Welcome to our 13 Steps To Go Vegan‘s challenge number 1: Make your breakfast vegan.
The Challenge
Plan to eat 5 vegan breakfasts a week. If you eat more, then great! If you miss a day, don’t worry. Just start again the next day. The goal is to try this out and to substitute some staples.
Why start with making your breakfast vegan?
Breakfast is the first meal of the day, and it is only logical that this is a great first challenge. No matter what you like for breakfast, we’re sure you can veganize it (with some help from us of course)! Breakfast can be very different for different people. Some like a bowl of oatmeal or porridge in the morning, while others like to dine out for breakfast at a restaurant at the weekend or make something for a leisurely Sunday morning – we’ve covered all the options for you. For those who like a caffeinated beverage (which is many of us!), we’ve got you covered too!
On the other side, we are launching into unknown territory here, because dairy products feature heavily in most breakfasts. However, as vegan dairy products are very widespread and easy to find and taste amazing, this is not so hard to make vegan.
How to make your breakfast vegan
Most of us have the same thing for breakfast every day. Personally, I go through phases of breakfast. I’ll have toast for a few weeks, then I’ll switch it up and have hot oatmeal for a few days, then I’ll see frozen fruit on special and I’ll switch up to smoothies. I often change my breakfast depending on the weather too so it is not always the same for everyone. Here are the steps for you to figure out how to veganize your breakfast.
Step 1: What do you usually have for breakfast?
Whatever you normally have, we are pretty sure that it is pretty easy to make vegan. What are the individual components of your breakfast? To find information on how to find vegan alternatives then simply look below!
We also tend to have a special breakfast that we have for the weekends. It could be pancakes or waffles. Try to integrate a couple of these more complex breakfasts as you are tackling this aspect of the challenge.
Step 2: What ingredients do you need to substitute to make that breakfast vegan?
Once you have identified what you would like to have for breakfast, consider the ingredients that are required. Take a look further down this post and find the ingredients you will need. We have included some pictures of some brands so you know what to look out for further down the page.
Step 3: Do a mental rehearsal
When we are rushing around in the morning, that is not the best time to look up recipes or rush around doing new things when we have to be out of the door in 10 minutes. Take a little time to do a mental rehearsal and if you can do some preparation.
Step 4: Make and eat your breakfast
Prepare, eat (and hopefully love) your breakfast.
Step 5: Reflect
Did you and the members of your family enjoy the breakfast you prepared? If not, what was wrong with it? Perhaps you need to try a different non-dairy milk or find a different recipe. Make a mental note about how you will fix the problem for next time.
Vegan versions of common breakfast ingredients
Non-dairy milk products
Have you tried vegan milk before? 10 years ago, you might not have, but today most people have. If you haven’t, then don’t worry, we are going to help you navigate this. There are many different types of non-dairy milk and they all taste a little bit different depending on the base grain or bean and the brand. Many shop bought non-dairy milks are fortified to make them nutritionally similar to dairy milk. They are often fortified with calcium or B12 to make them nutritionally similar to dairy milk.
Soy milk
Soy milk is generally a bit thicker and richer than some other milks. This means that is a good substitute for a fuller fat milk. Most people think that soy milks taste the most like dairy milk and for this reason it is very popular and it is also well-priced. Soy milk can come in many flavors including vanilla and unsweetened. It has a similar macronutrients ratio to dairy milk. It contains about 8 grams of protein per cup with only 4 grams of fat. Soy milk is my preferred milk due to the taste consistency and price.
Almond milk
Almond milk is also a non-dairy milk that has been around for quite a long time now. I find it to be really thin. It doesn’t really taste of almonds at all. If you like very low-fat milk, then almond milk might work for you. It’s of course perfect for people who have a soy allergy but generally speaking it is not very nutritious.
Oat milk
Oat milk has become really popular in recent years and people love it in smoothies, coffee, cereal and so much more. It is a popular choice at coffee houses. It is usually more expensive than some of the other milks. The nutrition in oat milk is generally good.
Other nut milks
You can actually make and buy non-dairy milks out of any nuts from macadamia to hazelnut. They have a similar consistency and taste as almond milk.
Other grain based milks
While you can make and buy milks made out of any nut, you can do the same with any grains. Quinoa, rice or barley are some popular ones.
Other bean based milks
Innovative companies are making other non-dairy milks from beans so that you can have the same qualities of soy milk, but it will be soy free, perfect for those who have a soy allergy.
|
NUTRITIONAL INFO |
CAL. |
FAT (g) |
CARBS (g) |
PROTEIN (G) |
Notes |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
80 |
4 |
3 |
7 |
Good replacement for dairy milk Well-priced Easy to find Nutritious |
|
|
120 |
5 |
16 |
3 |
Increasingly popular A little more expensive than other brands. |
|
|
60 |
2.5 |
3 |
1 |
Thinner Similar to skim milk |
|
|
120 |
2 |
22 |
less than 1g |
Thinner Similar to skim milk |
Shop bought vs homemade non dairy milks
Unlike dairy, you can actually make vegan milks by yourself and this is a fantastic thing to do to save money and to save waste however, the taste will be different. The shop bought products that have some ingredients that aren’t in homemade ones to preserve them, to help with the consistency and the taste. By all means try the homemade ones, but if they aren’t working for you, then try the shop bought ones.
Getting used to non-dairy milk
When I first became vegan, my biggest fear was replacing the milk in tea. I was living in a place where there was very little choice in terms of non dairy milks. I had very little back up plans if I didn’t like it. I tried my first soy milk and I really didn’t like it but was totally floored when I got used to it in just three days.
For your coffee
For most people, coffee is something pretty important and the idea of messing with it can cause a concern. Happily, there are some fantastic products available
Creamer: The purpose of creamers is to sweeten the coffee and lighten it. If you are a creamer in your coffee kind of person, then there are lots of options for you at your local supermarket.
Barista style non dairy milks: There are many non dairy milks that have been designed especially to be steamed for espresso creating a foam that lasts really well.
HELP! Why did my non dairy milk curdle in my coffee?
Many people who change to a vegan milk for their coffee are shocked to find that when they add the non dairy milk to their coffee, the milk curdles and won’t mix properly and it simply is not very nice. The reason why milk curdles in your coffee is because coffee is rather acidic and it coagulates the milk. There are some ways to avoid this.
- Let your coffee cool a little before adding the non dairy milk.
- Add the coffee to the milk rather than the other way around.
- Choose another brand of coffee or non dairy milk.
- Use a barista blend non dairy milk just for your coffee.
- Switch to iced coffee.
Yoghurt
These days, there are lots of vegan options in the yogurt department. Soy and coconut-based are the most popular, but different countries have different options, so chances are there are some available that you will like. There are plain, fruit flavored and even very creamy Greek style ones.
Toast & Bread
We are happy to tell you that most bread is vegan especially if you buy more of the artisanal breads. This includes bagels, English muffins, sourdough.
Cereal
If you love cereal for breakfast, or your children are, most of them are vegan and the only things to look for in the ingredients are milk powder or honey.
Some more processed cereals use vitamin D which is animal derived although, I wouldn’t worry too much about this at this stage of your vegan journey.
Butter
You can find vegan butters quite easily these days. Go for a dairy-free spread that is marked vegan. Some of the more conventional margarines look like they are vegan, but actually, they contain some sort of milk powder. Check the ingredients or look for the vegan mark.
Cream Cheese
If bagels are something you love, then you can easily find a vegan cream cheese to schmear on your it.
Nutella
We’re so sorry to say that Nutella is not vegan because of milk powder. However it is very easy to find replacements for it.
Honey
If you like honey on your toast, then you can replace it with this agave nectar or maple syrup. There are some wonderful vegan honeys available as well.
Eggs
Scrambled eggs
Many people use crumbled firm tofu and kala namak (a black sulfurous salt) to make a scrambled egg. There are also some fantastic products out there to replace eggs that you can buy at the supermarket.
Omelettes
You can create omelettes with silken tofu, chickpea flour and kala namak and you can even buy boxes of frozen vegan omelettes and pop them in the toaster to make a egg and vegan sausage or ham muffin.
Meats
Smoked salmon
If you like to have a decadent smoked salmon with your cream cheese bagel, you can even replace that too! While a vegan smoked salmon might not be available in your local supermarket, it could be available in some specificity vegan store / online.
Here’s the salmon in action! Bagel with vegan cream cheese and ‘salmon’
Bacon
While bacon might not be something you eat every day for breakfast, we are happy to tell you that vegan bacon exists and it is not a bad substitute but will certainly work in a vegan egg and bacon muffin. You can also make your own.
Sausages
Sausages are an important part of a big fry up and you can find vegan sausages extremely easy or you can make them yourself out of seitan.
How to convert some common breakfast to vegan versions
Oatmeal / overnight oats
Oatmeal is vegan of course, but it might have add-ons that aren’t vegan. Feel free to use vegan milks and agave nectar, maple syrup or dates instead of honey.
Smoothies
Most components of a smoothie are vegan. If you add cows’ milk you can replace that with non dairy milk, honey can be replaced with dates, maple syrup or agave nectar and whey protein powder with a vegan protein powder.
Breakfast baked goods or pancakes
Breakfast baked goods might require a little more work to locate but you might find them in some vegan grocery stores, specialty stores, health food stores or perhaps even in the supermarket. If you can’t find the exact thing you are desperate to replace, then you can find recipes for everything in a cookbook or online. Just don’t start with pain au chocolat or croissants because they are quite an involved project.
Breakfast Sandwich
A breakfast sandwich usually consists of a vegan meat, some sort of vegan egg and usually some cheese in an English Muffin, a bagel or a wrap.
Some recipes to get started
Pancakes
Ingredients:
1¼ cup all-purpose flour2 teaspoons baking powder½ teaspoon salt1¼ cups soy milk1 tablespoon sugar½ teaspoon vanilla extractCooking sprayMethod:
Place dry ingredients in a bowl and mix. Make a well in the centre and add the wet ingredients. Mix until combined.
Place a non-stick pan on high heat. When hot, spray oil in the pan.
Pour a half cup of the batter into the pan and turn the heat down to medium. After a few minutes, you will see bubbles form. Flip the pancakes until brown on each side. Serve.
