Spoonful of Sugar Free

Registered Dietitian

mushrooms

I Like My Eggs…

By

How would you like your eggs?

Scrambled? Fried? Poached? Hard-Boiled?

How about filled with sauteed spinach, bell peppers, onions, and capers?

The Ultimate Vegetarian Omelette

~Feel free to add extra spices and vegetables to your omelet. Throw whatever you have in the fridge into the skillet! 

Ingredients:

  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup chopped veggies: onions, bell pepper, spinach, broccoli, olives, tomatoes, capers (Highly recommended)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh herbs, chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon dried herbs)  I like to use basil or oregano
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • oil of choice, for pan

First, choose your pan. Non-stick pans usually work the best with omelettes; however, I choose not to use them because of their chemical coating. My favorite pan to use is a cast iron pan, 10” diameter.

Preheat stove to Medium heat and lightly grease with oil. Sauté the vegetables until golden. In the meantime, whisk the eggs with a small splash of water and the herbs. The water and whisking makes the eggs fluffier. Flavor Idea: Instead of whisking with water, try whisking with a small splash of caper juice for a salty-vinegar flavor.

Now, you have two options for cooking your omelette:

  1. Pour the whisked eggs and herbs on top of the sauteed veggies. Cook for a few minutes until bubbly, and flip for another 30 seconds.
  2. Take the veggies out of the pan. Pour the egg mix onto the pan and cook for a few minutes until bubbly. Flip and cook for another 30 seconds. Place the veggies on top of the eggs and serve folded.

Sprinkle with extra salt and pepper, if desired, and serve.

Eggs are a great source of protein, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats.

  • One egg contains 6 grams of high-quality protein and all 9 essential amino acids.
  • Due to the carotenoid content, specifically lutein and zeaxanthin, eggs are great for the eyes.
  • They are a good source of choline. One egg yolk has about 300 micrograms of choline. Choline is an important nutrient that helps regulate the brain, nervous system, and cardiovascular system.
  • Contrary to previous belief, moderate consumption of eggs does not have a negative impact on cholesterol. In fact, recent studies have shown that regular consumption of two eggs per day does not affect a person’s lipid profile and may actually improve it.
  • Eggs are one of the only foods that contain naturally occurring vitamin D.
  • Eggs promote healthy hair and nails because of their high sulphur content and wide array of vitamins and minerals. Many people find their hair growing faster after adding eggs to their diet, especially if they were previously deficient in foods containing sulphur or B12.

THOUGHT-PROVOKING, MIND-PRODDING QUESTION OF THE DAY:

How do you like your eggs? Usually at restaurants, I ask for mine poached.

Favorite omelette add-ins? Mine are usually any kind of veggies I can find in the fridge. My favorites are mushrooms, bell peppers, spinach, onions, and lots of capers!

This post is a part of my Operation Beautiful Food Project. My original recipe was posted here. 

Not Your Ordinary Steak

By

Remember a few days ago when I showed you my latest cooking gadgets?

In the beginning of that post there was a large cooking collection given to me by a neighbor. I have had a blast looking through the pages of those books. Hundreds of recipes to try in all sorts of different cuisines. No, they aren’t all sugar-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free, and many are far from being called healthy; however, I’m having a lot of fun trying to recreate these recipes.

Looks like a regular steak, right?

This is my recreation of the “Garrick Steak.” This steak is supposedly a specialty from the famous Garrick Club in London. It requires a bit of prep work, but cooking the steak is relatively easy.

It is stuffed full of mushrooms, shallots, ham, and herbs. I suggest serving it with a large salad with a light dressing like a simple drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

The Garrick Steak

~Adapted from the 1972 Grand Diplome Cooking Course Book. Dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free, and sugar-free. 

Ingredients

  • 1-3 lb top round or flank steak, preferably grass-fed and organic
  • 1 cup chopped mushrooms
  • 1 shallot, chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped ham
  • 1 Tablespoon chopped parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon thyme
  • pinch salt and pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

First, prepare the mushroom stuffing by sautéing the mushrooms, shallot, ham in 1 teaspoon olive oil. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, or until soft. Stir in the herbs and seasoning.

Meanwhile, slit the steak from one side to the other to form a large pocket. Fill with the mushroom stuffing. Sew with trussing needles (if you don’t have one, you may simply pin it together with toothpicks), and lightly brush with olive oil.

Broil for 5-6 minutes each side for a rare steak, up to ten minutes each side for a well-done steak. Garnish with extra parsley and serve as 1/2 inch slices.

THOUGHT-PROVOKING, MIND-PRODDING QUESTION OF THE DAY:

Rare, medium, or well done? -Medium-well for me, please!

To the vegans out there: do you miss steak? Is there a certain non-vegan food you miss sometimes?

Flourless Quiche Crust

By

The death and destruction Hurricane Irene caused makes my heart go out to those who lost their homes, family, and friends.

When sadness strikes, sometimes we just need a little comfort. The word, “quiche,” sounds too fancy to be called comfort, but the creamy, eggy dish does just that-comforts.

Quiche with Brown Rice Crust

~This quiche is made with whole brown rice-no flour. It is a great way to use up your leftover rice. You can use some of my suggested fillings below, or create your own mix. Gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, nut-free, and, of course, sugar-free! 

Serves 6

Brown Rice Crust:

  • 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
  • 1 egg*
Preheat oven to 350*. Mix rice thoroughly with the egg. Spread mixture evenly on a 9″ pie or tart pan (greasing the pan is optional. My quiche came out fine without it). Spread the mix up the sides of the pan as well. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden.
–
Filling Ingredients:
  • 4 eggs*
  • 1 cup milk or milk substitute (like almond milk)
  • 2 cups filling, ideas below
  • 1/4 tsp each of salt and pepper
Whisk together eggs, milk, fillings, salt, and pepper. Pour into Brown Rice crust and bake at 350* for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool ten minutes before slicing and serving.
–
*May substitute egg whites for whole eggs if desired.
Filling Ideas:
  • Veggie: Chopped bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, and spinach.
  • Mediterranean: Kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, capers, and roasted red peppers.
  • Meat Lover’s: Bacon, ham, pepperoni, salami, turkey.
  • Hawaiian: Canadian bacon, onions, pineapple.
  • Leftover: Throw anything and everything you have in the fridge into the quiche.
This is a lot healthier than your typical quiche with the flaky crust full of refined flour and fat. Check out Panera’s Spinach Artichoke Quiche nutrition facts: 540 calories, 34g fat (19g saturated), 165mg cholesterol, 910mg sodium, 38g carbohydrates, 8g sugar, 19g protein. The majority of the calories come from white flour, cheese, cream, and butter.
–
With my quiche, you get whole grains and fiber from the brown rice, vitamins from the healthy vegetables you add, protein from the eggs, and a filling meal.
But, of course, you don’t want to be lectured about the health of the quiche. You want to eat it!
–
I wish I could send this quiche to all of those on the East coast affected by the hurricane. Instead, I give you this recipe and send you a prayer.

THOUGHT-PROVOKING, MIND-PRODDING QUESTION OF THE DAY:

Have you, a family member, or a friend, been affected by hurricane Irene?

P.S. Don’t forget to sign up for the Blissful Bites Giveaway!

You say Tomato…

By

 Recently, a friend gave me this tomato plant. I planted it in a larger plant, and I cannot wait for it to start producing some fruit! Then I can make some more delicious “lasagna.”

(Bad camera pictures, still. I will be getting my camera back tomorrow, so I will have some better food pictures soon!)

Instead of noodles, I sliced some zucchini into thin slices.

Layered it with tomato sauce and a variety of veggies and mushrooms.

Some ground beef.

And made a vegan “ricotta cheese” with walnuts, cashews, tahini, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and salt.

I baked it for 30 minutes at 375* and topped it with fresh basil.

It was very tasty, but I still need to tweak the recipe a bit. There was too much “juice” with the tomatoes and sauces that I needed to drain it before serving.

Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day:

What is your favorite way to eat tomatoes?

I like mine in bruschetta, fresh salsa, or as “buns” for burgers!

 

 

Maitake Miso

By

Thanks for all of your get-well wishes! They really made me smile 😀

I am feeling a lot better today, too. Not 100%, but definitely better than yesterday. Maybe it was because of the healing soups and beverages I drank!

Fresh Celery-Cucumber-Lemon juice and Spicy Tomato Tea Cure.

The Spicy Tomato Tea cure is a recipe found HERE. It really does wonders. I would make this any time you are congested or have a sore throat. In fact, I would make it even if you didn’t have a sore throat because it tastes so good! I’ll write more about it tomorrow.

The best way to eat soup is in a mug!

 Recognize these mushrooms? I decided to make a maitake miso soup with them. Thanks to Caysee for giving me the idea and telling me that the maitake are great immune boosters!

Miso soup is extremely easy to make. It only takes a few minutes, which is perfect for when you are sick and don’t want to be on your feet for more than that!

Maitake Miso Soup

~You can add whatever vegetables and ingredients you like. Traditional miso soup also has tofu in it, so feel free to add cubes if you wish. 

Ingredients

  • 5 cups water (or vegetable/chicken stock)
  • 3.5 oz. Maitake mushrooms (the whole package of this)
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced (or 1 small white/yellow onion)
  • 3 Tablespoons Miso paste (any kind will do. I used brown rice miso)
  • Optional: sliced carrots, tofu cubes, brown rice, watercress, ginger
In a large saucepan, heat water/stock to a boil and add mushrooms, scallions, and any other vegetable (if using). Simmer for 15 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Take a fourth cup of the stock out of saucepan and mix miso paste in until well-combined. Add back into soup and stir.
It tastes great with a dash of liquid aminos! (or soy sauce)
Health Benefits
  • Miso: Contains all essential amino acids, making it a complete protein, has healthy probiotics and helps with digestion, good source of vitamin B, strengthens immune system, lowers LDL cholesterol, and is high in antioxidants which protects against free radicals.
  • Maitake: This mushroom contains beta-glucan, which helps boost the immune system. It also helps lower blood pressure and fight harmful diseases. It also can help regulate blood sugar levels.

Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day:

What do you eat or drink to make you feel better when you are sick?

Fungus Experts Needed

By

I received these three packages of organic mushrooms from my Organic Co-Op this week. The problem is, I have never heard of these mushrooms before. I don’t know what they taste like, and I don’t know how to cook them. Frankly, I am a bit intimidated by them.

I’ve got some…

Maitake (Hen of the Woods)

Bunapi (White Beech Mushroom)

Eryngii (King Oyster Mushrooms)

I’m in the mood for mushroom soup, but I don’t know if these mushrooms will taste good in the creamy soup. My second thought would be to simply stir fry them, but again, I have no idea what these babies can do.

Does anybody have any experience cooking these mushrooms? Any good recipes to try?