Two weeks ago, I found myself in quite a pickle looking for morning meal options since I decided Greek yogurt wouldn't be making its way into my life any longer. I'm also not big on the vegan yogurts on the market so quickly nixed that idea too.
Though I love oatmeal, it's so hot here right now that I just can't fathom using the stove to do anything but heat water for tea. Plus, I don't really like overnight oats no many how many times I try them. I know, I'm nuts, right? Call me crazy but I prefer hot oats to cold oats, so oats weren't an option either. Since they also gave me a bit of GI trouble this past year, I'm shooting for a fall goal so I can try them again when it's nice and crisp outside, which is really when oatmeal is best anyway.
So what would my morning meal be? I'm not one who's about to spend laborious amounts of time over a stove in the morning and I prefer my smoothies for after my workouts instead of first thing in the day. So what could I eat that would be nutritious and satisfying without satisfy weighing me down?
When I looked in the fridge and saw my huge tub of Vega One, I knew I had my answer....
Vega Cereal- using Vega One French Vanilla or Vanilla Chai (my two favorites), and a few extra fun ingredients.
Why Vega One? Vega One is PACKED with nutrients like superfoods, probiotics, vegan protein powder, and lots of omega 3 rich seeds such as hemp, chia, flax, and Sacha Inchi seeds. It's seriously incredible on every level you could imagine- not to mention it's one of the best tasting vegan meal replacement powders on the market- and one of the most effective.
I love that it's given my body full nutritional support that I need without me having to eat beans each meal to get in my protein or consume copious amounts of grains to feel satisfied. It's also free from problematic ingredients like dairy, soy, gluten, and sugar. The best part though is it is 100% cruelty-free- hooray!
Because that's the best part about being vegan to me anyway- nutrition aside.
When your body receives prime nutrients, it won't leave you hungry all day, jittery from low blood sugar, or make you feel sluggish and tired. It will operate better all day long and doesn't need stimulants or excessive portions to make you feel satisfied.
Friends, if you have one minute to mix this up, you have got to try this.
It's incredibly filling, energizing, and my favorite part is it's SUPER quick and easy. When a girl wants her coffee after her morning green juice she just spent 10 minutes making, she's not in the mood for a lot of fussy time over a stove. (Yes, I drink both coffee and green juice- I crave both and figure they balance each other out:)
This cereal is the perfect answer for anyone who doesn't have a lot of time in the mornings and it's much healthier than any pre-made cereal or bar you'll find out there for sure. You can add any fun ingredients you like on top. I just added a few superfoods I had in the fridge for a pretty garnish. Feel free to omit them though, since it's delightfully satisfying just as it is.
Vega Cereal
Vegan, Gluten-Free, No Sugar Added
(You can use Vega One or Vega Protein Smoothie- I like both.)
Ingredients:
1/2 scoop Vega One (the scoop is HUGE) or 1 scoop Vega Protein Smoothie (it's a smaller scoop) - *I like the French Vanilla, Vanilla Chai, and Natural flavors of Vega One and I like the Natural and Viva Vanilla flavored Vega Protein Smoothie the most. The berry and chocolate flavors are also great too!*
2 tablespoons raw coconut flour- makes it super thick and creamy
1 tablespoon NuNatural Oat Fiber-
1 tablespoon cold-milled ground golden flaxseed
1 teaspoon NuNaturals Simple Syrup (awesome stevia product!) or 2 full drops liquid vanilla stevia (optional but I prefer mine sweet)
1 cup non-dairy milk (I love unsweetened vanilla almond milk or unsweetened organic soy milk)
1-2 tablespoons organic canned pumpkin(optional but tasty and adds a pretty color)
1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, and 1/8 teaspoon cardamom (optional but recommended)
Toppings: Choose from: goji berries, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, sliced almonds, coconut shreds, nut butter, almonds, walnuts, cashews, cacao nibs, chia seeds or whatever else you fancy .*I used pumpkin seeds, goji berries, a small drizzle of Artisana raw cashew butter, hemp seeds, and raw almonds though I actually prefer the cereal without any toppings most days.*
Directions:
1. Add the Vega, coconut flour, oat fiber, and flax to a bowl. Stir and sift to remove any lumps.
2. Add cinnamon, ginger and cardamom if using. Sift again.
3. Pour the milk in and add the pumpkin and stevia. Stir very slowly as it will look watery at first but start to thicken up pretty quickly once you keep stirring for 10-15 seconds or so.
4. Keep stirring- it will look lumpy but as you keep stirring it will start to even out and resemble a thick, viscous pudding. Let it sit for a few minutes while you grab your toppings and it will thicken even further.
5. If you want it a bit thinner, feel free to add a little water or more non-dairy milk. I like mine thick like pudding so I opt to leave mine as is.
6. Add your toppings, serve and enjoy with a nice cup of coffee or tea first thing in the day.
*Save $10 off Vega products or any of the other ingredientswith my coupon code TEZ763 at iHerb*
Enjoy:)
Since Vega One contains superfoods like maca, goji, chlorella, kale, spinach, broccoli, hemp protein, sprouted brown rice protein and more, it's a fantastic way to start your day out on the right foot. It also has more omega 3's than salmon, more antioxidants that blueberries, more fiber than three slices of bread, contains three servings of veggies, and it's even environmentally friendly too.
Definitely give it a try if you can- you'll love it!
*Also, a BIG congrats to Haley C. who won the Rawsome Vegan Baking Giveaway! Congrats Haley! You've been emailed:)* Thanks to everyone who entered!!*
Have a great Sunday!
What's your favorite breakfast of the moment?
What toppings would you use on your own Vega Cereal?