Leftover Makeover: Tofu Scramble Edition

If you're anything like me, you get super bored with the same meals day in and day out.

On the other hand, buying and cooking in bulk often means a smaller grocery bill and effortless meals for the entire week. So yeah I guess it's worth it, right? But then again, the boredom….

In an effort to spice things up when you just can't take another bite of that bottomless crockpot chilli you made on Sunday night, I thought I'd share some ways in which I switch up a basic bulk recipe to keep things interesting throughout the week.

First up: Tofu Scramble!

If you're a vegan or vegetarian, chances are you have your favorite tofu scramble recipe memorized. If not, here are a few of my favorites to get you started:


Post Punk Kitchen (Isa does no wrong)
Vegetarian Times and their Southwest spin on it
Food.com keeping it basic


So now that you've made 650 servings of your favorite scramble and have successfully eaten it the same way for several mornings in a row without complaining too much, let's spice things up.

Leftover Makeover: Tofu Scramble Casserole

1 cup prepared tofu scramble
1/4 cup cooked quinoa
1/3 cup cooked or canned chickpeas
1 cup kale, finely chopped
1/3 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup chopped zucchini
2 tablespoons vegan cheese (I used Daiya's mozzarella version)
a pinch of red pepper flakes
Optional: 2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs


Preheat oven to 350

In a large bowl, mix everything together except for the panko crumbs. Once they are combined, press firmly into a 16 oz ramekin dish (or several muffin tins if you don't own single baking dishes). Sprinkle bread crumbs on top.

Bake for 15-20 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

I love this recipe. The baking method leaves you with a cheesy, gooey casserole for one full of flavor and goodness. The cherry tomatoes get rich and juicy and the kale will crisp up, giving this dish a nice bite. Remember those scrambled eggs with melted cheese on top mom used to make? Yeah, kind of like that. But way better.




Do you have any suggestions for another bulk recipe I can makeover? I love a good challenge.

Very Cherry Berry Chocolate Baked Oatmeal

Thanks to a few dreary mornings here in the Pacific Northwest, I've been craving that classic, old school breakfast that fills you up and reminds you of warm and fuzzy childhood memories.

Why is oatmeal so all-encompassing like that?

I spent many childhood mornings, oatmeal in hand while Bobby's World played on the tv. It was the best. But back then, oatmeal had just two ingredients: brown sugar and maple syrup. Oh, and buttered toast on the side. Easy peasy.

I like to think I've gotten a little more creative since then, while still sticking with simple and wholesome ingredients.

This recipe is so easy and delicious, I just had to share.

Very Cherry Berry Chocolate Baked Oatmeal
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 ripe banana
1 tbsp ground flaxseed
1/2-1 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup & 1 tbsp almond milk (or other non-dairy milk. Creamer or coconut milk would make this even more decadent)
1 Tbsp cacao or cocoa powder
1/2 tbsp cacao nibs or dark chocolate chips
Optional: 2 tbsp chopped berries

Preheat oven to 350

Lightly oil a ramekin dish or another single-serving baking pan (I used a round 6-inch ramekin) In a medium bowl, mix ingredients until just combined. Pour mixture evenly into dish. Cook for about 20 minutes.

1/4 cup chopped strawberries
1/4 cup chopped frozen cherries
1-2 tsp liquid sweetener (I used monk fruit)
1 tbsp water

In a small saucepan, add strawberries, frozen cherries, sweetener and water together. Heat until cherries and berries start to soften and frozen cherries start to melt, about 5-7 minutes. Once they've combined into a sauce, spoon topping onto your baked oatmeal.

Serves 1

Sometimes the simplest breakfasts are also the absolute best.

Hearty Baked Granola Pancake (For One)

Another breakfast recipe. I know, I'm so predictable.

After a whole lot of mornings of cold overnight oats and smoothie bowls, I decided I was ready for something warm and stick-to-your-ribs filling. Enter the baked pancake. Full of nuts and seeds and oats, this breakfast is full of texture and will keep you energized throughout the morning.

If you're a fan of crispier and thinner pancakes, I suggest splitting this recipe up into two dishes. I prefer a thicker pancake that eats more like a bread or muffin, so this is right up my alley.

Hearty Baked Granola Pancake (For One)


Dry ingredients:
2 tbsp oat flour
2 tbsp rolled oats
2 tbsp almond meal
1 tbsp flaxseed meal
1/2 tsp cinnamon
a pinch of salt
1/4 tsp baking powder

Wet ingredients:
1/4 cup and 1 tbsp almond milk
1 tbsp coconut oil, Earth Balance or apple sauce
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 tbsp sweetener of choice (I omitted this but you could use agave, maple syrup, Stevia, or cane sugar)

Add-ins:
1 tbsp walnuts
1 tbsp chopped almonds
1-2 tbsp dried fruit
1/2 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 tbsp hemp or sunflower seeds

Preheat oven to 350 and lightly oil a 6-inch ramekin. If you don't have a ramekin, feel free to use a muffin pan, an oven-safe mug or a mini cake pan.

In a medium bowl, mix dry ingredients together. Add in wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
*If you're using Earth Balance or coconut oil, make sure it's melted and slightly cooled. Once the base is combined, stir in add-ins. Pour mixture into ramekin and smooth out the top.


Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes

Once the pancake is slightly cooled, transfer onto a plate and top with syrup, fruit, nut butter, etc.

Breakfast Love: Chunky Monkey Overnight Oats

Let's keep this breakfast love fest going, shall we?

Overnight oats became a staple in my breakfast rotation several years ago.  I ate them about 3 times a week. But like most repetitive habits in life, things got a little dull. All of a sudden the cold oats weren't doing the job and the mushy texture just didn't sit well with me anymore.

These things happen but when it comes to your favorite foods, don't be afraid to mix it up a little. Life is about variety, people.

So a few months ago I decided to switch it up by using steel-cut oats and life has been so much better. It's like we've rekindled that oat-y, wholesome flame.  But I digress.

Steelcut oats are full of texture and give you a chewy bite similar to a granola/oatmeal hybrid, which is a perfect combo in my book.

Because I'm battling a sweet tooth addiction, I decided to make something decadent but healthy for today's breakfast.

Introducing Chunky Monkey Overnight Oats.

Oh man these were so good.  Not gonna lie, I was kind of depressed when I finished this jar.  I mean...my day could only go down from here, am I right?

Kidding. Kind of.

Chunky Monkey (esque..) Overnight Oats

1/4 cup steel cut oats
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp flaxseed meal
1 tbsp raw cacao powder
1 tbsp cacao nibs
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean
pinch of salt
1/2 cup water

Combine above ingredients in a bowl or a mason jar. Once they're mixed together, pour boiling water over the ingredients. Stir until combined. Allow to cool to room temperature. Once they have cooled, cover and place in the fridge overnight.

In the morning, top with:

1-2 tbsp nut butter (peanut butter, almond butter, sunbutter, they're all wonderful)
1 tbsp shredded coconut 
1 pitted medjool date, chopped
2 tbsp sliced almonds (walnuts would work great here but I was all out)
1 ripe banana

*For an extra special treat, heat up 1/4 to 1/3 cup of coconut milk and pour over your beautiful creation. It will heat up your oats and also melt everything together wonderfully, making it extra decadent. 


If you give this recipe a try, let me know what you think!

When Sugar Isn't So Sweet (and a smoothie bowl to make it better)

I have a confession.

My name's Vanessa and I'm a sugar addict.

It's been a long time coming, but I've finally decided to own up to my sugar-obsessing ways. Even though sugar can be a totally wonderful treat for those of you out there without food issues, it just leads to a path of overeating and obsession with me. And frankly I'm sick of it.

For the month of April, I've decided to cut out all added sugar from my diet with the exception of whole foods. I mean...who wants to live without fruit? Not this lady.

For this first month, I've decided to limit myself to very little dried fruit simply because it can be a trigger for me. Because dried fruit is so concentrated in sweetness, it often comes off as candy-like and can give me that same sugar rush that other sweets do. So for now, I'm keeping it simple.

When your mood and personality is altered negatively by what you're putting in your body, it's time to make a change. I'm kind of sick of counting on the wrong foods to pick me up...because I always come crashing down.

I'm sure I will be all kinds of angry, moody and crazy for the first week or two but I'm excited to see how I feel after that! Stick around and I'll let you in on my madness.

And to kick this experiment off right, I made myself a delicious green smoothie bowl this morning full of nutrients, veggies and the right amount of fruit. It was so delicious and clean, I thought I'd share it with you guys.

Clean & Green Smoothie Bowl:

Base:
1 cup spinach and collards mix
1/2 cup baby kale
1 tbsp MacroGreens
1 tbsp flaxseed meal
1/2 tbsp Maca Powder
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 frozen banana
2 ice cubes (and a little added water for consistency)

Blend all ingredients until smooth

Toppings:
1/4 cup raw granola with spirulina via Whole Foods
2 tbsp hemp seeds
1 tbsp sliced almonds
1 tbsp goji berries
1/4 cup blue berries

Decorate and enjoy!

Have you ever given up sugar for an extended period of time? Forever? I love hearing about the experiences others have gone through when giving up a habit or vice.

Building A Better Breakfast: Nuts & Bolts

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. By far. Like...I live for breakfast. Have I said that before? I'm sure I have.  Because breakfast is the best, guys. The. Best.

I love variety and I love switching up my breakfast, but I also think it's important to get the most bang for your buck. The easiest way to do this is to pack as much delicious nutrition you can into this magical meal.

The nuts and bolts (er, seeds) of a hearty breakfast:

My favorite part of any breakfast is choosing the toppings.  You know, basically all of the good stuff you use to decorate your meal. Maybe this speaks to the visually obsessed person I am, but I love a ton of texture, flavor and color. In this particular breakfast I added sliced almonds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, shredded coconut, flax meal, cinnamon and vanilla bean. 

To the right: my base on this particular morning was cooked wild rice and unsweetened almond milk. Other options include oats (steelcut, rolled, Scottish), quinoa, brown rice, or buckwheat groats. Endless possibilities, folks.

I stick to natural sweeteners such as a pitted date, bananas, and/or berries. Yum!

The end result is a delicious stick-to-your-ribs meal that will keep you fueled and satisfied for a pretty good chunk of your morning and afternoon.

What are your favorite breakfast add-ins? Do you like a bunch of complex flavors or do you prefer to keep it simple?