QUINOA, HAM AND PEPPER BREAKFAST SALAD

Quinoa, Ham and Pepper Breakfast Salad image

You'll find all the fixings of a western omelet-egg, ham, peppers, onions and cheese-in this made-for-breakfast salad. But what an omelet doesn't give you is this salad's hefty 6 grams of fiber and 21 grams of protein per serving, mostly thanks to the spinach, egg and quinoa.

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Time 1h25m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

1 cup white quinoa, rinsed well
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small green bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 small red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 small yellow onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
A few dashes hot sauce, such as Tabasco, plus more for serving
5 ounces baby spinach (about 8 cups)
4 ounces thinly sliced deli ham, cut into thin strips
2 ounces aged white Cheddar, cut into small pieces
2 scallions, green and white parts thinly sliced
3 large eggs, beaten

Steps:

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add the quinoa, and cook until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Strain well, and cool completely. (The quinoa can be cooked a day ahead.)
Put the vinegar, 1 tablespoon of the oil, mustard, 1 tablespoon water, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a jar or other container with a lid. Secure the lid, and shake until combined. (The vinaigrette can be made a day ahead; shake well before serving.)
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the peppers and onions, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are just tender and browned in some spots, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the hot sauce, and stir. Remove the skillet from the heat, and let the vegetables cool completely. Wipe out the skillet, and set aside.
Toss the quinoa, pepper-onion mixture, spinach, ham, Cheddar and scallions with the vinaigrette in a large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide among 4 serving bowls.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet over medium heat. Pour in the eggs, and add a pinch of salt. Tilt the skillet so the eggs completely cover the bottom. As the eggs turn from runny to cooked at the edge of the skillet, push the cooked eggs all around the edge to the middle of the skillet with a heatproof spatula so the uncooked eggs can spill into the free space and cook (this helps the eggs cook faster, and you won't have to flip the omelet). Once all the eggs are just cooked through, slide the omelet out onto a cutting board. Let it cool for a few minutes, then roll it up into a cylinder and cut it into 1/2-inch slices. Top each salad with a few "pinwheels" of egg. Serve hot sauce on the side.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 420 calorie, Fat 22 grams, SaturatedFat 6 grams, Cholesterol 165 milligrams, Sodium 800 milligrams, Carbohydrate 38 grams, Fiber 6 grams, Protein 21 grams, Sugar 6 grams