Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon, Asparagus, and Goat Cheese

                    Photo: Mitch Mandel

Two eggs scrambled in a pat of butter contain approximately 200 calories. So how does Denny's get from 200 to 1,150 with their Heartland Scramble? And how do so many other restaurants sling together scrambles with more than 1,000 calories? Simple: excessive oil and egregious amounts of cheese. This scramble has all the makings of hearty breakfast fare--butter, cheese, protein--but with healthy fats, fresh vegetables, and a light caloric toll. Serve it with a scoop of roasted potatoes and fresh fruit.

Ingredients

             

• 1 tbsp butter
• 8 stalks asparagus, woody bottoms removed, chopped into 1"
  pieces
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 8 eggs
• 2 tbsp fat-free milk
• 1/4 cup crumbled fresh goat cheese
• 4 oz smoked salmon, chopped

Directions

1. Heat the butter in a large nonstick skillet or saute pan over medium heat. When the butter begins to foam, add the asparagus and cook until just tender ("crisp-tender" in kitchen parlance). Season with salt and pepper.

2. Crack the eggs into a large bowl and whisk with the milk. Season with a few pinches of salt and pepper and add to the pan with the asparagus. Turn the heat down to low and use a wooden spoon to constantly stir and scrape the eggs until they begin to form soft curds. A minute before they're done, stir in the goat cheese.

3. Remove from the heat when the eggs are still creamy and soft (remember, scrambled eggs are like meat-- they continue to cook even after you cut the heat) and fold in the smoked salmon.

Recipe Tips

Spend the extra dollar or two to buy the highest quality eggs you can find. Free-range farmers' market eggs are best.

Nutritional Facts per serving

CALORIES

328.2 CAL

FAT

20.4 G

SATURATED FAT

8.6 G

CHOLESTEROL

485.9 MG

SODIUM

270.7 MG

CARBOHYDRATES

3.1 G

TOTAL SUGARS

2.1 G

DIETARY FIBER

0.8 G

PROTEIN

33.9 G