Baked eggs with crispy kale

This post is sponsored by Gourmet Garden. The ideas and opinions are my own. I love sharing products that fit into my family's busy healthy eating lifestyle. Thank you for supporting brands that make it possible to keep Half Her Size running.

Baked eggs with crispy kale is a quick and easy recipe for breakfast or brunch. Fragrant herbs give this recipe a punch of flavor you may not expect from a healthy recipe.

As the saying goes, change comes when you get sick and tired of getting the same result from what you have always done. Well, I am sick and tired of eating what seems like a big breakfast only to feel like a starving grizzly bear long before lunchtime. Enough is enough.

I have been a breakfast eater my entire life. However, I often found myself ravenous and prowling for a snack only an hour or two after eating what seemed like a substantial meal. I was a lifelong eater of "healthy" cereal. Even with all the changes I made to lose weight I remained in a cycle of fueling up with quick carbs which initially spiked my energy only to crash long before the next meal.

I knew I would be less hungry if I traded my beloved cereal and fruit for protein and vegetables. It was hard to kick a decades long comfort food habit but late last year I finally flipped the switch. Instantly I was able to get to lunch without those gnawing mid-morning hunger pangs. Within a few days my energy level adjusted to more of a slow roll than a series of spikes and drops.

Now most mornings I start the day with a breakfast higher in protein and lower in quick burning carbohydrates. Often that breakfast is eggs with either kale or spinach.

Initially I made a quick scramble in the microwave but I wasn't crazy about the texture. After a few months I realized it did not take much longer to make the same eggs in a pan. When I started cooking, as opposed to nuking my morning meal, I began to enjoy my savory breakfasts so much more than cereal.

The kids like the switch too. They frequently ask for "eggies” in the morning. One likes the crispy kale, the other has declared them "disgusting.” To make breakfast for all of us I use a large skillet (amazon affiliate link) and slide the greens to the side then cook their eggs on "uncontaminated" side.

Even with all the hub-bub of hurrying the kids in the morning, I allow just enough time to sit down to a plate of crispy greens topped with sunny eggs. The gorgeous runny yolks make a creamy sauce for the vegetables and the perfect dip for a toasted English muffin.

I have said it before and I'll say it again, if you want to love healthy eating, herbs and spices are essential. In addition to a packed spice cabinet, I keep a full selection of Gourmet Garden stir-in pastes and lightly dried herbs on hand in my refrigerator. Gourmet Garden herbs are my go-to for quickly adding lively flavor to what might otherwise be ho-hum meals. These grab and use herbs are the perfect way to savor slow cooked flavor in this quick and easy breakfast. My current favorite combination is a summery trio of the lightly dried herbs; basil, chives, and a pinch of red chili to make my breakfast pop with color and unexpected heat.

Initially I made this recipe on the stove-top, covering the pan for a few minutes to set the yolks. After consistently overcooking the yolks I discovered the oven does a much better job of cooking the eggs the way I like them.

On the weekends I like to get a little fancy with the menu and cook for the wow factor. This recipe is a quick and easy meal to impress friends and family. The sunny yolks and fragrant Gourmet Garden herbs give baked eggs with crispy kale a great wow factor. Even after lingering over a lazy brunch you won't be able to help feeling energized. The protein power is the perfect fuel before tackling weekend projects and activities.

Cereal never felt like a fancy breakfast but baked eggs with crispy kale does every time.

Baked eggs with crispy kale

Rose McAvoy

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Brunch

Servings 4 servings

Calories 178 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1 teaspoon oil grape seed recommended
• 12 oz kale leaves only, chopped into bite size pieces
• 1 tablespoon Gourmet Garden Lightly Dried Basil
• 2 teaspoon Gourmet Garden Lightly Dried Chives
• ¾ teaspoon Gourmet Garden Lightly Dried Chili
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 8 eggs

Instructions

 

• Pre-heat the oven to 400F. Warm the oil in a large oven safe skillet over medium-high heat.
• Pile the kale into the pan and use tongs to turn the kale in the oil until it begins to soften, you may need to add half of the kale then let it soften a little before adding the remaining kale. Continue stirring the kale as it softens to about ¼ of the original volume about 5 minutes. Stir in the herbs and salt then remove from the heat.
• Spread the kale in an even layer in the pan then use tongs to make 8 slight indentations. Gently crack one egg into each indentation, the whites will spread.
• Carefully transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the whites are firm and yolks have just set (or to your preference). Serve immediately.

I love learning more about the food I eat. Join me in geeking out over the nutrition in this recipe!