Hummus and Veggies Breakfast Bowl

Six weeks to Vietnam. I bought a new suitcase — the first suitcase I've bought since 2005, when I took the kids to San Antonio for the Alamo and a river walk and a lot of Tex-Mex. This suitcase is bigger and sturdier because I'm planning to bring an empty duffel bag inside it. The duffel is for whatever Mai wants to bring back. I have a feeling she'll want to bring back everything.

Mai has started making a list. I know this because Linh told me. Mai would never tell me directly because telling me would be admitting she's excited about the trip, and admitting excitement is, for Mai, a vulnerability she does not allow. But she's making a list. Things she wants to see. Foods she wants to eat. Streets she wants to walk. The list exists. That's all I need to know.

Emma came over Saturday with news she'd been holding onto for two weeks. She and Daniel are expecting. Due in September. She told me standing in the kitchen, holding a cup of tea, watching my face. I put down the spatula I was holding — I'd been making eggs — and I stood there for a second and then I hugged my daughter and I didn't say anything because the thing I was feeling was too big for words. A grandchild. My first grandchild. I'm going to be a grandfather. The man who nearly drowned off Port Arthur, who drank his way through his thirties, who woke up on a kitchen floor at 4 AM — that man is going to hold his daughter's child.

Emma cried. I did not cry. I came close. I came closer than I will admit to anyone except this blog, which I apparently trust more than I trust my own composure. She said, "Are you happy?" I said, "Emma. I've been waiting for this since you were born." She laughed through the tears. She said not to tell anyone yet — it's early, they're being cautious. I said I would keep the secret. I am currently keeping two enormous secrets — the Vietnam details and the pregnancy — and the structural integrity of my chest is being tested.

Made shakshuka for dinner. Not Vietnamese, not BBQ. Middle Eastern eggs poached in a spiced tomato sauce with cumin, paprika, and chili. I've been making it for years because it's quick, it's healthy, and it requires exactly one pan and one piece of crusty bread. Sometimes the best food is the simplest food. Sometimes you just need eggs and tomatoes and the knowledge that your daughter is going to have a baby.

I never did finish making those eggs the right way — Emma’s news stopped me cold, spatula in hand, and when I finally came back to myself I just let the shakshuka simmer while we stood there holding each other in the kitchen. This Hummus and Veggies Breakfast Bowl is the recipe I reach for when I want that same Middle Eastern warmth and simplicity without having to think too hard — creamy hummus as a base, soft eggs nestled on top, bright vegetables scattered around like confetti. It’s the kind of food that holds you steady when your heart is about to burst, and right now, mine very much is.

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 10 min | Total Time: 20 min | Servings: 2

Ingredients

1 cup store-bought or homemade hummus
4 large eggs
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 medium cucumber, diced
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
1/2 cup baby spinach or arugula
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon za’atar (or dried oregano)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
2 slices crusty bread or 2 pita rounds, for serving

Instructions

Prep the vegetables. Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber, and slice the red onion. Combine in a small bowl with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil (about 1 teaspoon). Toss gently and set aside.
Spread the hummus. Divide the hummus evenly between two shallow bowls, spreading it in a thick layer across the bottom with the back of a spoon. Warm the hummus briefly in the microwave (about 30 seconds) if you prefer it slightly heated.
Cook the eggs. Heat the remaining olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Crack the eggs into the pan and cook sunny-side up, 3 to 4 minutes, until the whites are fully set but the yolks remain runny. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Build the bowls. Arrange the spinach or arugula over the hummus in each bowl. Spoon the tomato-cucumber mixture on top, then scatter the olives around the edges.
Add the eggs. Slide 2 eggs gently onto each bowl, nestling them into the vegetables.
Finish and serve. Drizzle each bowl with a little olive oil, sprinkle with za’atar and red pepper flakes, and scatter the fresh parsley over the top. Serve immediately with crusty bread or warm pita alongside for scooping.

Nutrition (per serving)

Hummus and Veggies Breakfast Bowl — When the News Is Too Big for Words