of the environment.
Mornings are brighter, livelier and more fun with a good breakfast. Luckily, it is one of the more easily adaptable categories for vegans, with fresh fruit, oats and toast all lending themselves to natural and delicious plant-based options - the following are intended more as inspiration than recipes.
Hazelnut Choc Spread
130 g/1 cup hazelnuts
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract pinch of sea salt
2 slices of bread
Sliced strawberries, to serve toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped, to serve (optional)
(Serves 1)
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) Gas 4.
Spread the nuts out on a dry baking sheet. Pop in the preheated oven for 5 minutes, shake the tray and roast for another 5 minutes until lightly toasted. If the skins are on the hazelnuts, cover the baking sheet with a kitchen towel and let cool for about 5–10 minutes before rubbing as many skins off as possible – getting about three quarters off is a win here, some are very stubborn. Process in a high speed blender for about 5–8 minutes until you get a dense, softened nut butter.
Add the melted coconut oil, syrup, cocoa powder, vanilla and sea salt and blend for 1–2 minutes until fairly smooth.
Toast the bread, then spread with the chocolate spread and top with strawberries and toasted hazelnuts, if desired. Leftover choc spread will keep well in the fridge for 2 weeks.
Peanut Butter And Berry
2 slices of bread
2 tablespoons peanut butter 50–60 g/1⁄3–½ cup fresh berries or thawed frozen berries pure maple syrup, to serve hemp seeds, to serve
Serves 1
Like PB&J but way better. Toast the bread to your desired toastiness. Slather on peanut butter. Top with berries, a drizzle of maple syrup and a sprinkle of hemp seeds.
Banana And Seed
2 slices of bread
2 tablespoons almond butter
1 banana, sliced into rounds
½ teaspoon hemp seeds
½ teaspoon chia seeds
1 teaspoon pumpkin seeds/pepitas
(Serves 1)
Toast the bread to your desired toastiness. Spread generously with almond butter. Top with banana slices and sprinkle on the seeds.
For more advice on going vegan and delicious plant-based recipes, check out First-time Vegan by Leah Vanderveldt. Get more great blog posts like this one – direct to your inbox – be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.