10 Vegan Breakfast Ideas (Compilation #31)

I've been having so much fun being inspired by the seasons, though that has meant sometimes I've been a bit focused on a specific ingredient in my breakfast compilations. Today's post is a bit less focused, and has more variety of theme, but pomegranate arils are often used as a garnish where they aren't starring in the show; it is winter, after all! This compilation feels the most wintery of any I've ever shown you. I've learned, spending so much time in isolation these past few years, that truly sticking in the seasons is one way I can keep myself connected to the world around me, and to mark the passage of time.

So here's to winter!

1. Crescent Roll Waffles with Fruit, Coconut Whipped Cream, and Pecans

I found out that you could cook crescent rolls in a waffle maker and it expanded the world so much for me! They cook up extremely quickly and I could easily see myself making them that way when I don't want the oven on in the summer, and I just want some fresh bread on the side of my dinner. Although they're a bit different than a crescent roll would be--more crispy bits; less of that fluffy inside--they also lend themselves to toppings much more easily. For this, I drew inspiration from the Pillsbury website and topped my waffles with some stewed blueberries (from frozen), fresh fruit (bananas, kiwi, and pomegranate arils), coconut whipped cream, and finely chopped pecans. This, with a glass of soy milk, was a deeply satisfying winter breakfast.

2. Lime Mousse with Pomegranate Arils (Gluten Free)

A long while ago, I veganized a delicious recipe for a dairy-free lemon mousse. It was so good I knew I would need to make it again someday, and try it out with other citrus fruits. Well, here it is made with lime instead! (Substitute agave, rice nectar, or another liquid sweetener of choice for the honey in the original recipe.) These little pots are loaded with protein since the primary ingredients are tofu and cashews, and that little pop of color from the pomegranate and lime zest really sets them off. I think I prefer this recipe with lemon, but this way is also delightful. I can't wait to try this out with oranges, too.

3. Cream Cheese-Filled Masa Harina Crepes with Blueberry-Cranberry Compote

This is a recipe of my own I've given you recently. These were a happy accident but so good. I bought some frozen cranberries the last time I was at the store so I can have more cranberry goodness whenever the mood strikes. I am definitely not finished with cranberries yet.

4. Buttery Veggie Bacon and Scramble Farina (Nut Free)

Start with your basic farina, cooked with soy milk and a little salt. Top it with a bit of your favorite scramble (this is JUST Egg), chopped veggie bacon (this is Sweet Earth Benevolent Bacon), a pat of vegan butter (this is Earth Balance), and some scallions for a garnish. This is so satisfying, and also really high in protein--I calculated it at 20 grams for this bowl! If you don't like sweet breakfasts, or just want to shake things up a bit for a change of pace, this is definitely worth trying. I made this for myself on a weekday when I was not up to doing things--depression was setting in--and it was one of several things that kept me going.

5. Cinnamon Pear Muffins (Soy Free)

Although I do like pears, I don't seem to think about them a whole lot, which is how I ended up with one in the fridge that needed to be cooked rather than eaten outright. This recipe from Eat Drink Shrink provided an easy answer in the form of a delicious spiced muffin studded with chunks of pear. They taste a lot better than they look, so I photographed my whole breakfast instead of just the muffin--raspberry leaf tea, soy milk, a simple winter fruit salad with poppy seed dressing, and a veggie breakfast sausage patty rounded out my meal. The muffins are soy free, but of course the breakfast isn't; if you want a soy free breakfast like this, substitute a different plant-based milk and ensure that your veggie sausage is soy free, too.

6. Hash Brown Chickpea Flour Omelet Cups (Gluten Free, Soy Free, Nut Free)

Here's another savory option, plus an allergy-friendly one to boot. This recipe is from Power Hungry, and it's versatile, too--I just had green bell pepper so I used that instead of red with my scallions, so all you see are the flecks of green, but these could be really pretty with a mixture of different pepper colors, and you could add all sorts of veggies. (I should have made these when the onslaught of peppers came after the first of the year! Then I'd have had all the colors.) Spinach, tomatoes, and mushrooms would all go well together here (but I would suggest precooking them). I liked having these cups with some ketchup and a smoothie on the side.

7. Hot Pumpkin Spice Drink (Gluten Free, Nut Free)

If it's too cold to have a smoothie, have something similar, but hot! Not being a coffee person, I've never had the infamous pumpkin spice latte, but this coffee-free hot pumpkin spice drink (recipe from The Worktop) fills my smoothie needs on days a smoothie sounds unwise due to the weather. I made this with soy milk and then garnished it with a little non-dairy creamer because I had no whipped cream; it gave the drink a nice creamy swirl I appreciated. Incidentally, you don't have to buy pumpkin spice itself--I didn't--you can just make your own. This recipe over at All Recipes will make just enough pumpkin spice for two of these drinks.

8. Nutty Nordic Breakfast Pies with Kiwi and Pomegranate (Gluten Free, Soy Free Option)

Although I haven't been going to the brick-and-mortar store often enough or getting unpredictable deliveries often enough to be in the position of constantly needing to use up endless bananas--and honestly I kind of miss that!--I did end up with one after my last trip. This recipe from Karla's Nordic Kitchen has a different way of using up a very ripe banana than I usually gravitate toward. I followed her recipe and it ended up making far more than I expected--I got about six of these tart-sized servings--but that was great because I enjoyed having them each morning for a little while. This is a baked-and-cooled crust of almond flour, sunflower seeds, banana, coconut oil, and cinnamon that one then tops with non-dairy yogurt (soy in my case, but you could choose another type of non-dairy yogurt if you were avoiding soy) and some fruit. I had some kiwi and pomegranate so that's what I chose. With a cup of tea, this is such a satisfying breakfast!

9. Pomegranate Orange Scones (Gluten Free, Soy Free)

I very often make things simply because I have all the ingredients and don't want to go to the store. I confess, this recipe from What Great Grandma Ate was one I made for that reason. But it was amazing! More like a soft shortbread cookie than a scone, and yet it has hardly any sweetener in it--just a bit of maple syrup and a drizzle of glaze. I would absolutely make these again.

10. Spiced Apple Oatmeal Breakfast Bowl (Gluten Free, Soy Free)

I was inspired by this recipe from I Love Vegan, but didn't have the appetite for something quite so large, so I scaled it down a bit to make what would be one serving for me (i.e., using 1/2 cup oats rather than 3/4, and adjusting quantities of most things accordingly). I also stayed in my own comfort zone at least a bit, substituting dried cranberries for raisins and cooking my oats in soy milk, and finally topping it with a splash of non-dairy creamer rather than almond milk. It was enough expansion of my universe to put molasses and granola on my oatmeal! 

Otherwise I made it nearly as written--sauteed some chopped apple in coconut oil, then added cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and pecans; added soy milk and brought to a boil; and stirred in the oats and cooked them a bit before adding ground flax, a pinch of salt, and brown sugar. I topped it off with the last bit of a package of salted caramel granola I had, chopped dried cranberries, chopped pecans, pumpkin seeds, sliced raw apple, a drizzle of molasses, and a splash of non-dairy creamer. (I would advise people trying to make prettier presentations than mine to drizzle the molasses before adding the apple slices; molasses is not an attractive look on a a sliced apple. You never know these things until you try, though.) This was a hearty, warming breakfast on a leisurely Saturday and I loved it. I would probably never have thought to top oatmeal with granola on my own--oats on oats?--but it definitely works.

Stay safe, healthy, and warm, everyone, and eat a good breakfast!