Tomato Toast with Garlic Basil Cream Cheese

In the summertime I find myself dreaming about caprese salad literally every week.  I can't get enough.  Summer is when tomatoes are at their best and the simple salad is a perfect way to show off how delicious they can be.  Because I can't eat a caprese every week (I mean I could...I shouldn't) I was hoping to find other ways to highlight how great a fresh summer tomato is.  Simplicity is best in these situations because the point is to showcase, not distract.  This recipe for tomato toast with garlic basil cream cheese is a great way to get some fresh 'maters in your belly and to do so at breakfast time, the one part of the day that seems a tad innappropriate for caprese (again, I could eat caprese at 8 am...I just shouldn't).

This is the kind of breakfast that only takes 5-10 minutes to make; however, I recommend you take 20.  The extra 10 minutes should be reserved for salting your tomato slices and letting them sit to draw out the water.  I didn't do this because I was in a rush, but it would have made the dish mush better.  Do it while you're drying your hair or something; it's not like you have to stare at them while they're salting.  Another tip: the garlic isn't getting cooked so a little goes a long way.  You WILL taste and breathe the garlic so be prepared.  I used just under half a clove for about 3 oz of cream cheese and it was strong.  Not overpowering, but it was certainly detectable.  If you're planning to make a larger batch of the cream cheese to use throughout the week, just remember that as the garlic sits the flavor will become stronger so adjust accordingly.

If you're a bagel and cream cheese person, this is a great alternative that will will satisfy you without weighing you down.  Bagels are usually too heavy for me during the week.  If you're a big fan of Italian food, the main flavors here are tomato, basil, and garlic so I guarantee you'll be happy.    

  

Black Seed Bagels

A lot of people love huge fluffy bagels.  I personally prefer a thinner bagel - it's easier for me to handle.  Some people also like lox and cream cheese.  Not me.  Blame it on my Southern upbringing, but I just am not a fan.  Lox is salty and slimy; too much cream cheese is overwhelming and kinda makes me gag.  Sorry.

But so many people were talking about Black Seed Bagels that I had to see what makes them the better bagel.  I'm pretty sure these bagels were made as a way to introduce the wary Southerner to yankee bagel tradition.  The bagels are wood fired so they come out flatter and almost crispy so it's kinda like they're toasted.  (This is something many New York bagel shops refuse to do - I like mine toasted.  Sue me.)  Black Seed has all the traditional toppings but then also gives each one of them a sexy twist as well.  So basically you've got cream cheese and cream cheese plus.  Regular cream cheese is self explanatory.  Cream cheese plus would be their tobiko spread or the horseradish cream cheese.

I ordered the number 3 (tobiko spread, salmon, and butter lettuce) and added a radish.  The radish is watermelon radish, sliced thin, and almost wide enough around to cover the whole bagel.  Just two slices is enough.  If you're used to typical NYC bagel shops which pile half an inch of cream cheese onto a bagel sandwich, it looks like they skimp on the toppings.  But they understand exactly how much of each is needed for all the components to shine.  The tobiko in the cream cheese added the perfect amount of salt and a gorgeous pink color.   I know I said I hated lox (actually I just said before that it wasn't my thing but might as well put the truth out there - I'm reeeeeally not a fan) so I'm sure you're wondering why I even ordered this bagel to begin with.  It's not like I was in the mood to torture myself.  I just figured if the point of my mission to SoHo was to see what everyone was talking about, I needed to actually try the specific menu items that built up the buzz.  And the next thing you know I ate an entire bagel filled with smoked salmon.  It didn't taste like lox I've ever had.  It wasn't very salty, nor was it slick and slimy.  It was almost like sushi salmon.  It was shiny like a proud boy showing off all his Omega 3s but it wasn't an oily shine.

Not for nothing, but the bagels actually looked pretty, too.  Ingredients are nicely composed and arranged in proper proportions, not just slapped on there in a hurry to shout "next!"  When prepared like this, I not only eat but enjoy a lox and cream cheese bagel so I'm able to feel like a real New Yorker.  The prices are certainly higher than other bagel shops...but high prices also feel pretty New York, too.

  

Goat Cheese Toast with Peas and Eggs

Sometimes having a power breakfast on a weekday makes you feel, well, powerful.  I was in the mood to let out my inner Superman so I adapted this goat cheese and egg toast with peas last week.  I used a scrambled egg instead of a fried one because I didn't want to have to deal with a knife and fork.  Though the recipe says to use two if you're scrambling, I found one to be sufficient.  My other change was to use chives instead of dill.  Fresh herbs of any kind would be good here, but I happened to already have chives in the fridge.  Plus, I always liked my Grandma's onion egg dish (basically egg salad with fine onion) and the chives lent a similar flavor to the dish.

This whole breakfast only took about 7 minutes [max] to put together so power up in the mornings, my friends.

Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

I'm working very hard to start eating breakfast in the morning.  Usually that means a croissant or an english muffin with cheese...maybe some sort of egg dish on the weekend.  But last week I set my sights on a quinoa breakfast bowl; and on a weekday, no less.  I know, it seems aggressive.  I, too, thought it was a bit much to tackle before work until I realized the quinoa could be cooked the night before.  Once you factor in that the main ingredient is cooked, this breakfast of champions seems far more doable.

After reheating the quinoa in the microwave, I topped it with some avocado and smoked salmon.  Finally, I got the egg ready.  You can do a fried egg here, but I personally prefer poached because it's quick, easier to clean up, and I discovered the most amazing trick.  Eggs can be poached in the microwave.  I KNOW.  I found this nearly impossible to believe, but Bon Appétit said it works, and they're pretty legit.  Just fill a 1-cup glass/pyrex measuring cup with 1/2 cup water (you can improvise with the type of cup you use - I found this the easiest because of the handy dandy measuring lines).  Carefully crack an egg into the water, making sure it’s totally covered by the water, and then cover the cup with a plate and microwave on high for about 1 minute.  You may need more/less time to ensure firm whites and runny yolks. Then just use a slotted spoon to place your perfectly poached egg atop your quinoa bowl.  All you need is a little salt and pepper and you're good to go.  Don't even try to tell me that a breakfast like this won't kick your day into high gear.

Yogurt with Banana Chips

After going on a run this morning I desperately needed some breakfast to replenish all the energy I had just exerted. I went with yogurt because it is just about the easiest thing to eat. I tried to mix it up by using cultured coconut milk but if I'm being honest I didn't taste much of difference from regular yogurt. That meant it was a slight disappointment for me but a huge win for lactose intolerant folks. What did make my yogurt a little different was my use of banana chips as a topping. It gives you the crunch you normally achieve with granola but with a whole new flavor. Just crush them up a bit and sprinkle atop your favorite yogurt and you've got yourself a quick and easy breakfast.