Easy Breakfast: Spinach & Eggs

I think I've said before, I'm a visual eater. And unlike when I first started this blog, I'm sort of a lazy cook now. These days I LOVE meals that don't take long to make. This is a quick throw-together IF you are the sort of person who preps veggies weekly (I am!).

Spinach & Eggs (and a few other things)

Ingredients:

• Red pepper strips (I cut up peppers each week and stow them away for easy access)
• Sliced onion (I used a regular yellow onion)
• Sliced mushrooms
• Spinach (I used about 1.5 c. since it cooks down but go with your instinct on the amount)
• 1 small clove garlic, minced (or 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. already minced garlic)
• Nonstick cooking spray (or olive oil, about a teaspoon is enough)
• salt, pepper, Paremesan cheese
• 1 egg (I used a large, again go with what's right for you!)

Directions:

Spray a pan down with nonstick cooking spray and set it over medium heat. If you're using olive oil put the pan on the heat and let it get hot before adding oil. 

Add peppers and onions and sautee 2-ish minutes or until they are softened. Add mushrooms and sautee an additional minute followed by the spinach and any seasonings you are using.

I like to just toss the spinach with a pair of tongs until it's soft, but not completely limp. Transfer to a plate.

In the same pan, cook an egg any way you like it (obviously I like mine sunny-side up!). Place egg atop veggie mixture and sprinkle with Paremesan cheese. NOM!

#PWMF2014 Recipe Contest Breakfast Winner: Vicky's Strapatsada

I’m still working on the free recipe e-book for this year’s “Play With My Food” recipe contest, but I thought in the meantime I’d showcase the winning recipes. So check back this week as I post each of the five winning recipes in the following categories: breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and dessert.

First up, breakfast!

The winner of the breakfast category also has the honor of having submitted a recipe I had never, ever, EVER heard of in my life. But it’s kinda fun to say. Stapatsada!

This is a yummy breakfast recipe from Greece, where Vicky lives. (How awesome is it that we have Foodies, everywhere?)

Vicky’s Strapatsada

Ingredients:

• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoonful of olive oil
• 1/2 tomato finely chopped
• 1/2 green pepper finely chopped
• 50 gr feta cheese (1/4 c. for us non-metric using Americans!)
• Pepper, to taste

In a non-stick frying pan heat the olive oil with the green pepper until soft (2-3 minutes). (Nik-note: I’d set a pan over medium heat, allow it to get hot [2-ish minutes] then add olive oil.)

Add the tomato and let simmer for about 5 minutes.

Beat the egg and add to pan along with the feta cheese crumbled.

Cook for another 3 minutes. Add pepper to taste (no need to add salt as feta is quite salty), turn off heat and let stand for another 5 minutes. It will continue to cook.

Serve hot.

Here’s what the Breakfast Foodie-Judge had to say about why this was a winning recipe:

This recipe was super flavorful, the simmered tomatoes gave this dish a fantastic rustic flavor...and while I would have probably added a tiny bit of salt (not recommended in the recipe) they flavors were fabulous together. I also chose this recipe because 90% of the time when I choose to prepare an actual breakfast and not a breakfast drink, I am the only person who will eat said breakfast.

This recipe had all the flavors I love, and was a perfect portion for me. I started out with half of the finished portion (as the recipe said it was filling) but I found that the full portion with a couple slices of tomato was just the right size for me. No leftovers!

Before the judges could make a final decision on a winning recipe, they had to prepare the dish they were considering. Here’s Shannon’s Strapatsada.



Congratulations to Vicky, who will win a $50 Amazon gift card for her winning entry.

The Bariatric Foodie Guide to Making a Frittata

This one goes out to all my 4-6 person families. Because weekends can be brutal. During the week you have a good measure of control on food, don’t you? Perhaps the kids get lunch from the cafeteria (try though I might I can’t seem to beat the price they charge for school lunch so since my girls lunches have gotten way healthier I allow them to get lunch from school now). Worse-case scenario, you send them to school with a lunch that is very portioned so as not to wear out your food resources.

But then comes the weekend. Everyone is home! And everyone is hungry.

I have a good Saturday morning option for you AND as a bonus it’s something you and they can eat together! Yay!

Frittatas. I love them. But I admit I was intimidated by the process of making them. However my friend Pepper over at Pepper Scraps inspired me to try. When I was in Portland I watched her do it and thought “Pfft! I got this!”

Wait…let’s back up. In case you haven’t heard of a frittata, it’s sort of like a huge omelette that’s started on the stovetop and finishes in the oven. Or maybe a better way to think about it (since the good stuff goes in the frittata instead of being folded like an omelet) a frittata is like a big, round, flat quiche. Without a crust. And most of the fat. If all those descriptions fail, look at the picture!!!

So here’s my three step easy guide to frittatas (just in case you need a place to start).

To make any frittata you’ll need:

Eggs (obviously). For a family-style one like the one above, use six of them. I used the whole eggs. If you are into Egg Beaters use the equivalent amount of that. If you are into egg whites, I would suggest four whites to two whole eggs but it’s entirely up to you!

“Stuff” – meat (and this is where it can get fun. For Mexican you can use chorizo, for Cajun you can use Andouille or you can just go with bacon, diced sausage, soy sausage crumbles etc.), veggies (nearly any veggie works well but if you’re dealing with cruciferous veggies like broccoli or cauliflower, or tough ones like kale or chard, you may need to increase your cook time). You’ll need about 2 – 2.5 cups of “stuff” for a family sized frittata. (NOTE: For mine I simply used onions, green peppers and tomatoes.)

Cheese – because what is life without cheese? Just be sure if you are making a themed frittata (Mexican, Greek, Italian, etc.) you use the appropriate cheese! You’ll use about 1 – 1.5 cups for the entire recipe (depending on how cheesy you are). Set aside ½ c. just for the top. (NOTE: I used shredded sharp cheddar and a little extra Mexican blend I had on hand.)

1 teaspoon of baking soda

Your favorite herbs/spices (I used garlic, salt, pepper and Herbs de Provence, which my daughter says makes the frittata taste like lavender – which she did not like – so I will omit in the future!)

An oven-safe skillet. 

Here’s how to make a frittata:

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.

Spray down an oven-safe skillet (read: one with a metal handle) with non-stick cooking spray (be generous with the spray!), set it over a medium-flame and allow the pan to get hot.

Add your “stuff.” If you are using veggies, add them first, sauteeing until soft before adding your meat. If your meat is uncooked, cook it fully.

In a bowl, whisk your eggs until they are frothy. Add in the baking soda and whisk to mix and finally add the larger portion of cheese.

With a spatula, make sure your “stuff” is distributed evenly around the pan (this is both to make sure everyone gets a bit of everything in their slice AND because it just plain looks prettier!).

Pour the egg mixture into the pan and make sure it gets all the way around the pan, in those nooks and crannies! (Tilt the pan to distribute the egg). It should take on a circular shape.

Drop your heat a bit lower and let it do its thing. When the edges of the eggs start to set (become solid),  sprinkle remaining cheese on top, remove the pan from the stove and stick it in the oven.

Cook for about 7-10 minutes or until the whole thing puffs up (it won’t be terribly tall or puffy but still) and is done through (no liquidy parts).

Remove from oven, allow it to cool about 5 minutes then slice!

Here's mine all fixed up Mexican-style with unflavored Greek yogurt, diced avocado and salsa!

A few notes about frittatas:

They are highly customizable if you K.I.S.S. (keep it simple, sweetie!). The one above is vegetarian because my youngest has again decided she does not eat meat. But I set out a nice little “fixins” bar that included some diced onions, Greek yogurt, salsa, more shredded cheese, avocado, etc. Go crazy with the fixins if you want. Kids love customizing their food!

For those watching their food budget, this cost me approximately $6 to make ($1.25 for the portion of eggs I used, $2 for the portion of cheese about $2.75 for the portion of “stuff” I used.) For a family of four that amounts to $1.50 per person. Each of us had a slice and I made homemade biscuits for the rest of the clan (no, I’m not giving you the recipe for my homemade biscuits lest Mama Foodie haunt me for life!) I will say, however, that biscuits (for the fam, not for you!) are about the cheapest and easiest accompaniment to a meal. They really aren’t hard to make and only require 5 ingredients: flour, butter, salt, milk and baking powder. Look it up if you don’t believe me!

Some folks have asked me what's the baking soda for? It actually makes your frittata fluffy without the use of milk or cream and it also keeps it fluffy on the reheat! This tip came by way of a co-worker's wife who suggested it for a quiche I made. It worked so well I started using the tip in frittatas as well!

At any rate, I am waiting on the arrival of a smaller oven-safe skillet so I can make mini-frittatas just for me. When I do, I’ll post recipes but for now, enjoy breakfast with the family!

Nik's Portable Egg Scramble Kit

Do you have a default food? It seems to me that most weight loss surgery post-ops do. A default food is that food you're almost always in the mood to eat, if all else fails. I have several. One of my default foods is eggs.

But eggs aren't the most portable food in the world, especially for our rearranged digestive systems! If you cook them ahead and reheat them they can take on a rubbery texture. Or...your pouch/sleeve/____ (whatever you call that thing that receives food) can reject them for absolutely no good reason.

This is more a methodology than a recipe. You can do these "kits" any way you want using any ingredients you want. Microwave scrambles aren't an original idea of mine. I first heard about them through Hungry Girl. BUT hers seem more suited to scrambling at home. I wanted to scramble at work. So...here's how I do it.

Nik's Portable Egg Scramble Kit 
(Let's call this one a "whichamacallit" scramble)

Components:

In a small plastic container I put 3 oz. of liquid egg substitute. (Use however much you think you can eat in an appropriately sized container).

In a larger, microwave-safe plastic container I put:

• Diced veggies (I used diced red and green bell peppers, onions and tomato)
• Diced meat (I had a package of Turkey Lil' Smokies hanging out in the fridge so I sliced a few of those up)

In a snack-sized baggie, a put a bit of shredded cheese (I used an ounce. Your mileage may vary).

When it came time to cook it up (at work), I simply added my egg substitute and cheese to my veggies and microwaved on high for a minute at a time, stirring after each minute, until the eggs were cooked. This is where the veggies came in handy. The water they release helps keep the eggs soft and agreeable to my pouch. And lookit:

A yummy egg scramble lunch (or breakfast, if eggs for lunch isn't your thing), just for me!

This, of course, comes with a caveat. If you aren't good with eggs, don't try this at home! And not everyone is good with microwaved food, no matter how it's prepared. If that's you, proceed cautiously.

But for those who, like me, have a "pouch of steel" this is a great way to have breakfast for lunch (or dinner) when away from home!

Brandi's Oatmeal & Egg White Scramble

I love it when a Foodie starts their message to me about their recipe with, "I know this may sound strange but..."

Isn't that a condition of post-op eating? I mean, we do eat pretty weird stuff, at least according to the non-op world. I personally eat REALLY weird stuff (for instance, my favorite dinner is simply cottage cheese with...you guessed it...peanut butter!). 

I know I'll get comments from folks who are hopelessly normal. But you know what? That's fine too. My point: Bariatric Foodies do it THEIR way. So whatever your "thang" is, I always love to know about it! 

Here's the recipe Brandi sent me.

Brandi's Oatmeal & Egg White Scramble

Ingredients:

• A 500g carton of egg whites (or about a dozen eggs worth of egg whites)
• 1 1/2 cup rolled oats 
• 2 tbsp. vanilla extract (or she likes to use Davinci's sugar-free cookie dough syrup)

Nik Notes: Brandi didn't specify if she uses any additional sweetener. I probably would. Between 1/4 -1/3 c. for the entire recipe (remember, when you heat things with sweetener you up the sweet factor. When you chill things with sweetener you dull it). And I'd also put in a "splick" of salt (again, don't ask me how much a splick is...it's a splick!). Salt and sweetness work well together in oatmeal (as in most places, actually). 

Let all ingredients sit together in a bowl for 30 minutes.

Scramble together in a non stick frying pan until cooked. Usually takes about five minutes, sometimes less.

Each batch makes 6 servings of 1/2 cup with 160 calories and 12 g of protein (See? Brandi is even nice enough to give you stats!). She adds one tablespoon sugar-free blueberry jam and one tablespoon sugar-free breakfast syrup as well (she said this is included in the 160 calories).

Her verdict? I'll let her tell you:

"I find it super filling. I nuke my portion in the microwave for 90 seconds in the morning. It's easy to grab especially on the mornings I run before I go to work. I know it sounds and looks odd but I swear by it!"

Considering I got away with inventing something called an "Eggchilada" I think you're good, Brandi. Thank you for sharing your kitchen inspiration with the Foodie Nation!

Do you have a great recipe to share? Email it to bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com.