Spicy Vegan Breakfast Scramble
Written by Natasha Zervaas
As a Naturopath specialising in stress, I am always looking for nutrition ‘hacks’ to support my client’s general health and wellbeing – and sleep is crucial for rest and repair. Producing sufficient levels of the neurotransmitter Serotonin is important to promote a healthy sleep cycle as well as decrease the symptoms of anxiety and depression. ***Although soy does not contain Serotonin, it contains three compounds that support Serotonin production - the amino acid Tryptophan, Isoflavones and complex carbohydrates. Just a 1 cup serving size of tofu gives you 89% of your daily requirement of Tryptophan, which in combination with the compounds above, helps to synthesize Serotonin.
Hence even though I would consider thyroid inhibiting, GMO based soy foods to be my foe, overall, soybeans, in general, are my friend as they are a nutritious and versatile food that would make an excellent addition to the standard Australian diet.
If you are considering transitioning to a more plant-based diet, shopping for meat substitutes at the supermarket can be a potential minefield. If you are not sure what to buy, the general rule would be to steer well clear of the highly processed ‘faux meat’ products and look for organic, non-gmo, fermented soy foods like Tofu.
Try this healthy, quick and easy recipe which you can play around with the flavours by switching out whatever vegetables you have on hand.
Spicy Vegan Breakfast Scramble Spicy Vegan Breakfast Scramble
Spicy Vegan Breakfast Scramble
Ingredients
- 350 gms of extra firm tofu - well drained and cut into approximately 2-3cm cubes
- 2 ripe tomatoes diced
- ½ a capsicum diced
- ¾ cup of button mushroom finely sliced
- ½ an onion finely diced
- 3 spring onions diced
- 3 cloves of garlic finely diced
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of gluten free Tamari or Coconut aminos
- ½ a teaspoon of ground ginger
- ½ a teaspoon of ground turmeric
- ½ a teaspoon of chilli powder
- ½ - 1 tablespoon of hot chilli sauce - optional
- Salt and pepper plus additional hot sauce to taste
Instructions
- Place a large frying pan over a medium heat and add the olive oil, garlic and onion. Saute for a few minutes until the onion is softened.
- Add to the pan the cubed Tofu, capsicum, mushrooms, tomatoes, spring onions, ginger, turmeric, chilli, tamari and hot sauce (if using) and fry for approximately 6-8 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
- Season to taste and can eat as is, or serve with toast, or in a wrap for breakfast on the go.
Let’s Make a Difference
Every day we have the opportunity to make hundreds of choices. We are so fortunate to live in a time where information is so easily accessible and we have the opportunity and freedom to make choices that we feel are the best for us and our families.
I encourage you to continue educating yourself and others about the benefits of living a plant-based lifestyle. Cook a plant-based meal, opt-out of products like leather, watch a documentary with a family member or friend. It’s easy to feel like the choices we make are small, but when we make these choices together, we can make a big difference!
