Veganing Day 2: Hearty Oatmeal Breakfast, Salad Lunch, and Bánh Mì Chay Dinner

Keri often works really long hours which requires a good hearty breakfast and that I pack her lunch AND dinner for the day. Plus, it all needs to be made and ready to go by 8:30 a.m. so these three recipes don’t take long to make at all. 10 minutes each.

Hearty Oatmeal

Our second favorite breakfast is good old fashioned oatmeal. None of that prepackaged stuff for us. I make it old school with Rolled Oats.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup wheat bran
• 1 T chia seed
• 2 T brown sugar
• 2 t vegan “butter” (we use Earth Balance)
• craisins or raisins
• cinnamon
• non-dairy milk
• 2 bananas

Instructions:

1. Add 2 cups of water to a small pot and bring to a boil.
2. Add the oatmeal and reduce heat to rolling boil.
3. After 3 minutes, add the wheat bran. Let cook for 2 more minutes.
4. Turn off the stove and add the chia seeds. Stir well.
5. Portion the oatmeal out into two bowls.
6. Top each with one tablespoon of brown sugar, craisins or raisin, dash of cinnamon, splash of “milk”, 1 tsp “butter”, and sliced banana
7. Enjoy!

Simple Salad with Ginger Garlic Dijon Vinegrette

I prep lettuce ahead of time but it’s still pretty quick even if you have to start from scratch. This recipes makes two big salads that should be enough for lunch.

Ingredients:

• 1 head of Romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1 carrot, spiraled or grated
• 1 beet, spiraled or grated
• 1/4 red onion, diced
• 1 avocado,  cubed
• 2 T sunflower seeds

Instructions:

1. Make two equal portions and pack it up.

Ginger Garlic Dijon Vinegrette Dressing

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup soy sauce (We use Bragg’s)
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, minced

Instructions:

1. Mince the garlic and ginger.
2. Combine all ingredients to blender and blend it. Use a mason jar instead of the full blender and store in that.

Bánh Mì Chay

You know you want to eat this. It’s so good. Nom nom. Here’s another pic to convince you.

Keri and I ate a version of this sandwich the other day over at the Benefit Street Juice Bar and Cafe. Their sandwich was so good that I had to make my own version of it with a couple extra ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium or 2 small baguettes (This is for two sandwiches)
• 1 Grannysmith apple, cored and sliced. Save half for another day.
• 1 Jalepeno, sliced thinly
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 or 2 leaves of Romaine lettuce
• 1 carrot, spiraled or grated (You won’t use the whole thing)
• 2 T peanut butter
• Sriracha

Instructions:

1. Prep the veggies as indicated.
2. Cut the baguette(s) in half.
3. Spread peanut butter on each half of the bread.
4. Layer all the ingredients and top with Sriracha.
5. Eat dat sammich.

Ok, I’m stuffed. More tomorrow. I think breakfast burritos, Banh Mi Part Deux, and then something new for dinner. Spaghetti? Tune in tomorrow. Same vegan time, same vegan channel.