Showing posts with label eggs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label eggs. Show all posts

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Meatless Monday: Mini Frittatas with Asparagus and Hollandaise

I've been seeing a lot of variations on the frittatas made in muffin tins, so I decided to go ahead and try it last week when I had some spinach I needed to use up. I suddenly got a craving for Hollandaise sauce as well, which may not be the healthiest of sauces whatsoever, but it's one of my favorites, and I hadn't enjoyed it in a very long time. The outcome was quite lovely...

 
Mini Frittatas
(serves 3-6)

6 large eggs (you can double-up on the eggs to make them bigger)
1 cup baby spinach, rinsed and packed
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute the garlic and onion in a medium pan with 1 tbsp of the olive oil for about 5 minutes, or until fragrant. Beat the eggs, salt and pepper together in a large bowl. Add in the sauteed onion and garlic, along with the spinach and broccoli. Last, fold in the cheese, or else you could just add it to the muffin tins once you pour the mixture in them. 


Once combined, lightly grease the muffin tin cups with the rest of the olive oil, then pour some of the egg mixture into each until they are all equal. Add the cheese if you have not done so already. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. You can also use the toothpick method and stick one in the middle of one of the mini frittatas to see if it comes out clean. Once ready, the frittatas should pop out easily with a fork after you allow them to cool for a few minutes.


Steamed Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce
(serves 4)

20 asparagus spears, trimmed
4 egg yolks 
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup butter, unsalted, or butter substitute
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne
  
For the asparagus: After rinsing and trimming the trunks of the spears, place in steam basket in large pot over about 1 inch of water. Bring water to high simmer, cover pot, and steam asparagus for about 5 minutes or until to desired tenderness. Alternatively, you can use a tabletop steamer for the same amount of time.
 
For the sauce: Melt the butter in a small sauce pan over low heat. Once melted, set aside, and place the egg yolks and lemon into blender. Blend on high setting until smooth, about 5-8 seconds. Add in the melted butter and seasonings, and blend again for another few seconds. Reheat in sauce pan if needed and serve over the asparagus.If allowed to cool down to much, the sauce may separate; just whisk and reheat again if needed when this happens.

All pretty easy, huh? It all tasted really yummy and gourmet...I was quite impressed with myself. You can throw in anything you want to the frittatas; I actually wished I'd had fresh tomatoes and/or bell peppers to add to them at the time. The Hollandaise complimented the frittatas very nicely, as well. Lily and Paul enjoyed it, too. Success!

Alongside some gouda

Like I said, and as many of you may know, Hollandaise sauce is in no way a healthy sauce. Butter is loaded with cholesterol and yolks are obviously fattening- or are they? Did you know egg yolks- albeit loaded with the "taboo" cholesterol -are actually more nutricious for you than the white part? The yolk holds all the nutrients, such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and vitamin C, just to name a few! In fact, eating an egg yolk everyday could work just like taking a multi-vitamin! So, forget that old adage of egg yolks being bad for you, and next time go ahead and eat it. I like mine nice and runny :)

P.S. If anyone knows of a healthier version of Hollandaise sauce that tastes just as good, let me know!

Now it's your turn to share your Meatless Monday dish below! Share your turkey-alternatives or other yummy Thanksgiving favorites. No rules, other than please only link-up meat-free recipes. No other un-related links or I will remove them. Sorry to sound so harsh, but let's keep it true to what it is, ok? Link up as much as you want, and feel free to spread the word with the button below. Thanks, and have a great week! 
          
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Monday, September 24, 2012

Meatless Monday: Asparagus Baked Eggs with Golden Yukons

Asparagus may not be in season here in NJ, but after viewing this lovely recipe on Miki's Scrapbook (adorable blog, check her out!), I just had to try it! I paired this simply delicious and easy baked dish with some equally simple to make sauteed Yukon potatoes, and dinner was served! It was a big hit with the whole family, and I think yours would enjoy it as well :) Lily and Paul are not usually the biggest asparagus fans, but they both ate this up, and especially enjoyed the potatoes covered in crunchy, flavorful garlic.


Asparagus Baked Eggs with Golden Yukons
(serves 2-4)

For the asparagus:

12-20 asparagus spears, trimmed and rinsed
2 large eggs
1-2 tbsp bread crumbs (depending on how crusty you want it to be)
1-2 tbsp grated Parmessan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to broil. Spread some of the olive oil onto bottom of ramekin or baking pan, then the rest onto the spears. Lay spears onto the ramekin or pan, then carefully crack eggs over top, keeping yolks in tact. Next, sprinkle the bread crumbs, cheese, salt, and pepper on top of that, then place in oven on center rack. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until eggs are set and topping is lightly browned. Serve right away, cracking the yolks if desired.



For the Yukons:

4 medium Yukon potatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium Vidalia onion, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the Yukons into quarters, and then slice into thin slices. Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a medium pan over low heat. Add two-thirds of the garlic and onion to the pan and heat until fragrant. Raise heat to medium-low, the add the potato slices, layering them on top of garlic and onion. Drizzle remaining olive oil on top, and add the rest of the garlic and onion. Cook over low heat, stirring, for about 5 minutes, then cover. Cook for about 10 minutes until potatoes are tender, then uncover and cook, frying until slices are lightly browned. Serve alongside the asparagus baked eggs.




Clearly, I had way too much fun taking pictures of this beautiful dish

Although eggs are used, this is still a meat-free dish, albeit not animal product-free. Use cage-free, organic eggs to keep it in line with eating a diet bettering the environment for Meatless Monday. Also use organic Parmessan if you can find it! (organic everything for that matter).


Now it's your turn to share your Meatless Monday dish below! No rules, other than please only link-up meat-free recipes. No other un-related links or I will remove them. Sorry to sound so harsh, but let's keep it true to what it is, ok? Link up as much as you want, and feel free to spread the word with the button below. Thanks, and have a great week! 

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Sunday, August 5, 2012

Meatless Monday: Return of the Meatless Monday Recipe Link-up


Yes, that's right. I'm bringing it back. Hopefully it will be more successful this time. Hopefully I will find more time to dedicate to it. If not, well then at least I'll know I gave it a second shot!

I wasn't sure what recipe to choose for the Meatless Monday Recipe Link-up's return...What could I post to really wow everyone? What can I post that everyone will like? What can I post that even regular meat-eaters will enjoy? 

I pondered this as I went through some updates on my site, and as I was doing so, I realized I had a lot of great vegetarian recipes that I really love. Some that I make quite often, others that I only made once or twice, but would like to try again. That's when the idea struck me- post some of my favorites for those who may not have seen them! After all, I have many new followers who definitely probably didn't get a moment to go through my entire blog (yet), so wouldn't it make sense to highlight some of what I consider to be the better ones? Or, most popular ones?

Plus...it's way easier than whipping up some new, amazing vegetarian entree that I don't really have time to make right now. 

Like I have mentioned, we are hosting a big family BBQ next weekend and I have been focused on cleaning the house and preparing for that. (Why oh why did I think it was a good idea to host it????). I am still taking suggestions for awesome recipes for that, btw! Link one up or tell me in the comments!

Now, without further ado, my 
Top Five Favorite Meatless Monday Recipes



I love kale. And I love feta. Finding a recipe with that combination? I was in Heaven! It's my favorite because:

  1. Kale is a superfood that is packed with vitamins and nutrients that are super good for you
  2. Feta is the best cheese ever! (in my humble opinion)
  3. It takes less than 30 minutes to prepare
  4. Lily loved it too! 





These babies are always a hit when I make them. Very versatile and a great way to get the picky-eater in your life to eat their veggies. My favorite because:
  1. Very easy to make
  2. You can change up the recipe every time 
  3. Flavorful and full of veggie goodness
  4. Goes as a great side dish or main course



Mouth-wateringly delicious and perfect for those cozy days at home during sweater weather, this is one I have only made once, but I can't wait to try again. My favorite because:
  1. Full of vitamins, especially A and C
  2. Sweet and spicy- my favorite combination!
  3. Aesthetically pleasing
  4. Makes me think of being home for the holidays

 

I found this delightful recipe in my favorite recipe resource, Eating Well Magazine. I made them for Thanksgiving last year and I couldn't stop eating them. They are a sure crowd-pleaser. My favorite because:
  1. Sweet and savory
  2. A unique combination that really surprised me
  3. Very quick and easy to make
  4. Great for social gatherings, holidays, or just because






The. Absolute. Best. Pizza. EVER! I get excited just thinking about this one...it's my fave because:
  1. Uses so many yummy ingredients: kale, caramelized onions, broccoli, cheese, basil...
  2. Truly made from scratch, even the dough
  3. Full of green goodness
  4. How can you beat homemade pizza?
This post also received the most views of all my posts ever, largely due to it being promoted on TakePart.com's Facebook and Twitter pages when it was featured as a Meatless Monday recipe using kale. A proud moment in my blogging career :)))


And one bonus...





I made this one a "bonus" because it's a new recipe I just very recently tried. I don't think I have quite perfected it (the potatoes are never quite soft enough), but it tastes so incredible, I just had to feature it. I got the original recipe it is largely based off of from My Sweet and Savory. It's a favorite because:
  1. Layered. Veggies.
  2. Introduced me to my new favorite condiment: garlic vinegar
  3. Uses fresh veggies I wouldn't normally use
  4. Fun and easy to make

So there you have it. Five Six of my best meat-free recipes for your enjoyment, and hopefully dinner. Tell me which is your favorite, and now share your own! No rules, other than please only link-up meat-free recipes. No other un-related links or I will remove them. Sorry to sound so harsh, but let's keep it true to what it is, ok?

Link up as much as you want, and feel free to spread the word with the button below. Thanks, and have a great week!


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Sunday, November 13, 2011

Meatless Monday: Mini Quiches


I got these mini phillo tarts for Thanksgiving the year before to make delicious-sounding apple-brie tarts, but when I gave the recipe a test-spin, they didn’t turn out quite right…as in the mixture seeped through the tarts. I did not have the time nor the patience to give the recipe a try again before Turkey Day, so I just had these phillo tarts laying around and finally decided to use them when Lily and I started getting that rumble in our tummies for dinner one night.

Mini Quiches

Ingredients

1 dozen mini phillo tarts
2 large eggs
½ cup chopped spinach
¼ cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp milk
2 tbsp grated cheddar cheese
2 tbsp crumbled feta
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
¼ tsp cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil until fragrant, about 3-5 minutes over low heat, then add the spinach and sauté for about 1 minute more. Remove from heat and set aside. Meanwhile, in a somewhat large bowl, beat the eggs with the milk, salt, pepper and cayenne. Add in the feta and mix, then add the sautéed spinach, garlic and onion. Set the mini phillo tarts onto baking sheets about 1 inch apart from each other. Gently pour or spoon egg mixture into each cup. Sprinkle a little bit of black pepper and shredded cheddar on top and bake for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Serve with a spring mix salad or a light soup.


She doesn't look too sure about it here, but I promise she did like it!

"Here let me help you with that..."
 Lily really liked these quiches, and so did Paul and I. They’re super easy to make and you can obviously mix up the ingredients you put in the egg mixture to your liking. Kids will dig these too as they are cute and compact and fun to eat.

Normally I write a longer post and add some nutrition info, but as I said in my last post I have a lot of big projects to work on right now, so this is just a quickie Meatless Monday recipe I wanted to throw up. I hope you aren’t too disappointed! Happy Monday and I’ll catch you again on Wednesday (I hope!).

Monday, October 31, 2011

Happy Halloween! Green Frittata for Meatless Monday!

So it’s Halloween! Happy Halloween everyone! Whether you celebrate this spooky holiday or not, it’s still always a good excuse to get the creative juices flowing. I read a quote on this from Pete Wentz on twitter yesterday: “If you stopped celebrating Halloween that means you took part of your imagination off of life support and just let it die (sic).” A bit much, yes, but I think you get the point. I find it a little sad when people say they’re too old to dress up. I don’t think you’re ever too old to have fun, and isn’t getting dressed up and indulging in a little fantasy part of having fun? It’s a good way to do so, that’s for sure!

I enjoyed a couple of Halloween parties with my good friend, Josh, this year. I was a Geisha girl and he was a Rockstar.


I will post more Halloween pics either later today or tomorrow so be sure to check back!


Lily is going as a pixie so I will post pics of that later or tomorrow!

I wanted to have a cool Halloween-themed recipe for today, but although this one for a Very Green Frittata may not look ghoulish enough, I thought the greenness of it could represent ectoplasm perhaps, or you could cover it with ketchup or tomato sauce and make it a bit more “gory” for older kids. I was going to (finally) post my crock-pot tomato sauce recipe, but then thought this might be more fun, plus simpler for something last minute if any of you wanted to use this for a Meatless Monday brunch, lunch or dinner today! So, I guess I will post the tomato sauce recipe next week, and on that note, I intend to post cookie recipes once a week for the entire month of November, starting this week!!!! Yay for baked goods! They will all have healthy and traditional versions so you can decide how to make them based on your own standards, and that of whomever you may be baking for this upcoming holiday season…

Very Green Frittata

Ingredients

6 large eggs
1 cup chopped broccoli
½ cup chopped spinach
½ cup chopped kale
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese 
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
¼ cup milk
¼ cup chopped onion
3 clove garlic, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp hot sauce (optional)



Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a medium skillet. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until slightly browned and fragrant. Add the spinach, kale and broccoli and stir-fry for another 5 minutes then remove from heat. Mix the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, cheese and hot sauce if you’re using it in a large bowl. Pour the green stir-fried vegetable mix into a 9-12” pie pan, then pour the egg mixture on top and stir around a bit so everything evens out. Alternatively, you can just stick the pan in the oven with the egg mixture poured over it if you don’t have an adequate pie dish. Top with the cheddar cheese and bake for 10-15 minutes until lightly browned on top. Serve after it cools a bit. SO GOOD!



I love frittatas! They are simple and yummy and healthy and you can make one with just about anything you have in your fridge. Frittatas are best to make when you have a bunch of left over meats or veggies you want to use up in a simple yet creative way. If you’ve never made a frittata before, some other great add-ins are:

  • Peppers
  • Tomatoes
  • Olives
  • Bacon
  • Ham
  • Feta
  • Goat cheese
  • Fennel

The possibilities are endless! If you know a great frittata recipe, add it in the comments!

Lily and Paul both love frittatas too! If your child(ren) enjoys eggs normally, give the frittata a try! It’s a way to eat eggs anytime of the day. Many babies are sensitive to eggs before 9 months, so don’t give to baby unless they are of age to try them. Lily was allergic until she was 1; she threw up twice after having a small serving of cooked egg yolk, and it was pretty icky. Eggs are an ideal food for children over 1 year old.

Eggs are a well-known health food. They are loaded with protein and a substantial amount of vitamin B, including the B vitamin choline. Choline helps to boost brain health and function andalso helps reduce inflammation. Proteins found in eggs also help promote heart health by preventing blood clots and lower cholesterol. Eggs are amazing!

And since it’s Meatless Monday, I’d like to promote the purchase of organic free range, antibiotic-free eggs. Chickens are indentured to a terrible life at most mainstream farms and corporations of confinement to a small cage or dark room for their entire life, more often than not suffering from a variety of health conditions including infections, loss of use of their legs due to confinement, and many are subjected to a variety of diseases from living in their own filth all their lives. That’s why most are injected with loads of anti-biotics and have their beaks mutilated in a way that enables them to live in close quarters with hundreds of other hens so they don’t injure each other with pecking. It sounds like a pretty horrible life.


Literally slicing off the hen's beak


Do those look like healthy hens to you?

But, then you have to ask yourself- but which eggs are best? - best for the hens, and best for consumption? Organic free-range is probably the best way to go, if you can find a trust-worthy farm. Any mainstream egg manufacturer is not going to be the most reliable source in terms of producing a truly “happy” hen; usually when they say their chickens leave a cage-free life, it only means they all live in a dark room together to roam about for a few minutes a day when not busy laying eggs. If you happen to live near a family-owned farm that sells eggs, then you probably already know that is your best bet. Although, do keep in mind that just because it’s a smaller farm than Perdue’s, it does not necessarily mean that they maintain an organic and cruelty-free farm. 

Let’s here it for Halloween and healthy hens!!!!
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