Making Breakfast More Interesting: Sprouted Grain Bagels, Arugula and Fresh Figs

I've written many a time about how I tend to get into a rut with breakfast.  This week, I'm going to make an effort to get out of that rut, but still do something quick and easy.

I've been eating traditional bagels lately, but I wanted to try something a little healthier and a little easier on my stomach.  So, I decided to try Alvarado Street Bakery's Sprouted Wheat Onion Poppy Seed Bagels.  You've probably heard a lot about sprouted grains recently - they've gotten a ton of press (well, at least in the veg-friendly media I read).  According to the Whole Grains Council, "Sprouting grains increases many of the grains' key nutrients, including B vitamins, vitamin C, folate, fiber, and essential amino acids often lacking in grains, such as lysine. Sprouted grains may also be less allergenic to those with grain protein sensitivities." Some folks also claim that sprouted grains are easier to digest, which I was definitely willing to try.

I also thought I'd up the oomph on the toppings. Yesterday, when I was picking up my provisions for football Sunday, I was happy to see that fresh figs were still available, so I jumped at the chance to buy some.  I'm pretty sure the ones I bought were kadota figs - a yellow-green skin with a bright pink interior.  So, rather than just topping the bagel with my new favorite thing, vegan cream cheese, I took some inspiration from the yummy treat I had last week at the PIGS benefit and added some arugula and fresh figs.

It was a cool flavor combination - the sweetness of the figs and the creaminess of the vegan crea cheese contrasted nicely with the onion flavored bagel & peppery arugula.  I think I'll have it again tomorrow!

PIGS Celebration and Vegan Cocktail Food

Tonight, I attended a cocktail party in celebration of PIGS Animal Sanctuary's 20th Anniversary.  PIGS is a home to many rescued animals, and I one day hope to visit there.  In the meantime, I am happy to support PIGS from here in DC!

Tonight's keynote speaker was Victoria Moran, who is such an inspiration for anyone interested in becoming a vegan.  I'm midway through reading Main Street Vegan and am so moved by how Victoria has shared her personal vegan journey and how she encourages compassion not only for the animals and for the earth, but also for ourselves as we transition from the standard American diet to a plant-based, vegan one.  Tomorrow, I'm attending her workshop at Tranquil Space, and I look forward to learning more from her!

My favorite part of Victoria's remarks was her vegan acronym, which she shares on her blog:

V - Validate your choice by learning all you can.
E - Enjoy the adventure: have fun with this; we’re lucky to know about it!
G - Get to know other vegans, thru conferences, MeetUps, making online friends.
A – Add more than you subtract: new foods, new dishes, new activities, new places to shop — Going veg should make you happier every day.
N - Never forget the animals: If you’re doing this for your health, good for you — but there are lots of opinions on health. Reverence for life, on the other hand, isn’t an opinion based on one study that could be invalidated by the next; it’s a living ethic, a way of being that will enrich your life and cultivate your soul.

Tonight was a perfect example of living the acronym for me!  V - I learned a ton about making compassionate choices.  E - I definitely had fun and enjoyed myself!  G - I hung out with some current veg-friendly friends and met some new ones.  A - I tried some delicious food (see below) and N -  Hooray for PIGS! 

So yes, let's talk about the food.  There was a lovely array of small bites to choose from, from white bean and broccoli raab bruschettas to cheeseless pizzas to hummus and fresh pita chips to a gorgeous veggie plate.  But, my favorite had to be the arugula and fresh fig flatbread.  I adore arugula and fresh figs on their own, but never thought of combining them, and now I think I'll have that combination as often as possible, which won't be much longer as the window for fresh figs is slowly coming to a close.

Here's the delicious veggie plate we noshed on!

Also, I got to sample a Pig-Tini, which helped raise money for PIGS.

Carol and I really enjoyed our Pig-Tinis!

Oh, and I won two items in the silent auction -  an autographed copy of Neal Barnard's Breaking the Food Seduction and original artwork by fellow yogini Mary Catherine Starr:

All in all, a great night!