Vegetarian Tomato & Basil Frittata

When I first started writing this blog I was a strict Vegetarian. Now as the years have passed I have started introducing fish and seafood into my diet.....Why?

Well, I really felt like my diet was lacking in protein. Not to say that you cant get adequate protein as a vegetarian, but I knew I wasn't.

As I have said before being vegetarian is not just about taking away meat its about substituting meat and while substituting you have to make sure you are eating complete proteins, (you can read more about this in my previous blog on vegetarianism), anyway, eggs are a great source of complete protein for vegetarians so try this YUMMY frittata out!


Again, its super quick and easy and you can adjust it to whatever you have on hand.
It serves 4-5 people.

What do you need?

5 organic eggs, beaten

1 large tomato, sliced

5-7 basil leaves

cheddar cheese, grated

dash of milk or water

pepper

1/2 onion finely diced

2 cloves of garlic finely chopped

What do you need to do?


Saute the onion and garlic in a pan till cooked through. The onion should turn transparent and then you know its done. Set aside but keep in fry pan.

In a bowl whisk together eggs, milk or water (just add a dash, maybe like 1 tbs) and add cheese (maybe 1/2 cup depending on how cheesy you want it...) and the pepper.

Put the onion mix back on the stove and pour the egg mixture over it. You can spread the onion out a bit so its even. Then top with slices of tomato and cook on low heat.

Just before the top is set, add the basil leaves, you can also add extra cheese if you wish (maybe parmesan?)
You may need to stick the top of the frittata into the broiler/griller to cook the top depending on how thick or thin your frittata is. If you are putting it in the griller/broiler just make sure you are using the right kind of fry pan. :)

Once its cooked serve with salad and crusty rye bread.

Enjoy!

Variations:
Try adding cooked pasta, parsley, oregano, bacon, red/green peppers, mushrooms, spinach, leek.....the options are endless!

On a Budget Open face Tofu Sandwich

Yum....

This recipe is so ridiculously easy, quick and delicious!

To start with you will need a block of tofu. Of course, organic is always best but I have found Organic Sprouted Tofu at Trader Joe's and it is delicious!

Sprouted grains are higher in nutrients so sprouted tofu is generally higher in protein, iron and calcium as compared to regular tofu. The only thing is that I think it is also higher in fat and calories....

I dont want to get into the 'Great Soy Debate' here in this blog post but if you have heard that soy is bad for you I will quickly say that soy is ok in moderation. Most processed products particularly here in the US contain a lot of soy by- products like soybean oil and that I would definitely avoid! But fermented soy products like tempeh and even tofu is good in moderation.

Anyway, back on to the recipe! So to marinate the tofu I used the cheap combination of ketchup, soy sauce and garlic. Just a splash of each and then I rubbed each tofu steak in finely chopped garlic. So cheap! And surprisingly tasty. Fry it up with a bit of spray oil until the outside is golden and its cooked through.

Serve on either toasted sprouted grain or wheat free bread with some avocado, feta cheese, spinach leaves and ketchup and mustard if you wish.

Cheap.

Filling.

Tasty.

Healthy.

Enjoy!

Strawberry Kefir Smoothie

Yes, you could say I am a little obsessed with Kefir but its just so great for our bellies and digestive system! It has definitely helped me stop bloating and it keeps your insides clean! Try it!

To make this smoothie you will need a blender, strawberries, a dash of water, kefir and a pinch of cinnamon (if i had ground cardamon i would so add it!). Chuck it all in the blender and turn it on- so easy!

Variations:
Fruit: Any berries or soft fruit like peaches, mango etc
Spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamon
Feel free to add your favourite protein powder or nutritional supplements. :)

Healthy Carrot Mini-Muffins

This is kind of like a low-sugar carrot cake. Its great in the mornings or as a snack and I actually wrote down my quantities this time so I can give you a proper recipe!

Makes 6

Ingredients:


2 tbs butter
2 tbs sugar
1 large organic egg beaten
3 tbs plain kefir
1/4 cup of self rising whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup of grated carrot

Using a wooden spoon beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl (you can use electric beaters but I dont own any so I did it by hand....). Gradually add the egg bit by bit and continue to beat with wooden spoon.

Add the carrots and cinnamon and gently mix. Then add the kefir and lastly, the flour.

Spoon the batter into a muffin pan. Bake at 425 F for about 15-20 minutes.

Questions you may or may not have:

1.) Can I use oil instead?
Sure! Just make sure its an oil with a high smoke point like rice bran oil or coconut oil

2.) You did this all by hand, I want to use my mixer, am I lazy?
Yes, but its ok, if I owned a mixer I would use one too. Just be careful not to over beat the mixture. Keep it on a slow speed and don't over do it!

3.) These are not sweet, can I add more sugar?
No, I dont recommend it. But once they are cooked you can serve it with cream cheese and 100% fruit spread if you like.

4.) Is there anything I can use besides kefir?
Yes, you can try any type of milk that you like, sour cream or even yoghurt. Just check the consistency. It shouldn't be runny or too thick and pasty.

Toasted Oats with blackberries & kefir

Ok, so this recipe came about when I was too lazy/ unorganised to make a batch of granola (see previous post) so this is a really quick way to do it in the morning.

Get one serve of oats, spread them out on a piece of foil and stick them in the broiler/griller. Watch them as they will burn easily! Keep mixing them every few minutes. It should take about 3-4 minutes depending on the heat of your broiler.

Add blackberries (or any fresh fruit you like), dried fruit/nuts/seeds etc and top with plain kefir, your choice of milk or yoghurt. I also sprinkle mine with ground linseeds for extra nutrition! YUM!!!

• What is kefir?

Kefir is like drinking yoghurt but it has a bunch more probiotics/ good bacteria added! It tastes like yoghurt and is so good for you and your digestion. Be warned, do not buy flavoured Kefir! It has so much sugar added and these good bacterias find it difficult so survive in sugary environments! Including your gut! So watch that sugar intake!!! 

What should I eat for breakfast?

I am all about cooking on a budget and cooking healthy. Here is a perfect and cheap way to wake up in the morning....

HOMEMADE GRANOLA 

So before you freak out, making granola at home is SO EASY and fast and CHEAP.

Look at the pic- doesn't it look YUMMMY??!?!?

Simply get some whole oats (not quick oats!) and whack them in the oven on a medium heat until they become golden.

Yes, you can add some melted butter and cinnamon or even oil but because I like to keep the cost down I don't add anything.

Just keep MIXING the oats in the baking tray every so often so they can be evenly toasted. It should take about 20 minutes.

Then once the oats are done you can add whatever you like- dried fruits, nuts, seeds, ground flaxseed.

Store in an airtight container and you have cheap and yummy homemade granola!

Points to note:

• If you do decide to use a fat to coat your oats I would choose either butter, rice bran oil or coconut oil. You can use as little or as much as you want, it doesn't matter but the more you use, the crunchier the oats will become. 

• Let the oats cool down before you store them. The oats will nicely crispen as they cool.

• If you prefer your nuts toasted rather than raw you can add them into the oat mixture towards the end- just be careful as nut oils are delicate! (i have posted about this before...) 

• IDEAS: raisins, shaved coconut, dried cranberries, dried berries, cashews, peanuts, almonds, brazil nuts, peans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds..........

Serve with your choice of milk or yoghurt! 

I love cooking but dont ask me what I put in it...

I have been totally MIA on this blog, partly because other opportunities were calling, but now I am back to help spread my recipes which I have been working on and some of which have been picked up for publication!! Woohoo....I am going to post these all over pinterest and you can get all the details about them here! Enjoy!

Just a FYI: I am so bad at following recipes and I tend to make up everything on the spot so the recipes I give are rough, totally open to interpretation and flexible!! I dont know if this is a good thing or not..... :)

"Cooking is like love; it should be entered into with abandon or not at all..."- Julia Child