Loaded Veggie Egg White Frittata

Not many would argue that brunch is a staple in New York - for both social and sustenance-related reasons.

I have had the pleasure of trying different brunch spots around the city and while Friedman's Lunch remains hands down my favorite (eggs with style; poached, chicken sausage, sub potato hash), some of my fondest memories are from homemade brunches enjoyed on the rooftops of my favorite Brooklyn dwellers. While my mom (of course) has always been up on the frittata scene, this recipe was introduced to me during one of the rooftop brunch gatherings. Love at first bite - I knew this was a recipe to request from the lovely hostess. Only a few minor adjustments to the cooking technique/ingredients.

It seems that regardless of the time that I make my way to brunch, I tend to exhibit familiar behavior...selecting eggs to start my day. So - this vegeful frittata is a great way to load up on veggies while still fueling the morning with some eggs. It packs a lot of flavor, not to mention nutrients.

The recipe:

1 tbsp. olive oil
2 small potatoes (like Trader Joe' potato medley), washed and thinly sliced
Broccoli, 1 cup
Cauliflower, 1 cup
½ cup carrots, thinly sliced
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1 10 ounce pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
Trader’s Joe’s Everyday Seasoning (or your favorite seasoning blend)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
1 16oz. carton egg whites (you may need to add some additional egg whites depending on how generous you are with the veggies)
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 cup shredded cheese (I used a 3 cheese blend)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a 12 inch skillet, bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Add broccoli, cauliflower, potato, carrot, and onion. Cover an simmer 6-8 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp and water is evaporated.

Add ~1 tbsp of oil to the skillet, add in garlic along with some Everyday Seasoning (~1tsp) and saute for about 1-2 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine egg whites, cheese, basil, salt, pepper, everyday seasoning (~1 tsp). Pour over the vegetables. Allow the mixture to begin to set, about 2 minutes. Transfer to the oven to finish cooking. This will likely take somewhere around 15 minutes, but could take longer so be patient (this will depend somwhat on the positioning of the oven rack).

If necessary, continue cooking longer than 15 minutes - until almost set but still glossy. Cut into wedges to serve.

Poached Egg Over Spinach-Basil-Walnut Pesto

Ok, YUM. Honestly, I don't even know where to start because this was just such a delightful culinary experience. If there were some miraculous way to rewind and re-savor those first bites I totally would, but instead I just had to settle for using the pesto remains to recreate the dish for my next two meals! The idea for this recipe came to me while getting lost in thought about ways to get creative with my overzealous egg consumption. I've always wanted to make my own pesto...and perfect the art of egg poaching (after minimal success with poach pods). Finally, an outlet for both!

Starting from the base, Whole Foods comes through again for me with their bakery fresh Quinoa Flax bread. If you have a WF nearby I highly recommend - otherwise any loaf of bread will work (I have to do my part to put in a plug for whole grain/ whole wheat varieties).

There are so many different varieties of pesto out there that are incredibly quick and easy to whip up. I was intrigued by using spinach and walnut, hence spinach-walnut-basil pesto, but feel free to get creative and of course dial the amounts of various ingredients up and down to your liking. Mine was strong in the garlic department, not complaining, but of course that's not for everyone. With that said, consider yourself warned.

Now onto the egg poaching portion. Don't be intimidated - you too can create a masterpiece of a poached egg. No need to reinvent the wheel on how to go about the task because Smitten Kitchen has a fantastic explanation. Check out the helpful tutorial.

The recipe:

1 c spinach
1/2 c basil
1 clove of garlic, sliced

1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp chopped walnuts, lightly toasted
1 tbsp parmigiano reggiano cheese
4 tsp EVOO (add more as necessary)
Salt and pepper

1 egg
(Vinegar for poaching)
Sliced tomato
Slice of your favorite bread, toasted

Put on water for the egg. Then roughly chop spinach, basil and garlic - add to blender/chopper along with lemon juice, chopped walnuts and parmesan cheese.  Pulse until blended. Add in olive oil until desired consistency is achieved (for me this was ~4 tsp). Then season with salt and pepper. 

Drop egg into simmering water and poach for 3-4 minutes. Meanwhile toast your bread and slice the tomato. Remove egg from water with a slotted spoon and allow it to drain over the pot or set on a paper towel. 

Spread desired amount of pesto on toast and top with poached egg and a sprinkling of black pepper. Mangia!

Polenta Egg Cups

It's time for some eggstravagant eggs! For how often I consume the quick and easy food, it's a wonder they have not received a feature post yet, but that's all about to change. Not only are they a good source of protein, but eggs are also low in calories, inexpensive and delicious. When partnered with the other ingredients in this dish, the result is a flavorful muffin sized meal. And when topped with salsa, I am an especially happy camper.
My experiences with polenta thus far have been limited to the premade polenta log sold at supermarkets. In an effort to expland my horizons, I purchased some real polenta to make my own homemade version. This turned out to be a far less daunting task than I imagined. It's important to keep in mind that making polenta can get unhealthy quickly - if you use butter, cream, etc. So stick to the basics and rely on low calorie other ingredients to carry the flavor.

The recipe:
(Adapted from Rachel Ray)

3/4 cup of skim milk
3/4 cup of low sodium chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup quick-cooking polenta
1 cup of Asiago cheese, grated
Salt and black pepper
6 eggs (you might need more depending on the polenta distribution)
Optional: salsa

Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray a regular-size muffin tin with non-stick or fill with muffin cups.

Bring the milk and stock to a bubble in a medium-sized stockpot over medium heat. Slowly whisk in the polenta and continue whisking until it begins to thicken and resemble hot oatmeal, about 3-4 minutes. Turn off the heat, add in the cheese and season with salt and pepper.

Pour the polenta into the muffin tin, halfway up each muffin cup. Once all the cups are filled, form a well with the back of a spoon by pushing the polenta up the sides until it reaches the top rim (dip the spoon in water so it won't stick to the polenta). The well will be relatively large but that's OK -- you want the egg to have a little nesting place so it won't overflow out of the tin.

Once you have made all the wells, crack an egg into each of the polenta-filled cups.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, until firm (the yolk will still be a little runny). Remove from the oven and let sit.

Optional: top with salsa