Breakfast of Champions
Though many people feel that they are taking well enough charge of their health, the fact of the matter is you can never do enough to take care of the one body you have.
The way I think about it is this: How can I get my body running at maximum output without having to utilize items that force me to consume a maximum input? I'm of course referring to overeating. The best way to combat this is to use the F word.
Fiber helps you feel full, cleans out your digestive system, and can help avoid that uncomfortable bloated feeling you can get from some processed foods. The most important way you can combat what you eat for the remainder of the day is by eating a breakfast full of fiber to help you feel fuller longer.
So what do I eat in the mornings? Well, it used to be cereal, but I found that doing that every day started to feel like I was tearing up a cardboard box and pouring milk all over it (soy, since I'm lactose intolerant). It got boring. Bland. Forcing myself to eat in the morning was no longer working, and I started rushing toward the nearest Starbucks to have a breakfast sandwich and God only knows what kinds of things I was ingesting then.
Nope, now I found the best way to enjoy breakfast without having to cut any corners, save myself some cash, and by feeling good and full well until lunch is by making my newest favorite and customizable breakfast:
Here's how I make my ovenless frittata:
For one, I ususally use about four eggs, because I am guaranteed to have leftovers that I can reheat and have the following morning. Two breakfasts made in one day ain't half bad, because then I don't have to dirty up any dishes the following day. If you are making this for multiple people in the morning, say, 4 or 5, then I suggest you use 8 eggs, but split the recipe between two pans. Trust me, watching these two pans is a no-brainer as long as you manage your heat well.
Second, the hardware. Always always ALWAYS use a non-stick pan for this type of application. Other pans will only frustrate you and reduce your beautiful fluffy frittata down to a burnt and rubbery disaster. Just trust me on this one. Don't have a non-stick pan? Get one. You will also need a lid. If yours didn't come with one (mine didn't), find one that is close enough to the circumference of the pan. If it's a little smaller, that's ok! Just make sure that the lid doesn't come in contact with the food. The picture to your left is what I'm referring to. Last, a spatula.
Third, the add-ins. Now this is where your frittata can really shine. Does sauteed mushrooms and bacon sound good to you? What about quartered cherry tomatoes and asparagus? Breakfast sausage and broccoli? Any combination of the above is completely acceptable. Use your imagination. Today, for instance, I opted not to have any of the meats mentioned above and instead went for a trio of quartered cherry tomatoes, broccoli and mushrooms. Whatever filling you end up choosing, always make sure that you cook it beforehand and that it's warm when you're ready to build your frittata. Are frozen vegetables ok? - You ask? Absolutely! In fact, it's a great way to make your morning easier, just make sure you thaw them out first and saute them up with whatever you're cooking. All of your pieces must also be cut in similar sizes so they all cook in relatively the same time. It's also important to cut them up so that the frittata is easier to eat instead of trying to choke down large pieces.
Ovenless Frittata Recipe
1 tbsp butter
1/4 cup raw (not canned) mushrooms quartered so pieces are similar in size
1/4 cup broccoli (similar size to the rest of ingredients)
1/4 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
4 eggs
Salt as needed
Pepper as needed
1/4 cup mexican cheese mix
1 tsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)
hot sauce as needed (optional)
1 Thaw any ingredients that may be frozen in the microwave. While that is working, chop up the mushrooms and tomatoes. Turn the heat on medium-high and allow the pan to heat dry (no butter) for about a minute (don't be exact about it, just put your hand about an inch from the bottom. If it's hot, cook). Add the butter and allow to melt. If it bubbles up fast, the pan is too hot so turn it down. If it melts nice and even, you're ready to add ingredients.
2 Start with the mushrooms. Allow them to cook down, giving them a bit of a golden tinge on the edges. Be sure to add salt and pepper. Then add the broccoli to the pan (make sure the pieces are relatively close to the size of the mushrooms). Let that cook for a bit, seasoning them with salt and pepper as well.
3 While that is cooking, crack four eggs into a cup with a handle and whisk together (as you would for the first step of scrambled eggs). Add the tomatoes last and cook just until they start to wilt.
4 Pour in the eggs, season with s&p, and stir everything together until you start to develop big curds (stir gently). Scrape the outside edge of the pan in one direction to clean up the edges of the frittata. Place the lid on the pan and turn the heat down to medium.
5 No matter what you hear going on in that pan, whatever hissing or bubbling or growling noises that emit from under that lid, do NOT lift the lid for at least three minutes. I mean it. Ok?
6 After three minutes have passed, take a peek. You should start seeing that the outer edges of the frittata are starting to set. If you jiggle the pan a bit and the bottom is sticking, take your spatula and gently wiggle it under the frittata. It should loosen up easily. Relid for another 2 minutes.
7 Check again by wiggling the pan. If the middle is still jiggling, you know you've got another few minutes. Check again every 2 minutes or so. If the very center (about an inch in circumference) is still jiggling, it's time to take it off.
8 Tilt the pan and allow frittata to slide off onto a large cutting board. Take the cheese and sprinkle over the top, then take the lid from the pan and cover on the cutting board allowing it to finish steaming.
9 When the cheese has melted, sprinkle with the parsley if you're so inclined and cut into wedges. Me, I don't do the parsley, but sometimes I'll do the hot sauce if I'm feeling spicy. Red pepper flake would be nice in this too, but I would put it in right when you add the eggs to the pan.
Enjoy! And remember, be creative! Use more than just the ingredients listed above. Make what you like, just be sure to cook everything before hand, cut it up to evenly sized pieces, and make sure they're small enough to make eating them easier.
P.S. Want something even healthier? Take out two of the yolks from the four eggs and keep the remaining whites in the recipe. You can cut down on half of the cholesterol. And don't jump immediately to meats. Remember that those mushrooms can make this dish feel meaty enough without having to add any more proteins (which can also add extra fat and cholesterol).
To love, to food, l'chaim!
-KK
The way I think about it is this: How can I get my body running at maximum output without having to utilize items that force me to consume a maximum input? I'm of course referring to overeating. The best way to combat this is to use the F word.
Fiber!
Fiber helps you feel full, cleans out your digestive system, and can help avoid that uncomfortable bloated feeling you can get from some processed foods. The most important way you can combat what you eat for the remainder of the day is by eating a breakfast full of fiber to help you feel fuller longer.
So what do I eat in the mornings? Well, it used to be cereal, but I found that doing that every day started to feel like I was tearing up a cardboard box and pouring milk all over it (soy, since I'm lactose intolerant). It got boring. Bland. Forcing myself to eat in the morning was no longer working, and I started rushing toward the nearest Starbucks to have a breakfast sandwich and God only knows what kinds of things I was ingesting then.
Nope, now I found the best way to enjoy breakfast without having to cut any corners, save myself some cash, and by feeling good and full well until lunch is by making my newest favorite and customizable breakfast:
Ovenless Frittata
Ok, don't freak. The word sounds scary and Italian, I know. It's really just the Italian form of a quiche. Quiche isn't scary, right? Of course not. Besides, if you tell overnight guests that you're making them a Frittata, they're going to think you became Mario Batali overnight. There is one thing that the Italians know above all else, and that is seasonality. If asparagus isn't in season, they use something else to enjoy the maximum flavors and tastes of the current harvest. Though with most things being imported now-a-days, its easy to get any kind of vegetable that you're interested in having, albeit at a higher price. However, if you stick to current harvests in your area, it also means you are buying local which makes Mother Nature very happy.Here's how I make my ovenless frittata:
For one, I ususally use about four eggs, because I am guaranteed to have leftovers that I can reheat and have the following morning. Two breakfasts made in one day ain't half bad, because then I don't have to dirty up any dishes the following day. If you are making this for multiple people in the morning, say, 4 or 5, then I suggest you use 8 eggs, but split the recipe between two pans. Trust me, watching these two pans is a no-brainer as long as you manage your heat well.
Second, the hardware. Always always ALWAYS use a non-stick pan for this type of application. Other pans will only frustrate you and reduce your beautiful fluffy frittata down to a burnt and rubbery disaster. Just trust me on this one. Don't have a non-stick pan? Get one. You will also need a lid. If yours didn't come with one (mine didn't), find one that is close enough to the circumference of the pan. If it's a little smaller, that's ok! Just make sure that the lid doesn't come in contact with the food. The picture to your left is what I'm referring to. Last, a spatula.Third, the add-ins. Now this is where your frittata can really shine. Does sauteed mushrooms and bacon sound good to you? What about quartered cherry tomatoes and asparagus? Breakfast sausage and broccoli? Any combination of the above is completely acceptable. Use your imagination. Today, for instance, I opted not to have any of the meats mentioned above and instead went for a trio of quartered cherry tomatoes, broccoli and mushrooms. Whatever filling you end up choosing, always make sure that you cook it beforehand and that it's warm when you're ready to build your frittata. Are frozen vegetables ok? - You ask? Absolutely! In fact, it's a great way to make your morning easier, just make sure you thaw them out first and saute them up with whatever you're cooking. All of your pieces must also be cut in similar sizes so they all cook in relatively the same time. It's also important to cut them up so that the frittata is easier to eat instead of trying to choke down large pieces.
1 tbsp butter
1/4 cup raw (not canned) mushrooms quartered so pieces are similar in size
1/4 cup broccoli (similar size to the rest of ingredients)
1/4 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
4 eggs
Salt as needed
Pepper as needed
1/4 cup mexican cheese mix
1 tsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)
hot sauce as needed (optional)
1 Thaw any ingredients that may be frozen in the microwave. While that is working, chop up the mushrooms and tomatoes. Turn the heat on medium-high and allow the pan to heat dry (no butter) for about a minute (don't be exact about it, just put your hand about an inch from the bottom. If it's hot, cook). Add the butter and allow to melt. If it bubbles up fast, the pan is too hot so turn it down. If it melts nice and even, you're ready to add ingredients.
2 Start with the mushrooms. Allow them to cook down, giving them a bit of a golden tinge on the edges. Be sure to add salt and pepper. Then add the broccoli to the pan (make sure the pieces are relatively close to the size of the mushrooms). Let that cook for a bit, seasoning them with salt and pepper as well.
3 While that is cooking, crack four eggs into a cup with a handle and whisk together (as you would for the first step of scrambled eggs). Add the tomatoes last and cook just until they start to wilt.
4 Pour in the eggs, season with s&p, and stir everything together until you start to develop big curds (stir gently). Scrape the outside edge of the pan in one direction to clean up the edges of the frittata. Place the lid on the pan and turn the heat down to medium.
5 No matter what you hear going on in that pan, whatever hissing or bubbling or growling noises that emit from under that lid, do NOT lift the lid for at least three minutes. I mean it. Ok?
6 After three minutes have passed, take a peek. You should start seeing that the outer edges of the frittata are starting to set. If you jiggle the pan a bit and the bottom is sticking, take your spatula and gently wiggle it under the frittata. It should loosen up easily. Relid for another 2 minutes.
7 Check again by wiggling the pan. If the middle is still jiggling, you know you've got another few minutes. Check again every 2 minutes or so. If the very center (about an inch in circumference) is still jiggling, it's time to take it off.
8 Tilt the pan and allow frittata to slide off onto a large cutting board. Take the cheese and sprinkle over the top, then take the lid from the pan and cover on the cutting board allowing it to finish steaming.
9 When the cheese has melted, sprinkle with the parsley if you're so inclined and cut into wedges. Me, I don't do the parsley, but sometimes I'll do the hot sauce if I'm feeling spicy. Red pepper flake would be nice in this too, but I would put it in right when you add the eggs to the pan.
Enjoy! And remember, be creative! Use more than just the ingredients listed above. Make what you like, just be sure to cook everything before hand, cut it up to evenly sized pieces, and make sure they're small enough to make eating them easier.
P.S. Want something even healthier? Take out two of the yolks from the four eggs and keep the remaining whites in the recipe. You can cut down on half of the cholesterol. And don't jump immediately to meats. Remember that those mushrooms can make this dish feel meaty enough without having to add any more proteins (which can also add extra fat and cholesterol).
To love, to food, l'chaim!
-KK
This would also be a very nice dinner with a small salad on the side. I like making dishes that are usable anytime of day.
ReplyDeleteLet me know if you're having any struggles with this. I usually post recipes that are really easy to make, but if you do have some troubles let me know what they are and I can help you work through them. I would rather you complain about a recipe so I can fix it than you never having this delicious meal again.