Introduction
Remember those mornings when you just needed something good to eat, something that felt both nourishing and indulgent, without all the fuss? This High-Protein High-Fiber Mediterranean Breakfast Bowl is that memory brought to life! It’s the kind of recipe that makes you feel like a culinary pro, even if you’re still half-asleep. Seriously, it’s so simple, you’ll be wondering where it’s been all your life.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fast: We’re talking minutes from start to delicious finish. Perfect for those busy mornings!
- Easy: No fancy techniques here. Just a little chopping and simmering.
- Giftable: Honestly, the components can be prepped ahead, making it a fantastic brunch option to share.
- Crowd-pleasing: It’s a beautiful, colorful bowl that looks impressive and tastes even better. Everyone raves about this one!
Ingredients
Let’s gather our goodies! These simple ingredients come together to make something truly special. I love using fresh, vibrant produce for this bowl.
- 1/2 Avocado: Creamy, dreamy, and packed with healthy fats. It’s the perfect texture contrast.
- 1/3 cup Cherry tomatoes: Little bursts of sweetness and acidity. Halved for easy eating!
- 1 Mini cucumber: So refreshing and adds a lovely crunch.
- 2 tbsp Parsley: Fresh herbs make all the difference! Chop it up fine for a pop of green flavor.
- 2 Free-range eggs: The star protein! Poached for that beautiful runny yolk that drizzles over everything.
- 1 tsp Lemon juice: A little squeeze brightens up all the flavors.
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste: The essential seasonings to make everything sing.
- 1 tsp Sumac: This is your secret Middle Eastern spice! It has a lovely tangy, lemony flavor that’s just divine.
- 2 tsp White vinegar: Our little trick for perfectly poached eggs.
- 1/4 cup Hummus (homemade or store-bought): The creamy, savory base of our bowl. You can’t go wrong with good hummus!
How to Make It
Alright, let’s get cooking! This is the part where the magic happens, and trust me, it’s super straightforward.
Step 1: Poach the Eggs
This is probably the “fanciest” part, but it’s truly a breeze. Grab a small pot and bring about 2 inches of water to a gentle simmer. You don’t want a rolling boil, just gentle bubbles. Now, add the white vinegar to the water – this helps the egg whites coagulate nicely around the yolk.
While the water is heating, carefully crack each egg into a separate little bowl or ramekin. This makes it much easier to gently slide them into the water without breaking the yolks.
Once the water is simmering, gently slide each egg into the pot. Let them poach for about 3-4 minutes. You’re looking for the whites to be set and opaque, but the yolks to still be beautifully runny. I like to peek at them after 3 minutes and adjust if needed. Once they’re ready, use a slotted spoon to carefully lift them out and set them aside on a plate. They’re so pretty!
Step 2: Prepare the Veggies
While your eggs are poaching, or even before you start, get your veggies ready. This is the quick and easy part! Dice up that creamy avocado, halve those sweet cherry tomatoes, and give your mini cucumber a good dice. Chop your fresh parsley – a nice fine chop is best for this.
Step 3: Assemble Your Masterpiece
Grab your favorite serving bowl. Start by spooning the hummus into the bottom. Think of it as your delicious, protein-packed canvas.
Step 4: Arrange the Goodies
Now, artfully arrange your prepared avocado, cherry tomatoes, and diced cucumber around the hummus. You want it to look as good as it tastes, right?
Step 5: Season and Brighten
Sprinkle your veggies with a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper to your liking. Then, comes that magical sumac! A little sprinkle adds such a wonderful, zesty flavor that’s reminiscent of the Mediterranean. Don’t skip this!
Next, give everything a gentle drizzle of fresh lemon juice. It just wakes up all the flavors.
Step 6: Top it Off
Carefully place your perfectly poached eggs right on top of all those beautiful veggies. That runny yolk is going to be your best friend!
Step 7: Serve and Enjoy!
Your stunning High-Protein High-Fiber Mediterranean Breakfast Bowl is ready! Serve it immediately and dive in. You’ve earned it!
Substitutions & Additions
This recipe is fantastic as is, but it’s also a great canvas for your own creativity! Here are a few ideas:
- Greens: Toss in a handful of baby spinach or arugula under the veggies for an extra boost of nutrients.
- Cheese: A sprinkle of crumbled feta cheese is absolutely divine.
- Spice: If you like a little heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to your veggies.
- Other Veggies: Diced red onion, bell peppers, or even some Kalamata olives would be delicious additions.
- Grains: For an even heartier meal, you could add a base of quinoa or farro.
- Egg Alternative: If poaching isn’t your thing, you could softly scramble the eggs or even fry them sunny-side up.
Tips for Success
A few little tricks can make this recipe even better:
- Poaching Perfection: Don’t overcrowd the pot when poaching eggs. Poach them one or two at a time to ensure they cook evenly. You can also add a tablespoon of an acid like white vinegar or lemon juice to the water; it helps the egg whites set faster, preventing them from spreading too much.
- Egg Test: If you’re nervous about poaching, you can do a practice egg first to get the timing just right for your stovetop.
- Prep Ahead: You can chop all your veggies (except the avocado, which is best diced just before serving to prevent browning) and have them ready to go. The hummus can also be portioned out into bowls.
- Sumac Substitute: If you can’t find sumac, a little extra lemon zest mixed with a pinch of paprika can give a similar bright, slightly earthy note, though sumac is truly unique!
How to Store It
This breakfast bowl is best enjoyed fresh, especially with those perfectly poached eggs. However, if you have leftovers:
- Veggies & Hummus: Store the diced vegetables and hummus separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Eggs: Poached eggs are trickier to store. They tend to lose their texture. If you must, you can refrigerate them for up to 1 day, but they are best made fresh. You can reheat them very gently in a little warm water, but they won’t be quite the same.
- Reheating: When ready to eat, assemble the bowl with the fresh veggies and hummus, and re-poach your eggs.
FAQs
Got questions? I’ve got answers!
Q: Can I make the poached eggs ahead of time?
A: While it’s not ideal for texture, you can gently poach eggs and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Reheat them very briefly in warm (not boiling) water before serving.
Q: Is this bowl suitable for meal prep?
A: Yes, you can prep all the components (hummus, chopped veggies like cucumber and tomatoes) ahead of time and store them separately. The avocado should be diced right before serving, and the eggs are best poached fresh.
Q: What if I don’t have sumac?
A: Sumac adds a unique tangy flavor. If you can’t find it, you can substitute with a sprinkle of lemon zest and a tiny pinch of paprika for a similar bright and earthy note, though it won’t be exactly the same.
Mediterranean Breakfast Bowl
Equipment
- small pot for poaching eggs
- Slotted spoon
- Plate
- Serving bowl
- little bowls or ramekins for cracking eggs
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 0.5 Avocado creamy, dreamy, and packed with healthy fats
- 0.33 cup Cherry tomatoes halved for easy eating
- 1 Mini cucumber so refreshing and adds a lovely crunch, diced
- 2 tbsp Parsley fresh herbs, chopped fine
- 2 Free-range eggs poached for that beautiful runny yolk
- 1 tsp Lemon juice a little squeeze brightens up all the flavors
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tsp Sumac secret Middle Eastern spice, lovely tangy, lemony flavor
- 2 tsp White vinegar for perfectly poached eggs
- 0.25 cup Hummus homemade or store-bought, creamy, savory base
Instructions
- Bring about 2 inches of water to a gentle simmer in a small pot. Add white vinegar to the water.
- Carefully crack each egg into a separate little bowl or ramekin.
- Gently slide each egg into the simmering water and poach for about 3-4 minutes, until the whites are set and opaque, and the yolks are runny.
- Use a slotted spoon to carefully lift the poached eggs out and set aside on a plate.
- Dice the avocado, halve the cherry tomatoes, and dice the mini cucumber. Chop the fresh parsley.0.5 Avocado
- Spoon the hummus into the bottom of your serving bowl.0.5 Avocado
- Artfully arrange the diced avocado, cherry tomatoes, and diced cucumber around the hummus.0.5 Avocado
- Sprinkle the vegetables with kosher salt and black pepper to your liking.0.5 Avocado
- Sprinkle everything with sumac.0.5 Avocado
- Drizzle with fresh lemon juice.0.5 Avocado
- Carefully place the poached eggs on top of the vegetables.0.5 Avocado
- Serve immediately.