Hoover’s Breakfast Greens and Tofu
Rise and shine, let’s eat something flavorful, healthy and delicious- something like breakfast greens and tofu! Spices like cumin and smoked paprika join garlic, jalapeños, and onions to give these tofu and greens some character and a great, bold flavor- although not so much that you can’t handle it first thing in the morning! Eat your tofu and greens on a warmed tortilla, and then go face the day!
Skip the Post, Click for a Print-Friendly Recipe
Eating Greens for Breakfast
I decided a while ago to try and eat greens for breakfast. I’m not much of a breakfast person, so eating breakfast isn’t really something I enjoy doing. I also know I should eat more greens, so I thought I’d get two things out of the way at once. An easy breakfast, and more greens. My method of doing this was to steam some greens and top them with a little soy sauce or sesame oil. Definitely not the most interesting thing in the world, but it was greens for breakfast. My boyfriend, whos surname is Hoover (hence the recipe title), was less inclined to eat this healthy and boring breakfast option. I gave up on the greens for breakfast a while ago, but my boyfriend does still sometimes make his variation on the concept. It involves a lot more spices, some tofu (or occasionally beans), tortillas, and is delicious! There’s never a recipe, so this is my effort to distill his general technique into something one could follow, with some of my own flair on it. It might be more work than steamed greens with soy sauce, but I assure you it’s not much more work- and it’s much less depressing of a way to start your day!
Looking for more Vegan Greens Recipes? Try one of these!
- Watercress Soup with Tofu and Vegan Broth
- Arugula Topped Mushroom Flatbreads
- Swiss Chard Recipe: Ohitashi & Japanese Pickled Stems
- Massaged Mustard Greens Salad
- Quick Vegan Creamy Pasta with Kale
- Vegan Radicchio Pasta with Smoky Mushrooms & Olives
- Collard Greens and Maitake Steamed Buns (Hen of the Woods)
How to Make Hoover’s Breakfast Greens
It all starts with the tofu- you want to get some good color on it, so get it in the pan first with some hot oil. You can press your tofu to get out some extra water, but I usually don’t simply because of laziness. It works plenty fine without pressing the tofu. Once the tofu is crispy, the spices and onions are added, shortly followed by garlic and jalapeños. After that, all you need are your greens. Depending on what green you use, they will cook more or less quickly, but none of them will take all that long. After a few minutes of sautéing, they should be a darker, richer green, and they should be delicate and tender to bite. And you’re pretty much done now! Season it with salt and pepper, and serve the greens with tortillas. You can add vegan cheese or sour cream if you like. I enjoy some hot sauce on mine, or you could add a different salsa. If you want to make this a gluten-free breakfast, switch the soy sauce out for tamari, and make sure to use corn tortillas.
Hoover’s Breakfast Greens and Tofu
Ingredients
- 1 lb. firm tofu
- Oil, for cooking
- 1 tsp. cumin seeds
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 large onion, cut into half-moons
- 4 cloves garlic, diced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
- 1 large bunch of swiss chard (or other hearty green such as collard greens or kale), cut into thin ribbons
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Tortillas, for serving
Instructions
- Chop the tofu into cubes. You can press it first to release the extra water- I don’t bother normally and it turns out fine. Heat a couple tablespoons of oil in a large skillet. Once hot, add the tofu and cook. Flip around occasionally until it is somewhat browned.
- Move the tofu to the side, and add the cumin seeds. Once the seeds begin popping, add the garlic powder, smoked paprika, soy sauce, and onion. Toss everything around, and sauté for around 5 minutes, until the onions soften. Add the garlic and jalapeño, and sauté for another minute or two until fragrant.
- Add the greens to the skillet. Cover with a lid for a few minutes to soften the greens more quickly. Remove the lid, stir, and cook until the greens are vibrant and tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste, turn off the heat, and serve with warmed tortillas and hot sauce.
Click for a Print-Friendly Recipe
Like this Vegan Breakfast Option? Pin it!
4 thoughts on “Hoover’s Breakfast Greens and Tofu”