I think I said I was going to stay on trend with soups and breakfast, right? We’re not diverted from that, yet!
It seems that breakfast is the hardest meal of the day for a lot people eating a vegan, plant-based diet, regardless of whether you’re new to the lifestyle or you’ve been in it for awhile. Heck, I even had a hard time with it for the years when I consistently ate breakfast (I’ve found I’m more of just a few cups of decaf tea person in the morning and don’t get hungry until it’s late enough in the morning that I’d rather just eat ‘lunch’ foods during brunch time). I ate toasted bagels by themselves for breakfast with a cup of tea for YEARS before opting for the most classic, boring option of rolled oats microwaved with some frozen fruit, cinnamon and sugar at work alongside my morning tea. How far I’ve come since then!
The only thing that broke me from this fairly sad morning routine was my husband’s savory oatmeal stew (which I still have yet to share the recipe for on the blog or my YouTube channel), and I’ll still steal some from him if I get hungry enough in the morning.
ALL that said, I’m still committed to providing delicious, exciting options for breakfast!
I guess it’s also necessary for me to cover that when vegans and non-vegans alike think of a “vegan breakfast scramble” they think of tofu. Which is fine. And popular. And packaged in plastic. And somewhat processed.
I promise I’m not actually knocking tofu; I just wanted a breakfast scramble recipe that used a whole food and was one I (or you) could feel good about eating day in and day out, package free, minimally processed and great for you.
So in comes the chickpeas.
I’m convinced by now that beans and oats are some of the best foods on the planet. Not only are they good for you out of the gate but they are so. damn. versatile. Chickpeas, specifically, I’ve already used to make [mock tuna], [mock meatloaf], [yellow curry], [hummus], they can even sub out white beans in my [stuffed Portobellos] dish, I have a chocolate bread loaf I use them in I have yet to share, and I know they can even make a mock cookie dough!
And today, we’re turning them into a replacement for scrambled eggs or a tofu scramble.
This scramble is also so easy to make and takes to pretty much any mix of veggies you could think to add to it. The base is a simple combination of mashed or pulsed chickpeas with a bit of vegetable broth and the right mix of spices, cooked stove top for a few minutes before serving them up by themselves, over bread, alongside some other delicious breakfast favorites like hash browns, breakfast potatoes or breakfast hash (foreboding recipes to come, perhaps…?), or served up with additional fixings like salsa or fresh avocado.
The mix of spices are common in your spice drawer (nutritional yeast, chili powder, turmeric & paprika), but do a great job of enhancing the ‘breakfast-y’ flavor of this recipe, taking a bean that could easily be considered a lunch or dinner staple and turning it into a great morning meal.
When it comes to taste, this recipe is:
- Flavorful
- Delicious
- Adaptable
- SO Easy!
It’s also something you can do the prep for the night before, or even make beforehand because it stores great in the fridge. Also, given that it’s made up of just a common spice mix and chickpeas and onion, which I always have around (and you should too!), it’s something reliable for breakfast that isn’t just the same old oatmeal.
If you try out this recipe, please share it with me by commenting here or on my YouTube channel, or even tagging me in a photo on Instagram @plantsnotplastic. Enjoy!
Chickpea Breakfast Scramble
Equipment
- Non-stick frying pan [note#1]
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups chickpeas 1/2 cup dry or 1-15oz can
- 1/3 cup vegetable broth sub water
- 1/4 medium onion finely diced (about 1/4 cup)
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1/8 tsp paprika
- salt & pepper to taste
Optional Additions
- 1 medium Roma tomato diced; ~1/4 cup; sub cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
- 1/4 medium red bell pepper diced; ~1/4 cup
- 1/4 small broccoli crown cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/4-1/2 cup crimini or white mushrooms sliced or cubed
- other veggies of choice asparagus, spinach, carrots, zucchini, artichoke, chiles, etc. [note #2]
Instructions
- In a blender, combine your chickpeas and vegetable broth and pulse 2-4 times until the chickpeas are mostly broken apart and look grainy, but the mixture is not smooth. You can also just use a fork to break them up and then stir in the vegetable broth.
- In your medium non-stick pan over medium heat, sauté the onion until soft, about 2-4 minutes.
- Add your other veggies and cook them down [note #3].
- Add your spices and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until spices are fragrant, then add the tomatoes and chickpea-vegetable broth mixture.
- When it begins to bubble, reduce to a simmer and cook for another few minutes until some of the moisture cooks off and thickens a bit.
- Sprinkle with salt & pepper to taste and serve by itself, over toast, with salsa on top, or with other breakfast favorites. I eat mine with toast and sprinkle with basil & parsley.
- Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- I don't cook with oil, so a nonstick fry is necessary for this recipe to ensure nothing sticks.
- You can really use any kind of veggie you might normally put into a scramble, just aim for 3-4 types of veggies max or you'll start to lose the chickpea scramble to sauteed vegetables. I typically choose bell pepper, mushrooms, and spinach or broccoli for some greens.
- If you are adding any additional veggies, keep in mind that cook time will vary depending on how 'soft' the veggie is that you're cooking. Cut your groupings of veggies (hard to soft) similar in size pieces so they cook down evenly,:
- Hard veggies (smaller pieces): carrots, broccoli stems, celery, etc.
- Medium veggies (slightly larger pieces): broccoli florets, asparagus, zucchini, artichoke, etc.
- Soft veggies (larger pieces): mushrooms & greens (spinach, kale, etc.)
Leave a Reply