One thing Texas does seriously right is breakfast. Scones, muffins, danishes and doughnuts – they’re all fancy words for “cake.” After the initial sugar and caffeine high, I crash and burn 30 minutes later and need another snack before lunchtime. But a breakfast taco with scrambled eggs, cheese, beans or potatoes, and a slathering of salsa verde keeps me energized and full until noon rolls around.

It seems like every breakfast joint and coffeehouse in Austin sells breakfast tacos, either with refried beans or steamed potatoes. I discovered a great coffee spot in southern Austin, Summermoon Coffee Bar, that specializes in wood-fired coffee and addicting breakfast tacos. They also offer coffee concoctions made with their mysterious “moon milk,” a top-secret blend of seven ingredients that I’m pretty sure include caramel syrup, vanilla syrup, and unicorn tears. Not usually one for sweetened coffee, I tried their moon milk latte anyway and loved it.

Once I returned home, I easily replicated their breakfast tacos and have been eating them practically every morning. And they’re so simple – there are no onions, peppers, meat, or other ingredients to turn the basic breakfast taco into an oversized monstrosity. Resist the temptation to load them up with your favorite taco fillings, because they really are so delicious with just a few quality ingredients.

They’re terrific fresh, but you can also prepare them the night before. When you wake up, set the oven to 250 and place the wrapped taco in the oven while you’re getting ready for work. Before you head out the door, remove the taco from the oven, drizzle it with some salsa, and off you go.

breakfast taco with refried beans

– makes two breakfast tacos –

2 medium-sized whole wheat soft tortillas
refried beans
organic shredded cheese, either cheddar or a Mexican blend
3 eggs
1/4 cup whole milk
salt and pepper
salsa of your choice

Set the oven to 200 and place the tortillas directly on the oven rack to warm and soften while you prepare the filling.

Whisk the eggs with the milk and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper. In a medium skillet on medium heat, slowly cook the scrambled eggs until they’re soft, firm, but still moist. Take the skillet off the burner and set aside.

Set a sheet of aluminum foil on a plate and take one tortilla out of the oven at a time. Top it with a little (not a lot!) of refried beans, a hearty handful of cheese, and half of the scrambled eggs. Fold over the tortilla and tuck the ends in, and wrap tightly in the tin foil. Prepare the second taco in the same way.

Warm the tacos in the oven at 350 for about 10 minutes to heat through and melt the cheese, top with salsa, and eat immediately. Alternatively, store in the refrigerator and reheat the following morning for breakfast.