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:
- Whisk egg yolks and lemon juice together in a small bowl until the mixture has thickened and doubled in volume (emulsified).
- 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.
- Slowly whisk in melted butter. It should be melted but not hot or the eggs will scramble.
- Remove from heat
- Whisk in greek yogurt and cayenne
- 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:
- Bring a sauce pan full of water to a boil. Add a splash of white vinegar. This will help keep the egg together.
- While water is heating, slice tomatoes and avocados and season with salt and pepper.
- Plate a slice or two of the tomatoes on each plate to use as the “bread” and add sliced avocado on top.
- Heat a non-stick skillet. Add spinach and toss until just wilted.
- 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.
- 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.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and set on a plate with a paper towel.
- Continue until all 4 eggs are cooked.
- Pull plates from the oven and add 1 egg to each stack.
- 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.
