Egg in a Pancake Hole/Basket

 

Do you ever have trouble deciding what to eat?

I constantly have this problem.  I’ll stare at a menu, or in my cupboard, or in my fridge and imagine three or four possible and equally enticing meals.  Never ever take me out for a meal, because I will most-likely over order and probably munch on your dish just so I can taste everything.

 

Brunch is particularly dangerous.  It’s rare that I want just one thing.  In fact, I have been known to make 4 course brunches including pancakes, eggs, fruit, and even a side salad.  I console my inner nutritionist by explaining that I clearly need a hearty meal of protein, carbs, and vitamins to help heal my body from the damage alcohol and little sleep causes.

Eggs are my personal hangover cure.  They contain both cysteine and taurine two amino acids that in a couple of studies have been shown to reverse liver damage caused by drinking.  Cysteine may also work to counteract acetaldehyde, one of the chemicals formed in metabolizing alcohol that causes what we think of as a hangover.  Reverse liver damage and live your Saturday hangover free?  Better start cooking those eggs!  Note: the research is not quite there yet, but eggs do seem to make me feel better.

It was one such achy morning when I was craving both pancakes and eggs that I decided to combine them.  I created a savory pancake basket in which I laid the eggs, and voila brunch was served and hangover was gone.

Ingredients:

4 eggs (2 per pancake)

1/4 cup plain greek yogurt

1 cup oat flour

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1 pinch basil ( I prefer chopped fresh basil, but dried works as well)

1/4 cup coconut almond milk

1 tbsp melted coconut oil

Directions for two:

Preheat oven to 400 F

In a large bowl mix flour, 2 eggs, garlic salt, basil, yogurt, coconut oil, and coconut-almond milk together until a smooth batter forms.

Coat cast iron skillet with olive oil.

Heat on medium and form two pancakes from batter.

once pancakes begin to harden on bottom side take knife and cut a yolk-shaped hole in the middle of each pancake

Crack egg and coat top of pancake with white, placing yolk in hole.  (see images for clarification)

Remove skillet from stove and place in preheated oven.

Bake for 5-10 minutes or until the eggs have set (the whites are opaque and the yolks are golden)

Serve with fresh avocados and hot sauce!