Monday, April 5, 2010

Meatless Monday: Rainbow Chard Omelet With Shallots & Goat Cheese


Did you know that you should eat within one hour of waking up?

That's right--your body has been in starvation mode all night, and the sooner you can get some fuel into it, the better.  This will jump start your metabolism, otherwise your body stays in starvation mode and you burn less calories.  This is why breakfast is often said to be the most important meal of the day.  Studies have shown that people who skip breakfast, actually end up consuming more calories during the day than those that chow down.

Another breakfast issue?  Empty Carbs.  The typical American breakfast is a processed, empty carb fest.  Take almost any name brand cereal.  Most are highly processed, high in sugar and low in protein.  That means you'll get some energy, and then crash.  Instead, I recommend that every meal consist of a good protein source, which is a longer-lasting, slower-burning energy source.  Eggs are a fabulous source of protein and nutrients, quick to cook up, and one of the most delicious foods in the world, if you ask me.

One of my favorite things to make for breakfast is a quick omelet stuffed with fresh greens, shallots and goat cheese. Instead of the usual three egg monstrosity served in most restaurants, I make a light, thin shell by whipping together one whole egg and one egg white.  For the filling, I saute shallots with organic baby rainbow chard (from Sage Mountain Farm), but any kind of green from spinach to kale would be fabulous.  The final ingredient?  A little bit of garlic and herb goat cheese from Soledad Farms and fresh basil.

Now my stomach is grumbling.  I'm going to make one of these right after I post this!  So next time, bypass the cereal aisle and try a healthy omlette.

Rainbow Chard Omelet With Shallots & Goat Cheese
Serves 1 person
Cooking time: 8 minutes

Ingredients
1 organic egg and 1 organic egg white
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon shallots, finely chopped
1 cup baby rainbow chard, chopped (spinach, kale or any green would work)
2 tablespoons chevre (goat cheese)
1 fresh basil leaf, julienned
salt & pepper

Directions
To make the omlette shell, beat together the egg and the egg white.  Add a pinch of salt and a little pepper.  Then, coat a small frying pan with nonstick grapeseed oil or canola oil cooking spray.  Add the eggs and cook for a few minutes on each side over medium heat, until cooked through.  Remove to a plate.

Add the olive oil and shallots, cooking for one minute.  Then, add the chard and cook for a few more minutes until tender.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.


To finish, spoon the shallot-chard mixture onto the omlette shell.  Crumble the fresh chevre on top.  Close the shell around the filling and top with the fresh basil.  Enjoy!

Source For Ingredients
organic eggs from Healthy Family Farms, CSA (Hollywood Farmers Market)

garlic and herb goat cheese from Soledad Farms (Hollywood Farmers Market)

organic baby rainbow chard from Sage Mountain Farm (Hollywood Farmers Market)

organic shallots and purple basil from Hollywood Farmers Market

grapeseed oil cooking spray, olive oil, Kosher salt and organic black pepper from Whole Foods

Wine Pairing
Alright, I'm not going to pair a wine with this dish (though I lovely Roussanne from Tablas Creek would be heavenly).  Instead, I recommend having a cup of green tea like Immortal Green from American Tea Room.  This tea is my current obsession, and I first tried it at their lovely tea room in Beverly Hills.  Check out this description from their website:

In this blend, sencha the color of nori is flecked with brilliantly colored marigold blossoms. Juicy, thick scents of candied peaches and ripe passion fruit give this ethereal, misty yellow brew an almost palpable aroma. The infusion’s delicately grassy and richly fruity flavor gives way to a clean aftertaste with light astringency and lingering passion fruit notes.

Oh, man, this stuff is so wonderful!  Not to mention, green tea is chocked full of antioxidants and has been shown to lower the risk of certain types of cancers.

Here's the information on their tea room, where they serve tea and delicious little cakes and pastries.

American Tea Room
401 North Canon Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210-4819
(310) 271-7922

Click Here For The Website

And if you want to buy some Immortal Green, here's the direct link!

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