Tortilla sunrise.

Not long ago, I was staying with a friend who offered to cook breakfast. "It's my tortilla special," was all she would say. Never one to turn down a good vegan meal, I had a wonderful surprise when she made spicy potato tacos. Inspired, when I got home I started experimenting with fillings and spreads. Now I serve these fabulous flat breads for breakfast instead of limiting them to the usual lunch or dinner fare.

Flat breads have been around since ancient history. In Greek and Roman times, flat breads were cooked under the ashes or on a stone slab placed over the fire. When the Egyptians developed ovens, flat breads were baked oil a shelf in a communal oven, or the flattened dough was stuck to the sides of the oven and baked. And it probably wasn't long before people were spreading toppings on them or wrapping them around fillings. In India, flat breads called chapatis are served with dals or spicy curries. The French fill crepes, and in the Middle East, lavosh, a large flat bread made with yeasted wheat dough, is used as a scoop or wrap for vegetable or bean dips. In Mexico, both wheat and corn tortillas are made and filled with beans, vegetables, and cheeses. All around the world fabulous filled flat breads are eaten for breakfast, snacks, lunch, and dinner.

Breakfast in the United States is often a very important meal, setting the mood and pace for our day. Of course, it should be nutritious, low in fat and sugar, and high in fiber, but it should also be something fun, something that we look forward to eating. However, hectic schedules, personal habits, and cultural conditioning rule our lives, and morning is not usually the time of day we step outside those bounds. Most of us are trapped inside our hot or cold cereal, quick smoothie, or muffin-and-coffee routines. I grew up in a get-your-own-sliced-fruit-and-cold-cereal family, and my parents ate the exact same breakfast for many years. I can practically hear my mother gasping now as I reach for my Black Bean and Avocado Tostada or dig into a Red Bean and Millet Enchilada before noon.

When we have to rush off to an over-scheduled day, stuffed tortillas or chapatis, put together the night before, make an ideal, healthy take-along breakfast. Or maybe the breakfast doldrums have hit and you need something appealing to get your kids to sit down and eat a good breakfast. It's time to get creative and think beyond the usual breakfast offerings. The filling choices are as endless as your imagination. Beans, grains, vegetables, tofu, tempeh, leftover casseroles, and stir-fries all work well. You can add roasted peppers or eggplant, saut6ed onions and garlic, mashed squash or sweet potatoes, corn, sliced olives, and even braised winter greens for unusual variations. Add a nice contrast of raw crunchiness for a finishing touch such as shredded carrots or cabbage, finely chopped peppers, cucumber, sprouts, lime-marinated jicama sticks, chopped watercress, or spinach leaves.

Below are some of my favorite recent creations. You can follow the recipes as they are or take the ideas and create your own tortilla breakfasts. Or how about inviting some friends over for a create-your-own tortilla breakfast with a variety of fillings to share?

LOSE THE FAT, KEEP THE FLAVOR

Low fat and high flavor are the keys to your creative tortilla breakfast. You can keep much of the fat out of the corn tortillas by either baking them without any oil at all, spraying both sides with a cooking spray, or brushing lightly with oil on one tortilla side. Lay the tortillas fiat on a baking sheet and bake in a 250-degree oven for 5 to 15 minutes, depending on how soft or crisp you want them. When making tacos with soft shells, a little oil seems to work better than baking without any oil at all.

Onions, peppers, and garlic can be sweated instead of sauteed. When saut6ing, you need about three tablespoons of oil. The oil is heated in the pan, and the onions and peppers are placed in the hot oil and stirred until cooked. To sweat the vegetables, pierce the pan on medium heat, then add 1/2 to 1 tablespoon oil and the onions at the same time. Stir, reduce the heat to low, and cover with a lid that fits directly over the onions (this leaves very little room for air so the onions won't burn). You can sweat the onions until they are transparent or until they begin to brown. Remove the lid, and stir occasionally. This takes from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on how brown you want the onions. Sweating draws the juices of the onions out instead of sealing them in. Either way you can get caramelized onions. Peppers and garlic can be sweated along with the onions.

You can boost flavor by adding chopped cilantro, hot or sweet spices, or herbs. For kids, adding sweet vegetables such as sweet potatoes, mashed winter squash, or carrots also enhances the flavor.

RED BEAN AND MILLET
ENCHILADAS
(Serves 6)

It's easy to make these using whatever
leftover beans and grains you have on
hand. For example, try black beans,
pinto beans, or cannellini beans in place
of red beans, and try rice or quinoa
instead of millet. For a lazy Sunday
brunch, I like to prepare the whole dish
a day ahead. You can serve it with some
seasonal fresh fruit, a steamed vegetable,
and some warmed flour tortillas. If you
choose to do this, add on about 20 minutes
to the cooking time. You can use
two 14-ounce cans of enchilada sauce
instead of making the sauce, but read
the ingredients carefully. Many canned
enchilada sauces contain lard or cotton-seed
oil.

FILLING

One 7-ounce con chopped green chilis,
  divided in half
1 cup cooked millet
3/4 cup cooked dried beans or drained,
  canned red beans
1/2 cup baked sweet potatoes or yams, or use
  mashed, baked winter squash
1/2 cup frozen or fresh corn
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)

SAUCE

1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (optional)
One 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
  (no salt added)
1 teaspoon vegan granulated sweetener *
1/2 teaspoon salt

12 soft corn tortillas
1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups finely chopped red onions, or use a
  combination of sliced green onions and red
  onions

In a medium mixing bowl, mash half of the chilies, millet, beans, and sweet potato together with a potato masher. Mix in the corn, salt, and cilantro. Set aside while you prepare the sauce.

Heat a heavy skillet (not cast iron, or the tomatoes may become bitter) over medium heat. Add oil, onion, and jalapeno. Stir, reduce heat, and cover with a lid. Sweat until onions are transparent. Remove lid and add garlic, cumin, coriander, and chipotle chili powder, if desired. Stir, cover, and cook on medium-low for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, adding a little water if mixture gets too dry. Remove lid, and add the tomatoes, sweetener, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool for about 10 minutes. Prepare tortillas while the sauce cools.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Frugally brush one side of each tortilla with olive oil. Lay tortilla fiat, oil side up, on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes. Tortillas should be soft and pliable. Remove from oven and dip one side of a tortilla into the sauce. Then lay flat in a 13" x 9" baking dish and spread about 3 tablespoons of filling down the middle. Fold the sides over and turn the filled tortilla over so the seam side is down. Repeat with each tortilla. If you have any filling left over scatter it over the top. Sprinkle with chopped onions and remaining chilies. Pour the sauce over all, cover, and bake for 25 minutes.

Total calories per enchilada: 321  Fat: 7 grams
Carbohydrates: 59 grams            Protein: 9 grams
Sodium: 471 milligrams             Fiber: 10 grams

* Note: Some cane sugar is processed through bone char filters. See <www.vrg.org/journal/ vj97mar/973sugar, htm> for further information, or send a SASE and a request for a copy of this article to VRG, PO Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203.

ROASTED VEGETABLE
TACOS
(Makes 8 tacos)

If you're looking for a quick breakfast,
make a double batch of roasted
vegetables the night before and use
some as a side dish. Small children
may like them without the chili powder.
You can reheat vegetables in a
microwave (about five minutes to
reheat all of them, stirring halfway
through) or in a conventional oven
for about 10 to 15 minutes.

1 large onion, roughly chopped
1 head garlic, peeled and cloves separated
1 1/2 cups cut-up delicata squash (about 1/2
  medium squash)
1/2 medium red pepper, cut into 1/2-inch
  strips
3 medium yellow finn or red potatoes, cut
  into bite-size pieces
1 1/2 Tablespoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
1 to 3 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
8 corn tortillas
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
Salsa

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place onion, garlic, squash, red pepper, and potatoes in a large 9" x 13" baking dish. Sprinkle with chili powder and cayenne. Drizzle one tablespoon of the oil over the vegetables. Stir to coat all the vegetables with the chili powder and oil.

Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and stir, then place back in the oven for another 30 minutes or until vegetables are fork tender and slightly browned. Sprinkle with salt if desired. About five minutes before vegetables are done, lay corn tortillas out on a baking sheet. Brush one side lightly with the remaining olive oil, or if you have an oil sprayer such as Misto[TM], you can use that and spray a minimal amount of oil. Place in the oven for 5 minutes or until tortillas are warm and soft.

Spoon 3-4 tablespoons of the roasted vegetables onto the warm tortillas. Top with cilantro and salsa.

Total calories per taco: 137       Fat: 3 grams
Carbohydrates: 29 grams            Protein: 4 grams
Sodium: 203 milligrams             Fiber: 4 grams
BREAKFAST BURRITOS
(Makes 6 burritos)

A few years ago I took a class from
Sam Okamoto, a chef from Vancouver,
BC. He had an interesting technique
for giving scrambled tofu a
creamier egg-like texture: don't dilute
the arrowroot, but sprinkle it over the
cooking tofu and stir it into the mixture.
I don't know why this unconventional
use of arrowroot works, but the
texture comes out with an egg-like
consistency. If you make these burritos
the night before, without the sprouts
and tomato, they are great for take-along
breakfasts and can be reheated
at the office.

1/2 pound firm or extra-firm tofu
6 whole wheat tortillas
1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1/2 medium red or green pepper, chopped
1 cup chopped zucchini
1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 Tablespoon arrowroot
2 Tablespoons salsa
1/2 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon salt
One-half 15-ounca can vegetarian
  refried beans
1 large tomato, chopped (optional)
Alfalfa sprouts or chopped lettuce (optional)
Salsa

Press the tofu (place it on a plate and lay about five more plates, or the equivalent weight, on top to squeeze out excess moisture) for 30 minutes, then drain off excess water.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Moisten a clean kitchen towel (not a terry cloth towel) and lay it on a pie tin. Lay tortillas on the towel, fold the sides of the towel over the tortillas, and set it in the oven for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil, onion, and red or green pepper. Stir to coat vegetables, then reduce heat, cover with a lid, and sweat them until onions are translucent. Remove lid, add zucchini and garlic, and stir. Crumble the tofu over the vegetables and sprinkle arrowroot over the tofu. Add salsa, nutritional yeast, basil, turmeric, and salt. Stir and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until tofu and zucchini are done and the yellow turmeric color has spread.

While the tofu cooks, heat the refried beans in a small saucepan over medium heat for about 5 minutes or for a few minutes in the microwave.

Remove tortillas from oven. Lay them out, one at a time, and spread 1 heaping tablespoon of refried beans on one side. Top with 3 tablespoons of the tofu-veggie mixture. Add tomato and sprouts, if desired. Spoon on salsa to taste. Fold the bottom of the tortilla up over the filling, then roll up. These can be made the night before and warmed up for a quick breakfast. Reheat for a few minutes in the microwave or for about 7 to 10 minutes in a 350-degree conventional oven.

Total calories per burrito: 158    Fat: 4 grams
Carbohydrates: 29 grams            Protein: 9 grams
Sodium: 449 milligrams             Fiber: 5 grams
CURRIED TEMPEH TACOS
(Makes 8 tacos)

I like to serve these tacos with steaming
brown rice or leftover, warm, baked,
sweet winter squash. If you don't care
for carrots, you can use about one cup
of another vegetable of your choice.
Peas, cauliflower, or chopped delicata
squash all work well in these tacos. If
you use peas, add them in the last five
minutes of cooking.

1 1/2 to 3 Tablespoons canola or safflower oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 medium red pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 medium carrot, cut into match dicks
One 8-ounce package tempeh
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro (optional)
8 soft corn tortillas
1 1/2 cups finely shredded green cabbage

Heat a heavy 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, onion, jalapeno, red pepper, and garlic. Stir, reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and sweat them until the onions are limp and tender. Remove lid and stir in curry and carrot sticks. Cook for about 5 minutes, then crumble tempeh into the pan. Stir again, cover (with a lid that actually fits the pan), and cook on low for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is quite thick--another 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in salt and cilantro, if desired.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly brush one side of the tortillas with oil, or spray with an oil spray. Lay flat, oil side up, on a large baking sheet. Bake for about 8 minutes, until tortillas are warm and soft.

Remove tortillas from oven, spread about 3 tablespoons of the tempeh mixture down the middle of the tortilla and top with shredded cabbage. Fold over and enjoy!

Total calories per taco: 158       Fat: 6 grams
Carbohydrates: 20 grams            Protein: 8 grams
Sodium: 199 milligrams             Fiber: 4 grams
BLACK BEAN AND AVOCADO
TOSTADAS
(Makes 12 tostadas)

In this recipe black beans are blended
with roasted garlic, green onions, and
sweet brown rice, which is a sticky
sweet Asian rice that can be found in
natural foods stores. The outcome is
rather sweet, but if you like a spicier
dish, add a few hot peppers or top with
salsa. You can substitute chopped tomatoes
if you don't care for avocado.

2 heads garlic
Approximately 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 large red pepper
12 corn tortillas
Cooking oil spray (use your own in a Misto[TM]
  container or a commercial spray found in
  grocery stores)
2 cans vegetarian refried black beans
1 1/2 cups cooked sweet brown rice
About 1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sliced green onions
1 large avocado, sliced thinly

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brush garlic heads with olive oil, wrap in foil, and bake for 40 minutes or until garlic is fork tender. At the same time, roast the red pepper for about 35 minutes, turning occasionally. The outside of the pepper should be dark and soft. Remove pepper from the oven and place in a paper bag until cool enough to handle. Peel, seed, and slice into thin strips. Remove garlic and let cool, then press the roasted garlic out into a small bowl and set aside.

Lay tortillas fiat on a baking sheet, spray lightly with oil on both sides, and bake for 10 minutes or until crisp.

Place black beans, rice, water, coriander, cayenne, and salt in a saucepan. Mash together and heat on low for 10 minutes, adding more water if necessary, but keeping the mixture very thick. Mix in roasted garlic and sliced green onions.

Spread tortillas with the bean and rice mixture. Top with strips of roasted red pepper and avocado.

Total calories per tostada: 196    Fat: 5 grams
Carbohydrates: 33 grams            Protein: 7 grams
Sodium: 436 milligrams             Fiber: 8 grams
CARAMELIZED ONION,
SWEET GREEN SOYBEAN,
AND JASMINE RICE
STUFFED CHAPATIS
(Makes 12 chapatis)

Chapatis are Indian flatbreads similar
to tortillas. They can be found in
natural foods stores next to tortillas.
If you can't find chapatis, use whole
wheat tortillas. If you're lucky enough
to be at a farmers' market when fresh
soybeans are in season, grab them
quickly. They're awesome! But if you
can't find fresh, get frozen soybeans in
your natural foods store or Asian
market. To remove them from the
pods, boil them in water for 5 minutes,
cool, then push them out into a
bowl. The sticky quality of the jasmine
rice helps to hold everything
together.

1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 large yellow onions, chopped
1 or 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and
  chopped (optional)
2 or 3 cloves elephant garlic, peeled and
  sliced, or use 1 head regular garlic, cloves
  separated, peeled, and chopped
1 1/2 cups sweet green soybeans, fresh or
  frozen, removed from pods
1 3/4 cups water
1 cup jasmine rice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 bunch spinach, washed and torn into
  2-inch pieces
Salsa (optional)
12 chapatis

Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add oil, onions, jalapenos, and garlic immediately. Stir to coat all ingredients with oil. Reduce heat, cover with a lid that fits directly over the onions, and sweat the onions until they are very limp. Remove lid and continue to cook until onions are browned. Add soy beans, cover, and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. You may have to add about 1/4 cup of water to keep onions from sticking.

While onions cook, bring water to a boil. Add rice and salt. Stir once, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes or until rice has absorbed all the water and is done. Let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Add the rice to the soybean and onions mixture. Mix well. Toss in spinach, stir, and cook on low until spinach is wilted. Spread 1/2- to 1/3-cup down one side of a chapati. Add salsa to taste, if desired. Fold the bottom over the filling, roll up and enjoy.

Total calories per chapati:206     Fat: 4 grams
Carbohydrates: 36 grams            Protein: 9 grams
Sodium: 169 milligrams             Fiber: 4 grams
CHIPOTLE, ANASAZI BEAN,
AND POTATO TOSTADAS
(Makes 8 to 10 tostadas)

Savor a breakfast with New World
natives. Chili peppers originated in
the jungles of the Amazon, potatoes
are native to Peru, Anasazi beans
were used by cliff-dwelling Native
Americans in the Southwestern
United States, and corn was cultivated
by Indians in Mexico thousands of
years ago. I like to use blue corn tortillas
that I get from the natural foods
store. The blue corn has a more pronounced
flavor and is slightly sweeter
than yellow corn. If you can't find
Anasazi beans, use pinto beans.

1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots
1/2 cup finely chopped red or green pepper
2 Tablespoons lime juice
1 cup Anasazi beans, soaked
Approximately 3 cups water
2 Tablespoons olive or canola oil, divided
1 large onion, chopped
2 yellow finn or red potatoes, cut into small
chunks
1 clove elephant garlic, peeled and sliced
  (or use 4 cloves regular garlic, minced)
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 to 10 soft corn tortillas

Combine carrots, peppers, and lime juice. Mix well, then refrigerate until tostada filling is almost ready.

Rinse beans and combine with about 3 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered for 1 hour or until beans are very tender. When beans are done, drain them and mash with a potato masher until they are very thick.

While beans cook, heat a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and the onions. Stir, reduce heat, cover, and sweat onions until they are transparent. Remove lid and add potatoes, garlic, and chipotle chili powder. Mix well, cover, and cook until potatoes are soft. You may have to add a little water to keep potatoes from sticking. When vegetables and beans are done, blend together. Mix in cilantro and salt and keep on low heat while tortillas bake.

Lay tortillas flat on a baking sheet. Lightly brush one side of the tortilla with remaining oil. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes or until tortillas are crispy. Spread with about 1/3-cup of filling and top with the lime-marinated carrot-pepper mixture.

Total calories per tostada: 209    Fat: 4 grams
Carbohydrates:37 grams             Protein: 8 grams
Sodium: 200 milligrams             Fiber: 8 grams

Debra Daniels-Zeller is a freelance writer living in the Pacific Northwest, and a frequent contributor to the Vegetarian Journal.