The Smiling Onion

Vegetarian and Gluten-free Cooking

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Millet-Apple Hot Cereal

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What’s your perfect breakfast food? For me, it’s hot cereal. If I eat a big fat omelette with homefries first thing in the morning, I generally feel sluggish and uncomfortably full within ten minutes. If I eat a granola bar, I’ll be ravenous within ten minutes. But if I eat a nice, warm bowl of porridge (not too hot or too cold!), in the words of Goldilocks, I feel “just right.”

That’s because porridges and hot cereals are generally considered easy to digest, which is just what your body needs early in the morning. Since your digestion is weaker in the morning than at midday,  its a better idea to awaken your digestive system gradually (with a nice, warming bowl of hot cereal) than to have your breakfast omelette bop it over the head with a baseball bat (IT’S MORNING! GET UP!!!!) In addition to being kind to your digestive system, hot cereal also happens to be a delicious and satisfying way to start the day – especially if it has creamy coconut milk, cardamom, and apples like this one.

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Baked Eggs with Lambsquarters and Harissa

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If asparagus and swiss chard had a baby in an untouched woodsy forest somewhere, the result would be lambsquarters. At least, that’s the fairy tale version. The real version is pretty cool too: this wild plant, which can be found growing in most parts of the world, is in fact related to spinach and beets. While modern gardeners may curse it (lambsquarters can take over a garden like nothing else!), it happens to be exceptionally delicious. In fact, according to Penn State Extension — a division of the College of Agricultural Sciences — people have probably been eating lambsquarters since prehistoric times!

Besides tasting like the woodsy baby of asparagus and swiss chard, this so-called weed also has a ton of nutritional moxie: experts agree that it outperforms spinach with regards to iron and protein. Forager Steve Brill, colloquially-known as “Wildman,” describes lambsquarters as “one of the best sources of beta-carotene, calcium, potassium, and iron in the world; also a great source of trace minerals, B-complex vitamins, vitamin C, and fiber.” And check out what the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association has to say about lambsquarters here. (By the way, if you happen to live in the New York area and haven’t been on one of Steve’s foraging walks, you should definitely check them out! They are awesome!)

Believe it or not, I first came across lambsquarters — not traipsing around looking for wild plants — but at the Union Square Greenmarket. Lani’s farm  was sampling them one day. I quickly fell in love with their unique, rich, woodsy flavor and now I buy them whenever I can. They are absolutely delicious sautéed with olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper and so quick and easy to prepare!

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Mystical Applesauce “Bran” Muffins

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My favorite thing about bran muffins is their nutty, whole-grain flavor. What I’m not such a fan of is that dense (and sometimes dry) texture you’ll sometimes experience in a less-than-perfect bran muffin. As such, trying to create a gluten-free “bran” muffin was a bit of a task, as dryness is something you have to be extra careful to avoid when there’s no sticky gluten involved!

After a couple tries (I was really muffined out for a while there),  I managed to create a delicious gluten-free muffin with a “bran” like flavor but with a texture that is lighter and cakier than a traditional bran muffin. They are so pleasantly light, and so wonderfully moist, in fact, that you can eat quite a few of these guys before realizing just how many you’ve eaten!

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Spicy Tofu Scramble

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I think that tofu scrambles get a bad rap. They are often the token vegan item on an egg-filled brunch menu, which doesn’t do them any favors. And it’s not because they can’t stand up to a good omelette; it’s because they’re often employed as an egg substitute. In my opinion, trying to make tofu taste like scrambled eggs is silly – even if you succeed, a less-good version of scrambled eggs is just not that exciting to eat for breakfast. (If you’re a vegan who really misses eggs, than okay, go for it. I do see the value there.) But I’d rather eat a tofu scramble that isn’t trying to be something else, because it really doesn’t need to be! Since tofu is a neutrally flavored food on its own, it can take on whatever flavor profile you want it to.  And that means you can infuse loads of delicious flavor into it, flavor that can provide serious competition for even the most delicious egg dish.

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Yam-Coconut Breakfast Pudding

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One of the many juice chains in the NYC area has this Korean Yam pudding that I really like. It’s smooth, creamy, sweet but not too sweet, has a subtle hint of ginger – I’m a fan. I’m not really a fan of the price tag though, since one small pudding cup will run you close to 7 bucks once tax is added. The solution? Make my own!

Creating something similar proved pretty easy. I got it right on the first try, and tested it again just to make sure. While the juice chain uses agave to add sweetness, I chose to use raw honey in my version. (To make this vegan, just sub agave or maple syrup.) I also just used a regular Garnet yam instead of a Korean yam. And I’m not sure how the juice place makes their pudding, but I chose to simmer my yams rather than bake them so that their sweetness isn’t overpowering.

What I love about this pudding (aside from the taste and texture) is its versatility. My recipe is fairly light on the ginger – it’s more of a subtle hint than a main component. But if you’re feeling gingery, feel free to take it up a notch. You could also add cinnamon and nutmeg for a pumpkin-pie style pudding, increase the sweetener for something a bit more decadent, or top these with cashew or coconut cream for a real treat.

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Light N’ Fluffy Berry Pancakes

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There is nothing quite as appealing as making pancakes on a Saturday morning, except of course, eating them. I actually wasn’t a huge pancake fan before going gluten-free, but now I crave them almost every weekend. One thing I absolutely love about pancakes is their versatility. And I’m not just talking about flavor combos and mix-ins. I’m talking about what I like to call pancake styles. Whether you like your pancakes dense and hearty, light and fluffy, or moist and cakey, I have a pancake recipe for you. And eventually, they’ll all be on this blog. But for now, I hope you’re in the mood for light and fluffy, because these babies are just begging to be whipped up and munched on.

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