Food Friday: Best Brunch Frittata

https://drhyman.com/blog/2016/05/03/broccoli-sausage-frittata/

Do you have leftovers vegetables or meat in your fridge? Are you looking for a breakfast option that is packed with protein and veggies? Are you on a paleo diet or limiting grains and lost for what to eat for breakfast? This is your dish!

I was not able to eat eggs for awhile as they were a sensitivity for me, I also never liked them as a kid, so cooking an egg (in its many ways) was a mystery to me. Luckily that has changed, so over the years (years meaning about 1!), I am exploring different egg dishes and perfecting my cooking methods. This still is a struggle…I constantly overcook my fried egg!

Good quality protein to start my day is very important to me. It helps me focus for the day and prevents a crash of energy in the afternoon. If I am not doing an intermittent fast day, something I weave in and out of, I always make sure to have some sort of protein, and eggs are a great option. What makes this frittata so awesome is that it is very easy to make and you can make it on the weekend with leftover veggies you have, and then eat it for breakfast the next few days. You could even make this in little muffin tins and have an easy on the go breakfast. Feel free to switch up the vegetables and protein to your liking (eg. red pepper, broccoli, tomato, grated sweet potato). Anything goes really!

Ingredients:

• 6-8 eggs

• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 uncooked sausage, skin removed and broken into pieces

• 1 leek, diced

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 1/2-1 cup mushrooms, diced

• 1 cup greens, chopped (swiss chard or baby spinach)

• 1 tsp coconut or almond milk

• 1/2 tsp Herbamare or sea salt

• freshly ground pepper, to taste

• optional - feta cheese, cheddar cheese, grated

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375F.

• Heat the oil in an oven-safe skillet, such as a cast-iron pan, over medium heat.

• Add sausage, leek and garlic and saute for 5-7 minutes or until sausage is cooked through. Spread vegetables and sausage evenly around skillet.

• Beat the eggs with the coconut/almond milk, add salt and pepper, then pour into the skillet and cook for 2 minutes.

• Place the pan in the oven and bake for 12-20 minutes, until egg is no longer runny and slightly golden.

• Serve in pie slices and garnish with avocado, chives and parsley if you like.

Enjoy!

Do you have a favourite combination for a frittata?

Food Friday: Cauliflower and Butternut Thai Curry

Photo courtesy of OhSheGlows.com - mine disappeared too quickly!

I have been needing some quick and easy meals to prep lately that are still full of flavour and for those reasons this one is a hit! I love curries that have a bit of a kick to them as well as hearty stews like this that pack a punch of nutrients in one bowl. This is a great meal to cook on the weekend for your week day lunches, especially with the winter weather we are having lately, or a quick meal to make in the evening after work for the family. Angela from OhSheGlows never disappoints! This dish is vegan but so delicious, so for those carnivores out there, I challenge you to give this a try (hint hint to my guy!).

I used swiss chard for this dish, which is very high is essential minerals such as magnesium, iron and potassium. It is also very high in vitamin K, A and C. Two thumbs up! Butternut squash (and other winter squash) is higher in carbohydrates than other veggies since it is a starchy vegetable, however “despite its high-carb nature, winter squash has recently been shown to help steady the release of sugar inside of our digestive tract after being eaten, and to lessen our overall glycemic response to meals.”(1) Another two thumbs up!

Without further ado, the recipe:

Ingredients:

Curry:

• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 14 oz (398 mL) can coconut milk

• 1 14 oz (398 mL) can diced tomatoes, with juices*

• 2 cups chopped cauliflower florets, bite sized

• 2 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash, bite sized

• 1/2 cup uncooked red lentils

• 2 tbsp red curry paste

• 1 tsp dried flaked onion (or 1/2 diced onion cooked first)

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

• 3/4 tsp fine sea salt, or to taste

• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

• Lots of freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 2 cups packed stemmed and finely chopped swiss chard (or kale)

Other:

• Cooked basmati or jasmine rice (or no grains)

• Fresh chopped cilantro leaves

• Fresh lime juice

Directions:

• Add all of the curry ingredients except the swiss chard to a large pot, stir, and bring to a low boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 25 to 35 minutes, adding the swiss chard during the last 10 minutes.

• Cook until the veggies and lentils are tender. Stir the curry every 5 minutes while cooking, and reduce the heat if necessary to prevent it sticking to the pot. Adjust seasoning if needed.

• Serve over rice, if desired, and garnish with cilantro and a little lime juice (not necessary if you don’t have it).

• Enjoy!

In health & happiness,

Dr. Karen

(1) http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=63

Whole Foods Berry Smoothie

Are you looking for a delicious smoothie filled with whole foods that will power you throughout the day? This is the perfect one! It has a focus on antioxidants with blueberries and cranberries, as well as healthy fats and protein to balance blood sugar and keep you full. I find smoothies are not enough for me on a busy morning even with protein powder, so I need to make sure I include some healthy fats such as avocado, coconut oil or nut butter to sustain me. This one can have all three! Weary of adding lemon rind to your smoothie? Try it! It adds a bit of a tangy refreshing flavour to your morning drink. Come winter I don’t crave really cold smoothies as much so this one is just right with less frozen fruit.

Ingredients:

•  1/2 cup frozen wild blueberries

• 1/2 cup frozen cranberries

• 1/4 lemon with rind

• 1 tbsp almond butter

• 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds

• 1 tbsp chia seeds

• 1 tbsp ground flax seeds

• 2 walnuts

• 1/4 avocado

• 1/2 tbsp coconut butter (or coconut oil if you don’t have it)

• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

• 1/2 cup water

• 1 tbsp The Cultured Coconut Kefir (optional)

• 1 scoop Sproos Collagen (optional)

• 1 tbsp greens powder (optional)

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth :)

In health & happiness,

Dr. Karen

Food Friday: Grain-free Granola

Fall is in the air! That calls for fall flavours in my morning meal of course :) To set your day off right, whether it is for better energy, weight loss and concentration, it is important to get protein for breakfast. Common breakfast choices like cereal, toast, pancakes and even oatmeal do not have any protein in them unless they are “tweaked” a little, leading to blood sugar spikes then energy crashes. Being a Naturopath with a busy day seeing patients, it is important for me for my mind to be clear and my energy to not crash so finding better breakfast options is always key. This recipe is an easy one for busy mornings or when you are craving something a little sweater. The spices can be adjusted depending on what you prefer and you can even mix up the seeds or add some nuts like almonds or cashews. So many options!

Some other protein packed breakfast options I enjoy are a smoothie with protein powder or almond butter, “paleo pancakes” with eggs and plantain and a breakfast hash. Yum!

Do you have a go-to granola recipe?

Ingredients:

• 2 cups raw sunflower seeds

• 2 cups raw pumpkin seeds

• 3 tbsp chia seeds

• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp ground ginger

• 1 tsp cardamom

• 1/4 tsp sea salt

• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup

• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil

• 3/4 cup dried currents

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 300F. Prep a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Place sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds in a food processor and pulse until you have a chunky, coarse meal.

3. Add all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

4. Spread mixture out on the baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes, stirring once half way through.

5. Remove from the oven and mix in dried currents, then let cool. Once cooled store in an airtight container.

6. Mix with yogurt, almond milk or vanilla hemp milk :)

In health & happiness,
Dr. Karen