an eggs benedict for your heart, really

cholesterol-free eggs benedict:
heart-healthy hollandaise
olive oil tarragon garlic poached tomato “egg yolk”
meatless canadian bacon
rustic whole grain toast with herb oil

On Taste With The Eyes I am always excited to share delicious foods that are also good for the heart. Heart healthy eating has two components. First, it is to eliminate foods that are high in cholesterol and detrimental to the heart, such as trans fat. Second, it is about adding food to the diet that is good for the heart, like those high in fiber and rich in omega-3s. A lean piece of beef, pork, or chicken every now and then is OK. What is NOT OK, is that fabulous brunch dish called Eggs Benedict: poached eggs and Canadian bacon over an English muffin topped with the dreamy “French Egg Yolk Butter Emulsion” AKA hollandaise sauce. Nope, that would never fly with your cardiologist.

5 star makeover cooking group

Natasha, the 5 Star Foodie,  and Lazaro of Lazaro Cooks! are hosting a fabulous new event for “sharing ideas and creating gourmet makeovers of selected classic dishes or flavor combinations.”

February’s Classic Combination: Bacon & Eggs

“Your twist can range from modern, fusion cuisine, molecular gastronomy, featuring seasonal ingredients, or a particular cuisine style. We are looking for gourmet creative dishes with your unique culinary point of view.”

Would you think that their first choice of a classic flavor combination, bacon & eggs, might be a challenge for a person committed to eating a low-cholesterol diet?

A small yellow tomato replaces the egg yolk.
Tomatoes are poached in olive oil and infused with tarragon and garlic flavors.

olive oil poached tomatoes with tarragon and garlic recipe

Place small tomatoes in an oven proof vessel. Add a sprig of fresh tarragon and a crushed garlic clove. Add enough olive oil to almost cover the tomatoes.

Cook, covered, in a 300° oven for 30 minutes. The skins will split and the tomato will be infused with wonderful tarragon and garlic flavors.

Set poached tomatoes aside. Discard tarragon and garlic. Mince fresh tarragon, parsley, and scallion. When the oil has cooled, add fresh herbs to the oil along with sea salt to taste. This method makes more than enough herb oil, reserve the extra oil for another use (grilled fish perhaps?).

heart-healthy hollandaise recipe

• 1 box silken tofu (12 oz.) at room temperature
• 3 T. Meyer lemon juice
• 1 1/2 T. nutritional yeast
• 1/4 t. cayenne pepper
• 1/8 – 1/4 t. turmeric
• 3 T. good olive oil
• sea salt to taste

Drain the tofu, pat dry with paper towels. Process in a food processor until completely smooth. Add lemon juice, yeast, cayenne, turmeric, and salt. Blend to combine. Add olive oil slowly while the processor is running. Adjust salt to taste, remember to limit the amount of salt/sodium for heart health benefits. Adjust turmeric to get the correct hollandaise color.

cholesterol-free savory poached egg recipe

Brush the sides and bottom of a ramekin with herb oil. Place the poached tomato into the ramekin, then fill the ramekin with fresh egg whites.

Bring water to a boil in a large shallow pan. The water depth should be enough to cover about 2/3 of the ramekin. Reduce heat to medium. Add ramekin, cover and cook for about 6 to 7 minutes until the egg white is set. Remove from pan.

Meanwhile, lightly brush meatless Canadian bacon with a bit of olive oil.
Place on a hot grill to warm, do not overcook.

Toast rustic whole grain bread, then brush with herb oil.

Take a small sharp knife and run it along the edge of the egg white to loosen.

cholesterol-free eggs benedict

To assemble: place meatless Canadian bacon on the toast. Invert the poached egg onto the bacon. Top with heart-healthy hollandaise. Voilà! A savory, satisfying, heart-healthy eggs benedict.

Celebrating our healthy hearts and the 5 Star Makeover event!

The 5 Star Makeover Cooking Group Bacon & Egg Round-Up will be posted on both Natasha’s and Lazaro’s blogs on Friday, February 25. Please stop by then to check out all the creative incarnations of bacon & eggs!