I go to the grocery store every single day.

At any point during a 24-hour period, I can be found making my way through the aisles, looking for various ingredients or supplies. It’s not as though my pantry is empty; it’s fully stocked for recipe testing, client projects and TV segments, but I like my produce fresh, my fruit firm and my bread fragrant (warm is a bonus).

While cooking is both my livelihood and an indelible part of my lifestyle, there are days when the thought of going to the store is about as appealing as sleeping in an igloo wearing a bathing suit.

Some days, I just want to stay in, cook simply and savor comfort food that doesn’t have to be washed, peeled, chopped and cooked.

To the rescue come my baked eggs, which I usually make with frozen spinach and canned beans. The recipe could not be simpler. Served with a green salad dressed with olive oil and a glass of wine, you have a complete and nutritious meal that’s absolutely delicious.

Of course, I’ll look forward to hearing what you think!

Baked Eggs with Chickpeas, Spinach, Tomatoes & Mushrooms

Yield: 2 servings
Time: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 cup/4 oz. onions
1 cup/2 oz. roughly chopped mushrooms
2 tsp. finely chopped garlic
1 cup/4 oz. chickpeas
1 cup/6 oz. roughly chopped tomatoes
2 cups/2 oz. spinach
2 eggs
1 oz. shredded sharp cheddar, optional

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat a small sauté pan (about 6”) over medium heat. Add the oil and onions, season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook until softened and starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and chickpeas and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes and spinach. Season again with salt and pepper then cover the pan to wilt the spinach and soften the tomatoes. Cook for about 5 minutes. Stir and taste. Adjust the seasoning. Crack the eggs on top of the vegetables. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cheese, if using. Place in the oven until the egg is cooked to desired doneness (8 minutes should achieve a set white and runny yolk) and the cheese is melted. Divide between two plates and serve with multigrain toast.

This recipe can easily be doubled to make 4 servings, just use a slightly larger pan.