Super Natural Every Day by Heidi Swanson Read Free Book Online Page B

and allows me a bit of time to recharge, relax, enjoy myself, and, at times, reflect. It’s my opinion that a good lunch doesn’t need to be a fancy affair, but it should make an attempt at being proper. Meaning, I like to stop everything and set my sights on enjoying a lunch that’s flavourful, nutritious, and thoughtfully prepared.
    I most like to eat lunch in places where there is fresh air—near open windows, on rooftops, in backyards, and on porches. Places where you can hear birds chirp or watch clouds swim across the sky. I like to eat lunch alone. I like to eat lunch with friends. I like to eat lunch with my sister, or with Wayne. Quiet lunches are nice and so are chatty lunches and the lunches that fall somewhere in between.
    The beach isn’t far from here, and I like to eat lunch there on warm days and cold, with waves crashing straight ahead, pelicans diving deep and putting on a show. Or at one of the nearby parks, picnic blanket unfurled, reclining back into one of San Francisco’s sloping greens.
    I like to eat lunch perched high on one of the stools in my kitchen, or on nice days, barefoot on the back deck, sitting in the old wooden chair that looks out toward the park. Or on the stairs behind Coit Tower, the parrots chattering to each other in the trees and San Francisco at my feet. Sometimes I’m stuck inside, and that’s okay, too. Actually, I’ve found that no matter where I am, or what I’m in the middle of, I can usually find a patch of good light with an interesting view in which to sit down and enjoy a homemade lunch—even if it’s reheated soup from last night’s dinner.

Open-Face Egg Sandwich
    WHOLEGRAIN TOAST, HERBS, YOGHURT
This bright, simple egg salad served on top of thin, toasted wholegrain bread is my sandwich of choice a couple of days a week. I run a bit of butter along one side of a slice of hot toast, follow that with a quick rub of garlic, and then top it with a mayo-free egg salad.
The real secrets? Good eggs and proper cooking technique. Good eggs give you beautiful bright yellow yolks, and good technique helps you avoid the dreaded grey rings around them. If I want to take this sandwich on the go, I keep the components separate, with the egg salad chilled, until I’m ready to eat. If you are using extra-large eggs, cook them for 10 minutes, instead of 7, before cooling and peeling.
    2 tablespoons plain yoghurt, plus more if needed
    Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
    2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or chives, and/or a small pinch of fresh thyme leaves, plus more if needed
    4 extra-thin slices artisan wholegrain bread
    A bit of unsalted butter
    1 garlic clove
    4 large eggs, hard-boiled and cooled (see box )
    Combine the yoghurt, a couple pinches of salt, a small pinch of pepper, and (most of) whichever herb you choose in a small bowl. Set aside.
    Toast the bread until it is deeply golden. Rub each piece with a bit of butter, then take the garlic clove and rub it against each slice. Set aside.
    Crack and peel each egg. Put them in a medium mixing bowl. Add the yoghurt mixture and mash with a fork. Don’t overdo it; you want the egg mixture to have some texture. If you need to add more yoghurt to moisten the mixture, go for it, a small dollop at a time. Taste and add more salt, pepper, or herbs, if needed. Just before you’re ready to eat, place one-quarter of the egg salad on each slice of bread and top with left-over herbs.
    SERVES 2–4

Tortellini Salad
    AVOCADO, SPROUTS, CORIANDER, PINE NUTS
I like to round out my pasta preparations with a good amount of vegetables and other fresh ingredients. Here, tortellini with ricotta-stuffed bellies are combined with blanched broccoli and asparagus, toasted nuts, avocado, and sprouts. The salad makes a great lunch and travels well.
    Fine sea salt
    455 g fresh ricotta-stuffed tortellini
    8–10 asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 2.5 cm segments
    ½ head broccoli or equivalent broccolini, cut into small trees
    1