Chris's Birthday Dinner!

This is one of my favorite meals ever. EVER.


To my luck, Chris enjoys it too so I figured it would be nice to have it for his "home-cooked" birthday dinner. We'll be going to a steak house for dinner on Saturday with friends and I'm sure we'll get our fill of red meat and potatoes then.

So tonight:
Tequila-lime chicken with grilled pineapple and spicy black beans finished with citrus sour cream and pico de gallo.

Phew, that's a mouthful!

A delicious, mouthwatering mouthful.

Here is what you will need:
2 chicken breasts, well trimmed
1 lime, divided
1/4 cup tequila
pico de gallo
a few slices fresh pineapple
black beans
shoe peg corn
green onion
fresh avocado (not too soft now!)
sour cream
fresh cilantro
cayenne pepper
salt and pepper

Start by marinating your chicken breasts in the tequila and lime juice from half a lime. Allow a few hours to marinate before cooking.

I used a can of Bush's seasoned black beans and a can of chipotle shoe peg corn.

Toss in a saute pan and add some chopped green onion and cayenne pepper to taste. Allow to simmer until the liquid reduces down. keep warm.

Drop your pineapple slices in a HOT, lighted oiled grill pan. About 30 seconds on each side then remove from heat and set aside.

Add chicken to the grill pan.

Once the chicken in finished you can prepare the last few ingredients.



Give the cilantro a rough chop and add it to the black beans.
Now take the juice from the other half of the lime and add it to a 1/4 cup sour cream. mix well.

If you got a ripe (and not over-ripe and bruised) avocado slice that up now too.

This is so disappointing. Mostly because I think the avocado is an important player in the dish but also because I was totally deceived by this avocado's mostly firm with just a bit of give exterior.

oh well. So today we go sans avocado.

Lets plate it! Here's the order I like it best: Layer the bottom of your plate with the black beans, next a slice of pineapple, then grilled chicken, avocado, pico de gallo, and a dollop of sour cream. If you have extra chopped cilantro left over toss then on there too. I subscribe to the "you can never have too much cilantro" school of thought. As opposed to my sister who is a card carrying member of the "get that nasty green shit off my plate" club.

I don't get it, but I still love her.

Viola. I ate this in two bites.



And then I ate a big slice of birthday cake! Happy Birthday Honey!

The easiest, lightest pasta with meat(less)balls!

I GOT A NEW CAMERA. Ok its not technically new, but its new to me. I got it from some lady on Craigslist. Its a Canon Powershot S3 IS that she received as a gift from her son. According to her its got more bells and whistles than she cares to learn how to use, so she sold it. To me! For 40 dollars! I was perfectly fine scoring this camera off of someone my own age or even younger. But when I showed up at our designated meeting place to find a gray haired little old lady I felt like I was trying to pull one over on her. So with a heavy heart I told her I didn't feel right with her asking price when these models go for around ten times that. She smiled at me and said "Dearie, I didn't pay a dime for it and my son tosses money around like its a reliable constant. I just want to make enough off of this monster to cover the point and shoot bugger I bought. Besides, you're going to need a good camera to capture every moment of that precious little boy's life. It will go by too fast and the memories, well you will want them in pictures when you're an old lady like me." I smiled and with a gratitude I cannot explain I handed over two crisp twenties. I think she probably knew what her kind gesture meant to me; I think she knew that I wouldn't have been able to afford much more than forty or fifty bucks on a luxury item like a camera. Maybe if I had shown up driving a better car or didn't have Liam in mismatched shoes (I was in a hurry and couldn't find a full set!!) she would have considered asking for more once she knew the value of the camera. Either way we both walked away from the transaction happy. Well, she was happy, I was over the moon.
Now I just need to learn how to use the thing. Marion was right, it does have a lot of bells and whistles and I'm going to need all the help I can get figuring out the proper settings for the best quality pictures. You're patience and advice are welcome!

I'm probably not going back to the step by step blogging unless I come across a recipe wherein every step is a crucial one. That being said, I present to you 20 minute spaghetti and meatballs.
This is what we had for dinner the night I came home with the camera. I had spent all afternoon playing with it that when I finally looked at the clock it was 6:00 and I hadn't stepped foot in the kitchen! whoops.

The quickest spaghetti and meatballs when you don't have any food in the house:

What I did have in the house allowed me to throw together this yummy dinner.

whole wheat spaghetti
1 large can of seasoned diced tomatoes
a few cherry tomatoes
a few tablespoons of evoo
2 garlic cloves
fresh basil
Veggie Patch meatless meatballs
Parmesan cheese

I didn't even have a jar of tomato sauce in the house but quite honestly the diced tomatoes with the garlic and basil was really nice. It was 'fresh and light' and I'm not sure I'll stock up in tomato sauce ever again. We get a pint of cherry tomatoes weekly so I always have a few on hand to toss into what ever I am cooking. I HAD a basil plant that was growing wonderfully hydroponically on my kitchen sill for weeks so basil was in no short supply throw in the tiny corner left from my brick of Parmesan and the meal really prepared itself. And I found a new love. Meatless meatballs. They're not my mothers meatballs, to be sure, but now that I know all about factory farmed beef my mothers meatballs are guilt ridden. So I found these yummy little suckers... and best of all they are made from non-gmo soy - a rare commodity these days.

I sauteed the garlic in the evoo. Then I added the diced tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and the meatballs. I probably added water or veggie stock when the sauce reduced down. I simmered the sauce until the meatballs were cooked through, probably ten minutes or so- just enough time for the pasta to cook. Add your fresh basil to the sauce right at the end you don't want it cooking in the sauce for long it looses its luster, I think. Then pull a heaping pile of noodles onto your plate, top with sauce, shredded cheese and more fresh basil. YUM!

Are you craving this pasta now? because I am, and I just had it.

Even Liam approves, and that's really saying something!

Strawberry Bread Pudding

A new twist on an old favorite! I found a recipe for strawberry bread pudding on one of the blogs I frequent and I made it for the fourth of July celebration my family and I were attending. If I'm being totally honest the result was unremarkable, at best. the marriage of fresh summer strawberries and bread pudding is, in my opinion is a brilliant idea so what went wrong? It was the recipe. it was boring, bland. So I'm deffering to my bread pudding recipe and adorning it with strawberries.

Here is what you will need for the pudding:
2 eggs
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons vanilla
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 1/2 cups milk
2 cups sugar
3 1/2 to 5 cups sourdough bread, cubed
1 to 2 cups of cut, fresh strawberries


Several hours in advance cut your bread into cubes

Spread them out evenly on a cookie sheet and set aside until they are relatively dry.

Cut up your strawberries and toss them in with your dried bread cubes.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat together eggs, butter, vanilla, and milk. Add sugar and spices and mix until sugar is dissoved. Arrange bread cubes tightly in a nine-inch baking dish. Pour liquid over the bread and bake for 55 to 70 minutes, or until crust is golden brown all over the top.
Fresh out of the oven all warm and bubbly. We couldnt wait...

A la mode!

Huevos Rancheros

Dear Breakfast for Dinner,

I love you.

Lara.

Now that summer is here and we are, in the lovely state of North Carolina, reaching temperatures of 95 and higher, light dinners are in order. This is, by far, my most favorite egg dish... right now.

Ask me tomorrow and I might say my heart belongs to Eggs Benedict. But since I'm feeling the black bean, cilantro, salsa thing today, I love you, Huevos Rancheros.

You'll love it too, I'm confident!

Here is what you will need:

1 can Black Beans, drained & rinsed
1 green onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
eggs
tsp. evoo
shredded pepper jack cheese
salsa
sour cream
cilantro chopped
flour tortillas
a pinch or two of cumin and/or coriander
salt pepper-- to taste
a few dashes of hot sauce

We'll start by preparing our tortilla bowl. Pop a flour tortilla in the microwave for just a few seconds to get it warm and pliable.

Now, take your tortilla and shape it to the inside of an oven safe bowl. Be careful not to tear the tortilla.

Place the tortillas in a 350 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until the tortilla holds the "bowl" shape on its own.

In a sauce pan warm the black beans, green onion, garlic, cumin, coriander, cilantro, salt and pepper. This is where you add your hot sauce, texas pete for me. hold warm.

In a frying pan fry the eggs. I like mine over easy, runny yolk makes me a very happy girl.

Now to assemble:

A large spoonful of beans into the tortilla bowl
Top beans with shredded cheese

Top beans and cheese with yummy fried egg

Top fried egg with salsa, sour cream and cilantro!
(This makes my mouth water)

Since we've been boycotting factory farmed foods we've been eating significantly less meat. However, I wouldn't be opposed to picking up some sausage at our local co-op to cook with the beans. That would be lovely, too.

Vegetable Lo Mein

I love Chinese food. Fried Rice, Sweet & Sour Chicken, Lo Mein, Crab Rangoon, I love it all. When Chris is out of town I hit China Fuji. Hit. It.
I order one of everything I love, rush back to the house, find a serving platter to eat from and then gorge myself into a food coma.

Its kind of embarrassing.

See, Chris believes, with all of his heart, that the chefs at Chinese restaurants prowl the neighborhood for stray kitties and pups. When I tear into a teriyaki beef skewer he's convinced I'm chowing on black beauty.

Quick son, to the stables!


Needless to say we don't order out.

The other night Chris was working late and that familiar craving came calling. I had a bunch of CSA veggies in the fridge (they come faster that we can eat em!), some left over noodles and voila:



If that doesn't tickle your fancy then there is something wrong with you.

Seek help.

But if it does...

Here is what you will need:
8 ounces cooked whole wheat spaghetti
3 tablespoons evoo
1 handful sliced mushrooms
1 handful broccoli, chopped
1 handful cauliflower, chopped
1 handful snap peas
1 green onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Ok, I know that ingredient list looks overwhelming. But think of the leftovers you'll use up!

Oh and Hoisin Sauce, its a must. The combination of soybeans, vinegar and chili peppers give the dish a sweet/ salty/ spicy combo of flavor that you cant go without. Find it in the Asian aisle at your local market.

Heat oil in a large wok or saute pan. Stir fry mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, garlic, onion and peas until tender.
Mix cornstarch and broth in a small bowl and add to stir fry.
Stir in hoisin sauce, soy sauce, ginger and cayenne. Cook stirring gently until thickened and bubbly. Add cooked spaghetti, and toss.
How easy is that?

And best of all: no puppies, kitties or ponies were harmed in the making of this recipe.

Blackberry cobbler. A sure thing.

You know when life gets you down, when the hits just keep on coming and you wonder when or if things will ever get back to normal. When you've got so many things swirling and circling through the forefront of your mind that you need an extra day just to compartmentalize it all.

When you're having one of those days make this:

Blackberry Cobbler. It may not be the solution to all your problems, but it will make you feel better, if only for the amount of time it takes to eat the whole dish. By yourself.

Here is what you will need:

1 stick Butter
1 & 1/4 cup Sugar
1 cup Self-Rising Flour
1 cup Milk
2 cups Blackberries*

(i had some left over raspberries that I threw in there too!)

Add 1 cup of sugar and flour to a mixing bowl, whisk in milk. Mix well. Add melted butter and whisk it all together

Butter a baking dish and pour batter into the buttered baking dish. This pie plate was not the proper dish, much too small. Don't make the same mistake!


lovingly sprinkle blackberries (and raspberries!) over the top of the batter; distributing evenly. Sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar over the top.
Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until golden and bubbly.

"What I love about cooking is that after a hard day, there is something comforting about the fact that if you melt butter and add flour and then hot stock, it will get thick! It's a sure thing! It's a sure thing in a world where nothing is sure; it has a mathematical certainty in a world where those of us who long for some kind of certainty are forced to settle for crossword puzzles." — Nora Ephron

*produce from our CSA.

Black Eyed Pea Cakes

I once dated this guy who, well, lets just say he had a lot of...issues.
The relationship itself was a fiasco, but every once in a while he would clear a path through the beer bottles and cigarette smoke to the kitchen, where he would prepare a meal. Of course he rarely ate because that food might soak up some of the alcohol and kill his buzz.. but I ate, and man what he lacked in personal responsibility and general gross motor skills he made up for when he cooked.

Is it bad that the first thing I thought when I heard he was working a 12 step program was "Well he certainly hasn't made it to the apology step..."
Although what does one say when they receive such a call? despite the courage it must take I simply cant imagine being gracious. "You're sorry? Excellent! Now be a dear and replace that bottle of Veuve I was saving for a special occasion, because in my book you running out of Busch light on a Tuesday morning does not a special occasion make."

I'm only being honest...

The inspiration for this recipe comes from the ashes of that relationship after it crashed and burned down the kitchen because someone left a dishtowel near the stove element.

Black Eyed Pea Cakes

Here is what you will need:

Two cans black eyed peas, drained & rinsed
1 small bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup evoo
1 tablespoon softened cream cheese
1/4 cup freshly shredded parmesan
Hot sauce, your choice but I'm a fan of texas pete.

(The 12 pack of cheap beer and fire extinguisher are optional.)



Using a food processor or two forks, coarsely mash peas.

To the peas add the garlic, bell pepper, egg, cream cheese, bread crumbs and parm. Shake in your hot sauce and mix together well. By hand shape mixture into patties or cakes.

Depending on the size, you should get about a dozen.

Cook patties, in batches, in 2 tablespoons hot oil, adding oil as needed, in a large skillet over medium heat for 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until patties are golden brown. Drain patties on paper towels, and keep them warm. Serve with desired toppings, this time I chose homemade salsa and zesty-citrus sour cream.

Additional tips: If you you're a fan of breakfast for dinner try adding crumbled bacon to the pea mixture and serving the cakes with a fried egg. Its heaven on a dinner plate. Enjoy!

Mac & Cheese Cupcakes

About a year ago, long before Liam was eating solid foods, I saw this recipe on one of those morning shows. I jotted down the ingredients and crammed it into one of my recipe books never to be thought of again. That is until Liam pulled all the cookbooks off the shelf and proceeded to shred the paper I had the recipe on. Sort of serendipitous. If you disregard the mess...

Around here mac and cheese is a favorite. Its one of the few foods Liam will consistently eat. Which means it my "go to food" when he's swiped all the other options off his tray onto the floor.
Now, Liam loves most veggies so its usually not a problem getting him to eat them but if some veggies are good more is better especially when they are replacing heavy cream and butter. Which is exactly what we are going to do here. And I promise, even you, knowing its in there, will have a hard time detecting it.

I first made these little babies for a memorial day BBQ we hosted. I figured the kids will love these: not only is it mac and cheese, but its mac and cheese you eat with your hands! Win, win.

What I didn't figure was all the adults loving them too. The antipasto pasta salad I made was very lonely on the buffet table.

Here is what you will need:

For the puree:
2 medium *sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
3 **carrot sticks, peeled and chopped

Steam potatoes and carrots until soft. Transfer to food processor and add 1/4 cup of water used to steam the veggies (it has some of the lost nutrients from steaming). Process until pureed.

For the mac and cheese:

4 large *eggs
1 cup orange puree
2 cups shredded *cheddar cheese
2 cups cooked whole wheat organic macaroni
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin tin with paper liners. Lightly spray liners with oil.

In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and puree. Mix in the macaroni and 1 cup of the cheese, salt and pepper.

Divide the mixture evenly among the muffin cups:

Really pile it on there or else they wont come out looking like cupcakes...

Top each with about one tablespoon of cheese and bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until cheese is lightly browned and bubbly on top.

Kids will even enjoy them cold so you can pack them in their lunch box. Just make a big batch and put half in the freezer so you have them on hand.


* Product from our local Coop

**Produce from our CSA

Rosemary Roasted Chicken & Potatoes

I think I may have mentioned it before but Rosemary is one of my favorite herbs. The flavor is so versatile, lending itself well to meats, potatoes, vegetables like carrots or corn on the cob. You get the point. I love it. And to my good fortune, it just so happens that my neighbor has a rosemary plant growing in her yard that she so graciously shares with us. Now under normal circumstances I would have to practice a bit of restraint. You know so as to be sure I didn't leave her with just a skeleton of her former plant. But as luck would have it this aint no ordinary rosemary bush...

I don't really talk like that. I just thought, for effect.. you know?

Anyway, back to the rosemary bush.

This sucker is mammoth! Rosemary for everyone!

There is more rosemary here than two families could possibly use in a season, but that wont stop me from trying. "Say, Liam how about some rosemary chocolate milk?" Or "oh, you like it? Its peanut butter and rosemary"

Have I gone too far? Perhaps.

For the purposes of this post lets just stick with what works, shall we?

This works.

Here is what you will need:

6 Boneless skinless chicken breasts, well trimmed
Red potatoes halved or quartered depending on their size
3 cloves garlic, minced
fresh rosemary, chopped- I probably used two heaping tablespoons
zest and juice from half a lemon
4 Tbsp EVOO, divided
1/2 cup chicken stock
salt and pepper

In a large skillet add two tablespoons of evoo and heat to med-high. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper then add to heated pan to sear. About 3 minutes a side. If you cant fit all 6 in one pan break it up, one tbsp evoo to 3 breasts.
transfer chicken to a large roasting pan or baking dish and arrange cut potatoes around the chicken.

In a mixing bowl add garlic, rosemary, lemon juice and zest, two tablespoons of olive oil and chicken stock. whisk together and pour over chicken and potatoes.

If your rosemary grows on trees like mine does throw of few sprigs in the pot for good measure.

Bake (uncovered) at 375 for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.

I love this dish, its easy and it has always won me compliments from dinner guests. The olive oil and stock keep the chicken juicy and tender and the flavors are mouth watering. Enjoy it soon!

Zucchini fries

Ok, I meant to post this years ago. Or maybe it was months? I cant remember but either way I made them forever ago and they were deceptively satisfying. If it weren't for the lack of melty mozzarella dangling from my chin I would have mistaken them for cheese sticks. almost.

These would be great as hors d'oeuvres at your memorial day party or just a super sneaky way to get some extra veggies into your tot.

3 medium zucchini sliced into 3" x 1/2" sticks

1 large egg white
1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 tbsp grated Pecorino Romano cheese- get the good stuff, it matters.
cooking spray
1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt
fresh pepper

Quick Marinara Sauce (1 cup)

1 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes
1 small bay leaf
1 tsp oregano
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
salt and fresh pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 425°.
In a small bowl, beat egg whites and season with salt and pepper. In a bag, place breadcrumbs, garlic powder and cheese and shake well. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray and set aside.
Dip zucchini sticks into eggs then into bread crumb and cheese mixture, a few at a time and shake to coat. Place the breaded zucchini in a single layer and spray more cooking spray on top. Bake at 425° for about 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with 1/2 cup marinara sauce for dipping.

Its zucchini season and if you're like me your looking for new and creative uses for all the zucchini you've got in your crisper! This fits the bill, Enjoy!

Sustainable sustenance

Ok. About a month ago Chris and I saw the documentary Food Inc. and it dramatically changed the way we buy and eat food. We were on the right track buying organic when it was available at the market but we were incredibly uninformed. I'm embarrassed by how much we didn't know. Anyway, I'm going to spare you the lecture on why you should see this film and in turn stop buying meat from Tyson, Perdue or Smithfield (Shame on you, Paula Deen!) to name a few. Instead, I'll just start posting recipes of the sustainable foods that are making their way to our table.

Now, a certain little boy with an affinity for all things electronic dropped our digital camera down the stairs and busted the lens. So for the time being my posts will be sparse with even lower quality (didn't think that was possible, did you?) pictures taken from my phone.

Recipes in the works: Blackeye pea cakes, cheesey mac cupcakes (what!?) and Rosemary chicken with red potatoes.

Cream of Asparagus Soup

Internet, I'm back!! I know, I know, its been forever and I'm sure you've all been starving not knowing what to make with out my lead but, at last, you can step away from the saltines and peanut butter! Just in the nic of time, this little gem is a must for your recipe collection. Don't like asparagus? Use broccoli, or mushrooms. Its versatile, easy and oh so tasty.

This recipe is one I pirated from the food network. Honestly anyone can get a show on that channel these days. There is this one lady, Sandra Lee, who has a show called "Semi Homemade" where she makes a few dishes and a nasty cocktail with pre-packaged ingredients, doctored up with fresh ingredients. Brilliant.

Then to cap off the show she designs a garishly conspicuous themed "tablescape" with nick-nacks and brick-a-brack she picked up and the last yard sale she hit. I can't stand her show or her personality so don't ask me why, occasionally, I'll sit through an episode muttering under my breath and throwing my hands up in utter disbelief. But I do and one time, ONE TIME, she actually had a worthwhile recipe which I will now share with you.

I've omitted the table cloth made of old soup labels and wind chimes made from ladles and Campbell's soup cans. You're Welcome.

Here is what you will need:

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 bunch of asparagus roughly chopped
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
2 cups milk
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 can cream of potato soup
2 tablespoons sour cream
Salt and pepper

Oil a large saute pan and drop in the onion and the asparagus. Cook veggies until soft -about 5 minutes.

Add two cups of milk and bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and let simmer 5 more minutes.

This is the Semi homemade part.

Add a can of cream of potato soup- this helps thicken the soup.

Fresh Parsley is imperative
It gives the soup another dimension of flavor and lends its bright green color nicely.

If you have an immersion blender (like I do, now!) it will make this next part a lot easier.
If you don't have one I recommend you run right out to Target or Williams Sonoma, whichever your budget affords, and purchase one!

Until then here's a tip: when blending hot liquids remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.
Blend until smooth.
Garnish with sour cream and parsley. Make a big batch and freeze half for a rainy or sick day, so comforting!

Viral infection

Dear Internet Bad Guys:

You suck.

Disrespectfully,

Lara



To those of you who are unaware my computer has been infected with a virus called "antivirus live" its a sneaky little bug that independently downloads itself and begins running on your computer as an antivirus program alerting you to numerous bogus infections. Once you are made aware that your computer is being attacked by these threats the virus prompts you to purchase a "full version" of the antivirus software to protect you and remove the threats. The virus disables the use of other programs and applications on your computer so that purchasing the fake software seems like the only solution. All in attempt to scam you out of your money.

Thankfully I didn't fall for the scam instead I dropped it off with my 'computer guy'. I imagine right about now he is digging around in there with his scalpel and forceps trying to pull the wormy invader from the belly of the machine. And soon he will return it to me with the only damage being done to my wallet.

So stay tuned, I have a a few recipes I'm really excited to share; Zucchini "fries" with marinara, Chicken Picatta and Cream of Asparagus soup!

Eggs Florentine

When Chris and I spent new years 2007-2008 in Stowe we stayed at a little B&B called The Gables Inn. Ever since I was young they were known for doing the best Eggs Benedict in town. But now under new ownership would they still be the best in town? I was concerned because I love Eggs Benedict. Its, hands down, my favorite breakfast dish. Finish it off with a little fruit salad and coffee and I'm ready for anything the day has to throw at me, after a nap of course.

We narrowly avoided a major breakfast crisis because they were just as wonderful as I had remembered, if not better. But one can't eat only Eggs Benedict every morning for a week. So I went out on a limb and mixed it up with what they called "two on a raft" which was essentially Eggs Florentine with a slice of fresh tomato snuck into the stack.
I certainly can't imagine hitting the gym in an hour with a belly full of eggs and hollandaise sauce so to keep me motivated: my version of Eggs Florentine; slightly adapted to agree with my goals. Its a compromise I can be happy with!

Here is what you will need:

Two eggs
2 fistfuls of fresh spinach
1 small shallot
a few slices of fresh juicy tomato
2 teaspoons olive oil
whole wheat fresh loaf, sliced or English muffin
reduced fat cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Depending on your appetite this will feed 1 very hungry person or two for a light breakfast.

Shallot: a marriage of onion and garlic. The perfect sidekick to spinach.

this package had two rather large shallots so I'm only using half of one, sliced up fine.

In a pan with 1 teaspoon of olive oil, saute the shallot over medium heat until soft.

Fresh spinach: the bag says its a super food. I believe it.

Drop about two fistfuls of spinach into the pan and reduce the heat to med-low. Add a sprinkling of salt to keep the leaves bright green. Cover and saute for just a few minutes until wilted. Remove from heat and set aside.

Slice your tomato, not too thin, you want it to hold its integrity in the pan.

Drop the tomato into a saute pan with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and heat until soft. Remove from pan and set a side

Whole wheat crusty loaf. My Achilles heel.

Toast, lightly, two slices. If you want to go crazy you can put a light spread of butter on there...

Top the toast with the tomato

Crack two eggs into the pan you had the tomato in.

Easy now, beeee careful!

Phew. Two eggs over medium, salt and pepper to taste.

Top the tomato with the egg

and the egg with the spinach.

Instead of hollandaise, top the spinach with a small slice of reduced fat cheese. I'm using provolone.

I popped the whole plate under the broiler to melt the cheese quickly.

Fiber, protein, iron, vitamin C, calcium... this is an excellent way to start your day. And it doesn't taste like a compromise at all.