Have you looked around shops or local flea markets over the past two years and noticed the particular trend of birds being on everything? From graphic tees, mugs, hats and bags, there are flocks in every direction. Well, one of my favourite shows, Portlandia, aired a skit a few years back mocking just that. They also poke fun at everything hipster, which I find extra amusing as I live directly in Toronto’s biggest hipster community. I should also mention that my housemate IS the original hipster. Something which he will never admit to, but then again, no true hipster ever would.

(Above, is a video clip from Portlandia, this clip is from YouTube. I do not own this video.)

Lately, I’ve become aware of another trend. Eggs. They are being served on everything, and particularly at hipster joints. On top of burgers, on salads, tacos – you name it. This is a trend that I can definitely get behind. I love eggs because they are a healthy and affordable source of protein. When buying eggs, I select ones that are from organic, free-range, grain feed chickens. I believe that if we choose to consume animal products, we should make responsible choices.

So the next time your meal or salad is feeling a little…lackluster,  PUT AN EGG ON IT!

High Protein Salad ~ Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free

Prep Time: 20 minutes        Serves: 4       Author: Milk and Marigolds

Ingredients:
4 eggs, fried
1 head of frisée lettuce
½ a head of radicchio, finely chopped
145g (5 oz.) of organic baby kale (the baby variety is milder and much less bitter than its parent)
½ cup of shucked sunflower seeds
1 cup of cooked edamame beans
680g (1.5lb) of assorted mini potatoes (yellow, red and purple skinned), boiled.
1 large avocado, sliced
cracked pepper to taste

Dressing:
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons of fresh, finely chopped dill

Instructions:
1. Boil mini potatoes until tender, drain and prepare the frisée, baby kale and radicchio.
2. Slice the avocado and squeeze a little lemon on it to prevent it from browning.
3. In a measuring cup, prepare the dressing.
4. In a non-stick frying pan, add a dash of olive oil once the pan reaches a medium heat. Crack eggs into pan and fry until the white is cooked or to your liking.
5. In a large salad bowl, add all the ingredients and add enough dressing as needed. Plate the salad and add one fried egg a top of each portion. Crack fresh pepper. Enjoy!

Tips:
Can’t find baby kale? Try arugula or Boston lettuce instead. Dressing keeps up to a week.

Copyright © 2014. Milk & Marigolds