Whole Wheat Mini Everything Bagels

These bagels are so incredibly delicious that I fear I might be addicted. But in order to make them you really need to carve out an afternoon because they are time consuming. They're not hard to make but you need to allow for rising time, boiling time, and baking time. I served this recently to friends and they were impressed (I think, I hope some of them are reading this now and agreeing with me).

I made 20 mini bagels with this recipe

Calories per bagel: 103.50

Bonus per bagel: Total fat 1.17, Carbs 10.2, Sugars 2.02, Fiber 1.45, protein 3.68

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup warm water (let your faucet get hot, you want it warmer than your body temp)
4 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast (it's two packets worth)
3 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
2 cups bread flour
1 1/2- 2 cups whole wheat flour
Toppings: dried garlic, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, kosher salt


Method:
1. Dissolve sugar in water and add yeast. Let stand until the mixture bubbles, a few minutes
2. Meanwhile, sift together the bread flour, 1 ½ c of the whole wheat flour, and salt. Make a well in the center and add the yeast mixture. Stir to combine. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, adding extra whole wheat flour as needed.
3. Place dough in a large, greased bowl. Cover and set in a warm place- let rise until doubled size, about an hour.
4. Divide dough into small pieces (a mini bagel size). Shape each into a ball and allow to relax for a few minutes.
5. Flatten each round with the palm of your hand. Then use your thumb to create a hole in the center, pull the hole open. Cover bagels with a kitchen towel and let rest for about 10 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 400.
7. Bring about 2 quarts of water to a boil and add 1 T of sugar. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Put 2-3 bagels at a time in to the simmering water for about 30 seconds, turning once. Drain and place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with toppings. Using a spatula or your fingers- flip bagels over and repeat with egg wash and toppings. Bake for 30-35 mins or until browned.

Baked Eggs wtih Vegetables and chili oil

This recipe was adapted from something I read in Bon Appetit magazine. I tried their recipe but in all honesty...it wasn't that good. So I tweaked some things and made it healthier. This is perfect if you're having people over for brunch and you have ramekins to cook them in.

Serves One (I ate it all!)

Calories per serving: 222

Bonus: Total Fat 16.1, Carbs 3.6, Fiber 1, Protein 15.8)

Ingredients:
1/4 yellow onion or leek, chopped
1 Tbsp. chopped scallion (white and pale-green parts only)
1 tsp olive oil or grapeseed oil
2 cups spinach, packed firmly in your measuring cup
1 medium tomato, chopped (take seeds out, they add too much liquid)
2 eggs
1 tsp chili oil (or make your own with 1 tsp olive oil, a splash of crushed red pepper and a pinch of paprika)
a splash of lemon
1/2 tsp fresh oregano
1 garlic clove, cut in half
1/4 cup nonfat greek yougurt
2 ramekins (oven safe)

Method:
1. Mix garlic, yogurt, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350. Heat oil over medium heat. Add onion or leek, and scallion and cook on low until soft, about 8-10 minutes. Add spinach, tomato and the splash of lemon juice, season with salt. Increase heat to medium-high, turning frequently, until spinach is wilted, about 4-5 minutes.
3. Spray ramekins with cooking spray. Split the spinach mixture in half and place each half in the ramekins. Crack an egg into a cup, then pour egg onto the spinach mixture.
4. Bake in ramekins for 10-15 minutes until the egg has set. Take out and let cool for a couple of minutes. To get egg out you can either flip the ramekins upside down on the plate and tap the top with a knife to loosen up. Or you can scoop the entire mixture out of the ramekins after they've cooled for a minute or two.
5. Remove garlic halves from the yogurt and put half the mixture onto your plate next to the eggs. Drizzle 1/2 tsp. of the chili oil onto each egg. Sprinkle on oregano. 

Mary's Sparkling Wine Pairing

Nothing tops off a delicious breakfast better than a sparkling wine. Since a true Champagne can be kinda pricey a good alternative is a tasty Prosecco.  Unlike Champagne, Prosecco is produced using the charmat method, in which the secondary fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks, making the wine less expensive to produce.   Up until the 1960s, Prosecco sparkling wine was generally rather sweet and barely distinguishable from the Asti wine produced in Piedmont. Since then, production techniques have improved, leading to the high-quality dry wines produced today. Easy to find and easy on your wallet, I picked up Zardetto Brut Cuvee.  Fruity flavors of pears, apples and peaches dissolve into floral notes, with a hint of citrus fruit and an aromatic finish.

Shelf Price: $12.99
Calories: 60