By Linda Garrettson

In my November 2024 article I wrote about creating new traditions at Thanksgiving. Here we are, one year later, and I am thinking about traditions again. This time it’s eggs Benedict.

As long as I can remember, our family holiday breakfasts featured eggs Benedict, a delicious stack of English muffins, Canadian bacon, poached eggs and hollandaise sauce, served first by my grandmother, then my mother. There was one attempt to simplify the menu to scrambled eggs and bacon. In protest, my brother and I picked up the flag and continued the tradition with our children, who continue it with their children.

Nearly 25 years ago, tired of feeling sub-par, I decided to eliminate dairy, sugar and animal products from my diet. The results were so positive that I did not mind changing my Christmas breakfast to an English muffin, broccoli and a poached egg white until…drumroll here…I found a plant-based recipe for hollandaise that thankfully did not balk at my revisions. Eggs Benedict suddenly took on a new look and challenged the long-standing belief that nothing could be better than grandma’s.

I need to add a bit of history here. Forever, I believed that eggs Benedict originated in Holland and was the creation of a French chef. The truth is, eggs Benedict is 100 percent American. It’s rumored that the recipe had its origins in 1894 when a hungover New York City stockbroker, dining at the Waldorf Astoria, ordered poached eggs, bacon and toast to cure his suffering from the night before. (Please note: his profession and headache have nothing to do with one another.)

We have come a long way from Lemuel Benedict’s hangover cure. Our family’s eggs Benedict is now more accurately eggs Florentine, with the substitution of spinach for bacon, thanks to my younger daughter (and this heart-healthy hollandaise recipe). For those avoiding saturated fat, a poached egg minus the yolk is the way to go. Plus, the pocket created by removing the yolk holds extra sauce.

Eliminating the bacon also makes this a perfect recipe for Hanukah, or probably any way you celebrate the holiday season. Who says we can’t enjoy delicious and heathy food at the holidays? Come together over food, I always say. Peace and joy to all.

Eggs Florentine

Ingredients

• 6 English muffins, lightly toasted, whole wheat or sourdough preferred
• 1 bunch fresh organic spinach, washed and steamed
• 12 jumbo organic eggs

Method

• Poach egg whites in boiling water with a teaspoon of vinegar.
  

Hollandaise Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 package Mori-Nu silken tofu, drained
• 3 tbsp. nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp. white miso
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of ½ lemon
• ½ tsp. dry mustard
• ¼ tsp. fine sea salt
• ¼ tsp. turmeric
• Dash of cayenne pepper or tabasco
• Place English muffin halves on a heated serving plate.
• Top each with steamed spinach, poached egg whites and sauce.

Garnish

For a festive and colorful look, serve with grilled tomatoes and hash browned potatoes. (See my August 2025 recipe for grilled tomatoes.) For “hash browns,” I like to cut mini potatoes into bite size pieces along with thinly sliced leeks, onions or shallots. Add low sodium vegetable broth and your favorite seasoned salt. Roast at 400 degrees until tender.
Serves six. n