Weekend Brunch: Caprese Omelets

I have been really into making big brunches and breakfasts at home lately. There are several reasons for it too--

• The last several weeks have been so frigid in Chicago that I haven't wanted to leave the comfort of my warm apartment.
• We're trying to scale back on spending and save more this year. I am forgoing brunches so that we can keep up a weekend date night each week and not feel too guilty.
• It's time to get healthy! I'm pretty sure that even the breakfasts that I feel guilty about making at home only have a portion of the fat and calories of what I am eating when we go out.

So, with that in mind I made this caprese omelet for a recent Saturday breakfast and it was perfect. Hearty and satisfying, full of the flavors of one of my favorite Italian dishes. The omelet was also made with a bunch of leftover ingredients that I had in fridge... I love when leftovers become a totally tasty new dish! And go ahead and get creative with the ingredients-- spinach, zucchini, onions, or fresh basil would be delicious in the filling. And you could also forgo the pesto for a little drizzle of marinara if you prefer.

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbs. fat free plain Greek yogurt
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 3 mozzarella bocconcini, quartered
• 2 Tbs. prepared pesto

Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet and swirl to coat.

In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, yogurt, salt, and pepper until fluffy and combined. Pour egg mixture into the skillet. Cook for 4 minutes, while gently pulling up the edges with a rubber spatula so that any runny egg mixture pours underneath the cooked egg and continues to set. After about 4 minutes, the bottom should be golden and the top should be set.

Sprinkle tomatoes and mozzarella evenly over half of the cooked egg. Flip the empty half of the egg over the top of the tomato and eggs, so that a half circle is created. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the filling starts to melt and then carefully flip again. Cook for 2 more minutes and then transfer to a plate.

Top with pesto and serve.


Looking for more ideas for serving eggs at brunch? How about a Spanish Tortilla or Italian-Style Eggs Benedict?