Zucchini-Tomato Frittata

I made this for dinner last night. It was very good and super easy (especially if you have all the eggs that you need and don't have to go to the store). I only put one zucchini in and it was plenty.

Zucchini-Tomato Frittata

Serves 8
Created by Art Smith

Serve a breakfast treat straight from the garden! This Italian take on the omelet features fresh vegetables that you've probably got growing right now. So raid the backyard and cook up something special this morning!

Ingredients:

• 8 eggs , beaten
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons minced chives or green onion
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 zucchini , thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced Vidalia onion
• 1 medium tomato , peeled and chopped
• 1 clove garlic , minced

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and chives. Set aside.

In a 10-inch ovenproof non-stick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Cook half the zucchini slices until tender, about 3 minutes, then move them to a small bowl. Repeat with the rest of the zucchini and reserve. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet and cook the onions, tomato and garlic for 5 minutes, or until the onions are tender. Return the zucchini to the skillet, evenly distributing it. Add the egg mixture, and cook for 3 minutes, or until the bottom of the frittata is just set.

Place the frittata in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until it is completely set and golden brown. Invert it onto a plate, cut into slices and serve.

From Back to the Table by Art Smith

Nutritional Information:
127 calories, 9.2 grams fat, 2.5 grams saturated fat, 217 mg of cholesterol, 246 mg sodium, 3.1 grams carbohydrate

Breakfast Cafe Cinnamon Crumb Cake (Dairy Free)

My youngest child is allergic to dairy, so I modified a favorite coffee cake recipe from the book "A Passion for Baking" by Marcy Goldman to make it dairy-free. This recipe would also make terrific muffins.

The flavor is best when you use a vegan margarine (non-hydrogenated), but you can also use oil.

1/2 c. vegan margarine, melted

2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

1 c. firmly packed brown sugar

1 c . white sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 c. chopped pecans

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 large egg

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/4 c. applesauce

1 c. soy milk

1 tsp. lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350. Generously spray a 13x9-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, blend margarine, flour, both sugars, salt, 1 tsp. cinnamon and nutmeg. Remove 3/4 c. of this mixture and add chopped pecans and remaining 1 tsp. cinnamon to it. Set aside (this will be the crumb topping).

To remaining batter, add baking powder, baking soda, egg, vanilla, applesauce, soy milk and lemon juice. Using a hand whisk, blend well.

Spoon batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle on reserved crumb topping. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Rethinking Breakfast

Another good NYT article about whole grains, breakfast, and expanding horizons.
Click here to read.

Granola

This recipe is based on a recipe I got from Food Matters; A Guide to Conscious Eating by Mark Bittman. If you are like me, cold cereal is handy to have around on school mornings, but just not a good option with all the additives and crap that goes in it. This granola makes a good cereal or a good snack. It is also very flexible and you can add anything you like (or not add as you please). Here are the basics:

5 cups steel cut or old fashioned oats (not instant or quick cooking)
1-1 1/2 cups honey
1 cup chopped nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds)
1 cup unsweetened coconut
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla (optional)

Pour honey over oats and nuts and coat well. Add more honey if desired.
Pour mixture on a baking sheet and cook at 350 for about 20 minutes. Make sure you remove from oven and stir a few times to avoid burning.

Remove from oven and add desired amount of dried fruit (raisins, chopped dates, apricots, cranberries, apples, whatever you like).
(To diminish any health you could even add chocolate like I had in my Museli at a youth hostel in Munich. A long time ago, but that was some yummy cereal!)

When cool put in storage container and enjoy.
You could add flax seeds, whole grain hot cereal, anything you think would add to the taste/nutrition.

For another variation skip the honey and baking and have all of it raw, like Museli.

Breakfast Bars

Okay, sorry for taking over the blog, but here is another recipe. It's for yummy breakfast bars. It's a recipe that I got from my Aunt Sarah.

Breakfast Bars

5 cups of oats
2 ½ cups milk (rice, soy or dairy)
4 medium eggs or flax seed egg replacer, see below
¾ cup honey
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 Tbsp pumpkin spice
1 pinch of salt
1 Tsp vanilla extract
½ cup raisins
Add dried apples, nuts, and seeds-whatever you think would taste good!

Mix together and pour into an ungreased 9x13 baking pan.Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until golden brown This re-heats well. Assemble ahead overnight and bake it in the morning, it will soften all the dried fruit in it. After you cut it up, wrap it in food wrapper and freeze.

Flax Seed Egg Replacer
Grind: ½ cup flax seeds. Blend until a fine meal (use a coffee grinder, it will ruin your wheat grinder with the oil $10 at Walmart) Add 1 ½ cup cold water and blend 2-3 minutes until thickened and has consistency of eggs (I just make it first and let it sit on the counter, this directions for the substitute will make 8 eggs, which will make you 2 of the recipes above. If you want to make 1 recipe, use half of this egg replacement recipe). Use ¼ cup flax seed egg replacer mixture to replace one egg in baking.

To make it a little extra special, try pouring half of the batter in the pan, then placing fresh, canned or sliced fruit over top. If you use dehydrated fruit, try softening with water first. Use bananas, kiwi, apples and others. Now, pour the remaining batter over the fruit and spread evenly to cover. Bake as directed.

I made 3 batches a few weeks ago and they are so good. I made a blueberry (you can also add coconut-didn't have any), banana (I was out of pecans) and rasin spice. You just cut them up into whatever size you want, then wrap them up in saran wrap and store them in the freezer until you are ready to eat them. Because of the protein (flax seed), they stick with you very well. I usually am not hungry again for at least 3 hours.

Some Things We Love

I wanted to post about a few of or favorite organic or all natural foods we love. What are some of yours?Weetabix (almost forgot!)

Stretch Island Fruit Leather

Annie's mac and cheese

Kashi

So yummy!

Cheeesy Zucchini Frittata

Makes 6 Servings
4 eggs
4 cups zucchini shredded
2 cups peeled, shredded carrots
1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup mayo
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon basil
pepper to taste

* Beat eggs in mixing bowl. Fold in Zucchini, carrots, flour, mayo, cheese, onion, basil, and pepper.
* pour into buttered quiche pan and bake at 375 degrees for 30 mins or until set.
( I have not tried this one but it sounds good)

Banana Wheat Bread

I found this recipe in the hopes of coming up with alternatives to processed breakfast cereal, and lo and behold my kids will actually eat it.  It isn't light and fluffy, but it tastes good.

In a bowl or mixer combine the following ingredients:

2 1/2 Cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 Cups brown sugar

2/3 Cups plain yogurt (I didn't have any on hand and substituted Daisy brand sour cream...it only has one ingredient: milk, unlike most brands which have all kinds of crap in them)

2 eggs (I use vegetarian fed eggs where the chickens haven't been fed antibiotics)

1/2 cup canola oil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

2-4 super ripe bananas

Mix until well blended.  Pour into 2 greased 8x4 loaf pan or 1 9x5 loaf pan.  Bake at 350 for 50-60 mns (8x4) or 60-80 mns (9x5).  Cool for 15 mns.

My 8x4 loaves were pretty short, so I would probably go for the 9x5 pan next time.