Eggs

Mushroom-Spinach Baked Eggs

Mushroom-Spinach Baked Eggs
Serves 4
4 pieces bread, lightly toasted
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
4 cups baby spinach (4 ounces)
¼ cup milk
4 large eggs
¼ cup shredded cheese
1.   Preheat oven to 350F
2.   Spray 8×8 baking pan with cooking spray
3.   Preheat 10” non-stick skillet. Add olive oil
4.   Saute onions until they get translucent (4-5 minutes)
5.   Add mushrooms. Let them cook, undisturbed for 4 minutes. Then stir together, cooking another 4 minutes.
6.   Add spinach, stir together. Let the spinach begin to wilt.
7.   Lay the toasted bread in the pan in single layer, trimming the bread to make it fit if needed.
8.   Spread mushroom-spinach evenly over the toast. Make 4 wells in the topping, one for each piece of toast.
9.   Pour 1 tablespoon milk in each well.
10. Carefully crack eggs and place 1 egg in each well.
11. Bake for 25 minutes.
12. After 25 minutes, sprinkle cheese evenly. Return to oven for 5 more minutes
13. Remove, cut into four portions and serve.
Cooking it a total of 30 minutes will give you a warm but still liquid yolk. Adding 5 more minutes will give you a yolk that is very thick, but not yet solid.
Nutritional data:
Calories:      171
Fat:              8.1g
Sat fat:         2.7g
Chol:          216mg
Sodium:      232mg
Carbs:       15.9g
Fiber:          3.6g
Protein:     12.1g

Broiled Egg-Stuffed Avocado

I am always fascinated about the foods people prefer which is why I ask my final three questions of my interview guests on my podcast, Make Your Someday Today. Everyone has such interested preferences.

If I interviewed all of the readers of this blog, this would be a common favorite. This post is the most viewed food post on the entire blog. Amazing! (And this recipe is so simple and delicious!)

Broiled Egg-Stuffed Avocado
Serves two as a side dish, or one as a meal
1 avocado, cut in half and seeded
2 eggs, separated
Hot sauce (your preference)
1 ounce cheese

Place the top rack in your oven to the highest level. Turn broiler on “high”.

Choose a ripe avocado. (An avocado is ripe when the stem end yields under gentle pressure from your thumb. The skin will also be a dark brown, near-black.

Slice the avocado in half (through he poles and not around the equator) and remove the seed. The seed will be easily removed by chopping your knife partway into the seed and then giving it a twist.

Score the avocado through the meat but not through the skin, to allow the hot sauce to seep in.

Sprinkle the hot sauce on the avocado.

Fill the hole where the seed was with an egg yolk. If there is extra room, add some of the egg white.

Place on top rack under the broiler for 3 minutes.

Place cheese on top, and return to broiler until the cheese melts 1-2 minutes.

Serve.

It was so awesomely delicious! The yolk was perfect (almost like a soft boiled egg.)

Nutritional data (for one piece):
Calories:         219
Fat:                  19g
Sat fat:            5.3g
Chol:             222mg
Sodium:           46mg
Carbs:            7.2g
Fiber:             4.6g
Protein:             8g

Make Your Someday Today is a twice-weekly podcast, where we talk to successful people in all walks of life and around the world on Monday, and then on Thursday, I take a specific message from the previous guest and give my “Trevitorial”, where I help you apply that message to your life. The entire purpose of the show is to help all of us overcome our challenges and fears and become the person we want to be, the person we deserve to be.

Eggs Over Chili

Eggs Over Chili
Serves 1

This is a nice way to use a little leftover chili and make a hearty breakfast.

1 cup chili (your preferred style)
2 eggs, prepare in your preferred style

Warm the chili and place on a plate. If desired top with cheese.
Cook eggs to the desired preparation, and placed on top of chili. Drizzle hot sauce if desired.

I can’t provide nutritional data for your food because I don’t know your chili. How are my chili is made with a lot of beans, ground beef, low sodium V-8 juice, onions and whole fresh tomatoes, as well as some spices and herbs. For being used kidney beans but I use dried beans and then rehydrate them in my pressure cooker. This avoids a lot of the sodium that you’ll find in canned beans. If you eat a lot of beans and their concern about sodium, I would recommend investing in a pressure cooker.

My chili recipe:
1 pound ground beef, browned
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup diced onion
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Spices and herbs as desired (I used Penzey’s Salt Free Regular Chili Powder.)
2 medium tomatoes, diced
32 ounces low sodium V8 juice (or tomato juice if you prefer)
2 cups cooked kidney beans (approximately 1 can)

  1. In a large kettle, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, and cook until beginning to turn translucent (2-3 minutes.)
  2. Add tomato paste and spices. Stir together.
  3. Add tomatoes. Let cook for 2-4 minutes.
  4. Add V8, beans and meat. Cook until hot. This is best if prepared a day in advance, so that the flavors have a chance to meld together.

Note:  Penzey’s also has Medium and Hot versions of their salt-free chili powder.

Nutritional data for this chili:
Calories:       178
Fat:               5.6g
Sat fat:          2.1g
Chol:          38.5mg
Sodium:         91mg
Carbs:         15.2g
Fiber:            3.8g
Protein:       16.2g

Broccoli Cheddar Frittata

Broccoli Cheddar Frittata
Serves 4

1 bag frozen broccoli florets, thawed (about 4 cups)
1/4 cup onion
1 teaspoon olive oil
4 whole eggs
6 egg whites
Your preferred herb blend (I really like Penzey’s Sunny Paris for ALL egg dishes.)
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

  1. Heat a 10 inch oven-safe non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil.
  2. Preheat your broiler on high, with the oven rack at the highest setting.
  3. When oil it hot (shimmery) add onions. Saute until they become translucent (3-4 minutes.)
  4. Add broccoli.  Continue to toss occasionally until everything is very warm.
  5. Meanwhile, separate the eggs, reserving the white. Scramble the whites with the whole eggs. Add your preferred seasoning.
  6. Turn the heat to medium and pour eggs over the vegetables. All the eggs to cook, undisturbed until the top is still runny but the edges are beginning to set.
  7. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the eggs, and place skillet under broiler until the eggs are cooked and the cheese melted and brown (2-3 minutes.)
  8. Let cool for 5 minutes, and cut into four pieces.
Nutritional data:
Calories:        165
Fat:                8.9g
Sat fat:           3.2g
Chol:             219mg
Sodium:         226mg
Carbs:            6.9g
Fiber:             2.4g
Protein:           16g

Easy Complete Breakfasts

Easy Complete Breakfast
Serves 1

Note: This has a dumb name. I’d take any suggestions on what to call this meal. It has a texture similar to a muffin, but without the crispy top.

Take a microwave-safe soup bowl or large (10-12 ounce) coffee mug. Spray with cooking spray.

Into this, add:

1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon brown sugar (loosely packed)
1 dash cinnamon
1/4 cup regular (not instant) oatmeal
1/4 cup berries (fresh, or thawed frozen berries)

Stir together. Don’t expect it to become completely uniform, you are just trying to make sure it is mixed together.

Microwave for 1.5 – 2 minutes (depending on your microwave.)

Eat from the directly from the dish, or place a plate over the mug/bowl and invert it. I topped mine with a little whipped topping.
Nutritional data: (for the first picture, and for the version served with slices of cantaloupe)
Calories:         194
Fat:                 6.7g
Sat fat:               2g
Chol:              212mg
Sodium:            80mg
Carbs:           24.7g
Fiber:              2.9g
Protein:           9.7g

You can use almost any fruit, as long as it is about 1/4 cup. In the first picture I used 1/4 cup blueberries, and in the second picture (using a coffee mug) 1/4 of a mashed banana.

The other version in the second picture is a more robust version. I started with the basic recipe (above) and for fruit, 1/4 of a mashed banana. But then I added 2 tablespoons milled flax seed, 1 tablespoon peanut butter and 1 tablespoon semi-sweet Ghirardelli chocolate chips.

Calories:         434 (for the more robust version)
Fat:                24.9g
Sat fat:             6.5g
Chol:              212mg
Sodium:       157.6mg
Carbs:           42.6g
Fiber:              8.5g
Protein:         17.3g

My wife noted, and I agree, that using a soup bowl instead of a coffee mug creates a meal that is more visually filling. It looks like there is more food (even though it has the same amounts.) I’d recommend using the bowl just for the psychological factor of feeling more satisfied.

Potato Ham Skillet and Lemon Souffle Cheesecake

Potato Ham Skillet and Lemon Souffle Cheesecake
The Potato Ham Skillet serves 6 and the Lemon Souffle Cheesecake serves 8.

Potato Ham Skillet
3 Medium potatoes, peeled and sliced VERY thin (If using redskin potatoes, wash them well, and leave the skin on, which is what I do.)
3 scallions, sliced into thin slices
6 ounces of chopped, cooked ham
4 eggs, scrambled
1/4 cup shredded cheese (your preference)

Spray a 10 inch non-stick skillet with cooking spray.
Layer half the potatoes.
Sprinkle half the scallions and half the ham.
Black pepper to taste.
Repeat the layers.
Cover and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes.
Pour the eggs, cover and cook another 3-5 minutes, or until the eggs are almost set.
Top with cheese, cover and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until melted.

Nutritional data:
Calories:        167
Fat:                6.9g
Sat fat:           2.8g
Chol:             156mg
Sodium:        88.2mg
Carbs:          16.3g
Fiber:             1.3g
Protein:        10.4g

Other options:
Add bell peppers, jalapenos, mushrooms or tomatoes.
Use zucchini instead of the potatoes.
Add corn or black beans.
Replace the ham with bacon, sausage, pulled pork, taco-spiced ground beef, shrimp or smoked salmon.

Lemon Souffle Cheesecake

1 graham cracker, crushed
2/3 cup boiling water
1 package sugar-free lemon gelatin
1 cup 2% cottage cheese
8 oz low fat cream cheese
2 cups thawed fat free whipped topping

Spray a springform pan or pie plate with cooking spray. Sprinkle half the cracker crumbs on the side of the pan.
Add water to a gelatin mix in  small bowl. Stir 2 minutes or until completely dissolved. Cook for 4 minutes.
Blend gelatin, cottage cheese and cream cheese with electric mixer or blender until smooth. Pour into a large bowl.
Gently stir in whipped topping.
Pour into prepared pan. Smooth the top. Sprinkle remaining crumbs around outside edge. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until set.

Garnish with lemon zest. (We topped it with a bit of whipped topping and blueberries.)

Nutritional data:
Calories:        106
Fat:                5.5g
Sat fat:              3g
Chol:               19mg
Sodium:         268mg
Carbs:            6.8g
Fiber:                0g
Protein:          6.2g

Other ideas:
Use orange flavored gelatin, top with chopped fresh pineapple and whipped topping.
Use fat free cottage cheese and cream cheese (I don’t like the taste of fat free cottage cheese and cream cheese, so I won’t use those.)
Use cherry flavored gelatin, chocolate graham crackers, and top with shaved dark chocolate.

Two Souffles

Spinach-Asiago

Kahlua-Chocolate

Souffles
Each recipe makes one 1.5 quart souffle dish or 6 small ramekins

Here is the basic recipe. The two different flavoring recipes will follow. (This recipe look long and complicated, but it really isn’t. There are simply specific steps that need to occur at specific times. If you have a stove, a whisk and an electric beater, you can make these.)

4 tablespoons fine panko crumbs or granulated sugar (not Splenda, Stevia, etc). Use breadcrumbs for savory souffles and the sugar for sweet souffles.
3/4 cup milk (I used 2%)
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon oil (olive for savory, coconut or a nut oil for sweet)
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 egg yolks at room temperature
4 egg whites at room temperature
1/8 tsp salt

1.    Place mixing bowl (glass is preferred) in freezer at least 2 hours before you plan to start making the souffle. An ice cold bowl will help the egg whites get foamy and hold their shape better. This bowl must be perfectly clean, with no traces of oil/fat or dish soap residue,or your whites will not form.
2.    Preheat the oven to 375. Place a 9×13 pan, half full of water in the oven as a water bath.  (A water bath will let the souffle’s interior get fully cooked without burning or drying out the exterior. You may find recipes that don’t have you use a water bath, but you really do need it.)
3.    Prepare all ingredients, measuring them out and having them ready to use. Souffles are not difficult, but they are a bit fussy and you won’t always have time to measure your ingredients as you go along. It’s best to have everything measured out and in their own little ramekins (like you see on cooking shows).
4.    Prepare your souffle dish or ramekins. Spray the entire inside with cooking spray. Put the panko crumbs (or granulated sugar) in and rotate the dish until the inside is completely covered. Dump out the excess. (The crumbs and sugar help the souffle rise by giving the eggs something to “grab onto” as it climbs.)
5.    Prepare flavoring. Set aside.
6.    In a small saucepan, heat the milk on medium-low heat until it steams. Do not let it scorch.
7.    In another saucepan, add butter and oil over medium-low heat. When the butter is melted, slowly add the flour, whisking as you add to avoid lumps. Cook and whisk for 2 minutes. Do not let it brown.
8.    Slowly add the milk to the oil-flour mixture, whisking as you pour. Continue to cook this together until the mixture has the consistency of thick pancake batter (2-4 minutes.)
9.    Transfer the hot mixture to a large bowl. Add egg yolks one at a time, whisking until completely incorporated.
10.  Whisk in flavoring.
11.  Remove mixing bowl from the freezer. Put egg whites in bowl. With an electric mixer on low, start beating the whites. As they get foamy, increase the speed. Add salt. Beat until they whites are shiny and stiff. (Stiff is when they hold stiff peaks when you lift the beaters out. If the peaks bend over, you have soft peaks, and the eggs are not done yet.)
12.  Using a rubber spatula, add 1/3 of the egg white to the yolk-flavoring mixture and GENTLY fold together. Do not rapidly mix the two, that will deflate the egg white. Fold the remaining egg white in. It is okay if white streaks remain obviously visible.
13.  GENTLY spoon the batter into the ramekins or souffle pan.
14.  Bake until puffed up and firm to the touch. For 6 ramekins, that will be 20-24 minutes, for a souffle dish it will be 38-42 minutes. If your oven has a glass window, leave the light on and check frequently as you near the cooking time. Do NOT open the door to check, because the in-rush of cold air can deflate the souffle, as can shutting the door hard.
15.  When the souffle is done, immediately serve. Have your dinner guest at the table and ready for the souffle. As the souffle cools, it will begin to deflate. That will in no way detract from the flavor, but it will alter the potentially beautiful appearance. “A souffle waits for no one.”

Flavorings. These can be completed in advance.

Spinach-Asiago
2 ounces chopped frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1.5 ounce shredded Asiago cheese (you can also use Romano or Parmesan, or any other dry aged cheese)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1.  Place thawed spinach in several layers of cheesecloth or a white flour sack towel, and tightly wring out as much water as possible. Place in a small bowl
2.  Add cheese and pepper, and mix together.

Kahlua-Chocolate
2 teaspoons instant coffee
2 ounces Kahlua (or other coffee liqueur such as Tia Maria)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup granulated sugar (I used an equal amount of Splenda)
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

1.  Mix coffee granules, vanilla and Kahlua until the coffee dissolves.
2.  Add sugar and cocoa.
3.  Stir together until smooth. If too thick, add another tablespoon Kahlua.

Nutritional Data (for 1/4 of each recipe):
                Spinach-Asiago           Kahlua-Chocolate
Calories:         188                                 154
Fat:                   12.6g                               10g
Sat fat:                5.6g                              3.7g
Chol:                 126g                             116mg
Sodium:            272g                                80mg
Carbs:                 7.2g                              8.7g
Fiber:                  0.6g                              0.9g
Protein:            10.5g                              7.6g

Antipasto

Antipasto
Serves 2-?

Every antepasto platter will be different, based on your geographical region, food preferences, and budget.

My wife and I decided that since it is quite hot out, we did not want to cook, but we also did not want to eat out. So I rummaged through the pantry and fridge and came up with this selection.

Today’s antepasto included hard boiled egg, marinated artichoke hearts, fire-roasted red bell peppers, dilled Brussels sprouts with garlic cloves, two different Wisconsin cheeses, green and black olives, and a fresh tomato bruschetta of ripe tomatoes, onion and olive oil. I also grilled some pita breads.

Traditionally, an antepasto platter will also include aged and cured meats (ham, salami, prosciutto) but we didn’t have any on hand.

I won’t include any nutritional data, because everyone that reads this will make a different version. Go a little crazy! Mix it up and at the same time, use what you have readily available. Make it easy on yourself.

And have fun eating!

Pita, with Egg and Avocado

Warm Pita, with Eggs and Avocado
Serves 1

1 pita
2 teaspoon olive oil
2 eggs
1/4 mashed avocado
5 cherry tomatoes, halved

1.  Heat non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil.
2.  Place pita into a 6 or 7 inch skillet and warm it (about 1 minute).  Remove and keep warm.
3.  Crack eggs into skillet.  Cook to your preference.
4.  Place eggs on pita. Top with avocado and tomatoes.

Nutritional data
Calories:        468
Fat:              26.2g
Sat fat:           5.2g
Chol:             423mg
Sodium:         178mg
Carbs:          41.7g
Fiber:             5.5g
Protein:        21.1g

Grilled Tomatoes and Eggs

Grilled Tomato and Eggs
Serves 1 (well, maybe two, if you don’t eat a lot at breakfast)

1 ripe tomato
2 eggs
1/4 cup hummus (homemade or store bought)
1/2 mashed avocado
1 teaspoon olive oil
Herbs/spices (Your choice. I used Penzy’s Sunny Paris, my favorite on eggs)

1.  Preheat nonstick griddle over medium-high heat. Spread the teaspoon olive oil.
2.  Slice the tomato into 4 slices. Lay on the griddle. Cook, flipping once, for a total of 2-3 minutes. (If you cook them longer, they will just get softer, which is okay, too.)
3.  Carefully crack your eggs on to the griddle (if large enough) or in another non-stick skillet. Cook them to your preference.
4.  Warm the hummus in the microwave until hot.  Scoop onto your plate.
5.  Layer tomatoes and eggs next to (or on) the hummus.  Add avocado.

Nutritional data:
Calories:        380
Fat:              28.9g
Sat fat:           5.7g
Chol:            423mg
Sodium:        215mg
Carbs:         17.6g
Fiber:            8.7g
Protein:       16.9g

I woke up hungry, but not knowing what I wanted to eat. I looked in the fridge and pantry and found these items. I was lucky because yesterday I scored some delicious tomatoes, sweet and ripe, at the local farmer’s market.

When I cook I don’t really use a recipe, I just put things that I like together. But it also pays to keep certain staples on hand at all times. I always keep eggs, avocados, and hummus on hand, and so I know I am always only a few moments away from a hearty breakfast, high in protein and fat to get my day started. I find that when I have a high protein/ high fat breakfast, I am not as hungry the rest of the day. (And it helps me hit my macronutrient goals of 40-50% of my calories from fat, 25% of my calories from protein and 30-35% of my calories from carbs.)