Behold, A Secret Hangover Cure That Will Also Make You Feel Skinny

After a night of overindulging at the bar, a fortifying breakfast (or brunch) is always in order. You might be tempted to opt for crisped hashbrowns, a tall stack of pancakes, or a rich eggs benedict to ease your woes. I usually do. However, I recently came upon a surprising entry in Alison Roman's bright and inspirational cookbook Dining In that brought into question my tightly-held hangover breakfast ideals (namely, that grease is good).

Roman claims that salad is, in fact, the best breakfast to help you bounce back from a hangover. She argues that a hefty serving of greens, topped with whatever leftover roasted vegetables, meat, or grains lurk in your fridge, a punchy dressing, and a soft-boiled egg, is the perfect breakfast to reset your body (and liver) after a night of festivities.

I was skeptical, too. How could a bowl of leaves and vinaigrette possibly cure my headache as well as a helping of gravy-drowned biscuits? So, ever the thorough journalist, I decided to put her assertion to the test. A few weeks ago, I drank a few too many beers and woke up a little worse for the wear. Instead of reaching for toast, as I normally would, I pulled out leftovers of a cabbage-and-tempeh salad I'd eaten the night before, added some brown rice hanging in my fridge, and doused the whole thing with some more tahini dressing. I crowned my creation with a soft-boiled egg (6 minutes for the win!), and when I broke into it the yolk oozed out, effectively dressing the salad twice.

And... it worked! I felt nourished and satisfied and also somehow purified, the gigantic plate of nachos I had consumed the previous night banished and forgotten. I continued my day energized, with much more pep in my step than if I had nursed my hangover with a heavier breakfast. If you want to try this trick for yourself, here are a few salads to use as your starting template; feel free to dress them up, toss on leftovers, and add as many eggs as you please.

Words by Catherine Lamb at Food52

[Photo via @carolinevreeland]