Samira's Blog

Dinner: https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-crispy-white-beans-with-greens-and-poached-egg-242818

Serves 4
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided (45 ML)
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided (15 ML)
2 teaspoons za’atar, divided (30 ML)
1 medium bunch Swiss chard (about 10 ounces), stems removed and leaves thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus more for serving (1.25 ML)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (15 ML)
4 large eggs, poached

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the beans, spread into an even layer, and cook undisturbed until the beans are lightly browned on the bottom, 2 to 4 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1 teaspoon of the za’atar, and stir to combine. Spread the beans out again and cook, stirring as needed, until golden-brown and blistered on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes more.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Add the chard, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, remaining 1 teaspoon za’atar, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chard is wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, add the lemon juice, and toss to combine.

Divide the beans and greens among 4 bowls, and top each with a poached egg and more red pepper flakes. Serve warm.

Lunch: https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-fried-eggs-and-collard-77455

Serves 4 to 6
2 cups whole milk (475 ML)
2 cups water (475 ML)
1 cup yellow cornmeal (235 ML)
4 to 5 strips thick-cut bacon (about 1/4 pound), roughly chopped
1 medium red or yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 large bunch collard greens (14 to 16 ounces), stems removed and leaves sliced into ribbons
1/2 teaspoon salt (2.45 ML)
1/2 to 1 cup chicken broth (118 ML to 235 ML)
4 to 8 large eggs (1 to 2 eggs per person)
Salt and pepper

Before cooking the greens, get the polenta going. Bring the milk and water to rapid simmer in a medium sauce pan. Add the cornmeal in a steady stream, whisking as you go. Season with salt and pepper (about a teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of pepper to start, to taste). Continue to cook, whisking, until the polenta begins to thicken.

Reduce the heat to low and cover. Every 10 minutes, uncover the pot and stir the polenta, making sure to scrape the bottom and corners of the pan. The polenta is done when its creamy and no longer tastes raw, after 20 to 30 minutes. (If the collards aren’t quite done yet when the polenta is finished, you can turn off the heat and cover the pan to keep the polenta warm. When you are ready to serve it, stir to loosen it up and add a bit more milk if necessary.)

Warm a large skillet over medium heat and add the chopped bacon. Cook until the bacon fat has rendered and the bacon is getting crispy. Move the bacon to one side of the pan and pour off all but a tablespoon or so of the bacon fat.

Add the onions to the pan with the bacon and continue to cook until the bacon is as crispy as you like it and the onions are soft and beginning to caramelize, 8 to 10 more minutes.

Raise the heat to medium-high and add the collard greens and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Stir and toss until the greens are coated in the bacon fat and beginning to wilt. Add 1/2 cup of the chicken broth, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat slightly and cover the pan. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, adding more chicken broth if the mixture gets dry, until the collard greens are dark green and soft. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.

Melt a little butter over medium heat in a non-stick or cast iron skillet. Fry the eggs in batches.

To serve, put a big scoop of polenta on each plate and top it with the greens and bacon mixture and a fried egg or two. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and hot sauce, if desired.

Breakfast: https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2016/01/homemade-egg-mcmuffin-mcdonalds-recipe.html

Ingredients
1 tablespoon unsalted butter (1/2 ounce; 15g ; 15ml)  softened, divided
1 English muffin, split
1 slice high-quality Canadian bacon
Nonstick cooking spray
1 large egg
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 slice American, cheddar, Swiss, or Jack cheese

Directions

1.
Spread 1 teaspoon butter on each half of the English muffin and place halves in a 10-inch nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Cook, swirling muffin halves and pressing gently to get good contact with pan, until both pieces are well browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a sheet of aluminum foil, split side up.

2.
Melt remaining 1 teaspoon butter in the now-empty skillet and increase heat to medium-high. Add bacon and cook, turning frequently, until browned and crisp around the edges, about 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer bacon to lower muffin half.

3.
Place the lid of a quart-sized, wide-mouthed Mason jar (both the lid and the sealing ring) upside down in the now-empty skillet. (The side the jar screws onto should be facing up.) Spray the inside with nonstick cooking spray and break egg into it. Poke the egg yolk with a fork to break it and season with salt and pepper. Pour 3/4 cup (180ml) water into the skillet, cover, and cook until egg is set, about 2 minutes.

4.
Using a thin spatula, transfer Mason jar lid to a paper towel–lined plate. Pour excess water out of the skillet and return it to the stovetop with the heat off. Flip Mason jar lid over and gently remove it to release egg. Place egg on top of bacon and top with cheese slice. Close sandwich, wrap in aluminum foil, and return to the now-empty skillet. Let it warm up in the skillet for 2 minutes with the heat off, flipping occasionally. Unwrap and serve immediately.

To make a healthier alternative, I would use Turkey Bacon instead of real bacon because it has less fat. To make this gluten-free, you could use a gluten-free English Muffin.

Egg McMuffin – a delicious breakfast!