Eating your way to better health!
Health is a means to thrive
Israel was at the tail end of my first around-the- world tour. I had spent a month on the road with my boss, Sam, and we had shared many meals and many (many) bread baskets, along with a lot of time sitting on an airplane. He was exasperated with the tightening of his trousers, and by the time we reached Israel, we had boycotted any more baked goods. Israel was a great way to reset our digestion and food choices, mainly with the fresh spread known as Israeli breakfast.
While this traditionally is served with lavash bread, lavash is not the centerpiece of the meal. Rather, you will find a delicious meze of organic eggs, probiotic-rich yogurt, light and flavorful feta, cleansing herb salads, juicy tomatoes, such antioxidant herbs as sumac, and nutritious tahini. Israeli breakfast is Clean Enough in its purest essence.
I will forever fondly remember those breakfasts—on top of all of the philosophical conversations about life, love, food, art, and culture we had while sharing them. This recipe is excellent for a group brunch, but it can easily be made smaller when your body is craving energy and vitamins (aka, healthy indulgence).
Ingredients
SERVINGS: 4 Serving(s)
- 8 large pasture-raised eggs
- ¼ cup tahini paste
- 4 slices heirloom tomato, each ½ inch thick
- 2½ teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 Persian cucumbers (7 ounces)
- 1 teaspoon za’atar
- ½ cup diced red onion
- 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
- 1 cup fresh parsley leaves
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup labne
- ½ teaspoon sumac
- Super Seed Blend, optional
- Flatbread or whole grain crackers for serving
Instructions
Crack the eggs into a bowl and add the tahini. Using an immersion stick blender, blend the mixture together.
Separately, turn on the oven broiler. Place the tomato slices on a small sheet pan directly under the broiler and broil for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat ½ teaspoon of the olive oil in a nonstick skillet over high heat and add the egg mixture. Scrape the eggs toward the center of the pan, using a heatproof rubber spatula. Continue to drag the eggs into the center to cook quickly and remove from the heat before the eggs seem “done,” as they will continue to cook away from the heat.
Slice the Persian cucumber and toss with the za’atar. Place in a small serving bowl.
Soak the red onion in cold water for 10 minutes. Drain, then combine with the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil, the bell pepper, parsley, cumin, lemon zest, salt, and black pepper.
Place in a small serving bowl.
To serve, place one broiled tomato slice in the bottom of each of your individual bowls with 1 tablespoon of Labne on top.
Dividing equally among the four bowls, portion the scrambled eggs directly on top of the melty, broiled tomato.
Sprinkle the eggs with the sumac and Super Seed Blend, if using. Serve with the herbed onion salad, cucumbers, additional Labne and tahini, and flatbread.
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