breakfast salad

When I go out for a weekend breakfast, it is often late enough in the day that the clever term combining breakfast and lunch is clearly applying to the meal I am about to have.  And, because I am a hungry one, I've often had a "pre-breakfast" of granola to get me through the wait to be seated at the popular breakfast spot.  Because of the time of day and fact it's often my second meal,  I have been known to order lunch-type foods at brunch.  A soup and a salad, sometimes.  Other times, a salad to accompany my omelet or scramble.  But I have yet to see a breakfast salad on a menu.  I don't know why;  they are pretty perfect as a brunch item, if you ask me.  Assuming, of course, I am not seeking a brunch to recover from "Saturday night carousing."  For that, cheesy eggs and greasy potatoes are perfect.

This past weekend, I was preparing to make a little at-home brunch and found myself standing at the open refrigerator, pondering what to make.  We were craving something filling but somewhat light (since we were headed out for a long run shortly) and definitely savory.  We would have our sweet Dutch pancake with roasted fruit tomorrow, we determined.

Taking stock of the inventory, I found some fresh arugula, some smoked salmon scraps, boiled purple potatoes and a couple eggs (among a few other items).  I briefly contemplated throwing together an omelet with these ingredients, but suddenly realized I wanted nothing less than a salad for breakfast.  I hadn't really had a "breakfast salad" before, but I like some greens with my eggs, so I started to throw some things together.  It wasn't so different from a dinner salad, except that I served it with rosemary roasted potatoes and topped it with a poached egg. Come to think of it, that would be a delicious dinner salad as well. 

It hit the spot perfectly; I am definitely going to eat breakfast salads for brunch a lot more from now on.  And you know, it fueled that run pretty well too.

Breakfast Salad:

A mix of arugula, parsley leaves, and watercress dressed simply with a squeeze of lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper

Radishes, sliced thinly

Cherry tomatoes, roasted with olive oil and salt (400F oven, about 10 minutes)

Smoked salmon pieces

Potatoes, previously boiled then roasted with chopped rosemary, salt, pepper and a pat of butter (400F oven, 15-20 minutes)

Avocado, sliced

Eggs, poached

Drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkle of salt, pepper

Tricks and Tips:

This recipe is simply a guide, throw together whatever you have available. Use leftover bread for big toasty croutons.  Top with shredded parmesan or dollops of goat cheese.  Sprinkle on some nuts or berries, or herbs from your garden.  Roasted beets would be delicious too.  Throw in some bacon.  Have fun with it, whatever you do.

I generally use about 1 large handful of greens (mixed greens, arugula, kale) for each serving of salad.

Everyone has their own method for poaching an egg, here is mine:
In a shallow pan (saute or shallow sauce pan) add about 3 inches of water.  To the water add about 2 T vinegar and a large pinch of salt (any variety will do, but I am partial to apple cider vinegar).  Let the water come to just barely simmer.  You will see little tiny bubbles around the edge of the pan, but none in the middle.  This is perfect.  Crack your egg and lower it as close to the water as possible before slowing dropping the white and yolk into the water.  Do not touch the egg.  If the water is not quite deep enough, gently spoon water over the top of the egg.  When the whites are just set and the yolk is still very soft, gently lift the egg out of the water with a slotted spoon and transfer to your dish.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper for best flavor.

sweet inspiration

I receive a lot of magazines. Nearly every week, I have something new waiting on my stoop with awe-inspiring mountains or drool-inducing dishes popping from the covers, surrounded by sensational headlines: "Lost on Everest!" or "Epic Rib Feast."

Recently one of my magazines had a large feature on donuts.  It told of the history and development of the fried pastry (did you know that the hole is in the donut to help prevent an undercooked center?) and shared many images and recipes of donuts from around the world.

I've never been one for donuts so this article didn't really ignite any inspiration in me (I much preferred learning about the Red Cross "Donut Dollies" handing out hot donuts to troops during World War II for a taste of home).   But my sweetheart has a special fondness for donuts and has been fascinated with this magazine since the day it arrived.  HE was inspired.  Leafing through the pages, eyes and grin wide, he dog-eared a few recipes he wanted to try.  New England-Style Cider Donuts were the pick for his first homemade donut experience.  And they were pretty delicious, I must say.

New England Cider Donut

adapted from Savuer Magazine

2 -2½ cups all purpose flour
¼ cup whole wheat flour
3 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
2 tbsp. butter, softened

½ cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup apple cider
3/4 cup buttermilk
Canola oil, for forming and frying

Heat about 2 inches of canola oil in a cast iron skillet to 350F.

In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.  

Add egg yolks, cider, buttermilk and vanilla. 

Mix together dry ingredients and add to the rest of the mixture. 

The dough will be rather sticky, but you want to be able to handle it a bit - add more flour as needed (picture below, for reference). 

Pour a little canola oil on your hands and rub it around.  

Pinch off a small ball of dough and form it into a disk, about 3 inches in diameter and ½ inch thick.  Using your thumb, form the donut hole in the center.

CAREFULLY slide the donut into the oil. 

Let it cook until golden brown and delicious, then flip it over.  

Remove the donut using a slotted spoon when both sides are nicely browned, about 3-4 minutes total.

Let donut drain on a wire rack or on paper towels until completely cool. 

Dust with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar.

Tricks and Tips:

If you don't have a cast iron skillet, any saute pan will will do.  The cast iron maintains a more stable heat, but it isn't necessary.

Make sure your hands are good and oily for forming the donuts, otherwise you will have dough all over your fingers! 

Be VERY careful when placing your donuts in the oil and when flipping them over.  The oil is really hot and can burn you easily if splashed. 

Work with one donut at a time, until you get the hang of it.  It moves pretty quickly and it would be a shame to burn a donut!

A dash of nutmeg and a pinch of salt in the dusting sugar adds a nice little something.

These donuts are really great with coffee.  But I am sure you already knew that!

my Dutch baby

There is something really special about a leisurely weekend breakfast.   

Waking without an alarm, bare feet padding around the apartment, starting the day without a rush to find the keys and head out the door:  These are all a lovely start to a weekend morning.  But what really makes it exceptional is breakfast.

'They' say breakfast is the most important meal of the day and I certainly agree; I don't think I have missed one yet!  Even though I often turn to granola, I do like to crack open some eggs and whip up something a little extra-ordinary on the slower weekends.

While growing up, French Toast was a common occurrence at our weekend breakfast table (rotating among cinnamon coffee cake, waffles, and summertime strawberry shortcake).  I have always really loved French Toast - custardy on the inside, crisp and golden brown on the outside, and just barely sweet (to allow for plenty of maple syrup!).

Since my belly no longer tolerates toast, I had been searching for something that fills that craving and nostalgia without causing pain later in the day.   One sunny weekend, complete with jazz music in the background, I decided to make a Dutch Baby Pancake for breakfast.  Making some substitutions to appease my tummy, I discovered the 'French Toast' I was missing.

The oat flour creates a dense and custardy, not-too-sweet pancake with a wholesome, nutty flavor.  All this while still obtaining that desirable golden brown crispness on the outside (and especially the edges - oh, those edges!).   It's just what your weekend has been missing. 

Modified Dutch Baby Pancake

4 egg whites

2 whole eggs

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 cup oat flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

the zest of 1/2 orange

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons butter, for the pan

Preheat your oven to 425'F.

  

Place a cast iron skillet (12" or so) in the oven to pre-heat as well. 

To the jar of a blender, add all of the ingredients, starting with the liquid items at the bottom (this helps it to blend more efficiently).  

Pulse just enough to blend. 

Place your butter in the cast iron skillet (careful!  that handle is hot! don't forget your hot pad or side towel!).  

When the butter is melted, pour your batter into the pan.  

Top with fruit or other deliciousness. 

Sometimes a sprinkle of brown sugar is a nice addition to the top. 

Cook for about 20 minutes until puffy and set in the middle. 

Serve immediately. 

Tricks and Tips:

If you don't have a cast iron skillet, any oven-proof saute pan will do.  

Of course, you can use all purpose flour in place of the oat flour, and dairy milk in place of the almond, if those are more your style.   You'll get a bit of a fluffier, lighter pancake this way, but either way, it's delicious, I promise.

I like the simplicity of the blender on a weekend morning, but whisking the ingredients together in a bowl will work just as well.

If using wheat flour, be careful to only blend or whisk until JUST combined.  Over-mixing can create a tough pancake. 

I lightened up the cholesterol load in the pancake by splitting the eggs into whole and whites.  I don't recommend going to all whites (it needs a little of the fat and emulsification you can only get from the egg yolks).  However, if you want to use whole eggs, use 4 total for the recipe.

Add ANYTHING you like to the pancake.  Previously, I have enjoyed various fruits, nuts, pieces of bacon, even some shredded veggies or cheese (a great option if a savory breakfast speaks to you louder than sweet).

daily granola

I've been eating a lot of granola lately.

My go-to weekday (who am I kidding - nearly everyday!) breakfast is a bowl full of seasonal fruit with some granola and milk.  Because of sensitivities with my tummy, I have had a hard time finding granolas in the market that agreed with me and also tasted delicious.  Much like Goldilocks and her porridge, I thought some granolas were too soft, some too hard.  Most all were too sweet. 

While visiting my parents recently, I decided to take matters into my own hands and make a batch of my own.  In my typical style, I more or less dumped some ingredients in a bowl and hoped for the best.  With just the right sweetness, a hint of warming spices, and the crunch of nuts and oats, we had a winner.  I quickly jotted the recipe on a sticky note, lest I forget this new-found gem.

My parents and I enjoyed a week of happy granola eating before I headed back to my home.  But I left them with that scribbled note.  Who needs a recipe though, really?!  

I've been making a large batch of granola nearly every week since then.  Just like the first day, I throw in some ingredients and cross my fingers.  Considering my profession, one would think I would be a little more precise in my creation.  But once you know the essential components, there is something really comforting in just throwing something together.  Perhaps that is why casseroles are such comfort food: no recipe!

today's granola

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup water

1/3 cup honey 

1/4 cup date paste, optional
(can be made by pureeing dates and a little water in your blender)

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/4 teaspoon ginger 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla 

4 cups old fashioned oats

1/2- 1 cup almonds, roughly chopped

1/2- 1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped

Mix together all of the syrup-phase ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  
It helps to warm this phase; in the absence of a microwave, I melt my butter and warm this phase by placing my metal mixing bowl over a saucepan with simmering water.  The steam will gently (but effectively!) warm it.

Add oats, nuts, and any other ingredients that strike your fancy.

Spread the granola out on a sheet pan.  I like to line the sheet pan with parchment for easy transfer to my storage container, but it is not necessary.

Bake at 275F 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown and delicious.  
Do not stir if you want the granola to form clusters.  

Let cool and break into smaller pieces.  

Store airtight.  
It will keep well for about a month, but I have never had any stay around that long!  

A few tips: 

Hydrating the oats a little bit helps prevent some of the toasty bitterness.  Water, apple sauce, or syrups can be the hydrating portion.  This water also helps the granola to agglomerate (form clumps) in the baking process.

The addition of fat helps to prevent a dry and chalky granola. 

Sugars provide the sweetness, aids in that delicious browning, and makes the granola crispy.  A combination of sugars will give the best results, but is not necessary.  I like to use table sugar (sucrose) and honey (fructose and glucose).

Add whatever suits your mood: sub in some maple syrup, add some dried fruits, fruit purees, nuts, or seeds. Have fun with the process!