Eggs Benedict!

My family loves eggs benedict. But how to make this yummy breakfast and brunch staple keto friendly? Ooh, let me show you the way.

First hollandaise sauce. If you've never made it you're in for a treat. I think commercial hollandaise sauce is disgusting and a good hollandaise really isn't hard to make.

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Hollandaise Sauce

1 Stick of butter

4 egg yolks

1 Fresh Lemon

Salt to taste

Directions:

Melt the butter in a small sauce pan, make sure it doesn't burn. While the butter melts separate your eggs. If you have a zester, zest the rind of the lemon into the egg yolks. You should zest about a 1/4 to a 1/2 of the lemon rind. Then squeeze the lemon juice out straining the seeds out and use all the fresh lemon juice.

When the butter is melted and starting to bubble, whisk in the egg yolk and lemon juice. I usually turn off the burner mid way. If you have electric stove, turn the heat off as soon as you add in the egg/lemon mixture. Keep whisking until the sauce thickens. If the sauce is still too loose, turn the heat back on. Season with salt and enjoy!

Troubleshooting Tips

Sauce is separating - Add either another egg yolk or a splash of milk and whisk until smooth

Sauce is too thick - you can thin with a little milk or just eat it thick. It's still good and kind of pretty when the sauce stands up!

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Eggs Benedict Options

Substitutions for the English Muffin

1) Baked or Grilled Portobello Mushroom Cap. (Just drizzle with a little olive oil and salt and grill or bake until soft)

2) Fresh Tomato slice

3) Avocado slice

3) Smoked salmon or Lox

4) Keto Friendly Bread Toasted (not my favorite option but would be more traditional)

Yummy things to add into the eggs benedict no matter what base you use.

1) Fresh Spinach

2) Smoked Salmon

3) Tomato

4) Thin slice of ham or Canadian bacon

Poached eggs

Poached eggs are pretty easy to make. The fresher the eggs the easier they are to poach. Start by boiling a pot of salted water, when boiling briskly gently crack the egg into the water. This is where you will see if the egg is fresh or not. A very fresh egg will hold together with very little spreading, an older egg will loose some of the whites in a foamy mess. It doesn't really matter in the end, but the fresh eggs are easier to see in the water and thus get out of the water. Use a strainer spoon etc. to pull the eggs out of the water when they are done to your liking. You can do multiple eggs at once in one pan but use a pot large enough that the eggs have plenty of room.

Layer it all up and top with your hollandaise and enjoy!

Ever have some left over hollandaise? I love to add it to soups such as my keto friendly chicken "noodle" soup. The lemon really brightens the taste and the butter gives a nice richness to the flavor.