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The One Ingredient That Will Make Every Savory Breakfast More Delicious

Photo by Leah Vanderveldt

November 21, 2016

We know you’re probably pretty label-savvy already, but we decided to partner with Vital Farms to share some knowledge about the animal welfare and health benefits of pasture-raised eggs. Over the next three weeks, we’ll be serving up a combo of nutritional info, a few stats, and lots of delicious ways to eat pasture-raised eggs.

We love sweet breakfasts—granola parfaits, smoothie bowls, and the occasional chocolate croissant are all favorites, but sometimes you need a breakfast with a savory element to sustain you till lunchtime.

The extra protein, healthy fats (hello omega-3s!), and vitamins like E and B12 from pasture-raised eggs add the perfect nutritional components to breakfast that you can't find elsewhere. The key is to make sure you're buying the best quality eggs to supercharge your morning and the rest of your day.

Look out for brands with the "Pasture-Raised" and "Certified Humane" labels, like Vital Farms, to make sure you're getting eggs that are good for you and for the chickens that they come from. Pasture-raised hens eat a more traditional diet of things like grass and insects and are given room to roam, thus giving their eggs a better nutritional profile, flavor, and color.

Compared to cage-free eggs, the layers of which are given only 1 square foot per bird, pasture-raised hens get at least 108 square feet for each of them. No wonder they're happier.

We've come up with three ways to include eggs in classic breakfasts that you might not have thought of. We're putting a savory spin on waffles, oats, and fritters with the addition of some extra herbs and spices and (of course) pasture-raised eggs.

Parmesan Waffles

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
2 Vital Farms eggs
2 whole wheat waffles (frozen works well, just make sure there are not a lot of added sugars in them)
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
Pinch of salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Pesto (optional)
Avocado (optional)

Preparation

In a medium pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Crack in eggs and cook, until the whites set, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat your waffles up in the toaster or oven until warmed through and to desired crispiness.
Once waffles are cooked, drizzle each with remaining olive oil (extra-virgin is nice for this step). Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and chopped parsley. Add a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper to taste. Top each waffle with a fried egg, more salt and pepper, a spoonful of pesto, and sliced avocado, if desired.

Savory Oats

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 cup rolled oats
2 cups water or vegetable broth
¼ cup almond milk or dairy milk
½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon turmeric (optional)
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro (including stems), finely chopped
Olive oil
1 pint shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 Vital Farms eggs
2 green onions or scallions, cleaned, trimmed, and thinly sliced
Freshly ground black pepper
Black sesame seeds (optional)
Sriracha (optional)

Preparation

Combine oats, water or vegetable broth, salt, and turmeric (if using) together in a medium pot. Bring to a boil over a medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and oats are creamy. Stir in milk.
Meanwhile, in a large pan, heat about a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring once or twice for about 3 to 5 minutes until the mushrooms are softened and turning brown.
Remove mushrooms from the pan. In the same pan, heat another tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Cook eggs sunny-side up until the whites have set.
Divide oats between two bowls and serve topped with mushrooms, a fried egg, scallions, sesame seeds, and/or sriracha.

Butternut Squash Fritters

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 Vital Farms eggs
3 cups butternut squash, shredded on a box grater or in a food processor
½ cup chickpea flour
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
Olive or avocado oil

Preparation

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and butternut squash, chickpea flour, thyme, and salt, and stir to combine.
In a large skillet, cover the base of the pan in a thin layer of oil and heat over medium heat.
Spoon about ¼ cup of the batter to the pan and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes until the bottom is set, then flip with a spatula and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining mixture.