CK'S KITCHEN: Tomato Toast

Warm water with lemon and apple cider vinegar. Savory breakfast. Veggie starter to one meal. Move 10 minutes after a meal. Those are just a handful of my "new year, improved me" goals I have for 2025, and they were all inspired by Jesse Inchauspe, a French chemist and author of "Glucose Goddess," who has more than 1 million Instagram followers (including me as of December). Inchauspe uses science-based, researched tips to teach people about transformative food habits that can help them manage glucose (sugar in the bloodstream) and feel better in all kinds of ways and on a cellular level. They are all literally bite-sized, simple hacks to make big changes in your health. I will definitely eat to that! Break the fast In the morning, after a hopefully long sleep-induced fast, it's critical to start the day with a savory meal, Inchauspe says. You can eat sweets later in the day, she says. But starting the day with protein and healthy fats and carbs is far superior to noshing a confection on the run or slurping down a sweet smoothie. Hence this recipe for tomato toast, a lovely combination of some of my favorite things, and it comes together in minutes, which is critical for anything in the a.m. Since I'm not a cheese lover, I altered the recipe to include an over easy egg instead of the burrata. I've almost fully transitioned to sourdough bread over the last year and my gut has thanked me. The fermentation process in sourdough bread creates enzymes and good bacteria that can improve digestion and act as a prebiotic. We love the Organic Everything Sourdough by the popular Izzio Artisan Bakery and have contemplated making our own at home. Stay tuned on that! Full for four One of the key elements of your savory breakfast, Inchauspe says, is that it should keep you full for four hours. If it doesn't, you need to eat more. In this case, I wasn't sure if one slice of Tomato Toast with one egg would fill me up, so I made myself two eggs. Keep this in mind when you make this. Also, it could be completely different with burrata if you choose to follow the recipe as written. The end result: A five-minute, super easy, super delicious and super healthy start to the day. Layered on delicious sourdough, the arugula, sun-dried tomatoes and pesto mixture was definitely something to savor and enough. I highly recommend this recipe and I know I will be breaking my fast with this Tomato Toast as often as possible! Contact Chrissy Kadleck at ckadleck@sbcglobal.net. Tomato Toast (for one) 1 slice of sourdough bread A small handful of arugula ½ ball of burrata 3 sundried tomatoes in oil, drained and cut in half 1 heaping teaspoon good-quality basil pesto 1. Toast the slice of sourdough bread, place it on a plate, and drizzle with olive oil. 2. Top with the arugula, burrata, and halved sundried tomatoes and drizzle with basil pesto. Season with salt and pepper, and eat immediately. Source: Glucose Goddess, Jesse Inchauspe