A Healthy Spring Breakfast

After my 30-day Whole9 challenge ended in February, I took what I learned from the challenge and adapted my regular diet to include some elements of a paleo-type diet. I reintroduced dairy because I felt like I needed the calcium, for example, and added back chocolate, well, because I love hot chocolate.

I’m always looking for recipes that don’t use wheat or grains, however, and I’ve significantly cut back on the amount of refined sugar I use when cooking at home. I’m also trying to get more vegetables into my diet.

So, when I came across a recipe in Sunset for a vegetable-and-egg breakfast with no potatoes (which also aren’t paleo), I knew that with a little modification it could fit all of my new requirements.

During the 30-day challenge, my go-to breakfast was steamed kale scrambled with eggs, and this is nice change from that. In fact, I think I could eat this for breakfast every day—though it would also make a good quick lunch or dinner.

Spring Vegetable Hash and Poached Egg
Serves 2
2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
About 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
½ onion, roughly chopped
1 large carrot, cut into thick coins
1 bunch Swiss chard, stems chopped and leaves torn, divided
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 teaspoons champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs
Pepper
2 tablespoons chopped chives

Put about 3 inches of water and the distilled white vinegar into a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer; cover the pot, and keep it steaming.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook onion, carrot, and chard stems, stirring often, until softened (about 10 minutes). Add garlic and mushrooms; cook until mushrooms soften, adding oil to pan if needed, about 2 minutes. Put chard leaves on top of vegetables, add champagne vinegar and cook, covered, until leaves wilt (about 2 minutes). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide the mixture between two bowls.

Tina’s Tip: You can substitute balsamic vinegar for the champagne vinegar if you prefer a richer flavor. I’ve tried both and like the lighter, champagne vinegar when I’m making this for breakfast.

Bring hot water in saucepan back to a simmer. Crack eggs into a small dish. Using a slotted spoon, swirl simmering water in a circle, then slowly pour in eggs. Cook until whites firm and yolks are done the way you like (1-2 minutes for softly set).

Lift eggs out of water and set one on top of each bowl of hash. Drizzle each bowl with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with pepper and chives. (There are no chives in the photograph above because it was pouring down rain on the day I took this photo, and I did not want to go outside and cut fresh chives.)

Adapted from a recipe for Red Quinoa Bowl with Swiss Chard and Poached Egg in Sunset magazine. Quinoa is technically a seed, so it’s gluten-free, but it’s not included in most paleo-style diets.