Sometimes I get stuck in a food rut. It happens most often when I find myself happily overindulging in whatever culinary trend has caught my interest at the moment. Luckily, my CSA share seems to act like one of those fancy new cars that might as well drive themselves. Veering off the road? No worries, that sleek technology guides you safely back on track before you can blink. Forward progress continues unhindered. It is seasonal eating that means I'm no longer eating corn on the cob in December or whipped parsnips in August. The ship rights itself naturally. Balance.

I recently found myself heading for a bit of a breakfast/brunch rut. Our family loves big lazy brunches. We dance in the kitchen while we cook, listen to great music, drink tea, eat too much bacon... and we laugh. But my brunch menu had become predictable. Eggs and sauteed greens, bacon, and usually a Dutch baby for the kids. And it was yummy, if predictable.

This past weekend, we were out of bacon, but we did have ground breakfast sausage. Hmmmm. As I began sauteing the greens, innovation started to sprout in my mind. With greens and ground sausage, I began thinking that this meal would require a serving of soft grits on the side. As I stirred the grits, I began thinking about the adorable earthen crocks I recently purchased, and suddenly I knew I was making breakfast bowls. Into each bowl went a scoop of grits and a tumble of sausage. The sausage was drizzled with a little salsa verde before adding a tumble of sauteed vegetables - greens and summer squash and onions. On top of that went a shaving of fresh Brookford cheddar, a sprinkle of chives, and hot sauce.

So many beautiful things, all piled up and oozing together in that bowl. While each separate piece would have been yummy and satisfying on its own, together they harmonized into something just beyond divine. The layering of textures and flavors. Bursts of tangy and hot, mellow and biting. I immediately knew I had fallen into my next favorite food trend - and not just for breakfast either. History would suggest that this might lead me, eventually, into a bit of a rut of repetition while I fully vet the possibilities. It’s all right though. We’ll enjoy every scrumptious bite on our way there, safe in the knowledge that the nature of the seasons will eventually return us to balance.

Make Your Own Breakfast (or lunch, or dinner!) Bowls

Pick a base

You want something hearty and comforting, and with a mellow flavor that can mesh well with all the other yumminess you’ll be adding. Try:

Grits
Pasta
Rice
Beans
Udon noodles
Quinoa
Couscous
Savory oats
Buckwheat
Cooked barley
Home fried potatoes
Rice noodles

Choose your meat

(This option can definitely be skipped right over for a vegetarian version.) While bacon and sausage are obvious choices, there are so many things that can work here. Try:

Grilled chopped steak
Stewed beef
Leftover roast or grilled chicken
Braised pork ribs
Crumbled bacon
Sliced or crumbled sausage

Pick out some veg

This may be where things get most exciting, but perhaps that’s only for me and my passionate love of vegetables that show up at breakfast. It’s just hard not to get excited about so many options. Try:

Roasted root vegetables
Sauteed onions and peppers
Summer squash and zucchini
Sliced fresh tomatoes with minced jalapenos
Grilled eggplant
Stir fried broccoli and garlic
Wilted greens

Select a sauce (or two)

In our version, we layered some salsa verde over the grits and sausage and then later topped the whole thing off with hot sauce. It was indulgent and amazing. Try:

Salsa
Hot sauce
Aioli
Buttermilk dressing
Vinaigrette
BBQ sauce
Creamy avocado sauce
Balsamic
Liquid aminos or soy sauce
Brookford sour cream
Pesto

Cheese, too

The cheese on top is pretty crucial to the wow-factor of a really satisfying meal-in-a-bowl. You want to select something with just enough tang to stand out while highlighting the best of everything else. It’s a job with big expectations. Try:

Brookford blue cheese
Raw cheddar
Crumbled feta
Jalapeno cheddar
Smoked cheddar
Gouda
Fresh mozzarella

Don’t skip the garnish!

Like the cheese, a well-chosen garnish helps add excitement, a burst of flavor, and brings out nuances in other elements. Try:

Maldon salt
Chives
Chopped fresh herbs
Freshly cracked pepper
Sunflower seeds
Chopped onion
Minced hot peppers

And feel free to add an egg

Although our version was egg-less, there are so many ways an egg can elevate all of this goodness even more. Try:
Hard boiled and chopped
Poached
Crispy and fried
Scrambled (this could even serve as your base)

***

I challenge you to walk on the wild side and risk getting stuck in this rut. A meal that can be made with almost any ingredient on hand, that can be reinvented a dozen different ways, and that works well morning, noon, or night? It’s the perfect formula for seasonal eating, and an utterly fine place to get stuck.