Breakfast Blog: Egg Sandwich

First of all, I have to say I am SO excited that Queen Street Grocery down the street from my house is carrying raw goat's milk from Burden Creek Dairy. I bought a bottle yesterday (only $4.99) and tasted it: no weird goaty flavor, lots of fresh milk flavor. I usually only drink a little milk in my coffee, and I don't think I'll start drinking it regularly now, but I am SO happy to feel good about this option.

A friend did point out that humans are not supposed to drink animal milk. While this is technically true, there are a few exceptions: traditional cultures gave raw animal milk to children, pregnant women, and nursing mothers due to its high nutrient content and high amount of saturated fat, which is essential for brain development, among other things.

Also, we are a dairy-ridden society, so asking people to simply give up milk is not always easy, and the alternatives are not always an improvement (soy milk) or an easy substitute (coconut milk, baking, etc.). It is much better to have non-homogenized, non-pasteurized, predigested raw milk available.

This morning it was really cold in my house, so I wanted a hot breakfast. Having been without eggs for most of the week since I used them up in my quinoa brownies, I was really craving a fresh egg. I was also missing my sister, who is out of town, so I made a variation of her signature breakfast: the egg sandwich.


To make an egg sandwich, you will need:

• 2 pieces of Ezekiel bread
• 1 egg
• tomato
• 2 pieces turkey bacon
• mustard

I fried the egg, broiled the bacon, slathered the bread (Ezekiel) with mustard, and sliced up a fresh tomato from Rosebank Farms. I also had two pickled okra that my mom made to make it feel really gourmet. I have the most awesome mother! Served it up with some coffee laced with raw goat milk, and voila! A delicious, filling breakfast.

Pro: Local organic egg and additive-free turkey bacon provide some quality protein and fat, combined with quality carbohydrate and fiber from the sprouted bread.

Con: This is a fairly acidic, and therefore inflammatory, breakfast: meat, mustard, tomato, and coffee are all acid-producing, so if you are prone to acid reflux or upset stomach this is not a great choice.

Pro: A relatively quick breakfast, I had everything cooked, toasted, and slathered in about 10 minutes.

Con: This is a fairly dish-heavy meal: broiler pan for bacon, pan for egg, plate, mustard knife.

A Breakfast Post! Too Many Eggs Follow-Up

So I got lots of great egg options following my Too Many Eggs dilemma. In addition to the comments on that post and some recipes by e-mail, I even got a suggestion (made by a good friend who was clearly joking) that I egg cars.

But ultimately I decided that I would simply whittle away at my eggs by eating two of them for breakfast every day.

I've been frying eggs and eating them over sauteed mustard greens (don't judge till you've tried it; not a far cry from spinach), but this morning I had scrambled eggs with fresh basil and chives, turkey bacon, and a gluten-free toaster waffle (I think I like the gluten ones better). Still, it was a yummy and very satisfying breakfast.

However, I hear a lot and find myself that it's hard to come up with a good breakfast. By that I mean a fast breakfast. I think most people feel this way. I can't ever seem to get to the office before 10 a.m., and while I think this is largely because I don't have a boss or a regular paycheck, it would still make me feel more productive to get there sooner.

Still, there's no doubt that breakfast is important, and honestly, the breakfast above took about 5 minutes to make. While the coconut oil was heating in the pan for the eggs, I stuck the turkey bacon on a broiler pan and into the oven while it preheated to Broil. Then I cracked the eggs and mixed them around in the fry pan for about a minute. Finally I stuck the waffle in the toaster oven for about 3 minutes while the eggs finished cooking. I cut the herbs from my pots and was ready for breakfast.

That said, I've come up with some fast breakfast options out of necessity. They just require a little planning (and shopping) ahead:

• Amy's burritos (frozen, microwavable in 2 minutes, filling, and delicious)
  
• any precooked grain reheated with a little milk or coconut milk, maple syrup, and cinnamon
• Cook eggs and bacon like above and wrap it all up in a tortilla to go
• A banana—while portable and remarkably filling, you'll probably be hungry an hour or so after eating this unless you pair it with some yogurt or a granola bar. I'm not a huge fan of granola bars, but Ken Immer's gRAWnola (available in locally Charleston and hopefully everywhere else) is a great option, as well as Nicole's Nutty Goodness (also local). And of course, if you're eating yogurt, stay away from Yoplait, etc. If you like flavored yogurt or yogurt drinks, try to buy them at Whole Foods or Earth Fare to ensure they have a minimum of additives. Regardless, a banana is better than no breakfast at all.

Now, something for when you're in the mood and have the time for a decadent egg breakfast. This was sent in by one of my readers (my mom). It's from the cookbook Barefoot in Paris, and she's made it for me before, and it's delicious! The heavy cream isn't an everyday food, but don't be afraid of the calories or the fat; it will satisfy you in a healthy way and leave less room for unhealthy cravings later on in the day.


Herbed Baked Eggs
serves 2

• ½ tsp fresh minced garlic, thyme, rosemary, parsley
• 1-2 TBSP freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 6 eggs
• 2 TBSP heavy cream or half and half
  
• 1 TBSP unsalted butter
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Toasted French bread

Preheat broiler for 5 min. and place oven rack 6 inches below heat.

Combine the herbs and cheese and set aside. Carefully crack 3 eggs into each of 2 small bowls without breaking the yolks. Place 2 individual gratin dishes or custard cups on a baking sheet and place 1 TBSP of cream and 1/2 TBSP butter in each. Place under the broiler for about 3 min or until butter/cream mixture is hot and bubbly.

Quickly, but gently, pour each bowl full of eggs into each dish, sprinkle with the herbs and cheese/ salt and pepper and place under the broiler for 5 minutes until the whites are almost cooked. Remove from oven and allow eggs to set for a minute. Serve with hot toasted French bread.