Whether it’s a lazy Sunday or a way to say ‘I love you,’ starting the day with breakfast in bed can make any morning feel just a little bit more special. This Mother’s Day, treat your favorite lady (or yourself!) to this picture-perfect spread, built on the basic breakfast essentials of eggs and toast, but with an extra special alkalizing (and gluten-free) twist. The slightly sweet flavor and light texture of the quinoa toast perfectly balances the bitterness of the greens, which together amplify the nourishing and buttery notes of the poached egg.
This simple yet impressive gluten-free breakfast recipe is courtesy of Honestly Healthy for Life, a cookbook that explores the benefits of eating alkaline. All of the recipes are aimed at helping readers re-mineralize their tissues and bones, restore energy and provide the foundation for an ageless body. Talk about a Mother’s Day gift that keeps on giving!
Poached egg and spinach on quinoa toast
Serves 1
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp sunflower oil
1/2 clove garlic, grated or crushed
1 egg
1 slice quinoa bread
1 1/4 oz washed baby spinach leaves
olive oil, for drizzling
cracked pepper
Directions:
Fill a skillet with water, 1 inch from the top, and bring to a boil.
At the same time, heat the sunflower oil in another skillet with the garlic and saute for 1 minute.
When the water-filled skillet is at a rolling boil, turn it down to a simmer and crack the egg very carefully into the simmering water. Poach for 3 minutes (use a timer), making sure that the water completely covers the egg; if necessary, spoon cooking water over the egg while it cooks.
Meanwhile, pop the bread into the toaster or under the broiler.
When the garlic has softened in the other skillet, add the spinach and let it wilt for 30 to 60 seconds. Place your toast onto a plate and pile the spinach on top. Carefully remove the egg from the water with a slotted spoon and place on the spinach.
Drizzle with a little olive oil and cracked pepper.
Quinoa Bread
Makes 1 loaf
Ingredients
2 ½ tsp or 1 packet fast-action dried yeast
½ cup warm water
1 tbsp agave syrup
¾ cup brown rice flour
¾ cup almond flour
½ cup quinoa flour
½ cup buckwheat flour
2 tbsp coconut flour (you can use more almond flour instead as this is expensive)
⅓ cup quinoa flakes, plus extra for sprinkling
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp fine sea salt scant
¼ cup olive oil
3 eggs, beaten
⅓–½ cup warm water
Scant ½ cup pitted dates, chopped
Directions
First, activate the yeast. Sprinkle the dried yeast into ½ cup warm water and stir in the agave syrup. Set aside for 15 minutes.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, quinoa flakes, xanthan gum, and sea salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture. Then add the olive oil and eggs. Start beating it together. As you beat, dribble in some warm water a tablespoon at a time, until the batter is smooth, akin to a thick muffin batter. You’ll need around ⅓–½ cup of warm water. When fully mixed, add in the chopped dates and mix through.
Grease a 9-inch loaf pan and scoop the bread dough into the prepared pan, smooth out the top, and sprinkle with quinoa flakes.
Allow the dough to rest and rise in a warm place for 50 minutes. After 30 minutes preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake in a preheated oven for 55 to 60 minutes, until crusty and browned. Remove from the oven, let cool slightly, and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
