Vegetarian Family Cookbook

Chapter One Easy Breakfast Treats Let's face it: Even the best of intentions won't change the fact that many of us are tired and rushed in the morning. Also, since some people are just not that hungry first thing, the not-yet-awakened appetite is none too ambitious. It's unfortunate that the first hour of the day is rush hour, but for most of us, that's the reality. My sons have always liked a fairly hearty breakfast, so for us, the morning meal is a given. We try to decide the night before what to have for breakfast on school days, so that if the choice is waffles or a hot cooked cereal, I know to allow a little extra time. And because time is so short in the morning, one of my strategies has been to compile a list of possibilities so we're not scrambling for ideas. Speaking of scrambling, you'll note that eggs play a small role in this chapter, with a suggestion or two in the simple breakfast ideas and breakfast sandwiches list; that's because most people who eat eggs already have a set of simple ways to fix them to their family's liking. Instead, you'll find many ideas and easy recipes based on whole grains--these complex carb foods are perfect for getting revved in the morning yet are easy on the palate. Smoothies and other fruit-augmented recipes round out the selections. A Basic Breakfast Pantry One way to mitigate the breakfast rut is to have an array of good-quality breakfast foods on hand. Go through some of the recipes and ideas in this chapter and jot down the basic ingredients to shop for. See if you can clear a portion of a pantry (or at least a couple of shelves) to keep together all your nonperishable breakfast items--such as hot and cold cereals, granolas, and pancake mixes. Here is a list of what you might consider keeping in your pantry. Of course, you need not buy everything on this list, only what appeals to your family. Once you have a basic breakfast repertoire, you may enjoy adding new items from time to time or changing some items seasonally. * Good-quality cold breakfast cereals: Have an assortment of organic, whole-grain varieties on hand. * Granolas: These are good on their own or mixed with other cold cereals. * Hot cereals: See the listing of possibilities. * Embellishments for hot and cold cereals: Dried fruits, nuts, and seeds. * Flour tortillas: These are great for roll-ups and breakfast quesadillas. * Fresh fruits in season: Bananas are welcome all year around, berries are good for summer, and oranges and mangoes are delicious in winter. Serve as is or use for making juices and smoothies or topping cereals. * Whole-grain flours for pancakes and waffles: Whole-wheat pastry flour, spelt flour, and cornmeal are especially useful. You might also like to stock good-quality prepared pancake and waffle mixes if you can't see starting from scratch on weekday mornings. * Whole-grain frozen waffles: If you're not inclined to make fresh ones in the morning, there are some excellent organic toaster waffles available. * Maple syrup and/or honey or other natural sweeteners: Use sweeteners, even natural ones, sparingly in the morning! * Fresh whole-grain breads, rolls, bagels, and English muffins: Mix and match for variety; keep some in the freezer. * Spreads for bread: All-fruit preserves, nonhydrogenated margarine, dairy or nondairy cream cheese, peanut and other nut butters. * Yogurts: Organic low-fat dairy or nondairy varieties; aside from eating on their own, yogurt is useful in homemade pancake and waffle batters, and for making biscuits and other baked goods (see Chapter 10). * Organic dairy or nondairy cheeses and cottage cheese * Organic cage-free eggs * Soy-based faux breakfast meats: This one is entirely optional, but if you like this type of product, you can keep "sausages" and "bacon" in your freezer to use from time to time as a siAtlas, Nava is the author of 'Vegetarian Family Cookbook', published 2004 under ISBN 9780767913966 and ISBN 0767913965.