Eggs Italiano

A healthful and sophisticated answer to eggs Benedict, this full-flavored, chunky vegetable medley sandwiched between egg and muffin replaces bacon, and a sprinkle of cheese stands in for Hollandaise.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• ¼ cup distilled white vinegar (nitrate-free)
• 2 tsps expeller-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 organic shallot, minced
• 1 pound organic zucchini (about 2 medium), diced
• 12 ounces organic plum tomatoes (3-4), diced
• 3 Tbsps thinly sliced fresh basil, divided
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar (nitrate-free)
• ½ tsp salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 8 large organic or free-range eggs 

• 4 natural whole-wheat English muffins, split and toasted
• 2 Tbsps freshly grated organic Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Fill a large, straight-sided skillet or Dutch oven with 2 inches of water; bring to a boil. Add white vinegar.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallot and garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in zucchini and tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 Tbsp basil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.
3. Meanwhile, reduce the boiling water to a gentle simmer; the water should be steaming and small bubbles should come up from the bottom of the pan. Crack each egg into a small bowl and slip them one at a time into the simmering water, taking care not to break the yolks. Cook for 4 minutes for soft set, 5 minutes for medium set and 8 minutes for hard set. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the eggs to a clean kitchen towel to drain.
4. To serve, top each muffin half with some of the vegetable mixture, an egg, a sprinkling of cheese and the remaining basil.



Nutrition Facts

Per serving: 339 calories; 14 g fat (4 g sat, 6 g mono); 425 mg cholesterol; 33 g carbohydrate; 22 g protein; 5 g fiber; 674 mg sodium; 557 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Selenium (46% daily value), Vitamin C (45% DV), Vitamin A (25% DV), Potassium (16% DV), Iron (15% DV).