Sweets for breakfast are great - on occasion. One of my secret weapons for staying power throughout the day is a savoury meal featuring protein, and if possible, a side of veggies. Some would call that lunch - whereas my family gives me endless grief over the fact that this is, in fact, dinner! Whatever you call it, starting your day in this manner is a game changer for energy levels, weight loss, and wellness.
Enter the Savoury Breakfast Bowl. This can be prepped in advance or made the morning of. This recipe is actually FOUR recipes in one: mix and match them at will, or follow along for the full length dish. And while I humbly suggest mixing it up for breakfast, the reality is that you can have it at any time of day.
Hope this finds you as inspired by Caroline’s delish creations as I am!
Bon Appetit!
Savory Breakfast Veg & Protein Bowl
The recipe below assumes you’re making from scratch in the morning (full disclosure: for early birds only!). For the rest of us, they’re just as easily assembled with leftover vegetables from the previous evening’s meal.
The key to making these bowls a success is to use whatever is fresh or available to you. With fruits and vegetables coming into season, fresh food is abundant at your local farmer’s market or co-op. Take advantage of the bounty and get creative!
These yummy bowls will fuel your body with nutrients - and you will NOT believe how good it tastes.
Ingredients
Arugula
Roasted Broccoli and Zucchini (recipe to follow)
Roasted Kale Chips (recipe to follow)
Glazed mushrooms, I used shiitake but use whatever you have (recipe to follow)
Green onions, sliced
Sun dried tomatoes, cut in slivers
Sesame seeds or hemp hearts
Egg, hard or soft boiled, over easy or however you like
Nutritional yeast
Ground Turmeric
Olive oil
Herbamare and fresh cracked pepper
Balsamic vinegar
Tamari sauce or Braggs liquid aminos
Garlic (sliced very thin)
Chile peppers or cayenne (optional)
Directions
Roasted Broccoli and Zucchini
1- Prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 450*.
2- Cut the broccoli heads off the stems. Slice the zucchini lengthwise in half and cut into 1 inch slices. Toss the broccoli and zucchini in 1-2 tbsp olive oil, sprinkle with Herbamare and fresh pepper to taste. Sprinkle 1-2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast (I’m obsessed with this stuff so I put more than less).
3- Cook for about 15-20 minutes, tossing them 2-3 times until they are roasted. I prefer mine very roasted and crisp.
4- Remove from oven and set aside.
Kale Chips
1- Prepare baking sheet by lining with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 400*(you can roast these at the same time as the broccoli and zucchini, but just keep an eye on it as it will crisp up quickly at 450*)
2- Once you’ve cleaned your kale, remove leaves from stems. Break the leaves into desired size. Be sure to remove all the excess water by dabbing with paper towel.
3- Combine 1-2 tbsp of olive oil with 1/2 tsp turmeric, Herbamare and fresh pepper to taste.
4- Drizzle the oil and spices over kale. With your hands, gently massage the mixture onto the kale to coat evenly (wash your hands right away as turmeric is quick to stain skin or clothes).
5- Sprinkle with 1-2 tbsp nutritional yeast.
6- Roast in oven for 10-15 minutes or until crispy. Keep an eye on these!! They can sometimes dry up quickly and burn. Also, don’t overload your sheet with too much kale. Overlapping kale can end up soggy.
Glazed Mushrooms
1- Dampen a paper towel and wipe off any excess dirt on the mushrooms.
2- Slice mushrooms lengthwise.
3- In a skillet pan over medium high heat, add 1 tbsp olive oil and mushrooms. Add fresh cracked pepper and toss until they begin to brown.
4- Add 1-2 cloves of sliced garlic to the pan. Cook for 1 minute.
5- Add 1 tbsp of each, balsamic and tamari sauce.
6- Reduce heat and continue to cook so that the balsamic vinegar begins to glaze, about 5 minutes. It's working if it begins to look thick and sticky. Just be sure to continue stirring so they don’t burn.
Put It All Together
Now for the assembly line!!
1- In a bowl, start by adding some arugula or spinach.
2- Add the roasted broccoli and zucchini.
3- Place your cooked egg on top.
4- Follow up with the mushrooms and kale chips.
5- Add some colour with green onions and sun-dried tomatoes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and/ or hemp.
6- Sprinkle chile or cayenne peppers to finish it off with desired spiciness…..
And ENJOY!!! This is the BEST breakfast you’ll have all week! Yum. 🌶️
*Note
All of the above vegetables can be made to accompany dinners and the kale chips make for a fantastic and nutritious snack!! Did you know that turmeric is used in Ayurvedic medicine in treating inflammation? This golden magical spice is said to help in the prevention and treatment of cancer, as well as the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. The key to helping the healing properties of turmeric to become active is to mix it with fresh pepper. This helps your body absorb more curcumin, the medicinal ingredient. Here’s a quick reminder of how to make turmeric tea to go with breakfast!
**Note
Herbamare is one of my most treasured spices, and is found in most of my salted dishes. It’s an herbed sea salt infused with organic herbs and vegetables and adds so much flavour! And it’s high in minerals so it’s good for you too!
For more great breakfast ideas, visit the Acorn Archive!
