Sauteed Greens with Crispy Scallions and Capers

I feel my best when I eat a savory breakfast rather than a sweet one. If I start my day with any form of sugar, such as waffles or pancakes with maple syrup or even fruit, I find that I don't have as much energy throughout the day. I've also been trying to include 6 to 9 cups of vegetables every day, so to do that, I find I need to eat some veggies in the morning! I love cooked greens with different proteins, herbs, and spices, so I started eating them for breakfast. One day I saw a recipe that used crispy scallions and capers as a topping for chicken; I thought they'd make a nice addition to my greens so I gave it a try. This combination quickly became my go-to breakfast! This dish does take a little time to make, so it's not a grab-and-go, but you can batch cook ahead of time to make it almost as good as fresh!

A note on this breakfast...sauteed greens may not sound like the most kid-friendly food item, but my own kids love to share this with me! Sometimes they eat so much of it I don't get any. It's not just my kids, though--I have a little daycare and sometimes end up eating my own breakfast after the kids arrive. When I have this, the little ones will swarm around me to get a bite of my eggs and greens!

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Sauteed Greens with Crispy Scallions and Capers

This recipe makes one serving; if you wish to make more than one serving, just adjust the ingredients accordingly!

Ingredients:

• Protein source (2 eggs, or 1/2 to 1 cup clean meat such as sausage crumbles, diced smoked sausage, chopped bacon, ground beef, or ground poultry)

• 2 or 3 large handfuls of greens such as spinach, kale, collard, or any kind you prefer (I often use a mixture from Organic Girl called Super Greens, and collards are another favorite)

• 2 tablespoons preferred cooking fat (coconut oil, ghee, bacon fat, duck fat, olive oil, butter if you tolerate dairy--I like to use ghee)

• 2 tablespoons capers

• 1 large or 2 medium/small scallions (green onions), chopped

• 1 teaspoon turmeric (optional) or your favorite savory spices

• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

• 1 clove minced or pressed garlic (optional)

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1-2 tablespoons fresh herbs such as parsley, cilantro, chives or others (optional)

Directions:

To make one serving of this recipe to eat right away, follow these instructions.

1. Prepare and cook your protein source as desired.* Remove to a plate and cover to keep warm.

2. Heat a medium to large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the cooking fat of your choice. (This can be the same skillet you used for your protein if you want.)

3. When the skillet is hot, add the greens and cook, stirring frequently, until the greens are almost cooked enough for you. (This is a matter of personal taste, and baby greens cook much faster than larger, full-bodied greens; just keep a close eye!)

4. At the end of cooking the greens, add the fresh herbs and the spices you're using as well as the garlic and continue to saute for a minute. Keep the scallions and capers set aside for a later step! Then remove the greens to the plate with your protein and cover to keep warm. (If you're using meat such as sausage crumbles or chopped bacon, you can also toss them in with the greens to mix and then transfer to a plate.)

5. Add 1 more tablespoon of cooking fat to the skillet and allow to heat. When hot, add the scallions and capers. Allow them to fry in the fat until they become crisp. When they're finished, use them to top the protein and greens!

6. Enjoy your delicious, nutritious breakfast (or lunch, or dinner, or snack...)

To make ahead so you can throw this together in a pinch, cook as many servings of the protein, the greens, and the scallion-caper mix as desired and store in the fridge. You can store them all separately, or store the meat and greens together. Use within three or four days. I recommend re-crisping the capers and green onions in hot cooking fat for a few minutes while you reheat the greens and protein, but if you don't want to do that, you can store the mixture in the same container with the protein and greens!

Notes:

* I like to eat the greens over fried eggs with a runny yolk, with Beeler's breakfast sausage crumbles mixed in, or both! Beeler's smoked sausages are delicious with the greens as well!

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