emily audette.com

If you haven’t noticed I’m sort of in love with eggs lately.  It started with eggs on my oatmeal and has spread to putting an egg on anything.  It’s as if eggs have been missing my whole life and I suddenly discovered them.  Maybe it’s that I finally learned how to do something with eggs besides scramble them.  For the last 25 years that’s the only way I’ve known how to cook them!  

Out of my love affair with eggs came this morning’s gem of a breakfast.  
 

Leftover quinoa tabbouleh + poached eggs + avocado slices

I love to make a big batch of a grain salad before traveling because it’s the perfect lunch to bring on a plane.  It’s healthy, delicious, packed with protein and doesn’t really need refrigeration.  Which is how I had a huge bowl of this quinoa tabbouleh hanging out in my fridge.  This particular batch uses quinoa instead of bulgur, red peppers instead of tomatoes, omits cucumbers, and has some chickpeas thrown in.  Here’s a link to the recipe from Cooking Light I used as a base.

QUINOA TABBOULEH TOPPED WITH POACHED EGGS

• 1 cup leftover quinoa tabbouleh
• 2 eggs
• avocado slices, as many as you want, go for it!
   

Heat the leftover quinoa tabbouleh in the microwave for a minute while the eggs are poaching.  Top with a few avocado slices.

To poach your eggs bring a shallow wide pan filled with water and a little vinegar to boil, crack the eggs into the middle, reduce heat to a gentle simmer, simmer eggs for no longer than 4 minutes.  Remove eggs with a slotted spoon and blot excess water on a paper towel.  Transfer your poached eggs to your quinoa bowl.  Yum!
 

Want more help on poaching eggs?  Check out this post from the kitchn.  It seems writers like to act like poaching eggs is much more complicated than it really is.  Maybe I’m missing something but everything seems to turn out fine with my novice lazy approach!

No, I’m not talking about me and Em both giving you a hug (I would call that an Emily sandwich too though)!  I’m talking about a sandwich I made for lunch that was basically quintessential me in sandwich form.  

Grilled cheese + hummus + avocado + fried egg = Emily sandwich

Here’s how I made it:

1. Heat a cast iron skillet over low heat.
2. Butter the outside of your bread; or in my case don’t butter your sprouted whole wheat bread.
3. Spread hummus all over the inside of one slice of bread
4. Add 2 slices cheddar cheese
5. Top with several avocado slices
6. Grill your sandwich, be patient.  That’s the hardest part.
7. When your sandwich is done set it aside on a plate.
8. Crack an egg into the skillet and cook until the egg is set.
9. Peel the lid off your sandwich and slide on your sunny side up egg.
10. Put the top back on, slice it on the diagonal.

Enjoy your oooey gooey yummy yum yum Emily sandwich!

Hey friends!

I love happy surprises.  Like when you mix and match your leftovers to come up with something even better!  

I had a random burst of inspiration tonight and came up with a delicious dinner.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts + Tomato Soup + Chickpeas = Smokey Tomato Soup with plenty of protein!

Here’s the concept and general measurements:

SMOKEY TOMATO SOUP WITH BRUSSELS SPROUTS

• 1/4 cup roasted brussels sprouts
• 1/4 cup chickpeas
• 1 cup tomato soup

I had all of these as leftovers already in the fridge and here’s the original recipes:

• High heat roasted brussels sprouts.  Be warned:  cooking them this way does cause severe smoke and will probably set off your smoke detector, but it’s so worth it!  They have an unbelievable smokey charred flavor which lends itself perfectly to the addition of the tomato soup.
• Tomato soup.  Very easy and quick, skip the canned stuff!

These seeds were so good I had to stop what I was doing to tell you about them.  Addictive.  Amazing.

Here’s the recipe adapted from Cooking Light magazine:

• 1 cup unsalted pumpkin or squash seeds
• 1 T canola oil
• 3/4 t agave nectar
• 1/2 t cumin
• 1/2 t chile powder
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/4 t cinnamon

1.  Heat the pumpkin seeds in a large skillet over medium heat.  Cook for 6-10 minutes or until toasted.  Stir constantly so they don’t get burned.

2.  Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl, add seeds and coat.  Cool on a paper towel lined baking sheet.

…and then I found out I’m allergic to agave nectar!  Aye aye aye, at least it’s not a deadly allergy.  Next time I’ll sub honey or maple syrup instead of the sugar which was originally in the recipe.

The wonders of a fully-stocked fridge struck again this morning.  Due to last week’s cooking fever that over took me I was left with lots and lots of leftovers which all need to be eaten by tomorrow!  

How to eat all these leftovers by tomorrow with a full freezer?  My first idea was to just eat leftovers for breakfast so that it’s one extra meal.  Then this morning I had a stroke of genius.  Yesterday I went out for brunch at Barbette and got the roast chicken hash.  It’s good, but not quite as flavorful as I expected.  Why not re-create it at home with all my leftovers?  

For the record, in case anyone randomly has these same leftovers at home here is what I created.  I have to say I liked it more than the hash from Barbette!  Somehow I had just the right ingredients in my fridge!

Roasted Chicken Hash, serves 2

• 2 cups leftover roasted potatoes and squash
• 1/2 cup chopped red peppers
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 1/2 cup leftover roasted chicken
• pinch of lemon zest
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 T chopped parsley

Directions:  Using a medium frying pan (not non-stick) cook onions and red peppers in a small amount of olive oil (I used my Misto) until soft.  Add leftover roasted potatoes and squash, chopped up into smaller pieces if needed.  Hopefully your leftovers have plenty of butter/oil to add to the pan because your veggies probably need it.  Add chopped chicken, cook for a few minutes on medium low while you prepare the eggs.  Cook 2 eggs over easy or try poached eggs if you know how (which I don’t).  Finally add the lemon juice, pinch of lemon zest and some extra herbs.  I tossed in some dried rosemary and sage.  Stir and cook for another minute until the juice is absorbed.  Serve in a bowl topped with an egg, sprinkle parsley over the top.

You can tell a few things from this photo.  #1 I did not remove my eggs from the pan very elegantly.  #2 I did not properly arrange my hash so that you could see all the various things mixed in.  #3 I don’t care it was amazing.