Giada's Feel Good Food (7 page)

When Jade says, “Make me my breakfast sandwich,” we know she means this recipe. This is an all-in-one, colorful, hearty wrap that's perfect for making your own. Customize this according to what's in your fridge, swapping spinach for the kale or jarred red bell peppers for the tomatoes. And if you don't have time to poach the eggs, just scramble them instead.
serves 4

Cut away and discard the stem from the center of each kale leaf. Coarsely chop the kale into 1-inch pieces. It will look like you have a lot of kale but it will cook down considerably.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the tomatoes, shallot, garlic, thyme, and red pepper flakes, if using. Sauté until the tomatoes and shallot soften, about 4 minutes. Add the kale and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Toss with 2 wooden spoons until the kale wilts but is still bright green, about 2 minutes. Stir in the basil. Remove from the heat.

Fill a wide saucepan with enough water to measure 2 inches deep. Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat. Break each egg into a separate tea cup. Turn off the heat under the saucepan. Immediately slide each egg from its cup into a different part of the water (the whites will spread out). Let the eggs stand until the whites are set and the yolks are still very soft to the touch, 3 to 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, using tongs, toast each tortilla directly over high heat until beginning to blacken in spots, about 15 seconds per side. Put the warm tortillas on plates. Spoon 1 tablespoon of hummus on each tortilla and spread to cover, leaving a 1-inch border. Divide the kale mixture over the hummus.

Using a slotted spoon, lift each egg from the water, wiping excess liquid from the bottom of the spoon with paper towels. Put the eggs on top of the kale. Slit the yolks and press on the eggs a bit so the yolks begin to run (this will make them easier to eat). Fold up the bottom of each tortilla and then fold in the sides, leaving the wraps open at the top. Serve.

Citrus and yogurt make a wonderful pairing, each rounding the other out. These are filling and refreshing. Pack this in a container for a great breakfast to go.
serves 4

Cut off the ends of one of the grapefruits and then use a sharp knife to slice off all of the peel and the white pith underneath. Using a paring knife, and holding the grapefruit in your hand, slice between the membranes to release the segments. Cut the segments into ½-inch pieces and put into a bowl. Repeat with the remaining grapefruit and the oranges.

Stir the mint into the citrus in the bowl.

Using a slotted spoon, scoop ¼ cup citrus into the bottom of each of 4 parfait glasses or bowls. Top each with ¼ cup of the yogurt. Repeat to make a second layer of citrus and yogurt. Sprinkle the tops of the parfaits with the pumpkin seeds and serve.

This is a clean, fresh dish that is satisfying but keeps me light on my feet. And I can whip it up in no time. I usually have some kind of fresh salsa in my fridge—and, barring that, I
always
have spicy tomato sauce on hand, which makes a great stand-in. I like the spicy kick to the eggs, which adds more flavor and helps me rev up for the day.
serves 2

for the salsa:
Combine the tomatoes, cilantro, garlic, olive oil, lime juice, red pepper flakes, and salt in a food processor. Pulse until the ingredients are combined but still chunky.

for the eggs:
In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites, salt, and pepper until frothy.

In a medium nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the scallions and arugula. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the arugula has wilted, about 2 minutes. Add the egg whites and cook, stirring constantly, until the eggs are scrambled and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.

Divide the scrambled egg mixture between 2 plates. Top with the salsa and serve.

This tastes as good as it sounds and is my Friday morning breakfast treat. To make it good for me, I go for sprouted bread, which is made from whole grains that have been allowed to sprout before being turned into flour. It is not as processed as the flour in most of the loaves of bread on supermarket shelves and is higher in vitamins. I also opt for all-natural almond butter made with only almonds and oil—no sugar, trans fats, or preservatives. The crowning sweet strawberries seal the deal, though bananas are another favorite.
serves 4

In a medium bowl, stir together the almond butter, 1 tablespoon of the honey, the vanilla, and salt until well blended.

Toast the bread slices. Spread the almond butter mixture over the pieces of toast. Top with strawberry slices, arranging them close together and pressing down on them slightly so they won't fall off. Drizzle each toast with ¼ teaspoon of the remaining honey. Sprinkle with sliced almonds and serve.