When Tony and I were deep in the trenches of our move/home remodel, we were without a kitchen for two months. My plan was to get take-out from Taqueria Escuela and Jon & Vinny’s every night (and morning and afternoon), but then Tony told me we’d probably get heart disease if all we ate was tacos, pasta and pizza for 60+ days (I said at least we’d die happy, but I was vetoed.) So, while we waited to have a working sink, stove and oven, we decided to order a healthy meal delivery service. Admittedly, this is a really pricey indulgence, but we tried several companies in the months leading up to our wedding to slim down (because I mostly cook with butter when left to my own devices), and Two Peas was the only one that actually tasted good and helped us drop pounds. So, we jumped back on with them while we couldn’t cook ourselves. It’s a small family business run by husband and wife team Chef Paola and Craig Petrella, and I asked Paola to share a few of her favorite recipes with me. Here’s her first… Thank you, Paola!

BREAKFAST: Tomato Avocado & Egg Salad Stack

Crispy Turkey Bacon / Parsley Chive Vinaigrette / Balsamic Fig Reduction

If you are following a high protein diet, this dish is a perfect way to start your day. Cut the prep time in half by cooking and peeling your eggs the night before! The best part of this dish…you will shed those pounds while enjoying a delicious breakfast.

2 servings – preparation time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

2 Organic Eggs

6 oz Uncured turkey bacon

1 avocado (cut in ½ . Pit removed)

10 baby tomatoes (cut in ½)

½ cup micro arugula

S+P to taste.

For the parsley chive vinaigrette:

1 lemon (juiced)

½ Tbs olive oil

½ Tbs truffle oil

¼ cup tiny chopped chives

1 tsp garlic salt

Cracked pepper. To taste

Balsamic Fig Reduction:

1 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp fig jam

METHOD OF PREPARATION:

Eggs: Bring water to boil with eggs in pot. Once the water is boiling, season water with 1 tsp salt, immediately turn off the heat and cover the pot. Let the eggs sit covered for 14 minutes. After 14 minutes, shock eggs in ice water for about 5 minutes. Peel and set aside.

Turkey Bacon: In a hot skillet, sizzle the turkey bacon on each side for about 2 minutes.

Parsley Chive Vinaigrette: Squeeze juice of one lemon and whisk all ingredients together. Set aside.

Balsamic Fig Reduction: Whisk together balsamic vinegar and fig jam. Heat in small stockpot until reduced by ½ its volume.

TO PLATE:

Stack 3oz of turkey bacon in center of the plate. Top with eggs, tomatoes and micro arugula. Set cut avocado on side of plate. Drizzle dish with vinaigrette and reduction over the top.

I love this one because it is perfect for all my Paleo peeps! The perfect pairing for this dish would be warm lemon water with mint and a splash of soda. No need for carbs on this one. Enjoy!

Chef Paola

Two Peas Inc. / www.twopeasinc.com / [email protected]