A Vegan Kind of Morning: Sausage Patties & Pancakes

I was feeling the other night that we needed a hearty breakfast. Maybe I was having an oatmeal burnout temporarily (since we eat that most mornings). So I set out to make vegan sausage with ingredients that we can eat – rather than the scary list you see in refrigerated and frozen commercially made patties (read them, it is scary). A lot of vegan sausage patties call for rice but why not quinoa? It is rich in protein and it adapts to most flavors. My hunch was right and the patties came out great! They had a nice testure, great taste and very filling! The quinoa was the perfect canvas for all the herbs and spices. And nary any soy found in this patty! And I managed to still cram some oaty goodness in them as well…..

And then I got up and wandered down to the kitchen and saw one of the berry thieves in our yard:

The robin happily munched away on a ripe strawberry, eating about half and then flew off with the rest.

I am OK with that…I feel my garden is as much theirs as it is mine. If I can provide a safe haven for birds my job has been well done.

Vegan Sausage Patties

Ingredients:

• ½ cup quinoa
• 1 cup water
• ¾ cup old-fashioned oats
• 2 Tbsp white whole wheat flour
• 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp rubbed sage
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• ¼ tsp dried thyme
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp sunflower oil
• 1½ Tbsp lower sodium soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 3 Tbsp water

Directions:

Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer, add to a small saucepan with the water. Bring to a boil, cover and turn to medium-low. Simmer for 15 minutes, set aside for 5 minutes. Fluff up and let cool a bit.

Grind the oats in a food processor, add the quinoa and the remaining ingredients, process until mixed. Divide into 9 balls, using a 3-Tablespoon Disher. Flatten the balls into patties, set on a parchment paper lined plate or cookie sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Take out and let warm up for 30 minutes, then heat a large skillet over medium (use a regular skillet, not non-stick). Spread a liberal amount of oil in the pan, add half of the patties and cook for about 3 minutes on each side, until crispy.

Makes 9 patties.

Vegan Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1¼ cups white whole wheat flour
• 2 Tbsp maple sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice blend
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 1¼ cups unsweetened almond or coconut milk
• 1 Tbsp sunflower oil plus more for skillet

Directions:

Preheat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, spices and salt to a large mixing bowl. Add the milk and oil to the center, whisk until just mixed.

Add a small amount of oil to the skillet, turn down to medium and drop small ladles of the batter (about ¼ cup or so). When the edges are dry and the bottom is golden flip over, cook until browned on the other side. Repeat till done (I cooked 3 at a time to make flipping easier)

Makes about 9 to 10 pancakes.

Breakfast serves 3 hungry adults or 4 smaller appetites – or 2 adults and 2 kids.

~Sarah