There’s just something so warm and cozy about waking up and eating a warm breakfast. Yes, I like smoothies on most mornings, but during the winter and fall months the frigid air that smacks me in the face is enough to make me want to put nothing on or in my body that isn’t pleasantly warm and inviting.
Does anyone else just think that the worst part of the day is peeling the warm and comforting covers off of you only to expose your painfully white skin to the rest of the world? No? Just me? Okay, well I stand by my convictions.
Anyway, the point of the matter is, living in Coeur D Alene, Idaho during the tail end of the year makes you want warmth and anything that reminds you of warmth. So that’s one of the main reasons I came up with this egg bake-to warm you up this winter/fall season.
Give it a try and let me know how you like it!
When I can’t bring myself to drinking a smoothie on these painfully cold and dark mornings, I like to turn to eggs because they have a nice fat-to-protein ratio that really will keep you full during the morning. They’re also really easy to sneak veggies into without making it feel like you’re eating a salad for breakfast. We already went over the existing pains of mornings-no need to add eating a salad to that list.
If you eat this particular recipe, you’ll have already snuck in almost 2 cups of your vegetables. It’s recommended that you get 5 each day, so you’re halfway there- go you:)
Another one of my favorite things about eggs is their versatility. You can pretty much add whatever you want to them and they’ll be delicious. With this recipe, don’t be afraid to try adding some meat such as lean turkey sausage, ground turkey, turkey bacon, diced chicken, ground elk (for all you hunters out there), etc. Really the possibilities are endless.
Another great ingredient in this recipe is the little cherry tomatoes. Though they aren’t in season during the winter months in Idaho, sometimes I still like to incorporate them, I’ll leave that up to you about whether or not you want to eat foods that are out of season.
Tomatoes are great because they have a phytochemical (which are compounds that have been shown to prevent cancer) in them called lycopenes. Lycopene is an amazing phytochemical because it lowers the risk of many diseases such as
strokes
cardiovascular diseases
protects against prostate, stomach, and lung cancer.
So load up on the tomatoes. You won’t be disappointed.
When you read the title you were most likely either intrigued by the cardamom or turned off by it. As I said earlier, eggs really can take on whatever flavor you want them to- other than a banana flavor. Banana flavors just make me sick. Cardamom is a little safer bet. PLUS cardamom has some amazing health benefits:
Antioxidant
Anti-inflammatory
Assists in digestion
Antibacterial
Diuretic
Possible cancer preventing
Basically, it does everything that you want and can even treat cavities and bad breath. You want cardamom. Plus, I LOVE to mix flavor profiles that people don’t always think of mixing.
In this recipe I paired it with basil and rosemary when usually cardamom is thrown into the holiday spice cabinet and a close cousin of herbs like cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. Combining it instead with basil and rosemary brings new excitement to the taste buds, as it plays a citrus, minty role alongside the piney and sweet flavors of rosemary and basil.
Hope this recipe finds you happy and healthy,
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
9 eggs
6 cups spinach
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
½ large onion, diced
3 large cloves garlic, diced
¾ cup crumbled feta
1 Tbsp rosemary
½ Tbsp basil
¼-½ tsp cardamom
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Dice onion and mince garlic. Heat oil in a large skillet and saute onion and garlic on medium heat until golden brown.Meanwhile, half cherry tomatoes
Once garlic and onion have browned, add spinach and cook for a few more minutes until wilted. While spinach is wilting, crack eggs into large mixing bowl. Beat until yolks are fully combined. Add in rosemary, basil and cardamom. Salt and pepper to taste.
Pour eggs into 9x9 baking dish. Add onion spinach mixture to eggs and mix until evenly distributed. Add tomatoes and top with feta cheese. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until eggs are cooked thoroughly.
Need further recipe support or tips on how to cook? I'd love to help! Just click "let's do this thing" or "reach out" on my website at honestnurtirioncda.com
Much love
Mikyah RDN, LD