Last Updated on March 5, 2016
Have you ever had some leftover salad greens in the fridge (not enough for a full salad) and wondered what to do with them? You can saute them and add them to the spinach for the green part of this eggs benedict.
You could double up on the bacon and eggs if you want, serving each person two of each to make this more substantial. Also, although I didn’t do it on the show I recommend adding some water to the creamed spinach to make it looser in texture.
Serves: 4
Ingredients
4 Flaxseed waffles (see recipe) below
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
four ¼-inch thick slices Canadian Bacon
6 cups leftover greens or 2 packages (10 ounces total) squeezed, chopped, defrosted
frozen spinach
4 ounces 1/3-less fat cream cheese
4 large eggs
Directions
Prepare the waffles according to the waffle maker instructions and keep them warm in 200F oven.
Bring 4 inches salted water to a boil in a large saucepan to poach the eggs.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over moderately high heat until hot. Add the bacon and cook until golden, about 2 minutes a side. Transfer the bacon to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
Add the remaining oil to the skillet. Add the greens or the spinach and cook, stirring, until the greens are wilted or the spinach is heated. Add the cream cheese and salt and pepper to taste and cook for two minutes, stirring. Keep warm on low heat.
When the water has come to a boil, turn off the heat. Break the eggs into small bowls or ramekins and add them quickly to the water. Cover the saucepan and set it aside for 4 to 5 minutes until the egg whites are just cooked and the yolks are runny. Lift the eggs from the water with a slotted spoon and drain them well.
To serve: put a waffle on each of four plates, top with a slice of bacon, one fourth of the spinach mixture and finally, a poached egg.
Flaxseed Waffles
Makes 4
Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ cup all-purpose unbleached flour
¼ cup whole flax meal
1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
¼ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon sugar
1 cup milk
1 large egg
Directions
Preheat the waffle iron.
In a small saucepan cook the butter over moderate heat until it is light brown in color and nutty in aroma.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, flax meal, baking powder, salt and sugar. In another bowl, whisk together the milk and egg to blend thoroughly. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix with a whisk, whisking just until the ingredients are combined. Stir in the browned butter.
Lightly oil or spray the grids of your iron. Repeat the oiling only if subsequent waffles stick.
Spoon out ¾ cup batter (or the amount recommended by your waffler’s manufacturer) onto the hot iron. Using a rubber spatula, smooth the batter to within ¼-inch of the edge. Close the lid and bake until browned and crisp. Serves the waffles right away or keep them warm in a preheated 200F oven until you are ready to serve them.
Note: the waffles will freeze nicely. Let them cool completely, then stack them with a piece of waxed or parchment paper between each one and wrap tightly. Reheat in a toaster when ready to use.
COOK’S NOTES
This is one of those recipes where the fresher the eggs the better. As eggs age both the yolk and the white become less viscous. The yolk on an older egg will break more quickly than that of a fresh egg and a fresher egg white will hold together better than an old one and not form as many little strands in the water when you are poaching it.
Flaxseed is showing up more and more frequently on supermarket shelves these days, and you can always find it online. I often add a tablespoon or two of it to my breakfast cereal in the morning. Just keep in mind that flaxseed isn’t properly digested unless it is ground. You can buy it pre-ground or grind it yourself in a spice grinder. After you open the package, you’ve got to keep it in the refrigerator or freezer; it tends to go rancid quickly.
Some call flaxseed one of the most powerful plant foods on the planet. There’s some evidence it may help reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes.
Here are its three biggest benefits:
- Omega-3 essential fatty acids, “good” fats that have been shown to have heart-healthy effects. Each tablespoon of ground flaxseed contains about 1.8 grams of plant omega-3s.
- Lignans, which have both plant estrogen and antioxidant qualities. Flaxseed contains 75 to 800 times more lignans than other plant foods.
- Fiber. Flaxseed contains both the soluble and insoluble types.
