Gluten-Free Vegan Corn and Kale Porridge

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breakfast, cooking, fall, gluten-free, healthy, kale, paleo, porridge, recipe, vegan, vegetarian

For me, nothing says comfort better than a bowl of warm porridge. I’ve recently discovered using corn as a grain-substitute for porridge. It is really fast & easy to prepare, so it’s a great meal for when you are short on time. To take advantage of all the fall vegetables, I’ve been making this savory grain-free corn and kale porridge. You can easily substitute the kale for other vegetables, like chard or spinach.

Note: be sure to purchase organic corn to avoid eating genetically modified corns.

Ingredients:

• 1 ear of organic corn
• 1 teaspoon of olive oil
• 1/4 of yellow onion, diced
• 1/4 cup of almond/soy milk
• 1 cup of kale, chopped
• 1/2 cup of water
• A dash of red pepper flakes
• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Use a knife, grate the corn kernels into a bowl
2. In a large pot, sautee the onion in oil on medium-low heat until they become translucent.
3. Add the corn, kale and water to the pot and cook x5 minutes. Then add your choice of soy/almond milk and sea salt. Let the pot simmer for 10-15 minutes until the mixture thickens.
4. Serve hot with red pepper flakes and ground pepper.

-NZ

this recipe is linked up at Real Food Fridays

Triple Power Flax-Seed Energizing Oatmeal

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brain food, breakfast, cinnamon, coconut oil, flaxseed, kids, oatmeal

One of my colleagues in residency is a dad to triplets and over time he developed a recipe that he swears makes them very active and energized in the morning. You would think he was crazy for doing this, but there is a method behind his madness – the ingredients are good for brain development.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp Raw Flaxseed
1 inch cinnamon stick grind to a fine powder in a coffee mill
2/3 of a cup quick oats
1 tbsp coconut oil
liquid lecithin
Molasses

Directions: Add 1 cup hot water, and stir well. Serve hot or cold.

-DS

Healthy Vegetarian Spanish Tortilla

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baking, breakfast, cooking, eggs, frittata, recipe, snack, spanish tortilla, vegetarian

Traditional spanish tortilla includes potatoes, onions and eggs. I like to add mushrooms or bell peppers to make it more healthy. I also like my tortilla to have a little extra kick so I season it with some paprika, curry powder and cumin. Alternatively, I make a version with fresh mushrooms, truffles and truffle salt 

Traditional Spanish tortilla from misadventuresmag.com

It is fun to play with the flavor using different spices (in moderate amount of course). Spices are not only great for adding flavor, they contain powerful antioxidants, essential oils and minerals. Traditional cultures have often taken advantage of these properties by using spices in medicine.

 Ingredients

• 1-1/2 teaspoon olive oil, or more if needed
• 1 large potatoe, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 1-2 mushroom (or about ½ cup), finely chopped (shitake or crimini works the best)
• ¼ cup bunch fresh parsley or green onions, coarsely chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• paprika to taste
• curry powder and cumin (1 tsp each)-optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In an ovenproof skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil until it shimmers and place the onions into the skillet, let it cook for about 30 seconds, then add the potatoes. Season with salt, pepper, and paprika. Pan fry the potatoes and onions, stirring and tossing occasionally until they begin to soften (about 10 minutes). Then turn off the stove and let it cool.
3. Beat the eggs with 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a large bowl. Stir in the parsley and add the potato-onion mixture and chopped mushroom. Lightly combine.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then gently spoon the egg-potato mixture into the hot skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low, and let the mixture simmer for about a minute, or when the edges harden.
5. Slide the skillet into the preheated oven, and bake until the omelet is puffed and the top is golden, about 10 minutes. Test it by inserting a fork into the center of the omelet, it should come out clean. Cut the omelet into pie-shaped pieces.
6. Serve cold or hot

-NZ

Easy Baked Eggs Breakfast

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baked egg, baking, breakfast, broil, cooking, egg recipe, hot food, recipe, vegetable dish

Baked eggs: you will want to scarf it down like nobody is watching but be careful because its hot!

Winter is coming to a close, and I am starting to crave more fresh, crisp veggies, but on some of those brisk spring mornings I still want a piping hot breakfast packed with hearty veggies. The problem is, I’m a medical resident (read: time crunch like the kind only Dr. Who can manage). Coming to save the day are baked eggs. One thing about living in the Delaware Valley is that there are no shortage of people that own chicken coops. One of the ladies at the front desk of our office has her own chickens, and I get my eggs from her. Nothing beats knowing where your chickens come from, and her hens are running around in the sun eating all the insects they want laying some of the best eggs I have ever eaten, with deep orange yolks and whites that cook to become just so fluffy (speaking of which, check out our post on how to perfectly cook eggs!). And you just know eggs are laden with vitamin A, omega 3 fatty acids, and vitamin D from the sun along with all the other things you get from eggs – like the full complement of amino acids, and B-vitamins. Eat your heart out broccoli.

..but I digress.

To save time, I usually make my baked eggs batter the night before. refrigerate overnight, and put it in the oven the next morning before I jump in the shower. Then I have breakfast ready right before I go to work. Mmmm….

Ingredients: (serving size 1)

• 2 eggs
• A splash of milk
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper

Topping Suggestions: (use whatever is available and in the combination you like. I particularly like mushrooms. I usually use 2-3 toppings

• 2-3 coarsely chopped Sun-dried tomatoes
• 2 chopped cremini or other mushrooms of your choice
• Brussel sprouts
• 1 tbsp chopped onions
• 1 chopped jalapeno
• 2 teaspoons of goat cheese
• basil, oregano or other herb

Directions:

1. Put the above ingredients in a ramekin that has been greased. Break the yolks with everything in the ramekin and beat the mixture somewhat loosely. The toppings should be evenly distributed but not necessarily the yolk.
2. Set the oven at 450 and go take a shower and get ready. Check on it every 15 minutes or so. Usually the cooking takes about 35-45 minutes.
3. Then, change the setting to broil. At the last part check the oven every minute. This will help make the top nice and crispy, but be careful to check the pan every minute, since the broil setting makes things burn quickly. Enjoy!

Warning: You’ll want to scarf this down like nobody is watching, but don’t because it is pretty darn hot!

-DS

Baked Eggs in Avocado

Tags

avocado, baked eggs, baking, breakfast, cooking, eggs, Food, lunch, recipe, vegetarian

Ever since I moved to San Francisco, I’ve been enjoying fresh avocados everyday. They are so much cheaper than in NY, and the farmer’s market avocados are always ripe and delicious!

Someone suggested baking eggs in avocado, which I felt was a great way to enjoy a rich and satisfying vegetarian meal. This recipe is super easy and only takes 15 minutes! It is quite filling, and I can just pair it with a salad for a complete meal.

While I just add cayenne and chopped scallions to my avocado, feel free to use whatever fresh spice you might have handy.

Ingredients (for 2 servings):

1 ripe avocado
2 eggs
1 tablespoon chopped scallions

1/2 lemon wedge
Dash of sea salt and cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Slice the avocados in half, and remove the pit. Scoop out about a tablespoon of flesh from the center.
3. Place the avocados in a small baking pan. Make sure they’re stable so they won’t topple over.
4. Squeeze some lemon on each of the avocado halves.
5. Crack an egg into each of the avocado halves. Try your best to crack the yolk in first, then let the egg whites spill in to fill up the rest of the shell.
6. Sprinkle scallions and cayenne pepper on top.
7. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Bake until the egg white is cooked through, but the egg yolk is still runny.
8. Remove from the oven, season with salt, and serve while hot!

Enjoy!

-NZ