Breakfast is LIFE!

If you’ve followed my blog for long [and if you haven’t, why haven’t you?] you know that I’m all about breakfast.  I have more breakfast food blogs than any other kind of food. Remember the show “Parks and Recreation” and he-man Ron Swanson—he loved breakfast too:

I’m with you, Ron. So much so that I could be the girly vegan version of Ron Swanson. “Parks and Recreation”? More like “Carbs and Recreation” for me. See what I did there?

I love A good breakfast every morning, but don’t like rushing around, so on weekdays I like to have something prepped ahead of time as much as possible, so I made up a batch of flapjacks. Easy to make, and these are a little festive with bananas and chocolate chips!

BANANA-CHOCOLATE PANCAKES [this recipe made about 10 big fluffy pancakes]

1 1/4 cups flour [I used whole wheat pastry flour]

2 tbsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/4 cup non-dairy milk [I used a chocolate almond milk]

1 tsp. apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips

~~~Mix dry ingredients in with dry ingredients. [You may need to add a touch more milk to make a pourable batter, not too thin though.]

~~~Pour onto hot griddle. Cook for 3 minutes, flip, and cook another 3 minutes. Of course, use your own judgement.

Look at that—beautiful fluffy flapjacks as far as the eye can see!

I had to try one–so I adorned one of them with maple butter, a little powdered peanut butter mixed with enough water to make a sauce, a drizzle of chocolate syrup, and some raspberries. Folks, this was as good as any cake I’ve ever had. LOVE!!!!

 

 

I also made a pan of baked oatmeal, because the last thing I want to do is stand at the stove stirring oatmeal while I’m getting ready for work, so baking it is a way of having it ready to go. I just have to heat it up!

Here’s the basic formula for it. You can always add berries, nuts, even protein powder.

VEGAN BAKED BANANA OATMEAL

1 banana, mashed

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup non-dairy milk

1 tbsp. chia seeds

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 cup raisins or chopped dates

dash of salt

~~~Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Oil 9″ pan or use a silicone pan and you don’t need oil!

~~~Combine all ingredients in bowl, them pour into pan.

~~~Bake for 25 minutes, until lightly browned.

~~~Cut into 9 pieces and store in refrigerator.

You can top it with anything—nut butter, jam, fruit. Or you can have it plain.

I had a piece with maple butter, walnut butter, and cooked apples.

One more hit of breakfast wisdom from Ron: