Charred avo and eggs.David Loftus
Having grown up in a country pub, I distinctly remember the difference, both in taste and colour, between readily available cheap battery eggs and the free-range ones that were regularly brought in by local customers and handed to my parents over the bar in return for a free pint. There's no doubt about it, the well-cared-for hens always produced better-tasting eggs, and that still holds as true today as it did 30 years ago.
Eggs are one of the best-value forms of protein you can get. They contain a super-cocktail of amazing micronutrients and stuff that, frankly, is very good for you. From nutritious breakfasts and quick lunches to using them in all manner of beautiful desserts, eggs are great in so many ways. With that in mind, I've given you a nutritious, quick breakfast in the form of beautiful charred avo and eggs. Eggs are high in iodine, which is used by the thyroid gland to help it regulate the body's metabolism – a perfect kick-start to the day. With ribbons of sweet potato, charred peppers and fresh chili, this is super colourful, nutritious and well worth the 15 minutes it takes to make.
If you don't already, when you buy your eggs, have a look at the box to check that they're free-range. I'm really pleased to say that things are changing. The majority of people now buy free-range or organic eggs, and are waking up to the idea that battery eggs are a worse product, both in terms of animal welfare and quality. Let's hope it continues.
Servings: 2
Ingredients
1 red pepper
4 spring onions
½ a ripe avocado
Olive oil
½ a large sweet potato
2 large free-range eggs
Sea salt and black pepper
½ a fresh red chili
A few sprigs of fresh soft herbs, such as parsley, mint and coriander
2 tablespoons cottage cheese
Method
Halve, deseed and slice the pepper into fine strips. Trim and finely slice the spring onions, then peel and roughly chop the avocado.
Place a medium frying pan over a medium-high heat and drizzle in 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the sliced pepper, spring onions and avocado and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly charred.
Meanwhile, peel the sweet potato, then use the speed peeler to continue peeling it into ribbons. Add to the pan, toss well, and fry for 3 minutes, or until the sweet potato ribbons start to char.
Spread the veg out evenly in the pan and use the back of a spoon to dig out two pockets. Crack an egg into each one, then tilt the pan so the whites run into the veg and bind everything together.
Season with salt and pepper, pop on a lid, then reduce the heat to medium-low and let the eggs cook for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on how runny you like the yolks.
Deseed and finely chop the chili, then pick and roughly chop the herb leaves. Spoon the egg mixture onto a plate, add a dollop of cottage cheese and sprinkle over the chili and herbs.