Meatless Monday: Huevos Rancheros, Gladstone Style

Recently I attended the re-opening of one of Toronto’s iconic music venues and dining rooms: the Gladstone Hotel’s Melody Bar. The food that was being passed around was delicious, and all from the Gladstone’s executive chef Marc Breton. I thought his Huevos Rancheros recipe would be a great inclusion in my Meatless Monday blog. But first, here’s Chef Breton’s take on healthy eating:

‘It can be easy; eat a variety of fresh, natural, simple ingredients. Local produce is often fresher, riper and retains more nutrients than food that travels great distances. Shopping locally also helps sustain our agricultural communities’good for the economy but even more essential to our future food security (but that’s another rant). Here are some of my guidelines,” says Marc:
· Eat simple, natural, fresh, local
· Eat lots of fresh produce: fruit and vegetables are high in micro nutrients and virtually fat free
· Don’t be ‘on a diet’; your diet is what you eat every day. Healthy eating should be an integral part of your life not a remedial action.
· Eat when you’re hungry and don’t when you’re not. ‘3 square meals a day’ is nonsense.
· Drink water. Drink all other beverages in moderation. Even fresh natural fruit juices contain too much sugar.
· Pre prepared foods often have too much fat, salt and/or sugar. Enjoy them in limited quantities
· Restaurant and take-out meals are also often high in fat, salt, sugar. If you eat out often try to keep this in mind when ordering.
· Avoid ‘pseudo’ food (when you just can’t tell what it’s really made of)
· Avoid ‘replacements’, ‘substitutes’ and ‘diet’ ingredients.
· Read labels.’

Okay, here’s the recipe idea you’ve been waiting for. Enjoy dinner tonight!

Take two flour torillas and add a little cheddar or goat’s cheese. Roll up and grill lightly. Then cover each with vegetarian chili made with a variety of beans, one or two eggs over easy’or scramble them, if preferred’fresh chopped tomatoes or salsa, and a bit more grated cheese and cilantro. Marc Breton serves this dish with home fries and fresh fruit.

Related:
‘ Meatless Monday: Toaster-Oven Gourmet Pizzas
‘ Meatless Monday: Zucchini Fettucine alla Maria
‘ Meatless Monday: Warm Chickpea Salad