Category Archives: Eggs

January 18, 2019 · 2:55 am

Spinach Quiche

Tonight I did a cooking demo of one of my favorite recipes, Spinach Quiche. It was a huge hit! The theme of the night was “Power Breakfasts” and this fit right in. It is a low-fat, high protein recipe that is great for breakfast, brunch, lunch or even dinner. It is extremely versatile in that you can change up the vegetables you use. I personally love adding mushrooms, artichokes, zucchini, peppers or tomatoes. You can also play around with the cheeses you use. I have made it with cheddar and feta cheeses and they were also very good.

The secret ingredient is low-fat cottage cheese. I use either 1 or 2 percent which is the base of the quiche mixture and what makes this recipe unique. I also only use three eggs and one egg white in the entire quiche whereas typical quiche recipes use heavy cream, full-fat cheese and many more eggs or egg yolks. I was watching the skeptical faces of 50 woman as I was making the quiche thinking there is no way this is going to taste good! Afterwards, I had 50 women coming up to me to tell me how delicious it was 🙂

It is impressive enough to serve for company and also easy enough to make on a Sunday night so that you have a great and filling breakfast for the week. You have the option of making it with a crust in this recipe or without a crust as in my Greek Crust-less Quiche.


Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 50 – 60 minutes

Serves: 6 – 8

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 box frozen chopped spinach, defrosted

3 extra large eggs and 1 egg white

1 (8 ounce) packet of part-skim mozzarella cheese

12 ounces low fat cottage cheese

Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper

1 pre-made frozen pie crust

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Place olive oil in a frying pan and heat over medium heat.  Add the onion and  sauté the onion until softened and slightly brown, about 5-7 minutes.  Let cool.  Defrost spinach and squeeze out all excess water.  This is an important step.  If you leave liquid in the spinach the quiche will be watery and not firm. If you are adding other vegetables you should saute those as well and drain them if they produce a lot of liquid in the cooking process.

In a large bowl combine the eggs, egg white, cottage cheese and cheese.  Add onion and spinach and mix well.  Season with a pinch of salt and freshly cracked pepper

Add the mixture to pie crust and bake at 375 degrees for 40-50 minutes.  The top of the quiche should be golden and firm.

Let stand at least 10 minutes before serving in order for the quiche to set.

https://testmyrecipes.com/2014/05/19/greek-crustless-quiche/

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May 28, 2013 · 1:28 am

Perfect Scrambled Eggs

I love weekends. I love them for many reasons.  One of my favorite things to do on a weekend is to make a really good breakfast.  It DSC_0582.NEFdoes not have to be fancy.  Perfectly cooked scrambled eggs and some whole grain toast with a veggie “sausage” is a simple, nutritious and delicious breakfast that is great for a weekend and is easy and quick enough for any day of the week.
Most people know how to make scrambled eggs.  However, do you know how to make perfect scrambled eggs?  If I am out and order eggs I find them to either be too runny or way over cooked.  They key to perfect scrambled eggs is a nonstick frying pan, enough fat to cook the eggs in and to cook them low and slow while constantly stirring them with a rubber spatula.  If you follow this recipe and this technique your scrambled eggs will come out fluffy and perfect every time.  The other secret to my scrambled eggs is a dash or two of hot sauce.  It is not enough to make the eggs spicy, but enough to add a great flavor.  Whenever I make these eggs people always ask what makes them so good.  It is the hot sauce – you have to try it!
Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cook Time:  10 Minutes
Yield: 2 servings
2 whole eggs and 2 egg whites
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon of milk (any kind you have)
1 – 2 dashes hot sauce (I like Frank’s Original Hot Sauce)
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
Heat the olive oil in an 8 inch skillet over medium-low heat.
Beat the eggs and add the milk, hot sauce, a pinch of salt and pepper.  Beat until it is all combined and frothy.
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Pour the eggs into the frying pan and lower the heat to low.  Slowly stir the eggs with a rubber spatula.   Keep stirring the eggs pulling the cooked eggs away from the sides of the pan.
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Keep the eggs moving until just cooked through and firm.
scrambled eggs

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August 6, 2012 · 2:02 am

Tomato Mozzarella and Basil Omelet

I have many recipes for eggs only because they are so versatile.  I eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They are a great source of protein and quick and easy to make.  You can add any type of vegetable to bump up the healthy factor .

This omelet combines some of my favorite flavors  – tomatoes, basil and mozzarella cheese.  They are a great and classic combination.  One day I decided to put them all into an omelet and this recipe was born!

Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Cook Time:  10 Minutes

Yield: 2 servings

 

2 whole eggs and 2 egg whites

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 tablespoon of water

1 Roma tomato, chopped

3-4 large basil leaves, cut into thin strips (chiffonade)

¼ cup part skim shredded mozzarella cheese

Kosher salt

Ground black pepper

Heat the olive oil in an 8 inch skillet over medium heat.  Place the tomatoes into the pan with a pinch of salt and sauté.

While the tomatoes cook beat the eggs and add the basil leaves (reserve a few pieces for garnish) salt, pepper and one tablespoon of water.

Once the tomatoes are slightly softened add the eggs to the pan.  Lower the heat to medium-low.  Cook the eggs until the edges start to firm up.  Loosen the edges of the eggs with a flexible spatula and tilt the skillet to let the uncooked egg run underneath.

Once the bottom is firm carefully place the spatula under the egg and flip the omelet.  If you do not think the egg will flip easily you can place the eggs under the broiler until the top is firm (about 3 to 5 minutes).  This is my trick to perfect omelets every time!

Sprinkle the cheese onto half of the egg.  Flip the egg on top of itself to fold in half.  Cut the egg in half and serve.

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May 30, 2012 · 8:55 pm

Southwestern Omelet

I must start out with a blog update.  For those of you who have been following my blog (thank you) you probably noticed that I did not post a recipe or food related article last week.  I recently decided to go back to school (yikes!) part time to earn a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy.  This is something that I have wanted to do since completing my Master’s degree in Psychology many years ago.  So, in addition to working full time, chasing a toddler and blogging I am now a graduate student as well.  Last week got a bit crazy when I had a paper due.   Academics had to prevail and recipe writing was put on hold.  I really hope that school will not interfere with blogging too much as this has become such a passion of mine!

This omelet is an easy and delicious recipe that is perfect for breakfast, lunch, brunch or dinner.  I have cut down on the calories and fat by using a combination of whole eggs and egg whites (as I do with all my egg recipes) and using low-fat cheese and sour cream.  Another great thing about this recipe is that it can be halved to make for one or just as easily doubled or tripled to make it for more people.

The hot sauce is optional and does not really add much heat.  It just adds a really nice background flavor.  If you would like it spicy you can always add more.  If you are skeptical you can just leave it out.  The avocado slices are optional but I really do recommend it!

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time:  10 Minutes

Yield: 2 servings

2 whole eggs and 2 egg whites

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 tablespoon of water

1 tablespoon cilantro plus a bit more for garnish, finely chopped

2-3 dashes of hot sauce – I like Frank’s (optional)

¼ cup red pepper, small dice

2 scallions, diced

¼ cup low-fat shredded cheddar or pepper jack cheese

½ haas avocado, cut into strips (optional)

2 tablespoons low-fat sour cream (optional)

Kosher salt

Ground black pepper

Heat the olive oil in an 8 inch skillet over medium heat.  Place the peppers and scallions into the pan with a pinch of salt and sauté until the vegetables begin to soften.

While the vegetables are cooking beat the eggs with one tablespoon of cilantro, hot sauce, salt, pepper and one tablespoon of water.

Once the vegetables have softened add the egg/cilantro mixture to the pan.  Lower the heat to medium-low.  Cook the eggs until the edges start to firm up.  Loosen the edges of the eggs with a rubber spatula and tilt the skillet to let the uncooked egg run underneath.  Once the bottom is firm carefully place the spatula under the egg and flip the omelet.  If you do not think the egg will flip easily you can place the eggs under the broiler until the top is firm (about 3 to 5 minutes).  This is my trick to perfect omelets every time!

Sprinkle the cheese onto half of the egg.  Flip the egg on top of itself to fold in half.  Cut the omelet in half and serve with avocado slices, a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle with cilantro.

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April 30, 2012 · 2:11 pm

Arugula and Feta Cheese Omelet

Whenever I order an omelet out at a restaurant my go to is a spinach and feta omelet.  It is a classic and one of my all time favorites.  One day I had a hankering for this omelet when I was at home, but did not have spinach.  I did have arugula.  I thought why not?  Luckily my experiment came out great!  I may actually like this version better.   Arugula has a spice to it that I love.  It wilts just as easily as spinach and is a nice compliment to the salty feta.

I always add a splash of water to my eggs when I make omelets.  I once saw on a cooking show that if you add a bit of water to the eggs, it steams while the omelets cook, making them more fluffy.  I do not know if that is true, but I always do it and my omelets are super fluffy 🙂

When ordering eggs at a diner they are often made with three whole eggs and cooked in a lot of oil and butter.  Yes, it is delicious, but not the most healthy for you.  When you make eggs at home you can control the amount of fat and salt you use so you can feel better about eating them more often.  I also always try to use one whole egg and one egg white per serving to cut down on the fat and cholesterol without sacrificing taste, color or texture. This recipe can easily be halved to make it for one or doubled and tripled to make it for a crowd.

Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cook Time:  10 Minutes
Yield: 2 servings

2 whole eggs and 2 egg whites
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon of water
½ cup baby arugula, washed and dried
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper

Heat the olive oil in an 8 inch skillet over medium heat.  Place the arugula into the pan with a pinch of salt and sauté while it wilts.

While the arugula is cooking beat the eggs with the salt, pepper and one tablespoon of water.

Once the arugula is wilted add the eggs to the pan.

Lower the heat to medium-low.  Cook the eggs until the edges start to firm up.  Loosen the edges of the eggs with a rubber spatula and tilt the skillet to let the uncooked egg run underneath.  Once the bottom is firm carefully place the spatula under the egg and flip the omelet. 

If you do not think the egg will flip easily you can place the eggs under the broiler until the top is firm (about 3 to 5 minutes).  This is my trick to perfect omelets every time!

Sprinkle the feta crumbles onto half of the egg.

Flip the egg on top of itself to fold in half.  Cut the egg in half and serve.

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March 19, 2012 · 3:43 pm

Indian Omelet

With Passover around the corner I am seeing lots of recipes for brisket, potatoes and flour-less cakes.  With all the heavy food and pressure to come up with impressive meals I thought it would be nice to talk about a simple and light dish.  So, I have a recipe that I want to share that is great for Passover or any time of the year, my family’s version of an Indian omelet.

I love eggs – sunny side up, sunny side down, scrambled, omelets, frittatas.   I love them all!  I do not think that eggs are just for breakfast and eat them any meal of the day.  In fact, I eat eggs at some point in the day almost every day.  They are an inexpensive source of protein and vitamins.  I do have a few rules that I try to stick by when making them.  I use one whole egg and one egg white per serving to cut down on the cholesterol and fat.  I also try to always incorporate some kind of vegetable into the recipe.  I literally have dozens of egg creations so stay tuned for many other egg dishes.

This omelet is close to my heart as it is the way my dad made eggs for me when I was growing up and still to this day.  Whenever my friends would sleep over at my house they would be treated to this omelet the next morning.  Maybe that is why I had a lot of sleep overs 🙂  This is the only time that I ever make eggs without sautéing the vegetables first.  It is actually a really easy recipe  in that you just throw everything into a bowl and then everything into the pan.  Although I love when my dad makes this for me, there are a few ways in which I have made this recipe my own.  First is that my dad would normally make this with chopped yellow onion.  Since the vegetables do not have the chance to cook before adding the eggs, I prefer to use scallions as they have a more mild onion flavor.  I also tried to make the recipe more health conscious by using both whole eggs and egg whites and by spraying the pan with oil as opposed to cooking them in a layer of oil.

If you do not like spice you can leave out the chile, but I really recommend putting it in and just taking out the seeds and ribs which is where the heat lies in the pepper.  If you do like spicy food then leave some or all of the seeds in, just beware!  This is also a recipe that you can easily make for one by halving the ingredients or make for a crowd by doubling or tripling them.

 

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time:  10 Minutes

Yield: 2 servings

 

Cooking Spray or Olive Oil in a Misto (preferable)

4 eggs, 2 whole, 2 whites only

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

½ serrano chile, seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped (if you want it spicy you can leave the seeds in)

1 roma tomato, seeds removed and chopped into a small dice

2 scallions, chopped

Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper

 

Crack two whole eggs and two egg whites into a medium bowl.  Beat the eggs until the yolks and whites are combined.  Add the scallions, chili, cilantro, tomato, salt and pepper.  Beat until all the ingredients are mixed.

Spray a medium sized frying pan with olive oil and place over medium heat.  Once the pan is hot, pour in the eggs and vegetables and stir with a flexible spatula so that all the vegetables are distributed across the pan.  Lower the heat to medium-low.

Continue to pull the egg away from the sides of pan as they set.  Once the bottom of the eggs are set and the eggs pull away from the side of the pan, place the spatula under the eggs and flip the omelet.  If it seems like the omelet is not going to flip then place the pan under the broiler cook and the eggs until the top is firm (2-3 minutes at the most).  If your pan has a plastic handle leave the handle sticking outside of the oven and only place the pan under the broiler.

Turn the omelet onto a plate.  Enjoy!

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