3 Breakfast Recipes to Fuel Your Yoga Practice (and Your Day)

It is said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and while I have heard people say that you shouldn’t eat after 6, or 8, in the evening, I’ve never heard that you should eat by a certain time in the morning. I personally do better with breakfast, but I don’t eat it until hours after I’ve been up. You may be like me and have other things to do—walk the dog, get the kids’ lunches packed—before you have time or are ready to nourish yourself, which is why these breakfast recipes are ideal: You can enjoy them at home freshly made or take them with you as you dash out the door and savor them at your convenience.

My Basic Go-to Smoothie

This is my breakfast five or six days a week. One reason it really works for me is that I can sip it as needed. I generally have a ginormous slurp before I do my asana practice in the morning to hold me over and finish it off after. It is also endlessly adaptable: Swap out spinach for kale, pineapple for berries, almond butter or protein powder for hemp seeds, nut milk for coconut water, half an avocado for the banana, skip the goji berries, cinnamon, and chia seeds—you get the idea!

Ingredients

• 1 T goji berries

• 1-inch piece cinnamon stick

• 2-4 T chia seeds

• 1 T coconut oil

• 16 oz coconut water

• 2 T cashew milk yogurt

• 1/3 c hemp seeds

• 2-3 large kale leaves 

• 1 c frozen berries

• ½ frozen banana*

Place goji berries, cinnamon, and chia seeds in your blender, and add enough coconut water to cover well. Let soak about 10 minutes.

Add the remaining coconut water and the rest of the ingredients to the blender and process on the appropriate setting for smoothies, adding extra liquid (coconut water, water, or nut milk) for your desired consistency.

Yield: About a quart

*Peel bananas before you freeze them!

Millet Waffles

Waffles are better than pancakes because they’ve got all those nooks and crannies waiting to be filled with goodness! They’re also great for special occasions and lazy Sunday mornings, but if you freeze them you can pop them in the toaster for those less-lazy days of the week. These are gluten-free, vegan, and ayurvedically approved. Drizzle ’em with maple syrup, slather ’em with nut butter, top ’em with fruit compote or dairy-free yogurt.

You will need to soak the grains overnight, so make sure you plan accordingly.

• 1 c millet

• 1 c untoasted buckwheat, or whole oats

• ¼ c flax seeds

• ¼ c shredded unsweetened coconut flakes (optional)

• 2 T blackstrap molasses or agave

• 2 T unrefined coconut oil

• ½ t salt

• 1-3 t ground cinnamon

• 1-3 t orange zest (optional)

• ¼ c sunflower seeds (optional)

Place millet, buckwheat (or oats), and flax in a small bowl, add water to cover by an inch, and let stand overnight.

Strain and discard the soaking water. (It’ll be gooey!) Place the grains in a blender, preferably not a high-speed one, but if, like me, that’s all you’ve got, no worries—the waffles may just come out denser. Who cares?!

Add water to barely cover the grains (about 1½ cups). Then add the rest of the ingredients except the sunflower seeds. Blend into a thick batter. Some millet will remain whole and provide a nice crunch.

Pour some batter into a hot waffle iron. Sprinkle the batter with sunflower seeds (if using), close, and bake according to the manufacturer’s directions.

Serve with or without your favorite toppings.*

You can refrigerate batter for up to five days.

Yield: A lot! Really, it depends on the size of your waffle maker, but definitely more than enough for four servings.

*The note from the ayurvedic goddess who shared this recipe with me so long ago I can’t remember her name (sorry!), says to skip fresh fruit, which will make the waffles hard to digest.

Deluxe Tofu Scramble

I am not a true connoisseur of the tofu scramble, but my friend Emily is and says this recipe is the best ever. All I know is that it is yummy. It comes from Sharon Gannon’s Simple Recipes for Joy. You can eat it hot or roll it in a tortilla or other wrap to go, or top a salad with it for lunch or dinner.

• 3 T olive oil

• 1 onion, chopped

• 1 red or green bell pepper, chopped

• 1 T turmeric powder

• 1 T nutritional yeast flakes

• 1 t ground cumin

• 1 t ground coriander

• 1 t dried thyme

• ½ t salt

• ¼ t paprika

• ¼ t chili powder

• 3 T vegan butter (or coconut oil)

• 14 oz firm tofu, drained

• ¼ c finely chopped fresh parsley

In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and sauté for five to ten minutes, or until the onions are translucent.

Place the turmeric, nutritional yeast, cumin, coriander, thyme, salt, paprika, and chili powder in a small bowl and mix well. Add four to five tablespoons of water, just enough to make a thin liquid. Stir well and set aside.

In another large frying pan, melt the “butter” (or coconut oil) and crumble the tofu into the pan. Sauté gently for about one minute, then add the onion-pepper mixture and the spice mixture and stir well. Cook for three more minutes. Just before serving, mix in the parsley.

Yield: 2 to 4 servings

Photography: Andrea Killam