MONKEY SALAD!
Now I have you hooked. Stay tuned to see what that is.
I tend to align myself with Ron Swanson and Leslie Knope of Parks and Rec, who said:
I am one of those people who loves to eat right when I wake up, and if I don't, I am a scary person. If I haven't eaten a protein-filled breakfast, I find myself starving by 10 AM. Jordan calls me the bottomless pit because I am hungry so many times a day. I think it's a blood sugar thing. Where my girls at? I know y'all are with me on this.
Some people are not big "first-thing-in-the-morning" breakfast people. While I could eat my body weight in breakfast IMMEDIATELY upon waking up, Jordan is totally nauseated by the thought of eating tons of food first thing.
Different strokes.
So, although this breakfast is incredibly filling and delicious, like a Waffle House meal, it's also extremely well-balanced and healthy. It also works at any time of the morning - first thing, or as a brunch (and it's big enough that if you're a morning eater, it's worth the wait to cook and will do the trick to fill you up).
I present to you: the Big Giant Healthy Breakfast, guaranteed to keep the people in your house full and happy all morning long, and maybe through lunch.
Best part? It contains things I bet you already have in your kitchen. Walk with me.
Yields: Breakfast for two. (Just multiply the recipe to feed more!)
Ingredients:
4 eggs (however many you want)
1 potato
Almonds, cashews, or whatever nuts you have on hand
1 banana
Coconut shavings
Plain vanilla yogurt (omit the yogurt for a W30 version)
Assorted fruit (berries, pineapple, grapes - again, whatever you have)
Olive oil
Butter (or ghee)
Salt and pepper to taste
Rosemary
1. Chop your potato into breakfast potato-sized chunks. Toss them onto a Silpat (or other non-stick baking surface).
2. Drizzle them in about 2 T of olive oil and turn them to coat completely.
3. Pop them into the oven on a high broil setting for about 7-9 minutes. Don't worry about seasoning yet - just let those bad boys cook for a bit.
4. While your potatoes are cooking, grab a skillet and melt enough butter just to coat the bottom of the pan.
5. In a smaller bowl, whisk your eggs (yolks and whites) together, incorporating enough air so that you see bubbles after you've stopped whisking.
6. Pour the whisked eggs into your buttered skillet over LOW HEAT, season with salt and pepper, and stir with a wooden spoon or non-stick spatula. The key to good scrambled eggs is no added dairy (I know, I know, but read this article) and cooking them low and slow. Takes a little longer, but SO worth it.
7. Check on your potatoes. They should be singing in the oven and starting to get and golden brown. Pull out the baking sheet, season your potatoes with salt and rosemary to taste (don't overdo the rosemary - less is more). Toss to coat, then return your 'taters to the oven to finish cooking for another 5-7 minutes or so.
8. At this point, your eggs should be done cooking. Remove them from heat and their skillet in order to stop the cooking process. Overcooked scrambled eggs are not terribly appetizing.
9. These next steps are the easiest! Dollop some vanilla yogurt into small cups, top with fruit. Bada-bing-bada-boom.
Tip: Every week, I buy fruit at the grocery store. Right when I get home, I wash, cut, and store all the fruit together in a bowl in my fridge. Having it ready to serve makes putting it over yogurt, snacking, and having some fruit for dessert a snap. Convenience is key in the kitchen!
9. Your 'taters should be deliciously golden brown by now. Pull them out of the oven and serve them up next to your gorgeous eggs.
YUM.
10. Now, for the monkey salad! I wasn't kidding, this is real. Cut up a banana, toss some nuts (of your choice - I prefer cashews, Jordan prefers almonds) and coconut shavings into a small bowl, stir, and WHAM - a salad fit for a monkey's appetite - and yours. This also makes a killer snack for when your Whole 30 hunger rage kicks in.
Now put all this deliciousness on a plate and enjoy! As the Barefoot Contessa would say, "How easy is that?"