The Healthiest Mother's Day Brunch Yet!
Image: Ken Tomita
I have a breakfast confession: I can't pick a side!
On the one hand, sweet breakfast choices - pancakes, waffles, smoothie bowls - get me pretty excited to get out of bed.
On the other hand, however... bacon. Enough said.
So when it comes time for me to put together a mother's day brunch, I always feel a bit stuck. Throw in my strong desire to make a meal that will fuel my family, and leave us feeling better than we did before we started eating, and I'm often in a bit of a pickle.
Today, I give all those on-the-fence breakfast lovers the ultimate healthy alternative: a savory & sweet feast that will nourish you and taste amazing. I've picked & chosen from my favourite online recipe makers to bring this together - pair these options with a delicious mug full of organic, fair trade coffee or even a little mimosa, and you're set!
Start with a Smoothie
This Mango Peach Smoothie based on a recipe from Simple Green Smoothies is tropical, delicious, and a great way to get a dose of greens with your breakfast.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups spinach
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp raw cashews soaked overnight and drained (or replace with banana if you're short on cashews)
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 cup peaches frozen
- 1/2 cup mango frozen
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract optional
Directions
Place spinach, water, cashews, and coconut oil in blender. Blend until smooth.
Add remaining ingredients and blend again.
Move onto (Gluten Free!) Pancakes
Meghan Telpner of the UnDiet does pancakes right, and these banana pancakes made with chickpea flour are perfect every time - and packed with protein!
Ingredients
- 1 cup water or coconut milk
- 1 egg
- 1 banana
- 1 cup chickpea (garbanzo bean) flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ghee or coconut oil for frying
Optional Toppings
- Sliced banana
- Walnuts
- Pecans
- Shredded coconut
- Ground goji berries
- Ground flax seeds
- Fresh fruit
- Maple syrup
- Honey
Directions
Place all ingredients into your high speed blender or food processor and mix until smooth.
Melt 1 Tbsp of coconut oil or ghee into your pan. Using your ¼ cup or ½ cup measure (whatever size you like best), scoop the batter and pour onto your medium heat skillet.
Let cook until you see bubble throughout the pancake, and then flip. Cook for 2-3 minutes on the other side. Serve with your favourite pancake toppings.
Don't Forget the (Eggplant) Bacon
Salty-savoury breakfast lovers, rejoice! The Minimalist Baker has discovered how to make a bacon substitute that ACTUALLY TASTES LIKE BACON, without the sodium, hormones, or way-excessive animal fat. And, yes: it's made from eggplant. Just try it.
Ingredients
- 1 medium eggplant (you'll only use half)
- 2 Tbsp (30 ml) avocado or olive oil
- 1 1/2 Tbsp (20 ml) tamari
- 1 Tbsp (15 ml) vegan Worcestershire (I like Annie’s brand, this one is GF!)
- 1 Tbsp (15 ml) maple syrup
- 2 tsp liquid smoke
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- Pinch sea salt
- Pinch garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper, plus more for topping
Directions
Preheat oven to 225 degrees F (107 C) - turn to “convection bake” if you have it to speed cooking time. Line 1 large or 2 small baking sheet(s) with parchment paper.
Slice an eggplant in half lengthwise and set one half aside for other uses (such as Baba Ganoush, Vegan Queso, or 1-Pot Pasta). Then cut the remaining eggplant in half lengthwise once more so you have two long, skinny pieces.
Use a sharp knife or mandolin to slice into very thin strips (resembling the size/shape of bacon). They should be thicker than paper thin - roughly 1/8th inch. Set aside.
Make sauce by adding avocado oil, tamari, Worcestershire sauce, maple syrup, liquid smoke, paprika, sea salt, garlic powder, and black pepper to a small mixing bowl and whisking to combine.
Use a brush (or a spoon) to brush both sides of the eggplant slices with sauce. Arrange in a single layer on the parchment-lined baking sheet(s) and sprinkle with more black pepper.
Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the eggplant is deep red in color, appears dry, and is slightly crispy. If needed, increase heat to 250 (121 C) at the end if not crisping up. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. It will crisp up the more it cools.
Use immediately on things such as on sandwiches, in salads, or alongside or mixed into a tofu scramble.
Once cooled, store in a sealed container in the refrigerator up to 5 days or in the freezer up to 1 month. To reheat, heat a skillet over medium heat, add a little oil of choice, then heat bacon on both sides until warmed (be careful not to burn).