Anti-Inflammatory Vegan Breakfast Scramble

Do you ever wake up the morning after an arduous activity and feel kind of, like, swollen? And no, I’m not trying to make a joke about getting “swoll” (although I guess that’s part of the process, too…).

This summer, I’ve been putting in a lot of long miles on the trail (don’t worry, I still secretly hate running). And after longer runs, I can feel the heaviness building in my legs and the pain in my knees. When I was climbing more, I felt it in my finger joints and my shoulders. However you push your body, chances are that the stress of exercise causes some inflammation in your body.

So, rather than popping that advil or ibuprofen, I created a post and pre-activity breakfast that feels like one giant pain reliever. And let me tell ya, it tastes a whole lot better. Here’s why it works:

Turmeric. Ginger. Ghee. Tofu. All of these foods are well known and well documented for their anti-inflammatory properties. And I know you might be sick of me talking about turmeric at this point but seriously– this stuff is magic.

So the next time you’ve got some body-stressing activities planned, give your body a leg up by starting your day with the recipe. It’ll help set you up for success, rather than leave you trying to make up for the damage done after the fact. But if you forget, this is also one of my favorite meals to enjoy when I’m binging TV after a big effort (life is about balance, right?).

Anti-Inflammatory VEgan Breakfast Scramble

Ingredients

• 1 package tofu

• 1 teaspoon diced ginger (fresh is best, but you can use powdered ginger too)

• 1/3 white onion, thinly sliced

• 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

• 1 carrot, diced

• 1 crown broccoli

• 3 mushrooms

• 1 teaspoon ghee or olive oil

• 1 tablespoon turmeric powder (or 1 teaspoon fresh)

• 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• dash pepper

Directions

1. Place ghee, ginger, and onion in a frying pan and saute over medium heat for 1-2 minutes.

2. Add in all vegetables (bell pepper, carrot, broccoli, and mushrooms. Cover and sautee for 7-10 minutes over medium-low heat.

3. Crumble tofu into the pan, then add in turmeric, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir to mix well and cook for 3 minutes, stirring often.

4. Reduce heat, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

5. Enjoy immediately. Serve alone, or with a side of toasted whole wheat bread.

Makes two large servings, or three small servings.