Sunday Morning: Vegan Sausages and Banana Oatmeal Pancakes

Saturday night I was feeling inspired to have a laid back “Sunday Morning” breakfast, so after dinner I made the sausages and chilled them overnight, saving the frying of them for the last-minute. Easy way to enjoy a hearty breakfast and still be plant-based. As for the rice in the sausages? You can use whatever you have on hand, leftovers from dinner work well. Use brown, or white or black.

Vegan Breakfast Sausages

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed meal
• 3 Tbsp water
• 1½ Tbsp soy sauce or tamari sauce
• 1 Tbsp neutral vegetable oil
• 1 tsp molasses
• 1 cup brown rice (measured after being cooked)
• ¾ cup old-fashioned oats
• 2 Tbsp white whole wheat flour
• 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
• 1 Tbsp ground sage
• ½-1 tsp ground black pepper (more for spicier)
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• Neutral vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

In a small bowl whisk the flaxseed, water, soy sauce and oil together, let hydrate for 10 minutes.

Pulse the oats in a food processor until finely chopped, add in cooled rice and the flour through red pepper flakes. Drizzle the wet ingredients on top, process until just mixed.

Make 1 Tablespoon balls (a 1 Tablespoon Disher works well), pack firmly in your hands, then flatten. Place on a plastic or parchment paper lined plate, cover tightly and refrigerate till needed.

When ready to cook, remove from the refrigerator a half hour before to warm up a bit. Heat a large stainless steel or cast iron skillet over medium. Drizzle in a little oil, fry half the patties till browned, then flip over and fry till the other side is browned. Remove to a plate, drizzle in a little more oil and repeat with the second batch.

Makes about 17.

I was inspired by a recipe I saw in the October 2012 issue of Fitness Magazine, on page 144. The recipe is from the author of Vegan Cooking for Carnivores: Over 125 Recipes So Tasty You Won’t Miss the Meat. I did adapt them. Using almond milk and white whole wheat flour over soy milk and all-purpose flour. Hearty pancakes and a breeze to make. Always reading my $1 a year or free magazine subscriptions for new ideas….

Banana Oatmeal Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups unsweetened almond milk
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 2 ripe bananas
• ½ cup white whole wheat flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp fine sea salt

Directions:

Add almond milk and oats to a high-speed blender (such as a Vitamix), run on high for a few seconds to blend. Add in the remaining ingredients, put on lid and quickly process on high until smooth, using the tamper as needed. Set aside for 10 minutes.

During the rest time, heat a large skillet over medium. Spritz the hot skillet with a few bursts of neutral vegetable oil, drop shy ¼ cups of the batter on the skillet. Cook until bubbles form, the edges are dry and the the bottom is golden, flip over and cook until golden as well.

Repeat till all are cooked. To avoid soggy pancakes stash on a wire cooling rack and store in a 200° oven until done.

Serve with pure maple syrup and more bananas chopped on top.

Makes about 12.

~Sarah