My father has the strictest morning routine I have ever seen. He wakes up at 6:30 AM, goes for a 45-minute walk, takes a shower, eats his breakfast and he’s on his way to work at 8:00 AM sharp. This has been his routine for as long as I can remember. Stricter than his morning routine is the list of things he eats at breakfast. A slice of toasted bread, green and black olives (four of each), a thin slice of Gruyere, a thick slice of white cheese (rest of the world calls it Feta cheese), a teaspoon of Swiss honey, tea with lemon (sweetened by the remnants of honey left on the teaspoon) and a small bowl of cherry tomatoes, which are peeled by my unbelievably patient mother. One would assume that his son would have acquired a somewhat similar breakfast habit.
I am a terrible son. I watch, but not learn. I don’t eat anything when I wake up. I go straight to the coffee machine and watch the walls while the drips fill the pot. Give me a plate full of crepes stuffed with chocolate gelato and smeared with dulce de leche and I’ll just stare at it with an empty look. I might shrug, too.
I know it’s bad. Very very bad. But this was all before Ozlem came along and introduced me to her line of vegan smoothies. This strawberry smoothie is my current favorite.
Flaxseeds, strawberries, coconut milk, a ripe banana, a dash of grape molasses and a couple of chocolate mint leaves (yes, the kind I grow in my balcony is called “chocolate mint” and it does smell like chocolate). This smoothie not only treated my breakfast disorder, but also provided a loving home for the bananas that were almost fermenting on my kitchen counter.
Ozlem says the ideal sweetener for a vegan smoothie is agave syrup, but we didn’t have it that morning so we used grape molasses instead. You can also use dried fruits such as dates, apricots and prunes. Also, placing the banana in the refrigerator the night before helps thicken the smoothie.
I still have my coffee in a gigantic mug every morning, but I also drink something exceptionally nutritional, too. My father is so proud.
2 servings
Ingredients
- 4 tsp flax seeds
- 2 ripe bananas (preferably cold)
- 1lb strawberries
- 1 cup coconut milk (or soy milk)
- 1 tbsp grape molasses (or agave syrup or 2 dried apricots/prunes/dates)
- 4 mint leaves (plus more for decoration)
Method
- Put all ingredients into a blender and blend on high speed for 30 seconds or until smooth.
- Pour into glasses, garnish with mint leaves and serve.
Sounds very good. I’ll make some for me tonight. Unfortunately we can’t find grape nor agave molasses this easy here in Brasil. I’m gonna use sugar cane molasses. Or Honey. I just remember i’ve got a good one made with wild flowers from the desert. Do you think it will work?
Gera – Here’s a photo of my chocolate mint plant.
Maria – I am not familiar with those wild flowers, but I’m sure sugar cane molasses or honey would work.
Beautiful smoothie and as you guess the strawberry is one of my favorites!
I need to know the “chocolate mint” plant…I want one right now to put in my garden 🙂
Just sent it to twitter!
Cheers!
Gera
Sounds delicious! I don’t know what grape molasses is, but I like the idea of using dried fruit as a sweetener. I just got home with a brand new blender and I happened to pick up 2 pints of strawberries and a bunch of bananas on the way home, too! My version might not be vegan, but I’ll definitely be making something similar! 🙂
Such wonderful writing. My Dad (Lebanese) also has the same breakfast every day: black coffee, zaatar with olive oil, black olives, Lebanese pita bread, and a white cheese (halloumi, feta or shankleesh).
Unlike you, I adore it too. If I’m lucky enough to be at my parents house at breakfast time I tuck in with gusto! 🙂
Love the smoothie too, coconut milk is a far superior smoothie ingredient than any dairy product. Nice one Ozlem!
Hehe, you and I are cut from the same cloth when it comes to morning routines. Your smoothie looks great!
+Jessie
never used coconut milk for smoothie but love the idea. never heard of chocolate mint either.
Never mind the strawberry smoothie. I love your father’s breakfast habits! I think I will try it out – and the willpower to get up sharp on the clock to go for a walk, be ready for work. He seems to me one role model worthwile to follow.
Me too, I don’t eat anything when I wake up but this vegan smoothies might make me change my mind.
I am not a breakfast person either but I too have been turned on to smoothies.
The colour came through really beautifully! Seems like the strawberry flavour blended very well with the coconut fragrance!
hi cenk, where can you find agave nectar here in istanbul? i had to bring mine from the US, but can’t find it here – thanks!
Jade – I can’t find it 🙂 I just did a search on google and stumbled upon a recipe from a restaurant called saf. You might try asking them. Here’s the link.
This looks like a wonderful breakfast to have! 🙂
You may have turned me vegan with this recipe…sounds delicious! I am completely fascinated by your father’s breakfast, I cannot think of a more nutritious meal than the one he has devised!
Wow this looks great!
Beautiful pic of Ozlem. Thanks for sharing, Cenk.
love it! you should try a ripe papaya in the mornings for breakfast. So simple, and so satisfying!
~Kathy
http://www.healthy-happy-life.com
ps LOVE LOVE LOVE your blog, check out mine!
Love this and love your blog. Making it today to muddle through a bug. I love that the Internet does this for us…connect us through our love of food.