2: Havarti, Spinach & Mushroom Omelet

Let me start off by asking forgiveness for my poorly-lit kitchen, and iPhone photography.  Someday monies will rain down on me and I'll be able to afford a DSLR (hurry up, monies!) but until then, I'll do the best I can with what I have.  Anyway...

BREAKFAST!  Not only is it breakfast, but it is breakfast on a work day!  I can't tell you how many times it has come up in conversation that I eat eggs every morning and whoever I'm talking to responds with, "Even on work days?  How is that possible?!"  I explain all the various ways I eat an egg in the morning and they nod their heads, but their eyes clearly communicate that they think I'm crazy.  I'm convinced that most people just don't really know how to cook anymore, which makes things like omelets seem intimidating when they're really very quick and easy.  Not to mention, a single egg goes a long way and at a few bucks a dozen, that's a great value!  More nutritious than cereal, more filling than cereal, and more satisfying if you're dieting... Ok, I'm slipping into "soap-box" mode.  Off switch.

Ingredients required (for a single omelet):

• 1 egg
• Splash of milk or cream
• 1/2 cup of mushrooms
• 1 cup of raw spinach leaves
• 1 slice of Havarti cheese
• Grease, olive oil, or butter for the pan

I usually use olive oil for EVERYTHING, but when I have recently made bacon, I splurge and use the bacon grease until it is gone.  Not only does it add lots of flavor, but I generally try not to waste anything.  Grease gets hotter which can lead to some minor issues, but nothing that would dramatically affect the deliciousness.  This morning, I had leftover bacon grease, so that's what you'll see in these pictures, but butter is equally tasty and olive oil is great too.



First I sauté the mushrooms since they
take the longest.  I use medium-low heat
from mushrooms through omelet.

Once the mushrooms are almost done,
I add the spinach.  It only takes a couple
minutes for the spinach to wilt and cook.

  


While the mushrooms and spinach are on the stove, I get the egg ready.
I start with one egg (seriously, one egg makes a lot of breakfast),
then add a splash of milk or cream, whip it around with a fork until it's
sort of frothy, then wait to add it to the pan.

 Once the spinach is wilted and soft (you can cook it to your preferred done-ness) I set the filling aside, add the egg, then cover the pan.  With one egg, it only take a minute or two for the omelet to set.  Then I flip it over.  I don't think most people do this, and I wouldn't do it necessarily if it weren't a "work day" breakfast.  Flipping it when the bottom is set but the top is still runny helps get the whole thing cooked faster and laying the cheese on top of the hotter side helps the cheese achieve maximum meltiness in short-order.

My omelets don't look as pretty when I cook them with bacon grease due to the high heat and the tiny bits of salty goodness that hang out in the pan, but I'll sacrifice a pretty picture in the name of flavor.

Next, I add one slice of Havarti cheese.  Similar to my comments on the power of a single egg, you would be surprised how far one slice of cheese can go in an omelet.  I've seen people put handfuls of cheese in there (I'm guilty of this at times) but if you want to conserve - money, calories, or food, try a single slice.

This morning I used "Lite" Havarti from Trader Joe's as it happened to be what was in my fridge.  I completely understand the ridiculousness of cooking my breakfast in bacon grease but using a slice of cheese that has 20 fewer calories than regular.  And, honestly, the lite version is good, but it's nowhere near as creamy and delicious as regular Havarti.

The hot spinach and mushrooms are
laid over the cheese and the omelet
is folded over and plated.

Check out the finished product!  A single
egg, a single slice of cheese and some
veggies.  Seasoned with salt & pepper.

The entire process from mushrooms to plate only takes 10-15 minutes (I swear!) unless you are taking a million pictures every step of the way in which case it's more like 20 minutes...  Now, think about how much better your work day would be if it started with an omelet?  Ten minutes seems like a small price to pay, but I'm an egg-head so my priorities might be skewed.

*gobble* *gobble* *gulp*

Oh, man.  This omelet is super tasty.  Ten minutes to make, but I can snarf that bad boy in TWO.

In conclusion, I suggest you start making delicious, hearty breakfasts on weekdays.  Eggs, especially when combined with some fiber (vegetables, whole wheat bread) keeps you full for a looong time and your work-day morning won't feel like such a throw-away.

Love & Eggs,

Laura

This egg brought to you by Mrs. Featherbottom, my Black Australorp and one of my best layers of extra large, speckley eggs.