It is so nice to leave the Northeast in the winter time, to travel beyond the frozen ground, chilling winds and wool socks, south to where the palm trees sway and the air is balmy. I am lucky in the fact that my sister lives in Florida, it has become a tradition of sorts to start the new year warming up from the cold winter on the beach!

At this time of year the Northeast has gone into a hibernation of sorts, the early evening and chill drives people into their homes. The veggie scene moves towards heavy greens and root vegetables so it is a wonderful change for my taste buds to come down here and eat light delicious meals filled with 'summer' fruits and vegetables. My sister also loves the fact that I feed her!

This is my third day and we have had smoothie bowls, fresh salads, and more, all equally delicious and nutritious! I always find that it is a great recharge from the heaviness of winter and that it puts me in the right mindset for the new year.

This morning, I wanted to try something new. The grocery store had these amazing looking papayas so I whipped up some stovetop granola, threw in some fruit and yogurt and created an amazing breakfast that was simple and would leave us happy and recharged for the rest of the day. It is New Years Eve and we have to keep our energy up in order to witness the passing of one year into another by way of crystal balls dropping from the sky.

I hope that you enjoy this great recipe....

Papaya filled with Coconut Granola, Fresh Fruit, and Yogurt

Stovetop Granola

3 tbs Coconut Oil

1 1/2 cups Oats

1/4 cup Coconut Sugar

1/4 cup Pecans, Chopped

1/4 cup Shredded Coconut

1/4 cup Raisins

1/4 cup Sliced Almonds

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

In a saute pan heat 2 tbs coconut oil over medium heat. Add the oats, tossing to coat and stirring often until browned. be careful as coconut oil has a lower heating point and can thus burn easily. Stir in the remaining tbs coconut oil, cinnamon, and the coconut sugar, coating and browning further until crunchy. Add the nuts, raisins, and shredded coconut, fully incorporating. Cook for another minute then remove from heat and let cool. The excess granola can be stored in an airtight container for later use.

1 Papaya, halved

1/4 cup Blueberries

1/4 cup Raspberries

1/2 Avocado, diced

1 tbs Chopped Pecans

1 tbs Chopped Almonds

Stovetop Granola

Yogurt of your choice

Honey

Take the papaya and slice length ways. Remove the seeds, saving for another use. Fill each side of the papaya with granola, fruit, nuts, and 1/4 of the avocado. Top with a dollop of yogurt and a drizzle of honey. Enjoy and Healthy Eating!

I usually don't pay much attention to breakfast. I have to be to work at 7 am and I never feel like waking up even earlier to cook a warm meal. On most days I take some fresh juice or a smoothie to work and drink it later in the day. On the weekends though, I sometimes like to spoil myself and today was one such day and boy was it delicious!

I had some turnip greens left over from my CSA that were on their last leg in my fridge, I knew that they needed to be used so started thinking about an innovative recipe that let their flavors stand out. I personally love root vegetable greens, especially for breakfast. They are so versatile and each variety has its own flavor, turnip greens have a little bit of a kick and can be prepared super quick (I hate mushy greens) by flashing them into a pan with some olive oil. So the greens along with the mixed bag of red and purple fingerling potatoes that I picked up from the grocery store inspired this delicious morning dish. Here's a little money saving hint, most grocery stores have a small section that has discounted veggies that are on their way out, when the majority of your diet consists of vegetables, this can be a huge cost saver; I got a whole bag of these delicious potatoes for .99!

Poached eggs are my absolute favorite type of eggs. I find that their yolks taste richer and they really are simple to make. This flavor combo provided a nice lazy morning treat and was gone in an instant!

Crispy Purple Potatoes and Garlicky Turnip Greens topped with a Poached Egg

Serves 1

Crispy Potatoes

2 large Purple Potatoes, sliced evenly

1 tbs Olive Oil

Dash of Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

Fresh Shaved Parmesan

Garlicky Turnip Greens

2 cups Turnip Greens, washed and de-stemmed

2 Garlic Cloves, diced

1 tbs Olive Oil

Pink Himalayan Sea Salt to taste

Poached Egg

1 Egg

1 tsp White Vinegar

Dash of Paprika & Sea Salt

Preheat oven to 425. For the potatoes, thinly slice using a knife or a mandoline. Toss in olive oil and salt before beginning to arrange in a small saute pan. Starting from the center, spiral outward, overlapping the potato slices and pressing them into one another. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Place the pan over medium heat and lightly brown the bottom of the potatoes, the oil will start to sizzle when it is ready to be transferred to the oven. Place the pan in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are browned. Loosen potatoes and flip, placing back in the oven for another few minutes.

Once the potatoes have been placed in the oven for their final bit of browning, prepare the spinach and poached egg. In a saute pan heat oil over medium high heat. Once ready throw in the garlic and stir until fragrant. Turn down the heat to low and add the greens, covering with a lid. After a minute remove the lid and stir the greens until they are wilted and vibrant. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile in a second saute pan heat water and vinegar until boiling. Add egg slowly and turn heat down to simmer. Simmer until the egg is cooked to your desired level.

Turn out the potato cake onto a plate, top with turnip greens and then the poached egg. Sprinkle with sea salt and paprika and enjoy!

Note: Please be very careful when removing your saute pan from the oven. Keep a potholder on the handle. I became distracted and grabbed the handle 2 minutes after coming out of the oven and burned by hand - oops!