I was inspired to make these lovely fresh egg, avocado and smoked salmon breakfast burritos by my recent work trip to our San Diego office. Every morning we started the day's meetings with egg, bacon and sausage filled breakfast burritos with sour cream and salsa. So I thought I'd make a pork-free healthy version for us for breakfast this weekend.

I love California, but then who doesn't. Sun, Pacific beaches and a relaxed way of life. Laid-back and slow-paced husband would fit right in and I would improve my stressful ways in no time. I would start by making an excel-sheet on how to chill. And then I would probably file daily progress reports to see how I was getting on.

On the way back I nearly missed my connection at LAX. I thought the "TBIT" on the board was some kind of code for "To Be Informed Timelyly" (couldn't really think of what the second T would be for), so I sat enjoying a lovely glass of red in a wrong terminal waiting for the gate number to appear. Then finally as the take off time was getting really close I established from a gentleman sitting next to me at the bar that TBIT was the Tom Bradley International Terminal and that I wasn't in it. Luckily I was wearing my fastest flipflops so made a run for it. I made it by the skin of my teeth and nearly kissed the Rupert Everett lookalike steward who welcomed me on board.

As I had sat down panting on my seat and Rupert had brought me a much needed glass of sparkling wine, there was a crisp greeting from the seat next to mine. "Good Afternoon" said the young man in polished tones. It was 11pm. I found out later that he was coming from Hawaii, which probably explained his chronological misplacement. He was a child of two navy officers on his way back to his boarding school in England. His father was escorting him, but was seated in economy (best place for him said Rupert who thought we were mother and son travelling in style having deposited the old man in the cattle class). Monty, I'm not making it up, he was called Monty, not sure if it was short of Montague or Montgomery, was 11 and reading a book about the Cold War?!?!

We chatted all the way through our dinner. He was the best conversational company I've had for a long time. He's going to study architecture at the UCL. When my younger stepson was 11 he wanted to be a petrol pump attendant (not that there is anything wrong with it).

Monty and I talked about his life in the boarding school, apparently it IS a little like Harry Potter! We talked about how it is to be without his parents and how it is to be an only child. As we parted we shook hands although I just wanted to give him a big hug. I do feel a bit sorry for poor old Monty having to be so brave, grown up and emotionally restrained at 11.

Today over the breakfast burritos I told Monty's story to my petrol pump loving stepson and asked if he's got any more ideas on what he will study and where as he has to decide in about two months time. Not a clue.

Californian egg, avocado and smoked salmon breakfast burritos (makes 4)

4 burrito-sized wholewheat tortillas (or wheat or corn)
Oil
3 spring onions
8 eggs
Water
Salt
Blackpepper
Homemade or shop bought salsa
Sour cream
2 large avocados
4 big handfuls of shredded iceberg, romaine or gem lettuce
Packet of smoked salmon (about 150g)
1/2 lime

Preheat oven to 190C. Wrap the tortillas in foil and place in the oven. Chop the spring onion. Heat oil in a frying pan and fry onions on low heat until soft. Add a bit of water if necessary to stop the onions from browning.

Crack the eggs in a bowl, add a splash of water and mix well with a fork or whisk. Season with salt and pepper. Pour on top of the onions and scramble.

Shred the salad and core, peal and slice the avocados. Squeeze some lime on the avocado to keep from browning.

Once the eggs are ready, take the tortillas from the oven, spread with a spoonful of sour cream and salsa, fill with the egg, smoked salmon, salad and avocado, add a squeeze of lime if you like. Wrap burrito style and pop in the oven for a couple of minutes just to make sure they are hot - not to cook.

Serve with more salsa and sour cream, tomatoes, cucumber and salad leaves.