INDIVIDUAL BAKED HASH BROWNS AND PERFECT PANCAKES

Today I Made:

INDIVIDUAL BAKED HASH BROWNS, PERFECT PANCAKES AND SLICED ORGANIC PEACH for BRUNCH.

Both recipes from Vegan Brunch: Homestyle Recipes Worth Waking Up For by Isa Chandra Moskowitz.

Yukon gold potatoes grated, seasoned with salt and pepper and baked in a muffin tin for 30 minutes and then topped with organic ketchup.

The process is a little more intensive for early morning breakfast or brunch.

You first have to grate the potatoes in a food processor (if you don't own one, use a box grater).

The recipe then says to place the potatoes in a cheesecloth or large kitchen towel, gather the edges and wring over a sink or bowl until dry.

I find that it is easier to place the grated potatoes in a colander with a teaspoon of salt over a bowl and let rest for 15 minutes.

The salt helps draw out most of the liquid.

And then place in the muffin tin and bake until tops are golden brown.

The result was amazing.

Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside.

Just like Isa described it in the book.

The pancakes were nothing to write home about.

They should be called "CINNAMON PANCAKES" instead of "PERFECT PANCAKES."

They tasted like pure cinnamon.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Here's a close-up shot of the INDIVIDUAL BAKED HASH BROWNS:

EASY HOMESTYLE CHILAQUILES

Today I Made:

EASY HOMESTYLE CHILAQUILES for BREAKFAST.

Chilaquiles are a traditional Mexican dish served for breakfast.

Tortillas are cut into quarters, fried, mixed with eggs, and then drenched with salsa.

Topped with Mexican cheese.

My mom taught me how to make a vegan version, which is easy to do just by omitting the eggs and cheese.

There are 3 ways of doing this:

1. Using chips from a bag.

2. Frying your own tortilla quarters.

3. Toasting the tortilla quarters in the oven.

This morning I chose to toast the tortilla quarters (obviously healthier). .

So here goes my mother's recipe:

Preheat oven to 350.

Stack 6 tortillas and cut into quarters.

Place in a bowl and drizzle some olive oil and mix.

Toast until lightly browned on one side, then turn and toast the other side.

And now you have homemade chips!

Heat skillet over medium heat and add tortilla chips.

Add 1 cup of salsa (homemade or store-bought) and toss until completely mixed.

If too dry add a few tablespoons of salsa or even water.

Just make sure not to add too much or else the chips will turn out soggy.

You want the final dish to be a mix of hard and soft chips.

I used my mom's homemade tomato-based salsa, medium-hot!

Let salsa heat thru.

Add diced red onions and chopped cilantro (which I forgot to add to ours).

Serve immediately with a side of pinto or black beans.

Our version proves that you don't need any of those animal ingredients, to make this tasty dish.

COCONUT & LEMON WAFFLES WITH BASIL CHIFFONADE

Today I Made:

COCONUT & LEMON WAFFLES WITH BASIL CHIFFONADE for BREAKFAST.

Recipe from ***The GirlieGirl Army***.

Whole wheat pastry flour, coconut milk, lemon zest, and the basil, make these waffles stand out in a crowd.

They taste very tropical.

You almost feel like you are laying on a sandy beach in Hawaii.

They are easy to make, since most of us have the ingredients readily available in our pantries.

I recommended topping them with chopped almonds and maple syrup.

BREAKFAST AND DESSERT

Today I Made:

HOME FRIES and LEFTOVER 'FRONCH TOAST' WITH AVOCADO SLICES for BREAKFAST.

Twice cooked yellow potatoes, red bell peppers, and onions.

Recipe from Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook by Isa Chandra Moskowitz.

I saved a little bit of the leftover "FRONCH TOAST" batter from yesterday and a few slices of La Brea Wheat bread for today's breakfast.

I love pairing together sweet and savory, especially with breakfast.

Ketchup from the potatoes and maple syrup from the fronch toast.

And it's even better when you add a few slices of avocado.

Yesterday I Made:

CHOCOLATE-GLAZED PEANUT BUTTER SCONES for DESSERT.

Recipe from My Sweet Vegan by Hannah Kaminsky.

I've made a huge mistake.

I over-cooked them.

They turned out way too dry and hard.

The only thing that saved them, was the chocolate glaze.

I have to give them a second try and make them again.

"FRONCH TOAST"

Today I Made:

"FRONCH TOAST" for BREAKFAST.

Recipe from VEGAN WITH A VENGEANCE by Isa Chandra Moskowitz.

I've made these a few times and we still can't get over how similar they are to the real thing.

And all the recipe calls for is soy milk, corn starch, and garbanzo bean flour.

Amazing texture and taste.

Make sure you use 3 day old bread for added crispiness!

They go great with plain maple syrup and sweet organic strawberries ( and coffee of course!).

BANANA RABANADA

Today I Made:

BANANA RABANADA for BREAKFAST.

Recipe from Vegan Brunch by Isa Chandra Moskowitz.

Thick sliced baguette soaked in banana custard, panfried, then dusted with cocoa powder and powdered sugar.

I used La Brea Bakery - French Baguette, unfortunately it's only available in the Los Angeles and San Francisco area.

According to Isa, this Brazilian french toast is served during Christmas time.

All I can say is WOW!!!

I highly recommend making this dish ASAP!

It was a cinch to make and oh so delicious.

It tastes like banana bread dipped in melted chocolate.

It does take a little bit of planning, since you have to soak the bread in the custard for 20 minutes.

And to save even more time, I recommend slicing the baguette the night before.

Also, make sure to use 3 day old bread.

If you use fresh bread it will turn mushy and will be more like bread pudding instead of crispy french toast (unless you like it like that).

GRILLED PEANUT BUTTER AND BANANA SPLIT SANDWICH

PHOTO COURTESY OF COOKING LIGHT MAGAZINE

Today I Made:

GRILLED PEANUT BUTTER AND BANANA SPLIT SANDWICH for BREAKFAST.

Recipe from COOKING LIGHT MAGAZINE.

Thinly sliced bananas and strawberries, peanut butter, vegan chocolate chips, apricot jam and Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin bread.

This was one of the BEST sandwiches ever!

You have your fruit, protein( peanut butter), and sprouted grains ( from the bread), and every now and then , a taste of chocolate.

We loved it so much, we forgot to photograph it (hence the borrowed pic).

Kids of all ages will love it.

PECAN-CRUSTED FRENCH TOAST

Today I Made:

PECAN-CRUSTED FRENCH TOAST for BREAKFAST.

Recipe from Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin.

Whole wheat La Brea Bread dipped in a soy milk, chickpea, cinnamon batter.

Then dipped into a mound of crushed pecans and then cooked in a slightly oiled skillet for 2 -3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

Served with maple syrup and morning coffee.

This recipe is very similar to the "FRONCH TOAST' recipe from Vegan with a Vengeance.,except for the pecans and the cinnamon.

It does take a little bit of work to keep the pecans to stick to the battered bread slices, but after a while it does get easier.

Next time I make these, I will chop the pecans into much smaller pieces.

Which would make it easier to coat and would add more crunch to every bite.