Talk About a Healthy Breakfast! Tomatoes Stuffed with Spinach, Eggs and Feta

My dear friend, Phyllis. You sent me this recipe thinking I could do it justice, and I have to say I had a bit of a problem with rolling tomatoes.

Phyllis sent me a recipe from Eve Turow for NPR for tomatoes stuffed with spinach, eggs and feta cheese. It isn’t often that Phyllis sends me recipes, so I know it’s worth trying if it comes with her seal of approval.

The recipe required that I hollow out a tomato, stuff it with steamed spinach and top the spinach with an egg and feta cheese. The trouble started when I bought medium tomatoes – they weren’t quite big enough. By the time I’d stuffed the spinach inside, the large eggs I cracked into the tomatoes rolled over the top and down into the pan.

With a second attempt I succeeded in keeping the eggs in my tomatoes, but they were so full I lacked room for feta cheese. I decided to take my chances and let them cook a bit before I added the feta, hoping the egg would settle and I could sprinkle my feta on top.

That was a pretty good plan, except for the tomatoes decided to roll about in the pan, sloshing slippery egg white down the sides of my lovely red tomatoes. I decided to leave well enough alone and let my tomatoes finish there rolly-polly cooking, hoping the eggs would set soon.

Twenty minutes later, I removed my tomatoes from the oven, and plated them with sweet, fresh pineapple and blueberries.

I hope you aren’t disappointed Phyllis! We certainly weren’t. My husband ate two whole tomatoes filled with spinach. How often do you think that happens?

Happy cooking!

Tomatoes Stuffed with Spinach, Eggs and Feta

Serves 4

4 large tomatoes, ripe
4 medium eggs
4 tablespoons low fat feta
1 pound spinach
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Remove the tops of the tomatoes and run a paring knife around the inside edge of the tomato. Scoop out the inside and be sure to scoop out the seeds. Sprinkle the inside with salt and pepper and turn the tomatoes upside down on a paper towel to dry.

Preheat nonstick skillet over medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Add spinach and saute 3 – 4 minutes until wilted. Stand the tomatoes right side up in a pan, and place 1/4 cup spinach into the bottom of each tomato. Press spinach into tomato to make as much room as possible for the egg and feta cheese.

Break an egg inside each tomato shell. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and feta cheese. Place in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until egg is just set.

What’s good for me in this dish?

Eggs provide tryptophan, selenium, iodine, vitamins B2 and B12, and protein. Selenium helps protect our immune systems, and regulates thyroid hormones, and protein plays a critical role in the building of our muscles, blood, skin, hair and nails.

Eggs also contain choline, known to reduce inflammation in the body. According to George Mateljan, author of World’s Healthiest Foods, inflammation contributes to heart disease, osteoporosis, type-2 diabetes and Alzheimers.

Free range, or cage free eggs are considered to be higher in quality nutrients such as all nine essential amino acids, and are less likely to contribute to high cholesterol levels.

Tomatoes provide a great source of vitamins C, A and K, not to mention the antioxidant and cancer preventing benefits of Lycopene.  Tomatoes support colon and prostate health, and are a good source of potassium, niacin, vitamin B6, and folate to support a healthy heart.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 133
Total Fat: 6.38g
Cholesterol: 219mg
Sodium: 267mg
Total Carbs: 7.32g
Dietary Fiber: 3.24g
Sugars: 2.88g
Protein: 11.41g

Weight Watchers Points 3

Nutrition details obtained from whfoods.org, nutritiondata.com, about.com, and abouthomecooking.com.

Last updated by Kristi Rimkus at June 2, 2010.

Tagged as: cooking light, egg recipes, feta recipes, healthy cooking, healthy recipes, Light Recipes, Mother Rimmy's Cooking Light Done Right, Recipes, spinach recipes, stuffed tomato recipes, tomato recipes, Weight Watchers Points