Featured Recipe: Bangin' Breakfast Salads

Meet my new favorite breakfast: the salad. Move along french toast and pancakes, there's a new superstar in town. He's lean, mean, green, and packed with protein. I know salad isn't part of the conventional American breakfast foods, but you've never seen salad like this before. It's the kind you actually WANT to eat. The kind that will fill you up and won't let you down. Plus what could be better than getting in all of your veggies for breakfast?

The actual recipe is pretty flexible as far as ingredients are concerned, so you can switch it up with whatever is in season. I purchased all of the ingredients (except for the eggs) at my local farmers market, the Old Capitol Farmers Market in Springfield, and whipped these beautiful little bowls up in less than 20 minutes when I got back. Also, shout out to Custom Cup coffee for bringing me to life every Saturday.

Ingredients:

Radishes from Harvest & Blooms Farm

Asparagus from R & R Farms

Arugula from Small Axe Market Gardens

Green Onions from Suttill's Gardens

Pickled green tomatoes from Driftwood Cocktail and Eatery

Pork breakfast links from Oak Tree Farm

Duck eggs from Rustic Red Poultry and Produce out of Mason City (call Sonja for delivery to Springfield or Bloomington....goose eggs and chicken eggs also available!)

As you can see, I like to spread the love and shop around at the market!

Instructions

1. Rinse arugula and dry in salad spinner (you don't have to spin, but dry greens will hold onto dressing better than wet green)

2. Wash, trim, and slice radishes and green onions. Set aside

3. Heat saute pan with oil to medium heat. Cook sausage for 5 minutes, then flip and cook another 3-5 minutes. At this time, push your sausage to the side and add your eggs. Season with salt. Cook for about 3 minutes with lid on for over-easy eggs. Leave your yolks a little runny because this will serve as your "dressing". Remove eggs and sausage, set aside.

4. Rinse and trim asparagus, and cook 3-5 minutes. Do not overcook! The asparagus is so tender and delicious it could be eaten raw, but a little saute adds a nice flavor.

5. Arrange all ingredients in a shallow salad bowl and top with pickled green tomatoes for some tangy sweetness. If pickles aren't your thing or these are hard to find, leave them out and substitute a drizzle of honey for a touch of sweetness. I didn't use any dressing because the runny yolks, salty sausage, and tangy tomatoes already packed a punch of flavor, but a squeeze of lemon and olive oil would make a nice finishing touch.

Enjoy!