What better way to start the day than with brunch?

Brunch is one of those things that people make difficult. Brunch is actually the easiest meal to put together. The goal is to keep it fast, simple, and easy. That way you can chat with your friends with that lovely glass of mimosa on the side and not be stuck cooking the whole time.

This past Sunday, I made pan-seared salmon with a strawberry salad, portobello mushroom and french scrambled eggs on top of a baguette. It sounds like a mouthful to just say and it would run you around $15 dollars to order in a restaurant, let alone at least an hour wait on a Sunday just to get in the door.

The actual cost of this plate? About $5 if I did the math correctly. It also took me a total of 1 hour to buy all the groceries, cook, and plate. Luckily, I had the help of my girlfriend so we were in and out of the kitchen in almost no time at all.

One of the best ways to go about planning a brunch menu is to have a balance of all the different flavors and textures, while retaining a fresh and light feel. I would never stop someone from having a juicy cut of prime rib at 11 AM, but I wouldn't call it brunch either. An example of this is the strawberry salad shown above. The creamy tang of goat cheese paired with the sweet crunch of candied walnuts works incredibly well. I created a lime, honey, and olive oil dressing to to have a sweet, sour, and bright contrast to the savory taste of salmon and portobello mushroom. Finally, the French scrambled eggs gave a creamy and fluffy mouth feel to the otherwise robust baguette.

I will post a more detailed recipe to follow soon! Happy brunch making!