Breakfast

by : Reiko Bread, Breakfast, Uncategorized

Mom’s Apple Bread
ママのアップルパン

I had a few apples sitting on our kitchen counter.

I was staring at them for a while, and then the idea hit me.

I wanted to eat the apple bread that my mom used to make when I was growing up.

I emailed and asked my mother to send me the recipe, and I had the recipe a few minutes later.

(My mother never procrastinates. She is the most reliable person I know!)

The is kind of a hybrid of bread and Danish pastry.

I LOVE the beautiful layers they create!

The recipe is a basic apple bread, but I decided to make the basic version and another version: apple-walnut-gorgonzola-thyme.

I happened to have homemade vegan gorgonzola cheese, so it was a good timing.

Both versions turned out wonderful!!

These look so lovely on my new plate.

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April 4, 2019

by : Reiko Bread, Breakfast, Sandwiches

Ube Bagel Sandwich
紫芋バターサンド

There are a few food-related magic words that never fail to grab my attention.

One is “Adzuki” or “red beans,” and another is “Ube” or “purple potato.”

I just love everything about purple potatoes, from the color to the taste.

A bagel, a thick spread of homemade vegan butter, creamy purple potato paste, and a sprinkle of roasted chestnut pieces.

This looked so pretty, but that didn’t stop me from devouring it!

Loved everything about this.

A hearty chewy bagel, slightly salty butter, creamy sweet purple potato, and crunchy chestnut.

Super yum!

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April 2, 2019

by : Reiko Breakfast

Chai Oatmeal with Slow-Dried Fruit
チャイオートミール

I had a big dinner last night at a Vietnamese restaurant.

Although my husband and I split papaya salad (my recent favorite!) and red curry, it was still a lot of food.

And I definitely had a hard time stopping myself because the food was so good!

So this morning I was definitely in the mood for a “reset” breakfast.

On a morning like this oatmeal is a good choice.

Today I could definitely use some extra comfort and decided to go with the Chai flavor.

I made chai tea with Earl Grey tea, soy milk, and Chai-inspired spices, and cooked oatmeal in it.

I just made these slow-dried fruits yesterday, and I thought these would be a perfect topping for my chai oatmeal.

Delicious!!

Love all the spices and fruits together.

Have a great weekend everyone!

I am planning to cook a few dishes for the next few days, but then I may go shoe-shopping for a new pair of sneakers.

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March 30, 2019

by : Reiko Breakfast, Vegan Egg

Steak and Egg Breakfast Sandwich
ステーキ＆エッグ朝食サンド

I have always been a fan of big breakfast.

I wake up with a big appetite, and I get excited about my first meal.

I would have no problem eating a big plate of steak and eggs at 7:00 a.m.

My morning big appetite hasn’t changed, but the food has changed.

Croissants are always a good choice for a breakfast sandwich (or any sandwich if you aske me).

Warm vegan croissant, homemade seitan steak, tofu scramble, fresh spinach, and homemade cashew herb cream cheese.

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March 27, 2019

by : Reiko Breakfast

Spring Bagel Breakfast Plate
春のベーグル朝食プレート

What is more spring-like than the color pink?!

I always liked spring, but my admiration for this season has become so much more since I started living in the region where winter is long and severe.

On this plate you will find bagel from Eureka Compass Vegan Food with homemade almond-flavored strawberry cream cheese, scrambled tofu, kale, and radish.

And yes, the kale is not just for garnish.

I eat it. 🙂

Happy Sunday, everyone!

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March 24, 2019

by : Reiko Breakfast

Orange Coconut Carrot Waffle
オレンジココナッツキャロットワッフル

I usually sleep in on Saturdays, but for some reason I woke up early this morning, before 6:00 a.m.

The great thing about this was that I was able to see the sun coming out, and I almost (!) thought it will be worth getting up early just to see this everyday.

It was so beautiful, and it gave me this energy that made me grateful that I am alive and well to be able to enjoy another day.

After taking advantage of this early morning and getting a cup of coffee from my favorite coffee shop (which is so popular and gets crowded quickly), I was ready to make something really good for breakfast.

This orange coconut carrot waffle was so delicious!

I put a generous amount of orange zest, coconut flakes, and shredded carrots, and they all worked together so well.

It was served with homemade vegan butter and toasted coconut flakes on top.

And a little drizzle of ginger maple syrup.

Absolutely delicious and perfect for a weekend breakfast.

Anytime I have some kind of veggies in my breakfast, I feel so much better, physically and mentally.

It’s going to be the first warm day today this year, and we are planning to get out of the house, visit a museum, have lunch at a restaurant, and go for a long walk.

It’s going to be a fabulous day!

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March 23, 2019

by : Reiko Breakfast

Spring Matcha Oatmeal
春の抹茶オートミール

Oatmeal is one of my favorite weekday breakfast choices.

I usually don’t have time to do anything fancy, but on weekends I like to have a little fun.

This one is oatmeal cooked in strong Matcha, and then served with almond milk, Kuro-mame (Japanese black beans), toasted coconut flakes, freeze-dried strawberries, and a drizzle of maple syrup.

I like these freeze-dried fruits from Trader Joe’s.

They are so handy.

Isn’t it pretty?

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March 10, 2019

by : Reiko Breakfast, Sweets

Cardamom Orange Mocha Marble Muffins
カルダモンオレンジモカマーブルマフィン

You get a food idea, and you picture what the end result should look like.

But it always doesn’t work out that way.

I just bought a bag of Cara Cara oranges which are my favorite orange.

They looked pretty good before baking already.

These turned out exactly what I hoped they would!

(And it doesn’t happen too often when it comes to baking.)

I kept the sweetness minimum, so you can really enjoy the flavors but no overpowering sweetness.

Delicious with my homemade vegan butter.

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March 9, 2019

by : Reiko Breakfast, Sandwiches, Tofu, Vegan Egg

Mom’s “Egg” and Lettuce Hot Sandwich
母の”玉子”レタスホットサンド

Is there a dish that you grew up eating all the time as a kid because your mom made it, and then later as an adult you realize that no one else makes it?

This “egg” and lettuce hot sandwich is one of those foods.

My mother made this for my sister and I all the time when we were kids, and I thought everyone else was eating it too.

I was apparently wrong.

You spread mayo and mustard on two slices of bread.

Place generous amount of lettuce leaves and soft scrambled eggs.

Sandwich and then cook it in an oven toaster.

Of course to make it vegan, I used soft tofu to make the scrambled “egg” and my own homemade mayo.

I also added mayo later after the sandwich was out of the oven because I was not sure how my mayo would react the high heat (I didn’t want my mayo to become liquid oil during the cooking process).

This was actually my second attempt to make this sandwich.

The first attempt was rather disappointing.

I thought it would be better to add lettuce later after the cooking to keep it fresh, but it was a big mistake.

Cooking the lettuce along with the eggs really makes this sandwich special.

The lettuce gets soft and almost sweet, but not soggy.

Of course you have to eat quickly as soon as it’s out of the oven, but it’s not a problem (lol).

The other key is the mustard.

You cannot skip mustard in this sandwich.

It’s a must.