My mom always hooks me up with hers when she’s done, and each month I perch myself on the comfy corner of the couch to peruse the fancy cooking implements and
decadent recipes.
Some people have a dream car or dream house, but I have a
dream blender. And every time I open the Williams Sonoma catalog, there it is:
The Vitamix. In all its soup-warming, peanut butter-making glory.
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| So pretty! Did I mention it heats soup through friction? I think that blender's powered by a car engine, or something. |
A few weeks ago a Williams Sonoma recipe caught my eye. It
was the Ham, Cheese, and Fried Egg Panini, and it looks delicious.
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| What can't be improved by a fried egg? |
While I’ve certainly seen less healthy recipes in the
Williams Sonoma catalog, I thought I could create an improved version of this sandwich
that kept the lean proteins intact while taking out a lot of the fat.
Here’s the original recipe:
Ingredients:
- 1 tsp. plus 1 Tbs. vegetable oil
- 12 oz. thinly sliced Black Forest ham
- 4 baguette pieces, each 6 inches long, halved horizontally
- 8 oz. Gruyère cheese, grated
- 2 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp. minced shallot
- 1/2 tsp. honey
- 2 tsp. Champagne vinegar
- 1 Tbs. olive oil
- 2 cups mixed salad greens
- 4 eggs
- 2 Tbs. chopped fresh chives
Directions:
Preheat an electric panini press on the
“panini” setting according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
In a large nonstick fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the 1 tsp. vegetable oil. Working in batches, brown the ham slices, turning once, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a plate.
Lay the baguette pieces, cut side up, on a work surface. Sprinkle about 1 oz. cheese on each bottom half and arrange the ham on top, dividing evenly. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Spread 2 tsp. mustard on the top half of each baguette, then cover each sandwich with a top half. Place 2 sandwiches on the preheated panini press, close the lid, and cook until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasted, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the shallot, honey and vinegar. Add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking until emulsified. Add the salad greens and toss to coat well.
In a large fry pan over medium-low heat, warm the 1 Tbs. vegetable oil. Crack the eggs into the pan and cook until the whites turn opaque, about 1 minute. Gently turn the eggs over and cook for 1 minute more. Open the sandwiches and top each with 1 egg. Sprinkle with the chives. Arrange the dressed salad greens on top, dividing evenly. Close the sandwiches and serve immediately. Serves 4.
In a large nonstick fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the 1 tsp. vegetable oil. Working in batches, brown the ham slices, turning once, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a plate.
Lay the baguette pieces, cut side up, on a work surface. Sprinkle about 1 oz. cheese on each bottom half and arrange the ham on top, dividing evenly. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Spread 2 tsp. mustard on the top half of each baguette, then cover each sandwich with a top half. Place 2 sandwiches on the preheated panini press, close the lid, and cook until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasted, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the shallot, honey and vinegar. Add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking until emulsified. Add the salad greens and toss to coat well.
In a large fry pan over medium-low heat, warm the 1 Tbs. vegetable oil. Crack the eggs into the pan and cook until the whites turn opaque, about 1 minute. Gently turn the eggs over and cook for 1 minute more. Open the sandwiches and top each with 1 egg. Sprinkle with the chives. Arrange the dressed salad greens on top, dividing evenly. Close the sandwiches and serve immediately. Serves 4.
I really liked the idea of a sandwich with an egg on top,
and thought I could streamline the recipe to make it a quick, healthy breakfast.
Here’s what I did:
Instead of two
slices of baguette, I used one slice of Ezekiel bread for an open-face
sandwich. Have you heard of this stuff?
It’s about as healthy as bread gets!
It’s sprouted grain and a complete protein, and is very dense. I think it
tastes fantastic dry. Isn’t that weird? Look for it in the freezer section. (Since there are no preservatives, that's where they store it.)
On the bread I spread some Dijon mustard.
Instead of ham, I fried four slices of tempeh bacon, or, "Facon," if you will. Tempeh
is a soy product, and the bacon version has a nice smoky, maple taste. It substituted well for the ham.
Mixed salad greens: kept.
Gruyere cheese: kicked.
Fried egg: kept.
Tomato: added.
Shallot: skipped.
Chives: ignored.
Salad dressing: sprinkled just a touch of homemade vinaigrette on the salad greens.
Then for a little extra kick I sprinkled some Louisiana hot sauce on top.
Served with a side of fruit, including a unique and delicious orange watermelon. Hadn't seen one before, but it was super sweet.
Such a filling, flavorful meal! Full of good carbs and lean protein, plus some fruits and veggies. All before 8am!
Don't be afraid to mess with recipes. With a little creativity you can mix and match ingredients to create a brand new dish that is both delicious and healthy.
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Workout of the Day
P90X2 Chest, Back, and Balance
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