A BREAKFAST SALAD?


HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Like most people, I am trying embark on 2012 with a renewed commitment to health, joy, and calm. Maybe my lofty aspirations will last only a few days before the roller coaster of life, obligations, and not-so-good habits take over.  Day five and I'm going strong.... only 360 to go.

A nourishing breakfast can never be a bad thing and this recipe has become quite popular at our house. I finally have my soft boiled eggs down to an art, and the rest of the dish is so simple that you whip up the whole thing in about 10 minutes. Easy, right?

I was eating my bowl of soft-boiled eggs, toast, and arugula and Abby remarked, "Hey, that's a salad."

Yes. Salad for breakfast.... 2012 here we come!



INGREDIENTS 
(printable recipe)
  • one or two farm eggs (room temp)
  • one or two slices of your favorite bread for toasting
  • unsalted butter
  • handful of arugula leaves
  • sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

To bring your eggs to room temp, submerge them in a bowl of really warm (but not boiling hot) tap water.

Fill a small sauce pan with 3-4 inches of water. Cover pan with a lid and heat water on your stove top over a high flame.

Toss your bread in the toaster.

When the water is boiling, gently lower your eggs into the sauce pan, and set your timer to 5 minutes and 15 seconds. Adjust flame to achieve a nice simmer.  While the eggs are cooking, dump out the bowl of water that you used to warm your uncooked eggs. Refill the bowl with cold water and a few ice cubes. When the timer goes off, quickly remove eggs from the pot (using a slotted spoon is easiest) and immediately place cooked eggs in the ice water bath while you finish prepping the rest of your goodies. The eggs can rest here for a minute or so until they are cool enough to handle.

When your toast is ready, butter it and tear it into pieces. Nestle the buttery toast bits into a small bowl. Scatter arugula leaves over the toast.

Using a serrated knife, cut the top off of the egg. Scoop the egg out of the shell and place it on top of your toast and arugula. Sprinkle with good salt and some fresh ground pepper.


Enjoy!

Serves one. You can easily increase the all ingredients to feed as many as you wish.


62 comments:

  1. What a gorgeous salad! Very flavorful and so scrumptious. The egg is cooked to perfection.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    ReplyDelete
  2. Rosa, It was hard for me to snap the photos - I was so eager to take a bite:)
    Happy 2012 to you!
    -E

    ReplyDelete
  3. This looks wonderful, I absolutely love soft boiled eggs

    http://chicgeekery.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Erin, this is one of my favorite combinations egg and arugula. I have fresh farmers eggs delivered every fortnight and I enjoy them very much. Pictures are fabulous as always. Happy healthy eating!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks Mal! I agree about soft boiled eggs - such a simple pleasure.

    Natasha, oooh I wish I could get farm eggs delivered. You are so lucky!

    xo
    E

    ReplyDelete
  6. I had this exact combination on a homemade English muffin recently in Ojai making it (I guess) a breakfast salad sandwich. Happy 12 2 U! GREG

    ReplyDelete
  7. Greg, the homemade English muffin is a great touch... Yum!

    -E

    ReplyDelete
  8. An absolutely gorgeous salad! This looks so delicious! :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Your article that appeared in the Nice Magazine issue is awesome. What a fun and wonderful opportunity. Oh yes, and the above egg salad is just beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I like the idea of this. Hey, it's breakfast-like in that you have your bread and your egg. But you also have some lovely, crisp greens. Sounds ideal to start the New Year with. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks Sara:)

    And Sarah, isn't Nice Magazine awesome! I love their design sensibility and I did feel really honored that they asked me to partake in the food issue.

    Carolyn, a girl's gotta try to get the greens in, right;)

    xo
    E

    ReplyDelete
  12. Happy New Year! It is great to be re-newed by a new year. Love this salad - simple but so flavorful. Stunning photos!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. I love every kind of egg and this is so appealing. A breakfast salad? Why not? Very appetizing.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Salad for breakfast...what a great idea!! Your soft boiled egg looks amazing!!! I absolutely adore poached eggs, but your beautiful soft boiled egg has me wanting one of those instead. Thank you for your detailed instructions, I will have to try soft boiling my own eggs :D

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thanks Lisa! Yes, New Year's renewal sounds really good:)

    Angela, me too. I love eggs - such an easy and yummy protein.

    Jennifer, Poached eggs are so good! I hope you like these soft boiled too. They are so easy:)

    Linda, Thanks so much!

    xxoo
    E

    ReplyDelete
  16. I love the idea of a breakfast salad! Honestly, I have never had a soft boiled egg, but now I am going to try! And I love your little salt bowl! Too cute!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Looks delicious, and what a beautiful photo! I too spent much time getting my soft boiled eggs down to an art. I settled on 6 minutes, but I also boil them straight from the fridge rather than bringing to room temp first.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Jane, Thanks!
    Give soft-boiled a try - I think you'll enjoy them:)

    Paige, I love the feeling of perfecting something in the kitchen. So often I improvise and cannot remember how I made something;)

    xo
    E

    ReplyDelete
  19. I never did see a prettier breakfast salad! Looks like your new year is off to a very good start ;)

    ReplyDelete
  20. Gahh I love your pictures! Esepcailly the one with the little bowl of salt and the pepper grinder (is it?). If I had a salad that looked this good, I definitely mind eating it for breakfast everyday.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I just made this for my breakfast! First time making soft boiled eggs!!!! Turned out great!!!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Renee, 2012... so far so good;) I hope you are well too.

    Kyleen, Thanks:) It is a little pepper grinder. I grew up with one just like this and I am quite sentimental about it.

    Lisa Lu - Woo Hoo! I'm so happy you enjoyed your breakfast salad. And I really appreciate that you let me know:)

    xo
    E

    ReplyDelete
  23. I never would have guessed that these few, simple ingredients would come together so beautifully to make breakfast. We eat this all the time and it is always glorious.

    ReplyDelete
  24. holy moly that opening photo. i could step right into it. and those perfectly cooked eggs. breathtaking.

    ReplyDelete
  25. I would happily eat this for breakfast - your eggs look perfect :-) What a gorgeous, fresh new year's post - I might have to have a few leaves for my breakfast tomorrow.

    ReplyDelete
  26. P :)

    Phyllis, thanks lady! I'll make a bowl for you one of these days for a little lunch date?

    thelittleloaf, you are so sweet! Happy New Year to you.

    xo
    E

    ReplyDelete
  27. This brings back to mind learning to eat soft-boiled eggs in a B&B in London. Cutting the top off just so, eating properly out of an egg cup, etc:)

    I've taken to egg cups ever since, but I wouldn't mind slipping these puppies out of their shells were they to rest on something so tasty as arugula. Mmm!

    ReplyDelete
  28. I swear....we are on the same wave length...I have been really trying hard to perfect my soft boiled eggs and I was thinking how pretty it would look next to something really green, sprinkled with bacon. You beat me to it again! It's so funny. I always have to laugh. Great pic's as usual.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Emma, I grew up eating soft boiled in little cups too. You reminded me that I should get out the little egg cups I inherited from my grandma. Fun!

    Oli, great to be on the same wave length as you! So funny you mention bacon... when it's available, I do crumble it up into my little breakfast salads. I like your instincts:)

    xo
    E

    ReplyDelete
  30. Happy New Year Erin!

    Now it is my turn to say that it's dangerous for me to come here. That 1st photo is fab! I love eggs and semi/half boiled eggs are the best. Also love the marble background on all of these!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Oh I grew up eating soft boiled eggs in the little cups too. With a little spoon, and a small platter on the side with a mixture of salt & pepper. Hm.....

    ReplyDelete
  32. oh yum, i think i know what i'm having for breakfast tomorrow...

    ReplyDelete
  33. Jenn, thanks! Good memories, eh?

    Alice :)

    -Erin

    ReplyDelete
  34. This looks so delicious and beautiful. Love your pictures and your blog. So happy to be following you now. I just posted an eggy recipe I think you'll love too :)

    ReplyDelete
  35. I just discover your blog and I love it!

    ReplyDelete
  36. What a fabulous idea to have a breakfast salad....certainly a good partner for just toast.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Marina, Your egg recipe looks so good! And I'm glad to know your blog now too. Great pix:)

    Shelly - thanks so much!

    Anna, I eat this a few times a week - so easy and totally satisfying.

    xo
    E

    ReplyDelete
  38. I love eggs with greens, especially gorgeous eggs like these! Sounds like a fabulous breakfast to me.

    ReplyDelete
  39. We had the salad for two breakfasts. It was so yummy. The nuttiness of the arugula with the buttered toast and the salty, warm egg was delish.

    Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  40. Erin, seeing this salad reminds me to slow down and treat breakfast as a true meal instead of a dash out the door (to drive my kids to school) with an egg sandwich in hand. Beautiful as always! Happy New Year.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Anonymous, Woo Hoo! I am honored you made the breakfast salad two days in a row:)

    Hey there Lori, Happy New Year to you! So true....I am often guilty of eating breakfast on the go, but this little salad forces me to sit for at least a minute or two - too messy to take in the car;)

    xo
    E

    ReplyDelete
  42. I like the boiled egg method here. I'm off to boil an egg now following your method! Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  43. I just made this, it's delicious! :D

    ReplyDelete
  44. Luana, yay! Glad you liked it. Thanks so much for letting me know:)

    xo
    Erin

    ReplyDelete
  45. I love it! The food looks delicious and nutritious. Beautiful pictures. I am going to add your blog to my inspiring blogs. shelly

    ReplyDelete
  46. So simple and wonderful! Love it! Can't wait to try this.
    Beautiful blog, your photographs are so inspiring.

    ReplyDelete
  47. Thanks Shelly! I'm honored to be one of your inspiring blogs.

    Maria, I hope you enjoy:)

    -E

    ReplyDelete
  48. This is one of my favorite things to eat, though I should really be soft boiling my eggs. That is the most perfect looking soft-boiled egg! Also, I often have an egg (albeit fried, naughty me) on top of rice with sauteed kale, sprinkled with sesame seeds. It really helps to start the day off right!

    ReplyDelete
  49. I love the idea of breakfast salad, especially after good workout.

    ReplyDelete
  50. Julia, I am totally diggin' your fried egg on rice with kale and sesame. I so prefer a real meal for breakfast.

    M, a good workout... I need to get on that one;)

    xo
    E

    ReplyDelete
  51. I LOVE this! Thanks so much for the idea. I especially love it drizzled well with fresh lemon juice.

    ReplyDelete
  52. BRYAN JOHNSON-FRENCHJanuary 21, 2012

    I've been having this 'Breakfast Salad' every day for the past week, now. I'm sure my cholesterol has shot way up but I don't care, I love that breakfast.

    ReplyDelete
  53. Carolyn, thanks!

    Bryan that makes me SO happy! I hope you guys are well and that 2012 is being good to you and your family. xxxooo E

    ReplyDelete
  54. growing up my mom would always make me an "egg in a glass" for breakfast (its essientailly a soft boiled egg on top of ripped up toast) and I LOVE your adult take on my childhood classic!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lucie, I had the same childhood classic!! I always loved my mom's soft boiled eggs on toast. Now I make it for my boy and then I throw in some arugula in mine:)

      Delete
  55. I saw this recipe on Pinterest and just happened to have the ingredients on hand. So delicious! I also just made some lemon-parmesan dressing last night and drizzled on top of the lovely breakie.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Annie, I'm so glad you liked the "salad"!! I bet your lemon-parm dressing was a delicious addition:)

      Delete
  56. Beautiful! Nice way to get protein in the morning!

    ReplyDelete
  57. this was so good! i added shaved pecorino cheese bits into the salad which worked out very well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh I bet the pecorino was a delicious addition:)

      Delete
  58. Beautiful soft egg, I love this. Never thought about eating a sald like this for bearkfast but this looks nice and will be perfect for tomorrow morning!

    ReplyDelete

So good to hear from you... I appreciate each and every note you leave for me!

Thanks,
E