As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned to appreciate more the time I get to spend with my mother and the time she and her granddaughter get to spend together.  It isn’t so much the theater or the trips to the spa that are special so much as it is the simpler things like brunch on a Sunday afternoon.  With this weekend being Mother’s Day, this is a great way to tell mom thanks, for everything.  It’s simple enough that you still have time for a walk down memory lane, but elegant enough for her special day.

Ingredients:

1 tsp unsalted butter
4 eggs
1 tomato, diced
2 Tbsp heavy cream
4 Tbsp feta cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the sides and bottom of two 8-oz. gratin dishes with butter. Crack 2 eggs into each dish.  Pour half of the heavy cream into each dish. Sprinkle each dish with half of the diced tomato and feta cheese.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer to oven rack and bake until the whites of the eggs are set, and the yolks are still slightly soft, about 12-15 minutes.

Use tongs and a kitchen towel to transfer dishes to 2 serving plates.

Serves 2.

Notes: This dish can be modified to suit everyone’s taste.  Just change the cheese and add whatever vegetables or meat will suit your guests.  One of my other favorite combinations is blanched spinach, Prosciutto and cheddar.

]]> http://asweetlife.org/a-sweet-life-staff/recipes/meal-type/breakfast/baked-eggs/7462/feed/ 0 http://asweetlife.org/a-sweet-life-staff/recipes/meal-type/breakfast/rivas-oatmeal/6694/ http://asweetlife.org/a-sweet-life-staff/recipes/meal-type/breakfast/rivas-oatmeal/6694/#comments Thu, 08 Apr 2010 11:58:03 +0000 A Sweet Life Staff http://asweetlife.org/?p=6694 By: Riva Greenberg

This oatmeal is so delicious and nutritious you’ll want to eat it for every meal, but breakfast is probably best.  You can customize it to your liking – switch fruits, or change the quantity of each ingredient, or even use low-fat instead of no-fat dairy products. I used to add salt, cinnamon and Splenda or Truvia, but I started leaving them out and discovered I didn’t miss them.

You can make a few portions of oatmeal ahead and store in refrigerator or freezer, then reheat.

Ingredients:

1 tsp raw sunflower seeds
1 –2 tbs ground flaxseeds

About 6 small cut pieces of Granny Smith apple
About 1/4 cup berries

1 tbs no-fat cottage cheese
1 tbs Fage plain 0% yogurt
1 tbs peanut butter
1 tbs almond butter

2/3 serving of Trader Joe’s steel cut oats, or another slow-cooking or steel-cut oatmeal

Preparation:

Cook the steel cut oats.

Fill small bowl with the sunflower seeds, ground flaxseeds (start small and build up), apple and berries.

Add the cooked oatmeal and mix.

Top with cottage cheese, yogurt, peanut butter and almond butter

There are endless frittata variations that are delicious, and frittatas are a great way to use up wilting vegetables.  This recipe, which calls for yogurt and herbs, is delicate and light, low in calories and in carbohydrates.  The basil makes it fragrant.

If you’re having a frustrating day of high blood sugar, and you can’t figure out what to eat – the frittata is your answer.  I recommend a green salad to go along with it.

Ingredients

6 eggs

1 cup yogurt (try using 3% – 4%)

1 tablespoon whole wheat flour

2-3 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

2-3 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped

1 large onion, chopped

Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

2-3 tablespoons olive oil (for frying)

Preparation:

Beat the eggs in a large bowl, mix in the flour and yogurt until smooth. Mix in the basil, parsley, salt & pepper.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof frying pan. Add the onion and fry until it starts to brown. Pour the egg mixture into the pan, and gently mix in the onions.  Cook for 5 minutes, making sure the bottom doesn’t burn.

Transfer the pan in to the oven. Cook for another 5 minutes until the top starts to brown. Serve hot.

Variations: Try adding your favorite herbs – dill works well.

Serves: 3

Carbohydrates per serving: 9g

My 18-month-old daughter cannot get enough of these pancakes, even without syrup!  They are a wonderful topped with a fruit compote (or the leftover cinnamon-cherry sauce from the duck breasts).  Get creative with adding flavor…you’re only limited by your imagination.  Smashed bananas, blueberries and sweet potato puree are some of our favorites.

To all the parents out there, I make a big batch of these for my daughter, cool them completely and freeze them so I don’t have to whip up a new batch in the morning.  They taste nearly as good thawed in the microwave as they do fresh from the pan.

Ingredients

2 cups whole-wheat flour, stirred or sifted before measuring

2 ½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 ¾ cups milk

2 Tbsp butter, melted

Preparation:

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a separate bowl, combine egg and milk; add to flour mixture, stirring only until smooth. Blend in melted butter.

Cook on a hot, greased griddle, using about 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. Cook until brown on one side and around edge; turn and brown the other side.

Serves 4.

Preparing these muffins gives off one of the most comforting smells in the world – apples and cinnamon simmering in butter.  When I make them my sons always appear in the kitchen.  “What are you making?  Can I have some now?” they ask.  And I spoon out a few of the apples from the frying pan for them.

Not only do these muffins smell great, they are also nutritious, thanks to the combination of buckwheat flour, almond flour, apples, and yogurt.  There is no sweetener of any sort in the recipe, so if you must have a sweet element in your muffins then I recommend adding dark chocolate chips to the batter.

I like to have these in the house for the mornings that are especially rushed.  My sons will happily eat them for breakfast.  (You can warm them in the oven, halve them and then spread butter, jam, or cream cheese on each half.)  I often grab one on my way to the gym, and find it gives me plenty of energy to get through a strenuous hour-long workout.

Ingredients:

4-5 apples

6 tablespoons of salted butter

2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ cup plain yogurt (I use 3% fat yogurt)

1 teaspoon of vanilla

2 eggs

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup almond flour

1 cup buckwheat flour

Optional additions: diced walnuts or other nut, dark chocolate chips

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350

Peel the apples and chop them into small pieces.

Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large frying pan and add the chopped apples.  Sprinkle the apples with 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and mix thoroughly so that the apples are all covered in butter and cinnamon.

Simmer the apples until they are very soft (about 15 minutes).  Stir regularly.

When the apple-cinnamon mixture is soft, remove from frying pan, and set aside to cool.  Meanwhile, in a large bowl blend eggs, yogurt, and vanilla, and 3 tablespoons of melted butter.

Using a hand blender or a food processor, puree the apple-cinnamon mixture.  Add the puree to the bowl and blend well.

Add the dry ingredients – almond flour, buckwheat flour, and baking soda – to the wet mixture.  Mix well.

Spoon batter into buttered muffin pan and bake for 18-20 minutes.

Makes 12 muffins.

Buckwheat Quick Facts: a good source of manganese, magnesium, dietary fiber

Carbohydrates: approximately 15 grams per muffin (without chocolate chips)

]]> http://asweetlife.org/a-sweet-life-staff/recipes/meal-type/breakfast/buckwheat-apple-cinnamon-breakfast-muffins/4570/feed/ 3 http://asweetlife.org/a-sweet-life-staff/recipes/meal-type/breakfast/truccha-swiss-chard-omelet/3996/ http://asweetlife.org/a-sweet-life-staff/recipes/meal-type/breakfast/truccha-swiss-chard-omelet/3996/#comments Fri, 08 Jan 2010 19:08:40 +0000 A Sweet Life Staff http://asweetlife.org/?p=3996 From Mediterranean Harvest (Rodale, 2007)

By: Martha  Rose Shulman

Truccha is the signature omelet of Provence and my favorite of all of the omelets of this region. It’s packed with Swiss chard and lots of garlic. If I have greens lying around (not always chard, mind you; beet greens will do just as well, as will spinach), as often as not they’ll end up in a truccha. The amount of greens you use for this omelet is flexible. Don’t hesitate to pack the omelet, but on the other hand, feel free to make it with as little as one small bunch of greens, blanched and chopped.

Ingredients

1 pound Swiss chard, stemmed and washed thoroughly

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

8 eggs

Scant 1/2 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons milk

Preparation

Heat a large pot of water over high heat while you stem and wash the chard in 2 changes of water. When the water comes to a boil, add a generous tablespoon of salt, and the greens. Cook for about 2 minutes, until tender, and transfer to a bowl of ice water. Let sit for a few minutes, then drain, squeeze dry, and chop.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute, and stir in the chard. Cook, stirring, for about 1 minute, until coated with oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.

Beat the eggs in a bowl, stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, freshly ground pepper to taste, the milk, and the cooked greens.

Clean and dry your pan and return to the stove. Heat over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Hold your hand over the pan, and when you can feel the heat of the olive oil, test the heat by dropping a bit of egg into the pan. If it sizzles and cooks at once, the pan is ready. Pour in the egg mixture. Swirl the pan to distribute the eggs and filling evenly over the surface. Shake the pan gently, tilting it slightly with one hand while lifting up the edges of the omelet with the spatula, in your other hand, to let the eggs run underneath during the few minutes of cooking. Turn the heat down to low, cover (use a pizza pan if you don’t have a lid that will fit your skillet), and cook 10 minutes, shaking the pan gently every once in a while. From time to time remove the lid and loosen the bottom of the omelet with a wooden spatula, tilting the pan so that the bottom doesn’t burn. It will however turn a deep golden brown. This is fine. The eggs should be just about set; cook a few minutes longer if they’re not. Meanwhile, heat the broiler. Finish the omelet under the broiler for about 2 to 3 minutes, watching very carefully to make sure the top doesn’t burn (it should brown slightly, and it will puff under the broiler). Remove from the heat, shake the pan to make sure the omelet isn’t sticking (it will slide around a bit in the nonstick pan) and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes and up to 15. Loosen the edges with a wooden or plastic spatula. Carefully slide from the pan onto a large round platter. Cut in wedges and serve.

Advance preparation:

The truccha can be made a few hours ahead and served at room temperature.

Serves:  4 as a main dish or 6 as an appetizer

©Martha Rose Shulman, reprinted with the author’s permission.

Crepes are incredibly versatile.  They can be served sweet or savory and for any meal of the day.  The crepe recipe below would make either a lovely brunch/lunch served with a salad or a delicious first course in a multi-course meal.

Ingredients:

Crepes

2 cups milk

¼ tsp salt

4 Tbsp butter

¾ cup whole wheat flour

½ cup buckwheat flour

1 Tbsp olive oil

3 eggs

½ cup seltzer water

Ragout

½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms

½ cup boiling water

½ pound large white mushrooms, stemmed and tops cut into eighths

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

3 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ tablespoon softened

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 pound chanterelle mushrooms, sliced ½-inch-thick

2 large shallots, thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups mushroom broth or water

1 tablespoon whole wheat flour

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon chopped thyme

Preparation:

Warm the milk, salt and butter in a small saucepan until butter has melted.  Remove from the heat and let cool.

Mix flours in a large bowl and make a well in the center.  Add oil and eggs.  Stir until the batter is stiff and free of lumps.  Add the milk mixture, bit by bit, whisking until smooth after each addition.  If the batter is lumpy, pour through a strainer.  Whisk in seltzer water.

Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour; overnight is preferred.  Take the batter out of the refrigerator 1 hour before frying the crepes.

Heat a crepe pan or small nonstick pan over medium heat.  Moisten a folded paper towl with oil and great the hot pan lightly.  Using a small ladle or large spoon, pour in about 2 tablespoons batter while tilting and swirling the pan to evenly distribute the batter.  Cook until brown, about 1 minute and with the aid of a butter knife, lift up an edge and use your fingers to grasp it and flip it over.  Cook briefly on the other side.  (Consider the first crepe or two a test!)   The crepes can be stacked one right on top of each other.

Crepes can be stored at room temperature for several hours and reheated before serving.

While crepes are finishing, in a small heatproof bowl, cover the dried porcini mushrooms with the boiling water. Let stand until the mushrooms have softened, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss the white mushrooms with 2 teaspoons of the lemon juice. In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil until sizzling. Add the white mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over moderate heat until the liquid released from the mushrooms has evaporated, about 6 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

In the same skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in the remaining1 tablespoon of oil. Add the chanterelles and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over moderate heat until the mushrooms are swimming in liquid, about 5 minutes. Uncover and cook over moderately high heat until the liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the chanterelles are browned, about 8 minutes. Add the shallots and cook over moderate heat, stirring a few times, until softened, about 4 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the porcini to a work surface. Coarsely chop the porcini and add them to the chanterelles along with their soaking liquid, stopping before you reach the grit. Stir in the mushroom broth and the white mushrooms and simmer over moderate heat until the porcini are soft, about 4 minutes.

In a small bowl, blend the ½ tablespoon of softened butter with the flour to make a smooth paste. Stir in 1/3 cup of the ragout liquid to dissolve the paste then whisk the mixture into the ragout. Add the minced garlic, chopped thyme and the remaining 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the ragout is thickened and glossy, about 4 minutes. Season the mushroom ragout with salt and pepper.

To serve, place a large spoonful of the ragout down the center of crepe.  Top with a small amount of the ragout.

Makes about 30 crepes and 4 servings of Mushroom-Shallot Ragout.

Make ahead:  The crepes can be made a month in advance and frozen with wax paper between each crepe.

Recipe courtesy of Serious Eats

Springtime is asparagus time in most parts of the world, so it’s a perfect moment to make an asparagus and smoked salmon frittata recipe, which I’ve adapted from Tom Valenti’s terrific new cookbook, You Don’t Have to Be Diabetic To Love This Cookbook. In his head note Tom says that timing is key for this recipe: Drape the salmon over the frittata immediately after it comes out of the oven.

Ingredients

8 spears pencil-thin asparagus (about 1/2 pound, ends trimmed)
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 large eggs plus 3 large whites
Pinch of coarse sea salt or kosher salt
Pinch of freshly ground pepper
2 ounces very thinly sliced smoked salmon

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Fill a large bowl halfway with ice water.

Cook the asparagus in the boiling water until tender, about 1 minute. Use tongs to remove the asparagus from the pot and transfer it to the ice water to stop the cooking and preserve the color. Once the asparagus has cooled, drain it and pat dry with paper towels.

Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch, ovenproof, heavy-bottomed, nonstick pan over medium heat.

Meanwhile, put the eggs, egg whites, and 3 tablespoons of water in a large bowl, add the salt and pepper, and whisk together. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and cook until the eggs begin to set up, about 3 minutes. Arrange the asparagus spears in the pan like the spokes of a wheel; they should sink about halfway into the eggs, resting on the cooked bottom of the frittata. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake the frittata until the eggs are completely set, about 4 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and drape the slices of salmon over the frittata in a single layer; this will warm the salmon just enough to meld the flavors of the fish and the frittata. Use a rubber spatula to carefully slide the frittata out onto a large plate or platter. Using a serrated knife, cut the frittata into 8 wedges, making sure to include an asparagus spear in each wedge, and serve.

Serves: 8

Ingredients:
1 pound cucumbers quartered and sliced (If the cucumbers are waxed, be sure to peel them).

½ red onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, chopped

Juice of 1 lemon

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt and coarsely ground pepper to taste

Preparation: Combine the ingredients in a bowl and toss

Serves 3-4

Carbohydrates per serving: 2g
Cucumber quick facts: vitamin C, vitamin A, fiber