Vegetables for Breakfast

[The Old Foodie]

I am interested in your thoughts and ideas on vegetables for breakfast. I know that Asians do this well, so I am interested in ideas that fit the European tradition. My interest is two-fold.

It goes without saying (or I wouldn’t be on eGullet!) that I am eternally interested in food and cooking (and I love vegetables, although remain to be convinced about okra, for which I await the attack … or the convincing … ).

Secondly, I am interested from a professional point of view. I spend a lot of time talking to patients about nutrition (frequently feeling as a voice in the wilderness, but one must not give up ….). The National Health and Medical Research (NHMRC) guidelines (Australian, but I think they are similar elsewhere) recommend for adults 2 serves of fruit a day and 5 of vegetables. What constitutes a standard single serve of vegetables is:

1 cup of raw leafy vegetables

half cup of other vegetables, cooked or raw

150mL of vegetable juice

The reality is that most people eat most of their vegetables with their evening meal, and I suspect very few would eat 2 ½ cups at that meal (certainly not the ones who make me feel like the ‘voice in the wilderness’). I also suspect that in spite of claims about ‘salad sandwiches’and the like, that not much in the way of veges is consumed at the average worker office lunch.

I’d love to be able to make some more concrete suggestions when I try to encourage more vege eating. What ideas do you have, working within that European tradition, of veges for breakfast?

The ones that spring to mind are:

Baked beans.

Bubble and Squeak (and variations thereof).

Those German-ish potato pancakes which are fantastic except in their bastard, grease-loaded offspring of Hash Browns.

I look forward to your ideas.

Janet

[Chris Amirault]

My first thoughts were to point out the UK breakfast fare included the roasted tomato half (fruit) and mushrooms (fungi) -- neither vegetables.

Asparagus is often used in versions of eggs benedict. That count?

[annecros]

Omelletes are a way of sneaking in some veg and come in infinite variations. Hash.

[SuzySushi]

Eggs are a very good medium in which to sneak in some vegetables: Quiche with vegetables. Scrambled eggs with vegetables. Breakfast casserole aka strata aka bread pudding with vegetables.

And, does it have to be vegetables, or will fruit do? There's a strong American tradition of eating fruit at breakfast, from orange juice or half a grapefruit to sliced or dried fruit with hot or cold cereal.

[The Old Foodie]

I was thinking of dishes where vegetables predominate. Not fruit - it seems to be easy to include in breakfast - as juice, or dried fruit on cereal etc, even if someone doesnt want fresh fruit (silly people).

Mushrooms and tomatoes (botanically not vegetable, but culinarily used as such) are good ideas.

Potato seems to me to be an underused option - after all, we are used to carbs at breakfast, aren't we?

[K8memphis]

I like a little egg with my spinach for breakfast adorned with generous amounts of garlic and onions, sometimes cheese and tomato as well.

Edited May 26, 2007 by K8memphis (log)

[JAZ]

I was also going to mention spinach -- it goes well with both eggs and bacon or sausage. How about a base of blanched spinach instead of the English muffin for Eggs Benedict?

Sauteed onions and peppers go well with eggs too.

And don't forget a glass of tomato juice or V-8.

[baroness]

A tossed green salad is surprisingly good served with omelets or other egg dishes; so are salads based on oranges, onions, and olives.

[Pontormo]

When rhubarb is in season and available, I prepare a compote with crystallized ginger and orange zest and have that with homemade yogurt and granola at least four times a week.

If someone didn't grow up with rhubarb, it might be easier to convince her to slice carrots into her cereal. It seems as if the only groups capable of sitting through an entire sermon on Eat Your Vegetables without squirming are those over 65 (desire for longevity; recovery from heart attacks) and new or expectant parents. It's not just the fact that no one likes to be judged and told what to do. A lot of people simply are not adventurous when it comes to eating and are even more reluctant when it comes to cooking, let alone preparing a meal for themselves first thing in the morning.

For those who need to lose weight and are reluctant to give up juice, there are plenty of vegetable-based juices they can blend themselves, or here in North America, buy.

If he can get over the sense of incongruity, for someone who likes sweet things stirred into oatmeal on a cold wintery day, half of a baked winter squash, caramelized with butter and a little brown sugar or maple syrup, especially if it's (mostly) prepared the night before.

The idea of leftovers inspires: pizza!! If you've got a cold-pizza-in-the-morning person on your hands, it might not be too hard to draw connections between a slice of pizza and toasted cheese sandwiches with a few vegetables tucked in or flat and filled breads piled with savory, oniony greens. Spread some Vegemite on it, too, while you're at it.

Otherwise, I'd add spinach which goes well with eggs. There are plenty of combinations of vegetables that work well with omelettes, frittatas, tortillas, or baked custardy dishes (cornmeal or rice, not just eggs), including red bell peppers...if you're not worried about cholesterol intake. Ditto on cooking fats. On the occasions when I fry unpeeled [new, ideally] potatoes for breakfast, I chop up plenty of onion, throw in small pieces of mushrooms early enough for them to become gnarled and wizened, and then, at the very end, a handful or two of minced Italian parsley so the potatoes are coated bright green and the parsley cooks for less than a minute, therefore, should still be nutritious.

However, your initial post contains the greatest promise. For the adventurous types, why not get them to go multicultural? I've been intrigued by Bruce (Blue Crab)'s omnivorous takes on breakfast, no doubt inspired by his preference for Asian dinners. Cf. Mizducky, too. I saw a quote recently that said the best vegetarian meals are composed of dishes that were vegetarian to begin with and not designed as surrogates for meat, poultry or fish. Eastern repertoire of savory soups and porridges might inspire.

[rooftop1000]

Any decent breakfast joint in NJ has a whole list of veggied omlettes especially the spinache and feta and I think its the Denver that has peppers,onions, and tomatoes. Plus all the variations on "mexican" with beans and corn and topped with salsa. Lots of places also include plenty of green peppers and onion in their home fries (cooked potatoes sliced and finished on the griddle with S&P and paprika.

dont forget the bloddy mary's also

tracey

[Chufi]

When rhubarb is in season and available, I prepare a compote with crystallized ginger and orange zest and have that with homemade yogurt and granola at least four times a week. 

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that sounds awfully like my breakfast of choice this time of year

I tend to think of it as fruit, though.

When on holiday in Turkey, I always enjoyed the breakfast of tomatoes, slices of cucumber, some black olives, feta cheese and bread. Seemed very healthy and 'clean'. But then, I'm not one for fried or greasy breakfasts.

I went through a crazy phase where I breakfasted with a glass of thick tomato-vegetablejuice. When you sip it slowly and chew, yes actually chew each sip, it fills you up incredibly. I could have a glass of this at 8 and not be hungry till noon.

Not sure if that would still work for me though

[Pontormo]

^Indeed!

Actually, I am surprised you didn't mention the fritters you make so well. Just occured to me when I stepped away from the computer. The first cookbook from Moosewood has a great recipe for zucchini pancakes in which the eggs are separated and whites beaten stiff, though they're fine without that extra, fussy step. Made with shredded or grated summer squash and scallions, though your imagination could run wild in terms of what you mix in, whether you use white whole wheat flour.

Fresh corn and cornmeal in corncakes in the summer....

Peter the Eater's ongoing blog has a beautiful photo with samon on cucumber rounds. Smoked salmon with scallion-cream cheese is another way to go.

[Gabriel Lewis]

I think this depends on how you want to approach this. In many asian countries, breakfast foods aren't as distinctly seperate from other foods, and people will eat things westerners would only eat for lunch or dinner. I can think of a ton of things like spicy curries laden with vegetables, soups or noodles with lots of vegetables, or spicy relishes or dips served with raw or parcooked vegetables.

So, if you want to leave the western tradition of "breakfast foods" then you have a whole world of possibilities open to you, or atleast whatevers palatable to you in the morning. If your a bit picky about what you eat in the morning, I think there are still breakfastlike foods from around the world you can pick from.

Depends on where you want to go with it though, and what you stock your pantry with.

Potatoes, plenty of options there, but it's really only a vegetable technically in the sense that your looking at it isn't it? I think of it as a starch, to be treated somewhat seperately from dark green or vibrantly coloured vegetables.

[docsconz]

This morning I had poached eggs on a bed of arugula. I think it would work with spinach, watercress or mache as well. If one wanted to fatten it up, some bacon would work in nicely. The yolk of the eggs provides the dressing.

[Rebecca263]

We eat corn on the cob for breakfast when it's in season, does that starchy vegetable count? Corn is a great breakfast.

Also, we do a breakfast saute, usually of summer squashes with onions, tomatoes and potatoes---- sometimes I just dump some frozen vegetables in the pan, if we're low on fresh stuff, and go from there. Cauliflower is VERY popular, especially if I leave it on the stove until it begins to carmelize in bits.

It's a great filling meal. I suppose if you are a big eater that you could serve it with an egg. My daughter likes to shave some cheese on hers. Or cover it in ketchup... she's on her yearly "spring to summer" ketchup kick right now.

[Milagai]

Also, what's the practical distinction between vegetables

and fruits, when so many things we treat as vegetables

are botanically fruits: tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, peppers etc.

Basically anything holding the seeds.....

If you draw a line connecting "western" cream of wheat

and "Indian" sooji, then you open up the world

of upma to which you can add diced tomatoes, potatoes,

peas, maybe even peppers..... and can give as

"western" a tweak as you want.....

Milagai

[The Old Foodie]

Some good ideas here folks. I dont have a problem eating veges anytime, and wanted ideas I could suggest to the unadventurous, very 'traditional' eaters. As lots of people dont seem to want to 'cook' at breakfast, so I guess suggesting they cook extra veges at night to put in their omelette is the way to go.

Pontormo - I love your potato idea. MIght just go an try it now - with an egg on the side.

[Sony]

If he can get over the sense of incongruity, for someone who likes sweet things stirred into oatmeal on a cold wintery day, half of a baked winter squash, caramelized with butter and a little brown sugar or maple syrup, especially if it's (mostly) prepared the night before. 

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Along the same lines, I like microwaving a sweet potato for breakfast.

If I'm feeling savory, I'll top with low-fat cottage cheese and salsa (sounds gross, tastes good,and the cottage cheese provides protein and a little fat, which helps breakfast stick).

If I'm feeling sweet, a little brown sugar and cinnamon, maybe some Smart Balance, with a a few nuts on top and glass of milk (again, a little protein and fat for staying power).

I find that sweet potatoes microwave nicely at work too, so if I'm running late, I can just toss it in my bag without much effort.

[Rebecca263]

Yes, my Kiddle has warmed her hands many a morning here in New Jersey with her microwaved sweet potato for breakfast.

[Carrot Top]

A big fat globe artichoke freshly steamed to dip its leaves and then its center right smackdab in the yolks of poached eggs.

Frizzled prosciutto on the side if you absolutely must.

[prasantrin]

I think savoury bread puddings would be good places to hide more vegetables. It's easy to make a pan at the beginning of the week, then reheat individual servings in the mornings. Same goes for quiche--crustless if one doesn't want to bother with the crust (I like to make crustless quiche in muffin tins, so my servings are already portioned out).

[foodie52]

I cannot count the number of times we have had leftover veggies mixed in scrambled eggs for breakfast. And what's wrong with carrot sticks? They don't really have the "dinner only" stigma that a lot of veggies have.

I don't consider the potato to be a vegetable. Nor beans.

Dried fruit compotes are easy and full of fiber and vitamins. Plus they can be eaten at room temp and transport well.

[scubadoo97]

I do veggie omelets or frittatas but sometimes I'll eat the brussel sprouts or string beans left over from the night before. A fine breakfast indeed.

[Polar Bear]

While I do enjoy a great array of different vegetables like spinach, collard greens, corn, onions, broccoli, and others, I think the best breakfast vegetable is sautéed asparagus (in butter) with fresh hollandaise over the top and broiled just long enough to brown the hollandaise.

[Carrot Top]

Almost any sort of veggie souffle . . .

Black bean soup topped with diced green and peppers, red onion, and large dice of HB egg to emphasize "breakfast" . . .or, alternately, a poached egg on top . . .

Pierogis (potato) with lots of sauteed onion on top . . .

Onion tart (without the custard) . . .along the same lines, tomato pie . . .

A blend of cottage cheese, cream cheese, and cream with lots of fresh herbs to top black bread with finely chopped carrot, pepper, broccoli, yellow squash, to then put on top of that for an open face sandwich . . .

Ah. And then there's always peanut butter toast.

Edited May 27, 2007 by Carrot Top (log)