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Impressive breakfast or brunch dish, using healthy ingredients.  A bit of a twist on Eggs Benedict, without the fattening muffin, and using rye bread. Eggs are a good addition to your diet as long as used in moderation (not every day!). Eggs contain a good deal of protein and amino acids, good for eye, brain and cardiovascular health. Baking eggs is also a much healthier version than frying or scrambled, as you are adding no oil or butter to the process.

INGREDIENTS:

8 medium free range eggs
8 slices of light rye bread or sour dough bread
7 oz of fresh spinach, hard stalks removed
2 slices of lean deli ham, chopped into small pieces
6 button mushrooms, chopped into small pieces
2 Tsps. of olive oil
½ Tsp. of parsley, finely chopped

METHOD:

Heat the oven to 170°C/ 325°F/Gas mark 3.

Flatten the bread with a rolling pin so that it is a little more thinned out than a normal slice. Using the edge of a large wine glass or coffee mug, cut out a circle from the middle of the bread. If you have a circular cutter, about 4-5 inches, use this instead.

Lightly fry the chopped mushrooms in 1 tsp. of oil (the natural moisture in the mushrooms should be enough to prevent sticking.)

Using the rest of the oil, grease 8 sections of a muffin tin, and place the bread circles into each compartment.  Put into the center of the oven to bake for 8 minutes.

In a saucepan, add the spinach with a little water and cook on a very low heat until just soft, but not soaking wet. Remove from the cooker and squeeze the spinach as dry as possible. Place a portion of the spinach into each bread container, along with a few pieces of lean diced ham and a small amount of the chopped mushrooms, evenly divided between the sections.

Crack one egg, centrally, into each bread container so that it sits on the top.

Place back into the oven and bake for 5 minutes and then check that the egg is firm, but not undercooked. If the egg is still ‘watery’ on the top and opaque, replace and cook for a further minute.  You do not want the egg hard.

Sprinkle the chopped parsley over the breakfast cups.

Serve with herbed grilled tomatoes – enjoy!