Plant-Based Cooked Breakfast Recipe

3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

1 small red onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, sliced

½ tsp smoked paprika

¼ tsp cayenne pepper, plus a pinch for the tomatoes

14oz (400g) can navy beans, rinsed and drained

9oz (250g) crushed and sieved tomatoes

freshly ground black pepper

5½oz (150g) chestnut mushrooms

1 baby eggplant (3½oz/100g), cut into small cubes

1 tsp dried mixed herbs

3 ripe medium tomatoes, halved

1 large sweet potato (about 7oz/200g), scrubbed not peeled

1 tbsp cider vinegar

2 eggs

½oz (15g) sunflower seeds

parsley, to serve

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan and fry the onion for 2–3 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and fry for another minute. Then, add the spices, beans, and tomatoes, stirring well. Season the mixture with black pepper, bring it to a simmer, cover, and let it cook gently, stirring occasionally.

Replace the navy beans with soy beans to boost intake of phyto-estrogens. Dried varieties will need soaking before using, for 8–10 hours or overnight.

Place the mushrooms on a large baking sheet and drizzle them with a little oil. Put the eggplant cubes at the other end of the sheet and season them with the dried herbs and black pepper, then drizzle on a little more oil. Roast for 10 minutes before adding the tomatoes, seasoning the tops with a pinch of cayenne. Return to the oven for another 5–10 minutes until the eggplant is cooked.

Eggplants are rich in a variety of antioxidants, including chlorogenic acid. Chlorogenic acid is thought to help lower levels of LDL or “bad” cholesterol, which causes fatty deposits to build up within arteries.

Put a pan of water on to boil and grate the sweet potatoes. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat, then press the grated potato into 3in (7.5cm) cooking rings to shape the hash browns. Fry for 3 minutes on one side, pressing the potato down (to compact into a “cake”), and 2 minutes on the other.

Add the vinegar to the boiling water and break one egg into a small bowl. Reduce the heat to a simmer and carefully drop the egg into the simmering water; repeat for the second egg. Poach the eggs for 3–4 minutes; lift the eggs out with a slotted spoon.

Serve a hash brown per plate with a poached egg, a spoonful of beans, some roasted vegetables, and a sprinkle of the seeds and parsley.

Swap the sunflower seeds for pumpkin seeds to get extra iron, potassium, phosphorus, and zinc.