High-Protein Breakfast Idea: Style Your Scramble

Full disclosure: I don’t use recipes that often when I’m cooking. My husband gave me the cutest stand for my cookbooks and I have a saved folder that could rival a library catalogue, but I generally prefer to style and assemble my meals. It’s kind of like doing a puzzle instead of building a lego set—there’s a strategy, but no instructions.

Here’s what I mean: You start with a base of protein and complex carbohydrates. Style your flavour profile with vegetables or fruit plus herbs and spices. Drizzle or sprinkle with some healthy fat. I am a former fashion editor, so it makes sense that I would find a way to relate cooking a meal to putting on an outfit. But when you think about it, doesn’t it just feel right? So many of us get dressed with those foundational basics and layer accessories on top. This is just in a pan. On your stove. In the kitchen. It was honestly such a relief when I gained some kitchen confidence and figured this out. Plus, I can whip together an energy-boosting, balanced meal in a pretty short amount of time without a reference.

This is also a huge time-saving approach to healthy cooking, so I’m excited to share my meal styling tips with you.

Okay, back to breakfast. First off, starting your day with a protein-rich meal has been shown to support sustained energy levels throughout the day. Secondly, eating more vegetables (studies now recommend at least 30 different plants a week) is a no-fuss way of supporting balance and harmony in your gut microbiome. A one-pan scramble checks both of these boxes. So I’m sharing my go-to breakfast scramble for the summer months as your starting place. Once you master this simple recipe, you’ll be ready to switch up your flavours and style your scrambles with ease.

High-Protein Tofu Summer Scramble

Ingredients:

1/3 package of Big Mountain Foods soy-free tofu

1/2 cup summer squash, chopped

1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped

1/8 cup green onion, sliced

1 cup arugula

1 tsp avocado oil

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

2 tbsp nutritional yeast

1/4 cup salsa

salt and pepper to taste

splash of plant-based milk as needed

Directions:

1. Warm up the avocado oil over medium heat in a non-stick ceramic pan. (The Our Place Always Pan is my personal favourite.)

2. Once the pan is warmed up, add the chopped onion and sauté for 1-2 minutes.

3. Then add the squash and bell pepper and cook for an additional 3 minutes.

4. Once the veg has softened, crumble the tofu with your hands into the pan for a fine, scrambled texture.

5. Add the garlic powder, smoked paprika and nutritional yeast and mix everything together. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring often.

6. Add a splash of plant-based milk and stir until you’ve reached your desired texture.

7. Take the pan off the element and add the arugula and green onions to the scramble, Stir together and serve with salsa on the side.

Serving the scramble on a piece of sourdough or whole grain bread with a 1/4 avocado is a brilliant idea. And there you have a flavourful and quick to make breakfast that will fuel your energy in the morning.

When you’re ready to try this a few different ways, here are a few more of my favourite scramble styling ideas: Fava bean tofu with onions, garlic, kale, mushrooms, and nutritional yeast; Eggs with leeks, dandelion greens, leftover steamed asparagus, smoked salmon, and parsley; Silken tofu with red onions, garlic, spinach, chopped tomatoes, cilantro, cumin, and smoked paprika.

Be sure to tag me @its14carrots if you make this recipe! Happy styling!

---

Looking for more ideas? Sign up for my FREE cheat sheet, 5 Surprising Ways To Boost Your Afternoon Energy (Nope, Not Coffee!)