Month: March 2016

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Vegetable Frittata

I love Frittatas!  They can make a great meal for any time of the day and are very easily customized to fit your diet requirements.  For example, if you are trying to lose weight, you can easily use less egg yolks, more whites, and no extra ingredients like cheese an bacon bits.  If you are not needing to lose weight and are looking for a good nutritious meal with no calorie restrictions then you can add those extras.  You can also substitute or omit any of the vegetables listed according to your preference.  If your schedule does not allow for the chopping and dicing of fresh veg, you can substitute frozen.

The recipe below is for a large family style frittata that will keep you going for a week if it’s just for you, or can be shared between 4-6 as an easy breakfast, lunch or dinner.

To simplify the recipe, simply omit any of the vegetables and just add those you love or have on hand.

• 2 tablespoons of avocado oil or other high heat oil (safflower, grapeseed)*
• 1 medium onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup diced or grated carrot
• 2 medium red potatoes diced
• 1/2 cup of frozen peas
• 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
• 1/2 cup diced red, green, yellow or orange pepper or a combination
• 1 diced tomato
• 1 small can sweet corn or 1/2 cup of frozen corn
• 1 cup fresh baby spinach
• 6 eggs (or 2 whole eggs and 6 whites)
• 1 cup milk (can use skim, semi-skim or whole)
• 1 teaspoon of sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika (optional)
• Optional extras:  1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup of bacon bits

In a large skillet (I use a 13” round cast iron skillet) Saute the onion, celery, carrots, peppers, mushrooms and diced red potato in the heated oil, adding the sea salt and pepper.  You can add a little more oil if necessary.  Cover and stir regularly until potatoes are tender.  Add corn, peas, tomato and heat briefly.

Beat eggs together with milk, and add paprika with an additional  1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Note: If adding bacon bits, you may not need the additional salt.  Add egg/milk mixture to vegetables (and cheese and bacon if adding) and cook on low until it looks like the frittata is almost cooked through.   Put the pan under the broiler until it turns golden brown and is slightly raised.  If you don’t have a broiler you can put it in the oven to finish cooking.

Enjoy!

*Note:  If you choose a lower heat oil such as olive oil, just be sure not to sauce your vegetables on a very high heat or the goodness in your oil will be lost.

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Yummy Vegetable and Red Lentil Soup

This recipe can really be made with any number of vegetables of our choice.  Those listed are what I used and they also reflect a good balance of different vegetables maximizing the nutritional content.

• 2 tablespoons of avocado oil (or other high heat oil such as Safflower or Grapeseed)
• 1 small onion diced
• 1/2-1 cup chopped celery
• 1/2-1 cup diced or coarsely grated carrot
• 1/2-1 cup diced sweet potato (optional)
• 1/2 cup diced red, yellow or green pepper or a combination
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 can sweet corn or 1 cup of frozen cord
• 1 medium can diced tomatoes (I use organic)
• 1/2-1 cup frozen or fresh peas
• 1 cup dried red lentils
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth (I use boiled water with a tablespoon of vegetable ‘better than bullion’
• 1 cup frozen spinach (optional)
• 1 can black beans (optional)
• 2-3 tablespoons of chili powder can be added if you like a little heat, or you can dice up a small fresh chili and cook into soup for some real heat.

So as you see the quantities are very flexible, and largely depend on how much you want to make and how big a pan you have available.  I don’t usually measure, I just chuck in a good amount of each.

Salute the celery, onion, carrots, sweet potato and pepper in the heated oil.  Once all but the sweet potatoes are tender (the sweet potatoes will cook tenderize later), add everything except the black beans, peas and spinach.  Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 20 minutes until lentils are tender.  Add frozen spinach and frozen peas and simmer another 10-15 minutes.

Taste soup.  You may need additional sea salt and pepper depending on your preference.  As you see in the picture below, I added a little grated partisan cheese to the top before I ate it 🙂  Enjoy!

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Sprouted Manna Bread

• 1 cup wheat berries, sprouted
• 1/2 cup grated apple
• 1/2 cup grated carrot
• 1/2 cup dates or raisins
• 1/2 cup nuts of choice
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon (optional)

Other choices to add:  dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, flax meal

Soak wheat berries in water over night in a sprouting jar, or just a regular jar.  Drain and tip jar on its side, put in a room temperature dark place and rinse twice a day until sprouted (about 2-3 days).  Once sprouted drain and put in food processor or blender.  I use a Vitamix.  Wheat berries should resemble a wet bread dough when blended.  Add apples, carrots, dried fruit and cinnamon if using.  Mix and shape into a small round loaf.  Bake at 300F for 1.5-2 hours until dark brown and crusty.  Bread will be soft and sticky inside, and sweet even though no sweetener is added.

 

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• 3 cups cashew nuts soaked overnight
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• Maple syrup (1/4-1/2 cup)
• 1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice

  Crust:

• 1 cup dates
• 1 cup walnuts

Put dates and nuts in food process until combined. Press into pie dish. Blend cashews, melted coconut oil, maple syrup and lemon juice until smooth. Put half in pie shell and freeze, blend the other half with 2/4 cup fresh or frozen raspberries. Add to frozen pie. Decorate with raspberries.

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• 1 cup raw baby organic spinach
• 1 cup romaine organic lettuce
• 1/2 cup grated carrots
• 1/4 cup sprouted mung beans
• 1/2 organic tomato
• 2 slices smoked salmon
• 1/4 organic avocado
• 1/4 cup organic red and yellow pepper
• 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
• 1/4 cup diced organic cucumber
• 1/4 cup pea shoots
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

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• 1 slice whole wheat organic toast
• 1 tablespoon cream cheese
• 1/4 Avocado
• 1 large slice smoked salmon
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup pea shoots
• 1/4 cup sprouted mung beans
• 6 slices English cucumber
• 1 tomato
• 1 cup raw spinach

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• 1 cup coco butter
• 1 cup raw cacao
• 1/2 cup raw honey or as desired to sweeten
• Pure extract can be added, as well as dried fruit or nuts

Over a double boiler, melt coco butter with raw cacao powder and honey. Add flavor if you are adding any, pour into molds and allow to set in a cool place. Dried fruit or nuts can be added to bars or individual chocolate.

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Dates are known as nature’s candy.  As you see below they are rich in anti-oxidants, and combined with almonds – which have qualities that can lower cholesterol – are a wonderful replacement for a candy bar or other dessert.  They are super satisfying and provide a great pre-or post workout snack.

• 3 cups pitted dates
• 1 cup coconut flour
• 1 cup almond butter
• 3 cups almond or cashew meal
• 1 cup maple syrup
• 1-2 teaspoons almond extract
• 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 tbs coconut oil

Put the dates in the food processor a cup at a time, with a little coconut flour, or you can chop the dates by hand, but they need to be finely chopped. Add to the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Press into a large tupperware or other plastic container. Melt chocolate with coconut oil and spread on top of date mixture. Put in the fridge just until set. Turn out onto cutting surface and cut into small squares. Can be frozen and eaten straight out of the freezer.

I cut these bars into about 48 pieces.  Each has 125 calories, 3.2g protein, 9.3g carbs.  As an added note, date palm is rich in sugars; palmitic and organic acids; linoleic, lauric, myristic and other fatty acids; vitamins A, B1, B2 and traces of vitamin C; niacin; potassium; calcium; iron; magnesium sulfur; phosphorus; chlorine; copper; and beta-D-glucan, a dietary fiber. Dates are a good source of phytochemicals, such as phenols and carotenoids which are responsible for a reduced risk of developing degenerative diseases, such as cancers,  cardiovascular diseases,  and diseases related to low immune function.  Almonds can lower the risk of cancer and lower cholesterol. The high calcium level of almonds may lower the risk of colon and rectal cancers. The high levels of antioxidant flavonoids in the almond skin help to inhibit the oxidation of low density lipoproteins, thereby reducing the formation of plaques in the arteries.

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Ingredients:

• 3 cups old fashioned oats
• 1 cup almond butter
• 1 cup honey
• 4 cups of any combination of the following:
  Cranberries, walnuts, almonds, coconut, flax meal, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, raisins

 

Mix all ingredients, put into a large baking pan, cut into squares and bake at 300F for 30 minutes. The bars come out soft and chewy. They can be frozen. One small bar is a great mid morning snack, or post workout snack.

A small square is about 200 calories.