Food : Loaded Breakfast Toast

It's no secret that breakfast is my favorite meal of the day!  From oatmeal + mixed nuts + dried fruit to greek yogurt + fresh fruit, berry pancakes to french toast, veggie omelets to portobello eggs benedict {remember this recipe?} - I'm a breakfast lover all around and I'll find any excuse to go out for breakfast or go all out in my own kitchen if I have to.  

Last week I was scouring my pantry for something yummy and behold the Loaded Breakfast Toast was born.  {That's what you call a bunch of stuff on top of toast and have no other name for it - ha!}  It was pretty stinkin yummy, so I had to share.  You can bet I'll be making this for my parents while they're in town....I hope you enjoy!!

Loaded Breakfast Toast

Serves 2

- 2 Pieces of Sandwich Bread {Of course I use my gfree version, usually Udis or Whole Foods brand}

- 1/2 c Sliced Mushrooms

- 1 c Fresh Leafy Spinach, rinsed and dried

- 2 Eggs

- 1 Avocado, sliced

- 1/2 T Butter {Olive Oil could be used instead}

- Salt 

- Pepper

1. In a nonstick pan, over medium heat melt butter, add mushrooms and spinach, sprinkle with salt and saute.  
2. Remove mushrooms and spinach from pan and cover to keep warm.  
3. Add egg {I suggest one at a time} to same pan and fry till yolk is firm but soft enough to run when broken. (about 1 minute on each side)
4. While egg is frying, toast your bread & lightly butter.
5. Assemble : toast + mushrooms & spinach + egg + avocado + salt & pepper to taste.

{Every last bite was consumed - and quickly!}

Bon Appetit!

Portobello Eggs Benedict

Prior to my gluten free lifestyle, hands down, Eggs Benedict was my all time favorite breakfast indulgence.  Breakfast {or brunch} is my favorite meal to eat out, so every breakfast date usually included a cup of coffee and a glorious plate of english muffin, eggs, bacon and hollandaise goodness.  My food life received quite a blow the day I discovered I had to be gfree.  Breakfast dates we no longer fun, eating out was difficult with friends (watching them order whatever gluten filled dishes their heart so desired, and me salivating over their meal between bites of my salad), and cooking at home was a challenge.  Suffer no more!  I decided I was no longer going to miss out on my favorite foods, and I was going to make versions that not only I could eat, but that I desired to eat.

A while back, a friend of mine forwarded a delicious looking recipe of Portobello Eggs Benny, but doubtful it would ever taste as good as that english muffin, I never made it.  However, a few weeks ago, with my sister's arrival, I wanted to make a fun and unexpectedly yummy gfree breakfast.  Inspired by my friend's Portobello Benny, I put my kitchen skills to the test and boy did they deliver!  My gluten eating husband and sister gobbled up these mini sized Eggs Benedict and raved about them for days after.

Easy, inexpensive & impressive - Portobello Eggs Benedict is the perfect weekend brunch dish to serve to friends and family {or just you ;)}.  I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do.

Gluten Free Portobello Eggs Benedict

You'll Need : 

• 6 Eggs
• 6 Small Portobello Mushrooms {washed and stemmed}
• 6 Pieces of Canadian Bacon
• 1 T Olive Oil
• 1 t Vinegar

Hollandaise Sauce

• 3 Egg Yolks {room temp}
• 1/2 C Butter {cleanly melted}
• 1/2 Lemon {juiced}
• 1/4 t Salt
• 2-3 T warm water {use as needed}
• Cayenne Pepper {optional}

Eggs, Mushrooms & Bacon

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F and have a cookie sheet or shallow baking dish available. 
2. Fill half a sauce pan with water and add 1 t vinegar.  Bring to a boil.  
3. One by one, gently crack eggs and lower into boiling water.  Let boil for 4 minutes. {NO LONGER}
4. With a slotted spoon, remove from water and transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
5. In a frying pan, add 1 T Olive Oil and set on medium/high heat.  Add mushroom to pan cap-side up, let cook for 1-2 minutes.  Flip mushrooms and cook till both sides are beautifully browned.  Transfer mushrooms to cookie sheet and place in oven to keep warm.  
6. Add Canadian Bacon to pan {keeping juices from mushrooms in pan - add a touch of oil if pan is dry} and cook on both sides till bacon is warmed through and sides are lightly browned.  Transfer to cookie sheet and keep warm in oven.

Sauce

1. Combine egg yolks, lemon juice and salt in blender.  Blend on high till combined {just a few seconds}.
2. Add butter and blend again {just a few seconds}.
3. Slowly add warm water to temper the eggs, blend on high {a few more seconds}.  Add more or less water for desired consistency.  

When ready to serve...

1. Lay one mushroom upside down on plate.  Layer with a piece of canadian bacon and a poached egg.
2. Top with hollandaise sauce and a dash of cayenne pepper.
3. Enjoy!

- all images via danya collyer

I'm just a girly girl....

Hi Sweet Friends,

So this week is a special week - my sister is here in Monterey visiting for the next TWO weeks!  It's been a blast so far.  It's only been two days and we've already done lots of sight seeing, coffee drinking, picnic-ing, shopping, cooking, antiquing, nail painting, party planning and plenty of other girly activities.  We're pooped!

As a result of her visit, I've finally returned to the kitchen.  My cooking has been sparse since the move, but I'm becoming more comfortable in our tiny apartment kitchen with each meal.  I'm LOVING the vast variety of fresh {and local} produce available here.  Tuesday is Market day {a day I greatly look forward to on a weekly basis - finally, grocery shopping is enjoyable again} and oh my goodness!  The produce is simply amazing.  I've never tasted strawberries, oranges, blackberries & blueberries so sweet.  This week I picked up homemade gluten free, garlic, basil fettucini noodles, locally grown artichokes, portobello mushrooms, asparagus, & a few yummy fruits.  For my sister's arrival brunch I put my own spin on Eggs Benedict {Portobello Eggs Benny} & for dinner last night, I made a homemade Mushroom Alfredo Sauce to accompany our fresh fettucini noodles & also steamed an artichoke {artichokes are a foreign food to this southern girl...I've known them as a canned confection, until recently}.  All that to say, I have lots of yummy recipes to share.  Once I have a minute to sit and think remember the recipes, I'll be sure to share!  Until then, it's movie time and I'm already late!  Hope you're having a fabulous weekend!

{My Lovely Sister at the Wharf}

{GFree Mushroom Fettucini Alfredo}

{Portobello Eggs Benny}

xoxo.d

Oh! P.S. Here's my Valentine's Day shot....I forgot to share.

- All images via my iPhone.