RECIPE: GREEN CHIA MORNING PUDDING

This is basically a green smoothie packed with black chia seeds. Why chia seeds and why throw "morning" in the title? Once you've stretched out of your bed, your body is wondering what the hell you're going to put in it after 8 hours of rest. In translation, it's at its peak for nutrient absorption.

It is not a hearty dinner but a hearty breakfast that is essential to an energized and productive day, so you want to make sure you start out with the good stuff. Chia seeds boast a laundry list of health benefits including omega-3, antioxidants, and calcium, so a little goes a very long way. Because of its versatility (ground or raw), incorporating it into your daily consumption is simply monkey work.

I love eating a cup of this morning pudding with a side of tofu scramble and grains. It takes minutes to prep the night before consumption, and there are many ways you can customize and personalize this. The recipe I'm providing is a fail-proof combination, but feel free to tailor it to your preference or what you have sitting in your kitchen. It's a great solution to saving your overripe produce from going to waste. You can freeze leftover for future consumption, but honestly you'll wipe this batch clean by day 3.

|| Green Chia Morning Pudding

ingredients
1 c frozen strawberries (about 5-6 individual pieces)
1 1/2 c of ripe pineapples, chopped
1 small apple (or 1/2 large), chopped
1 ripe banana
juice of 1/2 grapefruit
1 TBSP grated ginger
handful of chopped spinach
handful of chopped green kale
3/4 c almond milk
3/4 c chia seeds
water to soak chia seeds
bee pollen (optional)

instructions
1| Soak chia seeds in a small bowl. Add enough water to cover the seeds but don't exceed. Set aside and let it soak for at least 10 minutes.
2| Add (in order) pineapple, strawberries, banana, apple, ginger, almond milk, and grapefruit into the blender. Blend until smooth.
3| add spinach and kale to the blended mix. Blend until the smooth and the mix turns a bright green color.
4| empty the content into a medium-size container. Removing excess water, add the soaked chia to the mix. Refrigerate overnight then serve. Top with a fruit wedge of choice and bee pollen.

Makes 3-4 servings.

NOTE: great additions to the morning pudding, if you have any around, would be young coconut meat and water. Super hydrating and nourishing, it's a combo treat special for hotter days. Natural/healthy grocery markets will sell them to you for $3-5 dollars, but if you go to Asian/specialty markets you can get them for as low as $1.50 each. They tend to disappear from the shelves fast, so If you see any around I highly suggest stocking up!

RECIPE: VEGAN SCRAMBLED TOFU AND SUGAR-FREE FRENCH TOAST

Scrambled tofu was one of the first vegan dishes I've ever made, about a few years ago in my second apartment in South Williamsburg. I was a vegetarian who heavily relied on dairy products for protein, and my roommate at the time was an enthusiastic vegan who slung around her love for kale, quinoa, and almond milk.

In our tiny quarter, where the roar of the JMZ trains sweeps through our windows every ten minutes, I was both intimidated yet fascinated by her dietary habits. Growing up in the punk scene, I had the occasional run-in with veganism through vegan friends, but I never really exposed myself to the food and culinary practices until I met my roommate. I remember finding the Cajun-spiced rendition of the tofu scramble in my roommate's copy of Vegan with a Vengeance, and being in shock when I found out this easy recipe was so delicious. I survived post-collegehood brokeness with this recipe and have since added this among my staple collection of recipes. 

I didn't go all-out vegan until a couple months ago, when the influence of friends and extensive research on the health and global benefits of veganism started to set in. I believe tofu scramble is a great gatekeeper dish for exploring vegans. It's a simple recipe that has countless variations - as long as you don't have a soy allergy. Recently I've been cutting down on eating a lot of soy, going more into other legumes, nuts, and gluten for protein. I highly stress to do your best to purchase non-GMO soy and tofu products.

This version of the tofu scrambled recipe is more so based off Post Punk Kitchen's version. (Exploring/current vegans: I highly suggest this site for cooking 101!) The turmeric and cumin blend reminds me of the tofu scramble you can find at Champs Diner in Williamsburg. I try to incorporate as much greens and healthy fats in my morning meals, so I threw in spinach, mushrooms, and avocado. 

To really round off this breakfast/brunch, I've added guilt-free French toast with a side serving of fresh fruit. I've topped my fresh fruits with locally-sourced honey and bee pollen. Bon appetit!

|| Tofu Scrambled
Based off Post Punk Kitchen, check the site for suggested variation and author's preferences

ingredients

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp salt

3 T water

2 T olive oil

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 lbs firm to extra-firm tofu

1 1/2 c spinach, chopped into large dices

1 c (about 5 to 6) baby bella mushrooms, chopped

1 carrot, grated 

1/4 cup of nutritional yeast (note: I like a more "cheesy" texture, so I usually put a little more)

fresh black pepper

1/2 avocado per serving for garnish

instructions

1|  Prepare the spice mix. Mix cumin, thyme, turmeric, salt, and water in a small bowl. Set aside.

1| Set the stove on medium heat. In a large pan, sauté the garlic in olive oil until it turns a faint brown, about 30 seconds to a minute.

2| Add the tofu to the mix by using your hands to crush the block into "scrambled" form. Change the temperature to high to allow the excess water to evaporate and add a crisp layer to the tofu. Let it cook on one side, then fold over and repeat.
3| While the tofu cooks, wash and chop up the mushrooms and spinach.
4| When the tofu is almost done, fold in the mushrooms and spice mix until thoroughly blended - about a minute.
5| Sprinkle two dash of black pepper (or whatever amount preferred) and add the nutritional yeast. Mix, then add the spinach. Cook until the spinach wilts.

6| Turn off the heat then fold in the grated carrot. Serve under avocado slices.

Makes about 3-4 servings.

|| Agave-Sweetened, Guilt-Free Vegan French Toast

Based off Love and Lemons

ingredients

6 thick slices of stale multigrain bread (or any vegan, gluten-free, live-sprouted bread of your choice)
note: you can also toast the slices on low setting
1 cup of original or vanilla almond milk
1 T agave nectar
2 T almond flour (this can be altered with any flour of your choice)

1 T nutritional yeast

1 tsp ground cinnamon
dash of ground nutmeg
pinch of salt

Coconut oil

maple syrup (or locally-sourced honey)

Fresh-cut fruit, coconut butter, coconut flakes for topping (feel free to customize)

instructions

1| In a medium shallow bowl, whisk almond milk, four, agave, nutritional yeast, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt.

2| In a large skillet, heat the coconut oil over medium temperatures.
3| Dip the stale/toasted bread individually in the batter, making sure to cover all areas. Cook each side for one to two minutes, until golden brown. Repeat this step for all toasts.
4| Cut each bread in half and serve with coconut flakes, coconut butter, and maple syrup. Add the fresh fruit either on the side or over the toasts.

Makes about 3-6 servings, depending on your party's hunger level.