Breakfast Burritos

It's Sunday morning, which means my house is a wreck, we're all up way too early and the stove has been utilized twice already. The kids are loud and wrestling and my husband is drawing up a space game on the chalkboard table. Sunday morning anarchy. All in all, a normal morning around here.

So after breakfast I'll sneak away to some quiet corner of the house (is there such a thing?) and maybe continue reading the book I've been working through this month:

I've read a lot of versions of the Yoga Sutras, and each has their worth in the author's contribution. But this version is straightforward and simple, and I am enjoying the practical use of the sutras and the Swami's simple explanations. Particularly relevent for me is sutra 1.33, in which we are asked to "cultivate friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous, and disregard toward the wicked."

It's so easy to practice yoga when the conditions are right, when you are surrounded by pleasant things and pleasant people, but it is much harder to practice our peacefulness when we are conflicted, bothered and uncomfortable. I wrote more on this topic here.

In all honesty this is a topic I struggle with. It's hard not to be jealous of people who have what you want for yourself, or to be kind to people who are not nice to you, or to disregard the people who do not like you. It's a heavy practice. And I often use cooking as my tool to move out of my "headspace." Cooking is simple: start with these ingredients, add a few more, watch it cook, smell, taste, enjoy, share. It's not the eating that I enjoy, but rather the process of creating. We all have practices and tools that we use to find a quiet place inside. I'm always interested in learning how other people find their calm.

Meanwhile, during Sunday morning anarchy, I made breakfast burritos. And by the time it was done, I felt more awake and alert,  like I could tackle twenty wrestling toddlers and laugh right along with them instead of being morning-mommy-grumpy-pants.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 baby bella mushrooms, diced

3 red potatoes, sliced

1 small onion, diced

1 small tomato, diced

2 green onions, chopped

3 eggs, whisked to combine

salt and pepper

tortillas, warmed

In a large pan, heat some olive oil. Add in the potatoes and cover. Cook until browned, stirring occasionally. Remove the cover and set aside, add in the mushrooms and cook until browned, about 2 minutes.

Add  in the onion and cook another few minutes, until soft. Next add the tomatoes and green onions, cook 1 minute. Pour in the egg and scramble.

Salt and Pepper to taste. Serve in warm tortillas with your favorite salsa.



Hearty Vegan Breakfast Scramble

My kids and husband, though not vegetarian,  eat mostly vegetarian food at home, since I'm the one who does all the cooking. Some things are easy, being already meat-free, like pancakes. But sometimes the locals start craving some sausage and it's always a treat to come up with something that pleases everybody.


Perfectly hearty and warming for the colder winter days, this recipe is low fat and packed with protein and flavor. But be warned: you better get your fill on the first bowl, because there won't be leftovers for second helpings!

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 block extra firm tofu, drained and cubed
5 vegetarian breakfast sausage patties, cubed
1 firm roma tomato, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 tsp each cumin and chili powder
1 sprig cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

In a skillet, heat some oil until it is very hot. Then add in the tofu and sausage, stirring occasionally, until browned all over. Add in the spices and cook 1 minute. Add in the tomatoes, green onions and cilantro, cook another 1-2 minutes.

Serve with salsa.