I’m a night owl who eats breakfast all day—here are my vegan favorites

Mornings and I have never gotten along. By the time the sun comes up, I’m usually winding down, not gearing up. 

My creativity—and my appetite—kick in long after most people have turned in for the night. I’m a night owl through and through.

And yet, my favorite foods are the ones most people reserve for mornings. 

There’s just something about breakfast that feels like comfort, renewal, and rebellion all at once. 

Whether it’s a stack of pancakes at dinner or a tofu scramble at midnight, breakfast is my love language—and I don’t care what the clock says.

Here are five vegan breakfast dishes I can eat at any meal, any time of day.

1. Midnight tofu scramble

Ingredients

• 1 block firm tofu, drained and pressed 
• 1 tbsp olive oil 
• ½ onion, diced 
• 1 bell pepper, diced 
• 2 cups spinach or kale 
• 1 tsp turmeric 
• 1 tsp smoked paprika 
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast 
• Salt and pepper to taste

Steps

1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. 
2. Crumble tofu into the pan with your hands. 
3. Stir in onion and bell pepper; cook until softened. 
4. Add turmeric, paprika, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper. Stir until tofu is golden. 
5. Toss in spinach until wilted. 
6. Serve with toast, avocado, or wrapped in a tortilla.

Why I love it
Cooking a scramble at midnight is my version of meditation. There’s something grounding about watching tofu turn golden under spices while the world outside is quiet. 

It’s hearty, satisfying, and perfectly fuels a late-night burst of productivity. 

For me, this dish is proof that comfort food doesn’t belong to mornings alone.

2. Overnight oats that taste like dessert

Ingredients

• 1 cup rolled oats 
• 1 cup almond or oat milk 
• 2 tbsp chia seeds 
• 1 tbsp maple syrup 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• Toppings: banana, peanut butter, chocolate chips, berries

Steps

1. Mix oats, milk, chia seeds, maple syrup, and vanilla in a jar or bowl. 
2. Stir, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. 
3. When ready, stir again and top as desired.

Why I love it
This is the ultimate night owl hack: make food while you’re awake, forget about it, then “surprise” yourself with it later. 

Overnight oats feel like dessert disguised as breakfast, especially with chocolate chips or peanut butter. 

It’s the kind of ritual that makes being out of sync with the world feel like an advantage.

3. Pancakes for dinner

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour 
• 1 tbsp baking powder 
• 1 tbsp sugar 
• Pinch of salt 
• 1 cup almond milk 
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• Coconut oil or vegan butter for cooking 
• Toppings: berries, almond butter, agave syrup

Steps

1. Whisk flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a bowl. 
2. Mix almond milk, vinegar, and vanilla in another bowl; let sit 5 minutes. 
3. Combine wet and dry ingredients until just mixed. 
4. Heat a pan with oil. Pour ¼ cup batter for each pancake. 
5. Cook until bubbles form, flip, and finish cooking. 
6. Serve stacked with toppings.

Why I love it
Dinner pancakes feel like breaking the rules in the best way.

There’s nostalgia in every bite, but also a quiet rebellion: choosing joy over convention. They’re perfect fuel for those evenings when I’m wide awake and chasing down ideas.

4. Avocado toast glow-up

Ingredients

• 2 slices sourdough bread 
• 1 ripe avocado 
• 1 tbsp hummus 
• 6 cherry tomatoes, roasted or fresh 
• Everything bagel seasoning 
• Olive oil drizzle

Steps

1. Toast bread until golden. 
2. Mash avocado with a pinch of salt. 
3. Spread hummus on toast, then layer avocado. 
4. Add tomatoes, sprinkle seasoning, drizzle with olive oil.

Why I love it
Avocado toast is basic, sure, but that’s what makes it brilliant. It’s a canvas.

Add hummus, roasted tomatoes, or whatever you’ve got, and suddenly it’s elevated. 

As someone who thrives at odd hours, I love food that adapts with me. It’s simple, fast, and still feels like a little luxury—even at 1 a.m.

5. Vegan French toast at twilight

Ingredients

• 4 slices thick bread 
• 1 cup almond milk 
• 2 tbsp cornstarch 
• 1 tbsp maple syrup 
• 1 tsp cinnamon 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• Vegan butter for frying 
• Fruit and syrup for topping

Steps

1. Whisk almond milk, cornstarch, maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla in a bowl. 
2. Dip bread slices into mixture, coating both sides. 
3. Heat vegan butter in a skillet. Fry bread until golden on both sides. 
4. Top with fruit and syrup.

Why I love it
French toast is all about ritual: dip, coat, fry, repeat. Making it at twilight feels like a ceremony that blurs the line between night and day. 

It’s indulgent but grounding—exactly how I feel about living on my own rhythm as a night owl.

Final bite

Breakfast isn’t about the time on the clock—it’s about comfort, creativity, and claiming rituals that make sense for me. 

Whether it’s pancakes at dinner or oats at midnight, I’m not sorry that breakfast is my all-day, every-day choice.