The New Year is here and so are the inevitable healthy-eating resolutions. But in the post-holiday haze, it’s important to remember that healthy eating doesn’t have to be full of rules and lacking in fun! The trick to nurturing the new you is finding smart cooking solutions that offer healthy takes on everyday favorites—while keeping flavor intact.
A prime example? Hungry Girl Lisa Lillien’s easy twist-on-the-traditional Eggs Benedict dish. This brunch-worthy recipe, dubbed Potato ‘n Eggs Bene-chick, is packed with flavor and protein and is designed to nurture both New Year’s resolutions and taste buds alike. They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. With Hungry Girl’s healthy take on this morning classic, you now have the perfect excuse to start your day—and your year—off right.
Instead of the classic toast or English muffin, the lovely layers of poached egg, spinach and Canadian bacon are perched on top of naturally fat-free yellow potato slices. And, to rein in that hearty Hollandaise, Lillien created a slimmed-down version of the sauce with a simple mix of light mayo, butter and fresh lemon juice for a bit of a flavor twist.
Smart substitutions—like potatoes—are what healthy eating is all about. You can feel good about including potatoes in your diet because one medium-size (5.3 ounce) skin-on potato contains just 110 calories per serving, boasts more potassium (620g) than a banana (450g), provides almost half the daily value of vitamin C (45 percent), and contains no fat, sodium or cholesterol.
Ingredients
- 6 oz. yellow potato, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- Dash each salt and black pepper
- One 1/2-oz. slice Canadian bacon
- 2 cups roughly chopped spinach leaves
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon light whipped butter or light buttery spread
- 1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 375 °degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.
- Lay potato slices on the baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Flip potato slices. Bake until tender and lightly browned, about 10 more minutes.
- Meanwhile, fill a medium pot with 3 inches of water. Add vinegar, and bring to a low boil.
- Transfer potato slices to a plate, and season with salt and pepper. Cover to keep warm.
- Bring a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat. Cook Canadian bacon until slightly browned and crisp, about 1 minute per side.
- Place Canadian bacon over potato slices. Add spinach to the skillet, and cook and stir until just wilted, about 1 minute. Place over Canadian bacon, and re-cover to keep warm.
- Crack egg into a small bowl.
- Reduce heat on the boiling water to low, and give the water a stir.
- Immediately and gently add egg to the water, and cook until egg white is mostly opaque, 3 – 5 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer egg to a layer of paper towels to soak up any excess water.
- To make the sauce, place butter in a small microwave-safe bowl, and microwave until melted, about 5 seconds. Add mayo, lemon juice, and 1 tsp. water.
- Stir until uniform.
- Lay poached egg over the spinach, top with sauce, and enjoy!
You can also sub in hash browns for the potato slices. To do so, arrange 1 frozen hash brown patties per serving on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake the hash brown patty at 425 °F for 16-18 minutes or until it is golden and crispy.
If you give this recipe a try, leave a review and let us know what you think!