The Story

It’s Better Breakfast Month!

Eggs Benedict is my favorite breakfast…unfortunately, it can be heavy, fatty, and high in calories. So, of course I had to come up with a healthier version. This one gluten free, low carb, packed with fresh veggies and protein, and it fills my need for a good bene!

Inspired by a true California Benedict, this recipe uses fresh sliced tomatoes in place of the bread and is loaded with fresh spinach and a nice portion of avocado — which is a great source of healthy fat.

I love to make this for special occasions like Mother’s day or Easter breakfast, but it’s also fun for a Sunday brunch with a friend.

Ingredients:

4 Servings:

For the eggs benedict:

4 eggs

2 large tomatoes

1 avocado

1 pound fresh spinach

Salt and pepper to taste

For the hollandaise sauce:

4 egg yolks (in addition to the eggs above)

1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons melted unsalted grass-fed butter

½ cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Directions:

Sauce:

1. Whisk egg yolks and lemon juice together in a small bowl until the mixture has thickened and doubled in volume (emulsified).
2. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (you can use a double boiler, if you have one) and whisk quickly until warm. Be careful not to let the eggs get too hot or they will scramble.
3. Slowly whisk in melted butter. It should be melted but not hot or the eggs will scramble.
4. Remove from heat
5. Whisk in greek yogurt and cayenne
6. Set aside in a warm place until you are ready to use — be careful not to leave it on the stove as it will break if it gets too hot.

Eggs:

1. Bring a sauce pan full of water to a boil. Add a splash of white vinegar. This will help keep the egg together.
2. While water is heating, slice tomatoes and avocados and season with salt and pepper.
3. Plate a slice or two of the tomatoes on each plate to use as the “bread” and add sliced avocado on top.
4. Heat a non-stick skillet. Add spinach and toss until just wilted.
5. Divide spinach into four portions and pile on top of each tomato avocado base. Set aside in a warmed oven. Oven should not be on, but just warmed to about 100 degrees to keep plates warm while you cook the eggs.
6. Once water in sauce pan is simmering nicely, add eggs one at a time and poach until white is cooked but yoke is runny. About 2–3 minutes.
7. Remove with a slotted spoon and set on a plate with a paper towel.
8. Continue until all 4 eggs are cooked.
9. Pull plates from the oven and add 1 egg to each stack.
10. Top with hollandaise sauce and enjoy! Serve with Fresh berries or other fruit.

Modifications:

If the thought of making homemade hollandaise is terrifying (or too much work) you can easily substitute a premade or packaged version. Just be sure to carefully review the ingredients (especially the sodium level!). You can also get creative with the veggies, sometimes I make breadless crab cakes for the base!

Tips:

You can also poach your eggs in a skillet or frying pan if you prefer a flatter poached egg.

If you’ve never poached eggs before, find a good video to help you master the technique. It can be tricky, but seeing it done makes it a lot easier!

It’s best to crack each egg into a small bowl before pouring into the saucepan, that way you can get it in quickly and all at once.

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