The Californian Breakfast
with parsley hemp pesto
If you keep up with my blog posts, you’ll probably know by now that breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, and I go through phases with breakfasts I eat on repeat (see past breakfast obsessions here and here). In fact, one day I hope to release another cookbook with all my favorite breakfast meals. (Don’t get too excited yet…I’ve been working on this off and on for about 5 years now, and it will probably take me another 5 more!)
I’m calling this new favorite The Californian Breakfast because I could not get enough of it on a recent trip to California. I was hosted by one of my best friends and I ate this breakfast 3 days in a row. It came together with what she had in her fridge and a few things we picked up at the local farmer’s market. One side of the plate is pesto avocado toast (with sourdough bread, of course) and a fried egg, and the other side of the plate is smoked salmon over a bed of arugula. I drizzle a fancy olive oil over the salad and a pinch of sea salt. Finally, I add a handful of California cherries to the plate. It’s a taste of summer, my Californian breakfast.
The pesto is a simple one-herbed sauce that takes less then 5 minutes to make in a blender. Like a few of the other sauces I’ve posted as part of Seven Sauces for Summer, this pesto calls for hemp seed instead of nuts and cheese, making this a great option for those who are limiting dairy and/or have sensitivities to nuts. The hemp seeds are a great source of plant based protein. When paired with the smoked salmon and 2 eggs, you’re getting 25-30 grams of protein to start your day!
In addition to accompanying my breakfasts, this pesto pairs beautifully over cooked salmon and rice. Pesto and pasta are also a winning combination. I even added several tablespoons to a roasted tomato soup to give it the perfect herby flavor. I hope this pesto inspires you to create your new favorite summer meal!
Ingredients:
1 slice of sourdough
1 or 2 eggs, cooked to your preference
2 Tbsp parsley hemp pest (see below)
handful of arugula
2 oz smoked salmon, wild caught
¼ avocado, sliced
olive oil, salt & pepper
handful of cherries or berries
For the parsley hemp pesto:
1 bunch of parsley, large stems trimmed
1 - 2 stems of green onion, green part only
½ cup hemp seeds
½ cup olive oil
1 lemon, juice of (approx. 2-3 Tbsp)
½ tsp pink Himalayan salt, more to taste
1-2 cloves garlic, peeled (optional)
Instructions:
Combine green onion stems, parsley, hemp seeds, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper into a blender. Blend for 2 minutes until smooth. Taste and adjust with salt and lemon juice until the flavor pops. Transfer to glass jar for storage in the fridge.
Pop a slice of sourdough into the toaster. Spread 1-2 Tbsp of pesto on top.
Cook 1 or 2 eggs according to your preference and place on top of the pesto toast.
Add a handful of arugula to your plate next to the toast. Top with a few slices of smoked salmon and avocado. Sprinkle salt and pepper on everything and top with a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with Californian cherries (or your favorite berries) on the side.
