A Healthy Big Breakfast

 

A healthy big breakfast?  Is that even possible you ask?  Well, I am quite happy to tell you that it is and its quick, easy AND delicious! 

 

Sorry, there's no sausage or bacon, or hashbrowns, but trust me when I tell you that you won't miss them at all.  These breakfast tastes and feels luxurious to say the least!

 

This is in part due to beautiful baby Portabella Mushrooms which are brushed with ready-made (Or homemade if you have it) Basil Pesto prior to baking  . . .

 

Medium sized vine ripened tomatoes also get the luxury touch.  You simply cut an x into the tops and poke a sprig of fresh thyme down into the cuts.  A judicious sprinkle of good sea salt  and a nice grinding of black pepper and they are ready for the oven.

 

While they are in the oven you get busy scrambling some eggs (I always use large, free-range rspca approved eggs) in a hot skillet along with a few handfuls of baby leaf spinach (I remove as may of the stems as I can prior to cooking).

 

This adds loads of extra colour and vitamins and lots of lovely flavour to the eggs.  You can leave it out if you wish, but I rather like it myself. Or you could use any other cooked vegetable that you enjoy. Chopped cooked asparagus, courgettes, peppers and onions, etc.

  

I am not sure I can adequately describe just how delicious those roasted tomatoes are.  In Winter when we are sadly lacking in fresh tomatoes, warm from the summer sun, roasting them helps to really enhance their natural sweetness.   

 

They are some tasty!  I use whole wheat English Muffins because I am a diabetic and if I am going to eat carbs, I try to make them good ones.

 

*A Healthy Big Breakfast*

Serves 4

Printable Recipe 

You can still enjoy a big breakfast when you are watching your fat and calories.  It just takes a bit of adaptation.  This is delicious and tastes luxurious! 

For the eggs:

8 large free range eggs

4 TBS low fat milk

salt and black pepper to taste

a couple handfuls of fresh baby leaf spinach

For the mushrooms:

8 baby portabello mushrooms

4 tsp basil pesto

For the tomatoes:

4 vine ripened tomatoes

4 sprigs of thyme

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

You will also need:

4 whole wheat English muffins, split and toasted

 

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.  Line a baking tray with baking paper. 

Cut an x in the top of each tomato with a sharp knife.  Push a sprig of thyme down into each x.  Place onto the lined baking sheet and sprinkle with a bit of sea salt and black pepper.  Remove the stems from the mushrooms.  Place them onto the baking sheet with the tomatoes, in a single layer.  Top each with 1/2 tsp of basil pesto.  Place into the oven and roast for 20 to 25 minutes. 

While the mushrooms and tomatoes are roasting cook your eggs.    

Beat your eggs together with the milk and some salt and black pepper. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  Spray it generously with low fat cooking spray. Pour the eggs into the heated pan. Let sit for about 30 seconds and then with a wooden spatula start to scrape the cooked egg from the outside into the centre of the pan, folding and stirring as you go. Don’t rush it. You don’t want to over cook it, neither do you want to undercook it. You just want to cook them until they all pull together into soft creamy lumps, not dry curds. This should take several minutes.Add the spinach a handful at a time, cooking to wilt it and scramble it in with the egg. You may want to turn the heat off under the pan for the last minute or so. I often do.
 

Place your toasted muffins onto heated breakfast plates.  Top each serving with one fourth of the scrambled egg mixture and accompany with 2 roasted mushrooms and 1 roasted tomato. Serve immediately!

 

And just so you know, my husband did not suffer much when I fed him this . . .  he enjoyed the addition of some Hashbrown patties and a couple of sausages that I had cooked ahead and frozen.  That's a handy tip actually.  I like to roast a whole pack of sausages until cooked through and then I freeze them individually until they are frozen solid and then pop them into a freezer bag, ready to take out and reheat in the oven when I want to use them. 

There were NO complaints.

I was happy. He was happy, and I am pretty sure my waistline was happy.