Simple Spiced Porridge Recipe

As far as breakfasts go, this vegan turmeric spiced porridge is about as quick and easy as it gets. You can even mix the ingredients together and pop in the microwave to cook for about 90 seconds (which saves on washing up too)!

And why not make this warming bowl of goodness to bring a little colour to these grey winter mornings? Anyone who follows my Instagram stories knows I’m a huge fan of this turmeric porridge and have been eating it quite a lot recently!

Not only does it taste absolutely great, it really warms you up and fuels your morning perfectly. It’s also a great all-rounder from a nutrition point of view. Let’s look at a few reasons why:

• Oats: great source of protein, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and zinc. Plus they contain amazing fibres called beta-glucans. These soluble fibres feed healthy gut bacteria which in turn produce short chain fatty acids (SCFAs). These SCFAs have so many health benefits throughout the entire body and have been linked with reduce risk of inflammatory diseases, type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and can even improve mental health.

• Turmeric: contains curcumin which has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a potent antioxidant. There’s strong scientific evidence to show it can reduce risk of heart disease, several cancers, Alzheimer’s, and arthritis. Consuming black pepper along with the turmeric boosts absorption of the curcumin by up to 2000%!

• Cinnamon: like turmeric, cinnamon has compounds with powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Consumption of cinnamon is linked with similar health benefits to turmeric, and it has also been shown to control blood sugar levels by several mechanisms.

• Toppings: nut butters are high in protein and healthy fats so they help to keep you full for longer. Hemp or ground flax seeds add omega-3 which have been shown to have powerful health benefits for your body and brain. Dried fruit add sweetness and taste great :)

It’s really versatile too - try different plant milks, nut butters, dried fruits, seeds, or adding other spices like nutmeg or ground ginger - get experimental, because variety in the diet is so important!

Simple vegan turmeric spiced porridge recipe

Ingredients (serves 1):

• 1/2 cup porridge oats

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp turmeric

• Pinch of black pepper

• 3/4 cup plant-milk of choice

• Optional toppings: 1 Tbsp almond butter, 3 dates, 1 Tbsp hemp seeds

Method:

Start by stirring the dry oats with the spices - doing this first makes them easier to mix in with the milk.

Now add the oat milk, holding some back to add at the end, and mix to combine.

For the best results, heat gently in a small pan until the oats are tender and have absorbed all the milk. The turmeric will turn more yellow as it heats so don’t be tempted to add more at the start!

If you’re tight for time, you can just mix everything directly in a bowl and pop the bowl in the microwave on full power for about 90 seconds.

Add your toppings and a little splash of oat milk which just helps to improve the texture (and cools it down a little so you can eat it straight away!).

Do you keep your porridge neat as you eat it or do you stir the toppings in? You can see what I like to do!

Nutrition (per serving with the above toppings):

• Protein: 14.9g (Women: 29.8% / Men: 27.1%)

• Iron: 3.2mg (Women: 21.6% / Men: 36.8%)

• Calories: 491 (Women: 24.6% / Men: 19.6%)

• Sugars: 31.7g (Women: 35.2% / Men: 26.4%)

• Total Fats: 20.0g (Women: 28.6% / Men: 21.1%)

• Saturated Fat: 2.1g (Women: 10.5% / Men: 7.0%)

• Salt: 0.2g (Women: 3.3% / 3.3%)

• Fibre: 10.4g (Women: 34.7% / Men: 34.7%)

See the Nutrition Info page for more details on % of Dietary Reference Values for men and women.

Vegan Chocolate Protein Waffles

Everyone loves a waffle. Add chocolate to the equation and you’ve got the ingredients for something truly magical. Plus knowing these waffles are vegan, and help with recovery from exercise thanks to the added protein, means they don’t have to be eaten as an occasional treat, but can be enjoyed as a healthy breakfast, snack or dessert any day of the week! Make a batch of these vegan chocolate protein waffles, freeze any leftovers, then pop one straight from the freezer into the toaster for two minutes for an instant pudding or breakfast when you next crave something sweet but healthy.

The peanut butter ‘caramel’ sauce I topped this with is a stroke of genius - just two ingredients and 10 seconds in the microwave is all it takes. Then you have an incredible sweet peanut butter sauce with the consistency of caramel that you can drizzle on anything, from these chocolate protein vegan waffles, to your morning porridge, or even vegan ice cream (where it almost sets and goes chewy over the cold ice cream thanks to the golden syrup). Try this sauce and you can thank me later :)

Don’t have a waffle maker? Still want a sweet vegan chocolatey protein snack? Try these chocolate protein microwave mug cakes that literally take 5 minutes to make.

* A note on protein - it’s absolutely not necessary to use protein supplements just because you’re on a vegan diet. They can however be useful and convenient, especially if you’re regularly weight training, where a higher protein intake can help with building muscle strength and mass - the same reason you’ll often see meat eaters drinking a whey protein shake after the gym! Vivo Life is my favourite vegan protein brand - all their products are vegan, use raw and fermented proteins for improved absorption, are independently tested for heavy metals, and are smooth and taste great! You can use ‘TJ10’ for a 10% discount on your first order with them!

VEGAN CHOCOLATE PROTEIN WAFFLES RECIPE

Ingredients (makes 6 small waffles):

• 3/4 cup flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 2 Tbsp brown sugar

• 3 tsp cocoa powder

• 1 scoop Vivo Life Perform (raw cacao flavour)

• 1 cup soy milk

• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Peanut Butter Sauce (enough for 6 small waffles):

• 1 Tbsp smooth peanut butter

• 2 Tbsp golden syrup

Method:

Turn on the mini waffle maker to heat up while you prepare the batter

Mix the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, sugar, cocoa powder and vegan protein powder) in a bowl

Add the soy milk and vegetable oil, and mix until smooth

Pour a small ladle of the batter mixture into the hot mini waffle maker and cook for around 6-7 minutes until golden and crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside

Once ready, remove the waffle and set aside on a wire rack while you cook the remaining waffles

To make the peanut butter sauce, simply spoon the peanut butter and golden syrup into a ramekin and microwave on full power for 10 seconds until warm. Stir together with a teaspoon until smooth and caramel-like in texture.

Pour the peanut butter sauce over the vegan chocolate protein waffles and top with your favourite fruit (here I used banana, chopped Medjool dates, and some raw cacao nibs for extra chocolate goodness!)

Nutrition (per vegan waffle with peanut butter sauce):

• Protein: 7.0g (Women: 14.0% / Men: 12.7%)

• Iron: 1.6mg (Women: 10.8% / Men: 18.4%)

• Calories: 189 (Women: 9.5% / Men: 7.6%)

• Sugar: 11.2g (Women: 12.4% / Men: 9.3%)

• Total Fats: 7.4g (Women: 10.6% / Men: 7.8%)

• Saturated Fats: 1.3g (Women: 6.5% / Men: 4.3%)

• Salt: 0.1g (Women: 1.7% / Men: 1.7%)

• Fibre: 1.8g (Women: 6.0% / Men: 6.0%)

See the Nutrition Info page for more details on % of Dietary Reference Values for men and women.

Homemade Baked Beans

I’ve always been a big baked beans fan. I really don’t feel that a cooked breakfast is complete without them - they add a slight sweetness to the meal and their sauce is perfect for bringing all the other components together. I still eat shop-bought tinned baked beans from time to time, but for a more luxurious breakfast I’ve been really enjoying these homemade, ‘rustic’ style baked beans. They’re really simple to prepare, they taste absolutely divine, and they’re much healthier than shop-bought tinned varieties that have lots of added salt and sugar.

These homemade baked beans freeze really well, so make a big batch and save some for a rainy day. They’re brilliant as part of a cooked breakfast but also make a delicious meal simply served on some toast (as I’ve pictured here) or in a jacket potato.

Homemade Baked Beans Recipe (vegan)

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 2 Tbsp rapeseed or olive oil

• 2 medium sized white onions, finely chopped

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tsp smoked paprika

• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

• 1 Tbsp brown sugar

• 2 x 400g tins butter beans*

• 400ml good quality passata

• pinch of salt and lots of black pepper

• Handful of fresh parsley to serve

* You can substitute butter beans with cannellini, haricot or pinto beans.

Method:

Heat the oil over a medium heat in a large lidded pan, then fry the onion until soft - around 10 minutes.

Add the garlic and paprika, and continue to fry for a further minute, stirring continuously.

Add the vinegar and sugar, then add the beans and passata. Season with salt and pepper, then turn the heat down to low and simmer gently with a lid on for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. As the beans blip away the sharpness of the tomato sauce goes and it thickens up nicely.

When the baked beans taste rich and tender, stir through some freshly chopped parsley. These homemade baked beans freeze very well so make a large batch and keep some for a rainy day!

Nutrition (per serving):

• Protein: 12.4g (Women: 24.8% / Men: 22.5%)

• Iron: 5.5mg (Women: 37.2% / Men: 63.2%)

• Calories: 266 (Women: 13.3% / Men: 10.6%)

• Sugar: 13.2g (Women: 14.7% / Men: 11.0%)

• Total fats: 9.7g (Women: 13.9% / Men: 10.2%)

• Saturated fat: 1.1g (Women: 5.5% / Men: 3.7%)

• Salt: 0.5g (Women: 8.3% / Men: 8.3%)

• Fibre: 11.8g (Women: 39.3% / Men: 39.3%)

See the Nutrition Info page for more details on % of Dietary Reference Values for men and women.

Oil Free Vegan Granola

Granola is a genius breakfast - it tastes absolutely delicious, and if you make a big batch of it you can have an instant healthy breakfast any day of the week. I’ve been having it lately either on its own with some nut milk for a quick breakfast, or using it to top my smoothie bowls which takes them to another level by adding a crunchy texture!

But the shop-bought versions of granola are nearly always made with a surprising amount of oil and can be way too sickly sweet. So I wanted to experiment with making an oil-free version to make it much healthier and at the same time reduce the calorie content, but make sure it still tastes incredible. Turns out adding oil to granola isn’t necessary at all! And the sugars in this oil-free vegan granola come naturally from the dates, cranberries, and a touch of maple syrup. If you like it a little sweeter you can always replace some of the water with additional maple syrup.

Give this a go and don’t forget to tag me on Intsagram if you do @Tj_waterfall - I’d love to see your recreations of this oil free vegan granola!

Vegan Oil Free Granola Recipe

Ingredients (serves 8):

• 2 cups rolled oats

• 1 cup chopped walnuts

• 1 cup chopped dates

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds

• 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

• 2/3 cup water

• 1/3 cup maple syrup

Method:

Preheat the oven to 150C

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl (oats, walnuts, dates, cranberries, seeds, cinnamon. Then mix in the water and maple syrup o thoroughly combine everything.

Spread the mixture out onto a baking tray, and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes until it’s golden brown all over. You should take the granola out every 10 minutes and give it a stir (it may require breaking up a little to ensure it’s nice and crumbly).

When it’s golden, take it out of the oven to cool. It may feel slightly soft while it’s still warm but don’t worry, it’ll get nice and crunchy as it cools.

You can store in an airtight container for up to 3-4 weeks.

Nutrition (per serving):

• Protein: 7.0g (Women: 14.0% / Men: 12.7%)

• Iron: 2.0mg (Women: 13.5% / Men: 23.0%)

• Calories: 306 (Women: 15.3% / Men: 12.2%)

• Sugar: 19.8g (Women: 22.0% / Men: 16.5%)

• Total Fats: 15.5g (Women: 22.1% / Men: 16.3%)

• Saturated Fat: 1.5g (Women: 7.5% / Men: 5.0%)

• Salt: 0.1g (Women: 1.7% / Men: 1.7%)

• Fibre: 4.9g (Women: 16.3% / Men: 16.3%)

See the Nutrition Info page for more details on % of Dietary Reference Values for men and women.

Vegan waffles recipe with quick blueberry sauce

I have to admit, I’m definitely a creature of habit. I enjoy a routine, I often stick to my favourite shops, and I start most days with a smoothie. I just love them because they’re so versatile, so you can use whatever fruit and veggies you have in the fridge. Which means although I’m kind of having the same thing each morning, the ingredients pretty much change daily, so I do get a huge variety of nutrients every morning. See my article here for why else smoothies can be so healthy.

Maybe that’s why I enjoy it even more when I do branch out and make something a little different. That’s why I love weekends - you have a little more time to create something really special, like these vegan waffles. All you need is a waffle iron like this mini one from Urban Outfitters. And this vegan waffle recipe I’ve been working on really is the bomb. The waffles turn out golden and crispy on the outside, light and fluffy in the middle. They’re sweet but not overly, sickly sweet. They’re mega versatile too and make the perfect receptacle for holding onto lovely sauces, fruit, spices or nut butters. And guess what? By making these waffles vegan and with whole wheat flour, they have a fraction of the saturated fat (but all the flavour) of traditional waffles made with eggs and dairy.

My favourite sauce for these waffles is this super-quick and easy blueberry sauce. Keep some leftovers if you make it because it also goes brilliantly on porridge or swirled into smoothie bowls for a sweet touch.

VEGAN WAFFLES RECIPE WITH QUICK BLUEBERRY SAUCE

Ingredients (makes 6 small waffles):

• 1 cup whole wheat flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 2 Tbsp brown sugar

• Small pinch of salt

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

• 1 cup soy milk

• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil

For the blueberry sauce (6 servings):

• 1 cup frozen blueberries

• 2 Tbsp maple syrup

• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice

• 1 Tbsp water

• 1 tsp cornstarch

Method:

Start by making the blueberry sauce. Tip the blueberries, maple syrup and lemon juice into a pan and simmer over a low heat

In a small cup stir the water and cornstarch until smooth, then add to the blueberries

Simmer on a low heat for 5-10 minutes until the sauce has thickened

Now turn on the mini waffle maker to heat up while you prepare the batter

Mix the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a bowl

Add the soy milk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract and mix until smooth

Pour a small ladle of the batter mixture into the hot mini waffle maker and cook for around 6-7 minutes until golden and crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside

Once ready, remove the waffle and set aside on a wire rack while you cook the remaining waffles

Serve with the warm blueberry sauce, a portion of fresh fruit and a dollop of your favourite nut butter

Nutrition (per mini waffle with sauce):

• Protein: 3.6g (women: 7.2% / men: 6.5%

• Iron: 1.0mg (women: 6.8% / men: 11.5%)

• Calories: 163 (women: 8.2% / men: 6.5%)

• Sugars: 10.4g (women: 11.6% / men: 8.7%)

• Total fats: 5.4g (women: 7.7% / men: 5.7%)

• Saturated fat: 0.6g (women: 3.0% / men: 2.0%)

• Salt: 0.1g (women: 1.7% / men: 1.7%)

• Fibre: 3.6g (women: 12.0% / men: 12.0%)

See the Nutrition Info page for more details on % of Dietary Reference Values for men and women.

My Go-To Green Smoothie

I can think of a hundred reasons why smoothies are such a great choice for breakfast. They're easy to take with you to have at work or on-the-go, they're quick to make, and they're delicious. But for me, the best part is just how incredibly good for you they can be. Check out my article on why smoothies can be so healthy and I'm pretty sure you'll be convinced!

In short, the extra portions of fruit and veg they help us consume have some incredible health benefits, including lowering the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, some cancers, cardiovascular disease, and a lower risk of becoming overweight. Smoothies can also be really high in iron and protein, great news for vegans. And they're perfect for keeping hydrated. So start your day with a healthy smoothie and you'll stay on top of your game! 

Another great thing about smoothies is just how versatile they can be - you can switch up the ingredients depending on what you have in the fridge. This recipe for my go-to green vegan breakfast smoothie is a favourite but I often switch up the ingredients which helps to get a variety of nutrients and flavours each day. 

My Go-To Green Breakfast Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1 banana

• 1/2 an apple

• 2-inch chunk cucumber

• 1/4 cup blueberries

• 1 cup fresh kale

• 1 cup fresh spinach

• 1 thin slice fresh ginger

• 1/2 scoop vanilla Vega Essentials vegan protein powder

Method:

This bit is really simple. Wash / rinse everything, chop up any larger ingredients, and chuck everything into a blender, topping up with water then adding the protein powder (optional). Blend until smooth then enjoy your healthy green vegan smoothie right away or keep in the fridge for later in the day (may need a stir if leaving 'till later). 

Nutrition:

• Protein: 15.4g (Women: 30.8% / Men: 28.0%)

• Iron: 3.9mg (Women: 26.4% / Men: 44.8%)

• Calories: 277 (Women: 13.9% / Men: 11.1%)

• Sugars: 29.2 (Women: 32.4% / Men: 24.3%)

• Total Fats: 3.1g (Women: 4.4% / Men: 3.3%)

• Saturated Fat: 0.4g (Women: 2.0% / Men: 1.3%)

• Salt: 0.3g (Women: 5.0% / Men: 5.0%)

• Fibre: 9.9g (Women: 33.0% / Men: 33.0%)

See the Nutrition Info page for more details on % of Dietary Reference Values for men and women.