Be sure and eat your vegetables, Mom

Mom always said to eat your vegetables, so this Mother’s Day serve her breakfast in bed inspired by a walk through the garden.

We began with the idea of egg-in-a-hat – sometimes called egg-in-a-basket or a Popeye – in which an egg is cracked into a hole cut in the center of a slice of bread. The whole thing is pan-fried, usually just until the white is set and the yolk remains liquid. The idea is that as you eat it, the yolk breaks and soaks the toast with a warm, creamy sauce.

Instead of toast, we used the same idea with a bed of vegetables. We sauteed a vegetable hash, then nestled eggs into the center of it. To amp the flavor, we also tossed in some prosciutto and cheese. The result is not only beautiful, but also healthy and satisfying.

Skillet Garden Eggs With Fontina

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 slices prosciutto, chopped

1 small red onion, chopped

2 cups chopped Swiss chard (preferably rainbow)

1/2 small zucchini, finely chopped

1/2 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes

Salt and ground black pepper

4 eggs

1/2 cup grated fontina cheese

In a large nonstick skillet over medium, heat the olive oil. Add the prosciutto and onion and saute until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the Swiss chard and zucchini and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and beginning to brown.

Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Stir well, then arrange the vegetables in an even layer. Using a spoon, create 4 wells in the vegetables, each about 2 inches across. Crack an egg into each well. Cover the skillet and cook until just shy of desired doneness, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Sprinkle the cheese over the vegetables and eggs, then cover and cook for another minute. Use a spatula to transfer half of the vegetables and 2 eggs onto each plate.

Yield: 2 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 380 calories, 25 grams fat (9 grams saturated, 58 percent total fat calories), 25 grams protein, 11 grams carbohydrate, 7 grams sugar, 400 milligrams cholesterol, 2 grams dietary fiber, 820 milligrams sodium.