Tag: brunch
Wordless Wednesday: Cattivo Vegano
Turnip The Beet
As much as I love a good food pun, I swear, this was completely unintentional. Up until the moment I started peeling away the outer skin, I thought for all the world that I was working with rutabaga. Then, that distinctive smell hit me; sharp and pungent, more like a radish than the sweet and starchy tuber I expected. Simply trying to use up odds and ends after another recipe photo shoot, I suppose it was fate that pumped up the volume to create these accidental turnip and beet hash browns.
Fleeced by Flannel
Red flannel hash is simply your traditional potato-based hash with addition of chopped beets, tinting all the spuds a rich ruby hue. You could perhaps squint and see it as a checkerboard arrangement with all its squares overlapping hues to account for the name. That said, it’s a bit of a misnomer because flannel itself is simply a woven fabric, regardless of pattern, despite the frequent association with a plaid or tartan. Semantics aside, it’s a humble, hearty, and comforting breakfast staple that will never let you down. Potatoes aren’t the only vegetative foundation that can support the concept.
Root Revelry
Sitting on the outskirts of most mainstream markets, turnips and rutabagas have more in common than not. You’d be forgiven for making the same mistake. Both come from the cabbage family and have a very similar appearance. Pale beige with a purple top, it’s easy to mix them up at a glace. Turnips are a bit rounder and more pale, whereas rutabaga have a darker, more yellow tint and tend to be a bit more oblong. As far as flavor goes, turnips have a subtly peppery bite, especially if eaten raw, while rutabaga have a sweeter flavor, like carrots, and a creamier texture when cooked. Fortunately, you can use both with great success; the results will be delicious regardless, just in different ways.
Serving With Style
Earthy and warming, this particular hash honors the legacy of the potato while giving it a more nuanced upgrade. The natural sweetness of red beets with punchy turnips pairs easily with almost anything to round out the plate. Infused with a smoky, savory, and subtly tangy flavor, it’s so much more than just bland, boring filler.
Serving suggestions include:
- Meatless sausage
- Soyrizo
- Tofu scramble or vegan poached eggs
- Sliced avocado
- Sauteed greens
- Toast
- Hot sauce
Hash It Out
Make some noise for the accidental smash hit of the winter! You’ll want to turnip the beat, on repeat, once you give it a spin.
Reinventing The Pinwheel
When you wake up in a holi-daze, still feeling groggy from too much nog, it’s tough to get motivated and cook a proper breakfast. Forget about making a huge production; the right recipe will wake up your taste buds even before your brain can engage. Keep the festivities rolling with big, hearty, and healthy breakfast pinwheels.
The Gift of Good Taste
Want to give your loved ones a gift they won’t find under the tree? There’s nothing better than waking up to the aroma of sautéed onions and garlic wafting from the kitchen, promising something rich and savory is on the way. Layering lightly spiced, herb-flecked vegan breakfast sausage, vibrant kale, and creamy tofu scramble in soft lavash flatbread is a foolproof formula for a happy holiday. It’s a symphony of textures and tastes, contrasting and harmonizing simultaneously, for a deeply satisfying morning meal.
How Do You Roll?
No gathering is complete without at least one picky eater on board, but this highly adaptable, entirely flexible blueprint can accommodate all requests. You can easily customize the filling based on what you have on hand or your guests’ preferences.
- Simplify by doubling up on just meatless sausage, or just tofu scramble.
- Swap the kale for spinach, or omit it entirely if the kids balk at anything green
- Lose the lavash and stuff everything into pita pockets, or better yet, have guests assemble their own.
There’s no shame in using shortcuts like prepared ready-to-eat sausage crumbles or prepared tofu scramble to take some pressure off in the pre-dawn rush, too.
Break The Fast, Not Your Spirit
Don’t let holiday fatigue get you down! Roll up your sleeves, and your lavash, and bring a little cheer back to the breakfast table.
Good In Bed
Breakfast in bed is the ultimate form of luxury, relaxation, and care. The average morning routine is merely a perfunctory sequence of events to get on with the day, if not a stressful mad scramble to get out the door. Having the opportunity to relish those early morning hours, being more thoughtful about very element, makes it so special.
While any food can be eaten for breakfast and also enjoyed in bed, there are certain options that are more compelling than others.
Prioritize Portability
Opt for dishes that travel easily from kitchen to bedside. Avoid items that easily wilt or become soggy, like delicate leafy greens. Recipes that keep well and can be made the day before are even better, like breakfast burritos or mini quiches.
Minimize the Mess
Sticky foods like syrup-drenched pancakes can be messy to navigate in bed. Opt for dishes with contained sauces, like eggless omelets or breakfast sandwiches, or offer syrup and condiments on the side in small, sealed containers.
Embrace Finger Foods
Think beyond the traditional plate and fork. Finger foods like skewers, whole berries and segmented citrus fruit, or avocado toast are easy to grab and enjoy without utensils, making for a more relaxed and comfortable experience.
Don’t Forget the Drinks
An invigorating beverage is essential. Opt for spill-proof travel mugs for hot drinks like coffee or tea, and include reusable straws for juices and smoothies.
With the basics covered, you or the person you love is free to enjoy the moment, not sweat the details. For an unforgettable breakfast in bed, here are my top recipe recommendations.
Quiche The Patriarchy
For a brief moment in time, quiche became one of the most maligned, loathsome, and outwardly scorned dishes on the brunch menu. All because of one book, originally intended as satire, mind you, an entire generation was taught to snub the combination of eggs and pastry. If quiche is meant to represent sensitivity, emotional availability, and yes, femininity, shouldn’t we embrace all that with open arms? Regardless of gender politics, I see no negatives there.
Mini Quiches, Big Flavors
Perhaps the problem is more about commitment issues. Whipping up a whole quiche takes more time and effort than a simple tofu scramble, and if you’re just cooking for one, you’re looking at quiche for days. Shrink it down to bite size and remove all those barriers. Let’s just enjoy quiche on our own terms.
Crustless, eggless little wonders, these miniature morsels cram a whole lot of flavor and nutrition into tiny packages. Inspired by a surfeit of Greek-style dairy-free yogurt following an irresistible sale, the palate of flavors follows suit with a savory compliment of artichokes, Kalamata olives, and aromatic herbs.
Make Them Your Own
There’s plenty of room for adaptation as well. Other great vegetable additions include fresh or frozen and thawed spinach, chopped mushrooms, green bell peppers, or red onions, just to name a few that fit with the “Greek” theme. Options are endless once you depart from that path.
If you’re ready to fearlessly embrace the larger format, it’s easy to make one large quiche, big enough to feed a crowd and simultaneously bring misogynists to their knees. Double the recipe and bake it in a 9-inch tart pan, pie pan, or cake pan. Double the baking time as well, and make sure it rests until completely cool before slicing.
Delicious By Any Name
Still have guests that would feel irrationally threatened by the idea of consuming quiche? Perhaps it would be more palatable if you call them mini frittatas, egg muffins, or even sous vide egg bites (irrespective of actual technique) to latch on to the trend that Starbucks popularized. When all else fails, just call it brunch, and the flavors will speak for themselves.