PUMPKIN, BROCCOLI & TOFU FRITTATA

This frittata was inspired from a quiche recipe I found in a Weight Watchers book a few weeks ago. I am a big fan of tofu and am making a big effort to add it to more dishes for added protein. Even my meat-loving husband loved this frittata! Which sadly meant less for me. A delicious, simple and filling vegetarian meal. 

Ingredients

• extra virgin olive oil 
• 450g pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cut into small even pieces
• 1 medium head of broccoli, cut into small florets and stalk chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh shallots, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 6 eggs, preferably free range, whisked 
• 300g firm tofu, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat cows milk (or if dairy intolerant or allergic, substitute for lactose-free, soy or unsweetened almond milk). 
• 1/4 cup grated light / reduced-fat cheese
• ground black pepper 

Cooking 

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 180 degrees celsius or 200 degrees for a non fan-forced oven. Lightly grease a circular cake mould with olive oil. 

2. Bring a medium saucepan filled halfway with water to the boil, covered. Use this time to cut the pumpkin and broccoli. Once the water has boiled add the pumpkin and cook for seven minutes, then add the broccoli and cook for 1-2 minutes or until bright green. Remove from heat and drain the pumpkin and broccoli in a colander under cold water. 

3. Meanwhile, cut up all the herbs. Combine the whisked eggs, tofu, milk, herbs, cheese and a generous pinch of pepper in a large bowl. Add the cooked vegetables and stir well to combine all ingredients. 

4. Pour the egg mixture into the prepared mould and bake in the oven for around 30 minutes or until the egg is almost set and the top of the frittata is lightly golden. Remove from heat and leave to cool before cutting into slices. Serve with extra herbs on top, if desired.

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation & Cooking time / 50 minutes 

x Emily 

SALMON and VEGETABLE MUFFINS

I've finally found a way for myself to enjoy salmon! I really hate that I cannot stand salmon fillets, as I know how healthy they are for me. After eating red salmon in a sandwich that a lovely friend's mum made for me a while back, I realised that I didn't mind salmon in a tin! I figure that if I start eating salmon in these muffins I will be able to gradually work my way towards salmon fillets! I eat these with a side salad for a light dinner. You can top the muffins with extra herbs and a dollop of reduced-fat sour cream, if desired. 

INGREDIENTS

• extra virgin olive oil spray or 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 eggs, preferably free-range
• 1 can (210g) red salmon, drained, flaked & any bones removed
• 1/4 cup reduced fat cows milk (or if intolerant/allergic to dairy substitute for lactose-free, soy or unsweetened almond milk)
• 1/4 cup water 
• 1/2 red or green capsicum, deseed and finely chopped
• a generous handful of baby spinach, chopped
• a small handful of dill and / or parsley, finely chopped
• 30g reduced fat feta, crumbled
• a generous amount of ground black pepper

COOKING 

1. Preheat a fan forced oven to 180 degrees. Spray or brush all holes of a 12 standard muffin tray. 

2. Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl, then add the salmon, milk, water, capsicum, spinach, herb/s, feta and pepper. Mix well to combine and add more water if the mixture is too thick for your liking. 

3. Pour the salmon & egg mixture into the prepared muffin holes. I like to make big muffins, therefore I usually make around 9 muffins. If you want to make 12 muffins, pour a little less into each muffin hole. 

4. Bake for around 25 minutes or until egg is just set and golden. Remove warm, topped with extra herbs, if desired. 

Makes / 9 

Total Preparation time / under 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 25 minutes 

x Emily 

VEGETARIAN (or not) OMELETTE

Eggs are a great way to get your protein and good fat hit. I don't think of omelettes or eggs for that matter as exclusively for breakfast; they are a wonderful late night dinner idea, as they are low in carbs and full of flavour. I have always been a little apprehensive about cooking omelettes, however after several attempts over the years I am confident with my recipe below. The finished product may not look as fancy as what would appear on your plate at a cafe, but it is tasty, nutritious and simple to make. I prefer this omelette sans meat, however I do realise that will not like this, hence the optional addition of bacon or ham. Ground or smoked paprika is also optional- if this is not in your pantry just use more ground black pepper. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil 
• 1/4 small red onion (30g), finely chopped 
• 1/2 a small red capsicum, roughly chopped
• 1/2 a small green capsicum, roughly chopped
• Optional - 1/2 teaspoon ground or smoked paprika 
• Optional- 80g bacon or 100g ham, trimmed of fat, roughly chopped
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup water 
• 2 tablespoons fresh chives, roughly chopped, plus extra, to serve 
• ground black pepper 
• 20g reduced-fat feta, crumbled 
• a small handful of baby spinach 

COOKING 

1. Heat 1/2 teaspoon of oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat and cook the onion for 2 minutes or until the onion has softened. Add the capsicum and the paprika and/or meat if using and stir for 2 minutes or until well combined and the capsicum is just al dente (still slightly crunchy). If you are cooking bacon or ham this step may take slightly longer, depending on how you like your meat cooked. Remove from the pan when cooked and keep warm. 

2. Whisk the eggs, water, chives and a generous pinch of pepper in a deep bowl or jug. Heat 1/2 teaspoon of oil in a medium frying pan on low to medium heat and swirl to coat. Pour in half of the omelette mixture and leave until the egg is set around the edges; this should take around 2-3 minutes. Carefully fold one half of the omelette over the other and leave to cook for another minute or until the the omelette has just set.  Remove the omelette from the pan, place on a serving plate and add half of the capsicum mixture, topping with feta and half of the baby spinach. Repeat the cooking process with the remainder of the egg mixture. 

Serves / 2 
Total Preparation time / max 10 minutes 
Total Cooking time / around 15 minutes 

x Emily 

HOW TO POACH AN EGG

In this breakfast dish I describe the fine art behind poaching eggs (or at least what I have picking up from my partner, cooking magazines and my mother). Do not be afraid to try this recipe because of the detailed 3^rd step, as this detail is designed to help, not hinder your cooking. Best of luck! I think if you can poach an egg and serve it in a somewhat 'pretty' condition, you can do pretty much anything in the kitchen (besides perhaps de-boning a duck or killing a live lobster).

INGREDIENTS

• 2 free range eggs 
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar 
• 1/4 a small avocado, generously spread onto the toasted bread
• 1 piece of multigrain, wholemeal or gluten-free bread, toasted 
• 1 handful washed baby spinach
• 1 small to medium tomato, sliced
• Optional- a squeeze of lemon and a tablespoon or 2 of chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, chives, parsley, etc. 
• 10g reduced-fat feta, crumbled 

COOKING 

1. Bring the eggs to room temperature as warm eggs will take less time to poach. Crack one egg into a small cup and add 1 tablespoon white vinegar. Repeat in a separate cup with the other egg. (I use vinegar as this helps to set the egg). 

2. Fill a large saucepan/ frying pan with 8cm of water. Bring the water to the boil, then reduce to medium-low heat and simmer. (You will know the water is simmering when you can see small bubbles at the base of the pan). Use a wooden spoon or whisk to stir the water in one direction, creating a whirlpool. Pour in one egg at a time, making sure to pour the egg as close to the water surface as possible, in the middle of the whirlpool. (The whirlpool motion is essential as it makes the egg white wrap around the egg yolk to form a round shape). Cook for 2-3 minutes for a semi-soft yolk or 3-4 minutes for a firmer yolk. NB- Do not stir the water once the egg is cooking. 

3. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the egg on top of your toast (which can be 'buttered' with avocado). Serve the poached eggs with baby spinach, tomato, lemon juice, fresh herbs and feta piled on top or on the side. 

Serves / 1 

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 12 minutes 

x Emily 

TURKEY, EGG & LETTUCE CUPS

I really love turkey and often find myself craving unhealthy white bread sandwiches filled with turkey, cranberries, brie and mayonnaise! It's not something that I ever allow myself, so instead I came up with these turkey lettuce cups which are much, much healthier and do not add centimetres to my waistline. My husband likes to use bacon instead, which you can substitute for turkey or ham, as long as you remove the fat. 

INGREDIENTS

• 150g shaved lean turkey breast or ham, roughly chopped
• 4 eggs (preferably free-range)
• 250g low carb kestrel potatoes, peeled & chopped into small pieces
• 150g cucumber, roughly chopped
• 2-3 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
• 1/4 iceberg lettuce or a baby cos lettuce, washed 
• Optional- 1 tablespoon of reduced-fat grated cheese per serving 

COOKING 

1a. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, with the potatoes in the water. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until tender, then drain well in a colander with cold water.

1b. Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil with the eggs in the pan. Boil for 3 minutes, then simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and drain under cold water. When cool enough to handle, peel the eggs from their shells and roughly chop the eggs. 

2. Combine the cooked potatoes, chopped eggs, turkey, cucumber, chives and a generous amount of ground black pepper in a medium bowl and toss gently. 

3.  Spoon the potato, egg & turkey mixture into the lettuce cups and serve warm or cold. Add 1 tablespoon of cheese per serving, if desired. 

Serves / 4 
Total Preparation time /  
Total Cooking time / 30 minutes

x Emily 

HARD BOILED EGGS

Why does breakfast always taste so damn good on Sunday? Breakfast on weekdays is often mundane and can even be described as a bit of a chore, however weekend breakfasts never lose their novelty. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that for many of us, we know that after consuming our leisurely and often naughty Saturday or Sunday breakfast we have no work commitments to attend to. If only we had the time or energy during the week to truly look forward to our breakfast, as it is the most important meal of the day. “It gets your metabolism going!’ my mother always used to say to me in my teenage years, when I sadly thought it was the cool thing to skip breakfast. Its actually incredibly uncool, as your body starts to indulge in its fat reserves and you eat more throughout the day, particularly around dinner time, the meal that should be the smallest. Definitely not the way to go to eat healthily or maintain / lose weight. So splash out and enjoy your big breakfasts!

INGREDIENTS

• 1-2 pieces of multigrain, wholemeal or gluten-free bread, toasted 
• 2 eggs (preferably free-range)
• 1 teaspoon fresh chives & fresh basil, finely chopped
• Optional- a few slices of tomato, baby spinach, 1/4 avocado 

COOKING 

1. Place eggs in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil, then turn off the heat and leave the eggs to sit for 5 minutes. Remove from the stove and place eggs in cold water for 3 minutes. Peel eggs and place on top of toast or to the side. Sprinkle fresh herbs & ground black pepper on top. Serve with sides, such as tomato slices, fresh or steamed baby spinach and avocado slices or avocado spread onto the toast. 

Serves / 1 

Total Preparation time / 3 minutes (to toast bread & prepare herbs)

Total Cooking time / 13 minutes 

x Emily 

EASY VEGETARIAN RICE

I have tried to keep this fried rice as simple as possible, hence why the ingredients list is quite short; usually for an Asian dish many more ingredients would be listed! Feel free to add finely chopped garlic and/or grated ginger to the wok after adding the oil and before the vegetables if you would like to. If you have different vegetables on hand, use them! Bean shoots, bean sprouts and/or green beans could be substituted and herbs such as fresh coriander could be added. Broccoli could also be used, however it must be placed in the wok before the other vegetables as it will require more time to cook. I find that the flavour from the cooked egg, the several vegetables and the soy sauce is perfect for me, hence no fiddly sauce has been mentioned. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 teaspoon rice bran oil 
• 2 free-range eggs, beaten
• 200g red cabbage, finely shredded
• 150g wombok, finely shredded
• 150g red capsicum, cut into 2cm pieces 
• 150g carrot, grated 
• 2 tablespoons salt-reduced soy sauce 
• 1 shallot, finely chopped 

Cooking 

1. Combine the rice and 2 1/2 cups of water in a medium saucepan over high heat and bring to the boil, covered. Once boiled reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for 20-25 minutes or until all the water is absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove from the heat. 

2. Meanwhile, prepare all the vegetables. Whisk the eggs and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. 

3. Heat 1/2 teaspoon oil in a wok or large deep frying pan over medium-low heat and swirl to coat. Pour the egg into the base of the wok/pan and leave to set for a few minutes. After the edges of the egg have set, fold one side over into an omelette.  Cook for another minute or so and then remove from the heat when the omelette has just has set. When the omelette has cooled slightly, chop into small pieces. 

4. Pour the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of oil into the now empty wok and add all the vegetables. Cook the vegetables with 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Stir the vegetables initially and then place a lid on top, cooking for 4-5 minutes or until tender. Add the remaining soy sauce to the vegetables and stir to combine. 

Divide the cooked brown rice into 4 bowls, top with vegetables, the chopped omelette and sprinkle some shallots on top. 

Serves / 4

Total Preparation time / a few minutes (as you can prepare the vegetables whilst the rice cooks) 

Total Cooking time / 30-35 minutes 

x Emily 

POTATO, SPINACH & ROSEMARY FRITTATA

I love making frittata's as you can throw into a pan whatever is left over in your fridge, pour some eggs & milk over the top and voila, you have yourself a filling meal. I always use almond or oat milk in my frittata's as I am allergic to dairy and I never add cheese, instead opting for dried herbs, spices and vegetables to add the flavour. As a result my frittata's are not buttery, creamy or fatty; rather they are light, stuffed to the brim with vegetables and are almost peasant-like in their simplicity. My method for cooking frittata's was adopted from Gywneth Paltrow's cookbooks and it is fool proof, therefore be precise with the cooking times! 

Ingredients

• 500g sebago potato, peeled & chopped into 3cm pieces
• 6 free-range eggs (52g each = 312g total)
• 100ml unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tablespoon rice bran oil
• 2 large garlic cloves (8g), finely chopped
• 60g baby spinach, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon dried rosemary 
• Optional - fresh chives, finely chopped or other spices or herbs 

Cooking 

1. Preheat a fan-force oven to 190 degrees celsius. 

2. Place the chopped potato into a medium saucepan of water and bring to the boil. Once boiled, cook for 5 minutes or until the potatoes are just tender. Remove from heat and drain in a colander until cold running water. 

3. Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs, almond milk, 125ml (1/2 cup) of water and a generous pinch of ground black pepper and sea salt. 

4. Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium heat and swirl to coat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Add the potatoes to the pan and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. If the potatoes stick to the pan, add a few splashes of water to the pan instead of more oil. Add the baby spinach and cook, stirring, until the spinach just wilts. 

5. Pour the egg, milk & water mixture over the vegetables and sprinkle the dried rosemary on top. Leave to cook on medium-high heat for 5 minutes. 

6. After 5 minutes of cooking on the stove the outside of the frittata should be quite solid, however the inside will still be runny. Transfer the frittata to the oven and cook for exactly 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve warm, accompanied with a pinch of sea salt & ground black pepper, if desired. 

Serves / 2 

Total Preparation time / 10-15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 25 minutes 

Approx calories / 514 per serve 

x Emily 

VEGETARIAN INDIAN STIR FRY

A lovely client gave me this recipe, from good food.com.au, which I modified slightly to make it more accessible and simple for our meatlessmonday. The paw paw peel was just something I picked up as a one off at the markets, however you can use leeks as well. The tomato sauce may sound funny with the dish (as I first thought), but it really works well. The eggs are added in just for a little protein due to the lack of meat. Enjoy this Monday's meatless dish as I have; I've made it twice in the past 4 days! x x 

INGREDIENTS

• 225g rice stick noodles
• 150g / 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
• 1 head of broccoli, cut into small florets
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped, plus extra, to serve
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 10 curry leaves
• 2 carrots, roughly grated
• 1 red capsicum, finely chopped
• a handful of thinly sliced raw paw paw peel or 2 leeks, finely sliced
• 3 tablespoons tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 4 hard-boiled free-range eggs, peeled & cut into wedges 
• Optional- a large handful of cashews & lime wedges 

COOKING 

1. Bring a medium pot of water to the boil and add the rice noodles. Cook for only a few minutes, until tender but not mushy. Remove from heat and strain in a colander, placing the noodles under cold water and separating them with clean hands so they do not stick. 

2. Meanwhile, bring a small pot of water to the boil and add the peas and broccoli florets, cooking until tender. Drain well and keep warm. 

3. Heat the oil in a wok and swirl to coat. Add the spring onions and garlic and cook for a minute or two, stirring often, until fragrant but not burnt. Add the curry leaves and continue to cook for another minute. Add the carrot, capsicum and paw paw peel or leek and stir for another minute. 

4. Add the cooked noodles, peas and broccoli to the pan as well as the tomato sauce and soy sauce. Stir constantly until all ingredients are heated through and combined together. Stir vigorously so the noodles do not stick. Evenly distribute the noodles into four bowls, garnished with the egg wedges, cashews and lime wedges if using. 

Total Preparation time / 15 - 20 minutes (including cooking the eggs)

Total Cooking time / 15 minutes 

Serves / 4 

x Emily 

CURRY CHICKEN SALAD

Even though the Brisbane air is super hot, I am missing the cooler weather. Hence this curry salad was created. Perhaps this year I did not treat myself to enough homemade curries as I found myself missing curry spices last week. This salad is my protein champion, with chicken and egg taking centre stage. A tip: try to eat immediately as the salad is not nearly as nice the next day!

INGREDIENTS

• 500g free range chicken breast, cut into even-sized 4cm pieces
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 large continental cucumber, grated
• 1/2 large carrot, peeled & grated
• 100-125g four leaf lettuce 
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
• the juice of 1/2 a lime
• 3 hard-boiled eggs, thinly sliced
• sea salt 

COOKING 

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot add the garlic and stir for one minute. Add the chicken and curry powder to the pan and cook, stirring often, until the chicken is cooked (that is, no pink flesh remains; you can test this by cutting the biggest piece of chicken you can find in the pan in half). Remove the pan from the stove and cover, to keep warm. 

2. Prepare the rest of the salad by combining the cucumber, carrot, lettuce, basil leaves and cooked chicken in a large bowl and tossing together. Add the juice of the lime to the bowl and toss again. Add the slices of egg on top of the salad, sprinkle salt over the egg and gently toss to combine. Serve immediately. 

Serves / 4

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes

Total Cooking time / 10 minutes 

x Emily 

SPROUT SALAD

This meal in a salad does involve a little pre-preparation- such as cooking the beetroot, cooking the lentils (or draining and washing canned ones if you prefer or are time-poor) and hard-boiling the eggs. Luckily I had all those ingredients in my fridge ready to go yesterday night as all I wanted to do was sit down with a big bag of salty, greasy chips. Yes I do get those cravings occasionally, especially when my body and mind feels very tired and overwhelmed. That is one of the main reasons why I try to prepare as much food as possible on Sunday- I hard-boil eggs, I roast beetroot, I cut green beans, carrot and celery, I made date balls to combat my weekly desire for sugar. It stops me from reaching for the chips…most days. Everything in moderation, including moderation, as a beautiful client of mine says. 

INGREDIENTS

• a generous handful of snow pea sprouts, roughly chopped
• 100g mung beans
• 100g brown lentils, cooked
• 1 beetroot, cooked & cut into thin wedges
• 1 large tomato, cut into small pieces
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped into wedges
• a handful of sunflower seeds 
• sea salt & garlic flakes 
• balsamic vinegar, to dress 

PREPARATION 

1. Combine all the ingredients in a medium to large salad bowl and toss well. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar, if desired. 

Serves / 2 
Total Preparation time / 5 minutes 

x Emily 

SPEEDY VEGETARIAN FRIED RICE

Some days I just really crave a simple, vegetable filled fried rice.  I don’t know why vegetable fried rice doesn’t appear in my kitchen more often; its affordable, quick and easy to make. Perhaps I sometimes overlook it as it isn’t as exciting or sophisticated as other meals I could be eating. Silly me. All I can say is that I ate this meal for lunch, breakfast the next day and dinner that night too and I really enjoyed it. You can mix up the vegetables and add carrots and/or Chinese cabbage if you want. I remember my mother used to put little dices of ham into our fried rice when we were younger, probably so my brothers would see the meat and not get freaked out that they were eating a meat-free dish. What is it with all the men in my life and their fear of eating vegetarian meals? But I’m crossing over into a another blog post…enjoy the fried rice!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
• 1 small red chilli, deseeded & finely chopped
• 2 spring onions, roughly chopped
• 1 cup half peas and half corn kernels (can be frozen, just make sure they are thawed)
• 1 medium zucchini, roughly chopped
• 3 heaped tablespoons kecap manis
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten 
• sesame oil
• sesame seeds (Optional)

COOKING 

1. Pour the rice into a medium saucepan and add 3 cups of water. Bring to the boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer, covered, for 8-10 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove from heat and allow to cool. 

2. While the rice is cooking, add 1 teaspoon sesame oil to a small fry pan and swirl to coat. Add egg mixture to the pan and let cook for 2 minutes on one side, or until the egg is set. Flip the thin omelette over and cook on the other side for just 30 seconds. Remove from heat and allow to cool then chop the fried egg roughly into small pieces. 

3. Heat a wok over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon sesame oil, making sure to swirl the oil to coat as much of the bottom and sides of the wok as possible. Add the chilli and spring onion and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the peas & corn and zucchini to the pan, stir-frying for 3-4 minutes or until the vegetables are bright in colour and warmed through. (If at any point the vegetables and/or rice are sticking to the wok, add a splash of water- try to do this instead of adding more oil!). Add the cooked rice to the pan, followed by the kecap manis and the chopped egg pieces, stirring well to combine the sauce, rice and vegetables. Season with sea salt and pepper and remove from heat. Serve with a drizzle more  kecap manis and a sprinkle of sesame seeds, if you desire. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes

Total Cooking time / 16-18 minutes 

x Emily