Desayuno al Osita

It's Breakfast Time!When Sal and I were in Guatemala we discovered the most delicious breakfast ever. It's called "El Chapin", Chapin being a term for Guatemalan. This breakfast consisted of eggs al gusto (how you like) with some sauteed tomato and onion, re-fried black beans, platanos maduros, a cheese called simply "queso fresco" (almost feta-like) and fresh, handmade corn tortillas.

Well, sadly, we're not in Guatemala anymore. The chickens here don't roam free in the streets, fully beaked and satisfied. And eating beans everyday for six months made us... well, you know, they are the magical fruit.... So we've adapted this favorite breakfast of all time to fit a healthy, comfortable vegan lifestyle. It's so good, we eat it everyday and if, for some reason, we miss it, I make it for dinner (we call it brinner and it is a many splendored thing). Sal is addicted to this breakfast, I had to show him how to make it for days I oversleep/get sick/whatever.

Step One: Gather your ingredients.
This amount feeds 2 hungry people 3 tacos each.

1. 1 tbsp Earth Balance vegan margarine
2. 1/2 a medium red onion, diced
3. 1 tsp salt
4. 2 tsp agave nectar
5. 2 cloves garlic, mashed and chopped
6. 1 cup chopped button mushrooms (I go by the rule of: 2 mushrooms per serving)
7. 1/2 cup diced asparagus (2 stalks asparagus per serving) —For tips on prepping and cooking asparagus, see VeganYumYum's awesome how-to, I love her site!—
8. 1 cup chopped frozen brocolli (fresh is better, I'm sure, but I always have frozen around)
9. 2 slices (about an ounce) of Follow Your Heart Vegan Gourmet Mozzarella, diced
10. About 4 ounces, a thick slice, of firm tofu
11. 1 ripe plantain (ripe plantains can be hard to find at your average grocery store, try a Mexican market or a farmer's market or buy them in advance and let them ripen)
12. 2 veggie sausages
    

Step Two: I love onions. I really do. I basically start most meals with this step. Heat a large frying pan (wok-style is best) over medium-high heat, add the Earth Balance margarine and let it melt and begin to sizzle lightly. Add the diced onion and stir to coat with the margarine. I always tell myself to take my time with onions, let them cook slowly. When they begin to release their juices and turn all shiny, add the salt and agave nectar and stir it up well. Put a lid on it, lifting it to stir every couple of minutes, and let the onions caramelize just a little.

Step Three: Veggies make it best. Add the garlic and let it cook with the onions for a little before adding the mushrooms. Mushrooms take time, I let them cook the longest, stirring frequently. Add the asparagus, stir it in and add the broccoli almost immediately after. If there's one thing I can't stand about the south it's this: overcooked vegetables. Things like asparagus and broccoli are best when they have a crunch to them! Don't overcook them, let your asparagus turn a lighter shade of green, the broccoli only needs to defrost and soften slightly.

Step Four: Scramble. Lower the heat to a medium-low setting and add your cubes of vegan cheese. Stir it in and let it melt.

While that's melting, this is a good time to slice your plantain. I start with the curve of the plantain and slice diagonally, that way I get a few good, long slices and some short ones. I've been using these microwave steaming bags my mother-in-law bought, but I used to just use a microwave-safe container with the lid loose. Put your plantain slices in there, generously sprinkled with water and microwave for 3 minutes (remember, microwaves vary so adjust as needed).

Go back to your scramble and stir it some more, the cheese should be melting and spreading throughout the veggies. Sometimes there's still a few chunks of cheese in there and this doesn't bother me at all —but it does look a little funny. When it's melted to your liking, add the tofu by squishing it in between your fingers. This was the big break-through in tofu scramble for me. Squish squish squish. Stir it all up and turn off the heat.


Step Five: Breakfast ASSEMBLE! Your plantains should be all steamed, set them aside. Now, while I microwave my vegan sausages, I also heat up my plates. Just run some water over the plates, put the sausages on top and microwave it all for about 2 minutes (1 minute per sausage, basically).

I've yet to master homemade tortillas (someday!) so I buy the big bags of corn tortillas at the store. To heat them up, stack them about 5 high in between two damp paper towels and microwave for 30-45 seconds. Divvy up the plantains, sausages and hearty scoops of tofu scramble and get ready for one of the more delicious breakfasts ever. Sal always enjoys his with either hot sauce or a pepper, I usually add a little more salt. To make it a true Chapin, serve it with a cup of fresh coffee and fresh-squeezed orange juice.

We clean our plates everyday.

Also, look at the puppy: