Eggs Be-A-Babe (Low-Fat Eggs Benedict)

Somehow this ex-marketer / stay-at-home mom / wannabe writer landed herself in a room of cool kids with journalism degrees.  A few months ago I met Erin Elliot, a woman with a vision to create an alternative publication for all of us tired of the single perspective offered by the region’s main corporate newspaper.  She called it OshaWhat and her enthusiasm and sense of commitment excited all of my own ambitions.  Last month OshaWhat published my first breakfast column article, Kick Start: Oatmeal.  Thanks to Erin and OshaWhat, I feel like an actual writer and not just a ranter with a DSL connection.

I am going to hold on tight to this new sense of pride as I chase that hearty bowl of oatmeal with a series of healthier breakfast solutions.  Some we’ll publish, some we’ll blog, some we’ll choke down and never speak of again.  Today I tackle my personal favourite at the Sunday brunch table – The Eggs Benedict.  I’ve made the sauce incredibly easy to prepare and cut the calories in half.  It is not as buttery and rich as the traditional dish but it is an excellent simple, guilt-free alternative.

It's easy to be a babe when you can effortlessly cut 200+ calories from the traditional version by skipping the english muffin and trying this lighter sauce substitute.

A traditional Eggs Benedict consists of two halves of an english muffin, topped with ham or bacon, poached eggs and hollandaise sauce.  A fresh hollandaise sauce is made of a mixture of egg yolks, butter, salt and spritz of lemon, whisked over medium-low heat, warming the yolk but not fully cooking.  It’s rich, it’s decadent, it’s off the calorie richter scale.  Not to mention, it’s insanely difficult to do well without culinary training and little ones at your feet.  I’ve taken a much simpler approach and cut the calories of the traditional approach in half with this version, which I’m proudly labeling – Eggs Be-A-Babe.

Eggs Be-A-Babe (low-fat Eggs Benedict)
Inspired by a Canadian Living recipe and every amazing French fish dish I’ve ever eaten.
Makes 2 to 4 servings

For the sauce:

•  1/2 lemon
• 1/4 cup Greek-style yogurt
• 1tbsp finely chopped green onion (mainly white bulb for sauce, save green stem to garnish)
• 1 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp water
• 1/4 tsp dried tarragon
• Generous pinch of salt
• Dash of paprika

For the rest:

• 1 tbsp of white vinegar
• 4 slices of local peameal bacon
• 4 eggs

1. Make the sauce: squeeze the juice of half a lemon (about 1/2 tsp) into a medium-sized bowl.  Whisk in yogurt, onion, oil, water, tarragon, salt and paprika.  Taste and tweak with lemon and salt if necessary.  If making ahead, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.  Bring to room temperature before using.
2. Meanwhile, fill a large saucepan with water, about 2 inches deep.  Add vinegar and bring to a boil over high heat.  (Note: The acid from the vinegar acts on the albumin in the egg white to solidify it. This keeps the egg in a smaller more compact shape, around the yolk.)
3. Heat your frying pan at a medium heat and add bacon.  Cook until golden, about 2 minutes per side.  Remove from pan and set aside.

Once water boils, reduce heat to medium-low so water is barely simmering.  Crack 1 egg at a time in a small dish and slip it into the hot water.  Do the same, one at a time, with the remaining eggs.  Simmer, uncovered, until whites are set, about 2 to 4 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, remove eggs 1 at a time, place on top of your slices of peameal bacon and dab the whites with a paper towel to collect any excess water.

Spoon about 2 tbsp of sauce over each egg.  Sprinkle with chives or the chopped green onion leftovers.  Bon Appetit!

Lemon and tarragon are the Romeo and Juliet of sauce flavours. Better together but their fragile love needs a safe bed to lay - like Greek yoghurt and a good olive oil.

If you're more of an Eggs Florentine kind of brunch'er, skip the peameal bacon and top an english muffin with spinach, poached egg and our lemon-tarragon sauce.

Good Day Sunshine! Enjoy! xo

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