Veggie breakfasts are the best way to start your day!

Filling your plate with a delicious vegetarian breakfast is one way of ensuring you get a fantastic balanced and healthy start to the day - according to leading health charity, the Vegetarian & Vegan Foundation (VVF).

The traditional fried breakfast can load you up with more than your day's allowance of fat and cholesterol, however if you switch to the veggie version you're more likely to meet the minimum recommended daily allowance of five portions of fruit and veg!

Why not try out Redwood Organic Lincolnshire Style, Redwood Vegi-deli Oregano & Basil or Sage & Majoram, or Fry's Vegetarian Traditional Sausages.

• veggie bacon
• scrambled tofu
• fried mushrooms
• grilled tomatoes
• hash browns
• wholemeal toast

Dr Justine Butler, VVF senior health campaigner says: "Substituting a traditional meat-based breakfast for a veggie one is a great way to start your day on a healthy foot. Cutting down on your meat consumption is one of the best things anyone can do to improve their health, loose weight, lower blood pressure and reduce their chances of developing diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. Why not check out our easy-to-follow recipes and give your new and improve breakfast a go!"

Welcome to our special veggie breakfast page featuring a selection of mouth-watering recipes for you to try!

Fruit Smoothie

Frozen berries are a brilliant way to vary your fruit intake, especially in winter. Most supermarkets sell frozen raspberries, blueberries and mixed berries...

• 2 frozen or fresh bananas, broken into chunks
• 720g/25 fl oz/3 cups unsweetened fruit juice - any type
• 140g/5oz/1 cup sliced fresh fruit or defrosted frozen berries
• 240ml/8 fl oz/1 cup soya yoghurt, plain or flavoured (optional)

1. Blend all ingredients together until very smooth and creamy.
2. Serve immediately.

Scrambled Tofu

Serves 2

10-15 minutes

This is a great alternative to scrambled eggs. One block of tofu (approx 250g) is enough for two people. It's good on its own on toast - or add it to a big cooked breakfast!

• 1 block plain firm tofu (eg Cauldron from supermarkets or other brands from health stores)
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• Salt and black pepper
• 4 slices wholemeal bread for toast

Optional:

• pinch of chilli powder
• chopped spring onion

1. Remove the tofu from its wrapper and drain all the water out.
2. Pat dry using a clean tea towel and then squash it between two plates so that the excess water drains out.
3. Add one tbsp of oil to a frying pan and heat gently.
4. Add chopped onion.
5. Saute the onion for about 5 minutes, or until it starts to soften and brown.
6. Crumble in the tofu - it should be in small pieces about the size of peas.
7. Gently fry for a couple more minutes and add the turmeric (plus optional chilli and spring onion.
8. Season.
9. Make the toast and keep warm until tofu ready to serve.
10. Heap on toast and eat immediately.

Switching to scrambled tofu instead of the egg equivalent will immediately cut cholesterol and unhealthy fat levels.

Pancakes or French Toast

Batter

1. 175ml (6fl oz) soya milk
2. 175ml (6fl oz) water
3. 175g (6oz) plain flour
4. 2 tbsp chickpea flour
5. 1 tsp baking powder
6. 1 tbsp sunflower oil
7. pinch of salt
8. additional oil for frying
9. maple or golden syrup, jam or lemon juice (optional to serve)

Pancakes

Makes approx. 8 (7 inch in diameter)

Eggless pancakes? Amazing but true! Serve these up for breakfast and you'll have people wondering if it's April Fools' Day rather than Shrove Tuesday!

1. Place all of the ingredients, except the oil for frying, in a blender and blend until smooth. Alternatively whisk by hand until there are no lumps.
2. Heat a small amount of oil in a frying pan until piping hot. Drain off any excess.
3. Pour enough of the batter mixture in to the frying pan to thinly cover the bottom.
4. Fry on one side for about a minute. Loosen the edges with a spatula and flip.
5. Fry the flip side for another minute or until done.
6. Remove from pan and keep warm in the oven on its lowest setting.
7. Add more oil to the pan if and when necessary. Repeat steps 3 to 6 until all of the mixture is used up.
8. Serve drizzled with golden or maple syrup or jam and a dash of lemon juice.

Alternatively, pancakes are great with a savoury filling - just prior to cooking try adding a handful of sweetcorn, two cork sized pieces of defrosted frozen spinach and a sprinkle of black pepper to the mixture.

French Toast

Makes enough batter for approx. 12 slices of bread

1. Mix the ingredients as step 1 for pancakes and pour in to a wide, shallow dish.
2. Take a slice of bread (sliced white sandwich loaf works best) and immerse it in the mixture, coating both sides.
3. Heat a small amount of oil in a frying pan and place the batter soaked bread in it.
4. Cook for a minute on one side and then turn and cook for a minute on the other.
5. Serve with jam or maple syrup. Alternatively, serve with the cooked breakfast instead of potato scones, or on its own with a dollop of ketchup!

If you don't want to use all of the mixture in one go store it in the fridge, but blend it again before using.

Healthy Muesli

Serves 1

3 minutes

This is nut and seed free - except for the optional flax seeds for your daily quota of omega 3. It's a quick meal, easily assembled. Soak the oats the night before in a little water if preferred.

• Half a cup whole rolled (jumbo) oats
• Fortified dairy-free milk or a little fresh fruit juice
• 1 handful of one of the following: dried fruit; sliced banana; blueberries; strawberries; raspberries; peaches
• 1½ tbsp of ground linseeds/flax seeds if not in other meals of the day
• Mix together and eat.

Nutty Walnut Granola Crunch

Serves 20 – keeps well. 70 minutes

Per serving: Calories (kcal) 284, Fat (g) 11.1

Start the day as you mean to go on with this lovely, crunchy-style cereal. Unlike commercial types, it isn’t laden with refined sugar. Serve with soya/rice milk and fresh fruit!

If you have a good health store and are short of time, you should be able to buy a sugar-free crunchy granola-type cereal.

• 600g/11⁄2lbs/6 cups rolled oats
• 150g/5oz/1 cup barley or brown rice flour
• 125g/scant 5oz/1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• 125g/scant 5oz/1 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 1⁄2 tsp salt
• 240ml/8 fl oz/1 cup apple juice concentrate
• 120ml/4 fl oz/1⁄2 cup date or maple syrup
• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 150g/generous 5oz/1 cup raisins

1. Preheat oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3.
2. Combine oats, flour, walnuts, sunflower seeds and salt in a large bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together juice, syrup, oil, water and vanilla.
4. Pour over dry ingredients and mix thoroughly until evenly moistened.
5. Divide mixture between two large oven trays, spreading out into a 2cm/1 inch thick layer.
6. Bake until golden brown, stirring well every 15 minutes – use a timer.
7. Cooking time total 50-60 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and stir in raisins while mixture is still hot, to plump up the raisins.
9. Let cool completely and then store in airtight containers in fridge or a cool cupboard.

Breakfast – Wheat Biscuit Cereal & Fresh Fruit

Serves 1. 1 minute

Per serving: Calories (kcal) 257, Fat (g) 3.7

2 wheat biscuits (eg Biobix or Weetabix)

Calcium enriched soya or rice milk to taste

Fresh fruit of choice – eg 1⁄2 banana and 1⁄2 grated apple/handful of defrosted berry fruits

Creamy Cashew-Cardamom Shake

Serves 2. 5-10 minutes

Per serving: Calories (kcal) 428, Fat (g) 21.3

75g/21⁄2 oz raw cashews
240ml/8 fl oz soya or other dairy-free milk
2 tbsp pure maple syrup (start with 1⁄2 tbsp and add gradually, according to taste)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1⁄2 tsp ground cardamom
1 medium-sized ripe banana, peeled, cut into chunks and frozen*

1. In a blender, grind cashews to a fine powder.
2. Add soya milk, maple syrup, vanilla and cardamom and blend till smooth.
3. Add banana chunks and blend until thick and creamy.
4. Pour into 2 glasses and serve at once.

*Can be made without freezing the banana and it’s still delicious – just blend banana at stage 2,
then add a bit of ice to the shake.