Tomato, Basil, and Goat Cheese Omelet

Breakfast always removes the morning blues.  Those days when I eat a bit too much the night before and wake up sans appetite?  Those are the days I get the cranky morning blues.   Most other days, give me ten minutes post bed roll-out, and I’m a morning person. With most things in life, it’s often the beginnings I enjoy best, and those first few moments of the day are no different.  I enjoy the morning’s crisp weather.  The slow-moving silence.  The first peaks of sun.  The occasional cup of coffee.  And of course, a filling, fueling breakfast.  Even if it’s just a bowl of cereal, I’m happy.  The way that cold soy milk brightens up dry cereal creates a juxtaposition that allows even the ordinary to satisfy my awakening desires.

When I have the time though, I’ll swap the routine bowl of cereal or oatmeal for something a little more zesty.  Usually these moments don’t come until the weekends, but all the more reason to get out of bed on a Saturday morning.  This past weekend, inspired by the overripe heirloom on my counter, I cracked a couple eggs and shaped the recipe for this omelet.

If you can get your hands on an heirloom tomato, its sweetness in particular will pair nicely with the tanginess that the goat cheese adds to this omelet.  Regular tomatoes work fine too, just make sure to saute them a bit first with the garlic to let a little olive oil pull out their sweetness.  If a taste of this doesn’t take away your a.m. daze, well, then it’s probably time for you to go back to bed.

Tomato, Basil, & Goat Cheese Omelet

(Per omelet)

• -2 large eggs
• -1 Tbsp. soy milk/milk/cream
• -1 loosely packed Tbsp. basil, chopped
• -1/4 cup ripe tomatoes, diced
• -1 clove garlic, minced
• -1 oz. goat cheese
• -Olive oil
• -Salt and pepper, to taste

Whisk eggs with milk, salt, and pepper, until foamy and thoroughly combined.

In a nonstick pan, saute garlic and tomatoes in a little bit of oil until tomatoes begin to soften, 2-3 minutes.  Scrape into a bowl, and set aside.  Rinse pan, and return to stove.  Place heat to medium-low.  Lightly coat bottom of pan with olive oil.  Once oil is hot, pour in eggs.

Let eggs firm, while occasionally lifting the edges to keep from sticking, and allowing some of the uncooked middle to reach the bottom of the pan.  Once the middle just begins to set, scatter tomato mixture, goat cheese, and basil over half of the omelet.  Flip the bare half on top.  Cook another 1-2 minutes, until middle is firm and goat cheese is creamy.  Remove from pan, and serve.