ASK SARAH : dairy free breakfast suggestions?
Friday, May 4, 2012 at 8:03AM Kerstin from Hamburg, Germany wrote: "Do you have any tips for a healthy cow's milk-free breakfast? I don't have any problem with eating milk-free during the day, but in the morning I can't really think of anything I might like - besides fruit, but then I am hungry again after 30 minutes. The hardest thing is going out for brunch on the weekend... I am not a picky eater, and I like both sweet and savory for breakfast. I am not a vegetarian, but as I am a Yogi I try not to eat too many products of animal origin in general."
kerstin, oh yes i have some tips! i also struggle with breakfast- if you're not eating dairy or animal products it can feel limiting. but i've found a whole new bunch of breakfast foods to enjoy! my go-to is oatmeal in the winter and muesli in the spring and summer. here's a recipe for museli (which you can just add water too and cook to make a tasty oatmeal!) since you can't have dairy or soy, substitue with almond milk (how to make your own almond milk here, or you may be able to find in your market). oats in general are pretty much a breakfast savior, as evidenced in the photos above. as are smoothies and green juices! eggless scrambles are good too (think tofu, onions, tomatoes, red peppers, spinach, scallions, etc all sauteed together and served with your favorite hot sauce!)
as far as eating out, i try to avoid breakfast at restaurants and only go to brunch where i can order off the lunch menu because honestly, i can't be bothered to eat oatmeal at a restaurant- seems like such a waste to spend good money on a bland bowl of oats! lastly, i'm working on a recipe post that is just for you- a really amazing breakfast treat that will cure all your dairy woes! hope this helps kerstin!
photos above: berry crumble bars, homemade granola, make-ahead steel cut oats, granola bars (i would substitute oats for the cereal suggestion in this last one!)
Reader Comments (8)
Love the suggestions Sarah! For the granola bar recipe...what do you use for chocolate chips? Have you found a dairy-free brand that you like?
HI Colleen! I would substitute with carob chips. but whole foods sells some yummy vegan chocolate chips! (365 organic brand)
Awesome, thanks Sarah!
Sounds great - maybe a dumb question, but how much water/muesli and how long do you cook it? Nuke it? Thx!
Lindley, no need to microwave, it's better cooked stovetop in a pan. use your instincts on the amount of water... enough to cover /soak the oats and then cook them for a few minutes. taste and add more water if they're still crunchy! it's really a matter of preference on how thick you like your oatmeal, so adjust water/consistency to your liking!
Thanks for including my berry crumble bars Sarah! Have a great weekend!
Another milk option which I love it oat milk which you can either buy (I get the oatly brand) or there are some tutorials online for making it at home. I love my single lady pancake from Joy the Baker. Can have a simple one with 2 tbsp spelt flour, 2 tsp oats, 1 tbsp flaxseed, a bit of baking soda, squeeze of lemon juice, and milk to whatever consistency you like. Sometimes I put banana in with it. You could also do some pumpkin puree and appropriate spices. Takes a few minutes.
I haven't tried it yet, but quinoa can be cooked similarly to oatmeal, with cinnamon and fruit, etc. Another good non-dairy milk replacement is coconut milk, so delicious!