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Easy Broccoli Frittata

Written on July 12, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Breakfast, Entree

On an average day I eat more eggs than anybody I know. I wish they were always this intricately flavored and delicious but more often than not they’re just scrambled. But once in a while—once in a while it’s refreshing to put time and thought into the simple egg and make something with a little more wow-factor for yourself or others.

The broccoli and herbs help to flavor the eggs and give a bit of texture, since frittatas don’t have a crust like quiches to give them a little crunch. This recipe is called easy because you can put it in the oven and forget about it until dinner. You can also make it at night and have it reheated the next morning for breakfast. It’s just easy and easy to love.

I didn’t add any cheese to mine but it would definitely boost the flavor. If you’re thinking about it, I’d recommend 4oz of a sharp cheddar grated finely and added into the batter before baking. Otherwise if you’re making this for a crowd you can leave the cheese out and have some freshly grated cheese to serve on the side.

Easy Broccoli Frittata

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 50 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 4-6 servings):

1 dozen eggs
1 1/2 cups steamed broccoli
1/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon milk(eyeball it)
1 Tablespoon herb mix(use whichever’s your favorite)
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt(reduce if using cheese)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder(optional)
4oz sharp cheddar(optional)
Butter for greasing

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Crack all of the eggs into a large bowl making sure not to get any shells into the batter.
Add in the milk, herbs, seasonings and cheese if using and whisk until the eggs are a pale yellow.
Grease an 8-inch baking pan on the bottom and around the sides.
Pour the egg batter into the baking pan.
Add the steamed broccoli evenly around the pan and gently press it into the batter with a fork to cover the tops of the florets.
Bake for 40-50 minutes until the sides turn golden brown and the center is firm. Remove from the oven and let stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes to cool before serving.

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Roasted Broccoli Quinoa

Written on January 1, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Side Dish

Happy New Year! We’ve survived the holidays and a Mayan apocalypse only to be told we need to lose 10lbs before February again. It’s silly the detox diets that people come up with, like raw green juice only for a week or “The Cookie Diet”(sounds promising but it’s not).

I definitely could use less desserts after last month and will probably try to post more healthy vegetable recipes. But that doesn’t mean you should be stuck on juices. Whole foods like broccoli and quinoa are perfectly good for you.

I read on a blog that quinoa was one of those 2012 “food fads” that ought to fade away in 2013. I hope that’s not true because it’s a great way to vary things up in the kitchen like roasted broccoli.

Roasted Broccoli Quinoa

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 4-6 servings):

1 cup dry quinoa, washed
2 cups broccoli florets
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1/2 cup chopped roasted hazelnuts(optional)
1/4 cup craisins(optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Method:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
Lay the broccoli florets out on a baking tray and drizzle with 3 Tablespoons of olive oil.
Roast for 45 minutes until the broccoli begins to brown.
While the broccoli’s roasting, combine the quinoa with 2 cups of water in a pot and bring it to a boil. Add a lid and turn off the heat and wait for the quinoa to cook.
In a large bowl, toss together the cooked quinoa, roasted broccoli, remaining olive oil, hazelnuts and craisins if using, and salt and pepper.
Add extra seasoning as desired. Serve hot or cold.

Much better than green juice.

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Nutty Roasted Broccoli

Written on September 14, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Side Dish

A lot has changed since I started this blog 11 months ago. Personally, I think I’ve become a better blogger. I got my first DSLR camera for Christmas last year. At the time I didn’t know how to use it; hell, I’m still learning how to use it. I shot in auto-mode for so long that I’m just getting around to teaching myself to shoot in manual, which I’m enjoying more and more.

Even though my photos and writing may have changed, my recipes and the way I eat really hasn’t. Case in point: I made this broccoli last year and blogged about it, and I’m still making it today. I thought it deserved a new post, one that makes it look as great as it tastes. If you’ve never tried roasted broccoli before, you’re really missing out. It’s tender and earthy with a nutty flavor—like no other broccoli you’ve ever eaten. Toasted walnuts add a nice added crunch and compliments the flavor.

You can use frozen instead of fresh in this recipe, too, however the broccoli will have a soggy bite to it.

Nutty Roasted Broccoli

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients(makes 4 servings):

3 cups fresh broccoli florets
3 Tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup walnuts, crushed and toasted

Method:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
Lay the broccoli florets out in a single layer on a baking tray.
Pour the oil on top and sprinkle on the salt. Toss a few times with your hands.
Roast in the oven for 30 minutes.
When the broccoli’s done, take the tray out of the oven and add in the walnuts. Toss to distribute. Serve hot.

Seriously, what was I thinking photographing in automatic all Summer when the lighting is best? I’m just learning more and more about aperture thanks to Anne’s guest post, and it’s like seeing through a whole new lens. It’s definitely worth the read to any photo enthusiasts.

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Tempeh And Broccoli

Written on September 8, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Entree

I’ve been getting a lot of questions on tempeh recently. I want to put all my thoughts into a post about it but until then you’ll only get recipes, which is pretty good considering half the time I eat tempeh it’s raw, cold from the fridge. I would not suggest eating it that way if it’s you’re first time; it would be a horrible, bland introduction to something that can be so tasty.

If tofu is soy chicken, tempeh is soy beef. It’s much firmer, earthier and has a chew to it. Naturally it’s a great vegetarian substitute for beef in Asian dishes, like beef and broccoli. Since broccoli was one of the three vegetables I liked growing up(the other being carrots and olives), beef and broccoli was what I always chose on Chinese take-out night. This recipe keeps all those same flavors and textures, but with whole food ingredients anyone can enjoy.

You can substitute rice vinegar in place of apple cider vinegar for a more traditional ingredient list. I like apple cider vinegar here because it replicates the sweet, fruity flavor of plum sauce common in Asian cooking.

Tempeh And Broccoli(inspired by Caitlin)

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients(makes 2 servings):

1 block of tempeh, diced
6 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon soy sauce(or wheat-free tamari)
2 Tablespoons agave nectar
1 Tablespoon sesame oil, preferably toasted
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
2 cups broccoli, steamed
1/2 onion, julienned
1 bell pepper, julienned(optional)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine the tempeh, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, agave, and chili powder in a large pan and heat it on a burner set to medium-high.
Cook for about 5 minutes flipping once until the liquid thickens up like a sauce.
Add in the broccoli, onion, pepper, and garlic powder. Continue cooking over medium heat until the moisture has boiled off of the pan and the onions turn soft(about 5 minutes).
Remove from the heat and season with salt. Plate and serve hot.

When this is cooked the tempeh should be fork-tender with a sweet, nutty flavor and fall apart in your mouth. It’s a great introduction to a food that could become your best friend.

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Healthy Chinese Broccoli

Written on August 9, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Side Dish

My favorite Chinese take-out to order has always been broccoli: Beef and broccoli, mushroom and broccoli, bean curd and broccoli. They just know how to do something to broccoli that makes it taste good. No doubt it’s full of sodium and sugar, which is part of why I wanted to make this myself. The other reason is, well, who doesn’t want to have delicious take-out food at half the cost whenever they feel like it?

Whether or not this is “healthy” you can debate. It has added sugar and a modest amount of sodium. Corn starch isn’t too “clean” an ingredient either. But I think making it for yourself, using ingredients you can see and touch, and being aware of what’s in your food is a pretty darn healthy way to live.

Healthy Chinese Broccoli

Ingredients(Makes 4 servings):

4 cups raw broccoli
2 Tablespoons sesame oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 yellow onion, julienned
3 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoon water
1 Tablespoon corn starch or tapioca starch

Method:

In a large pan, heat the sesame oil over a burner set to medium heat.
Sauté the garlic in the sesame oil until lightly browned.
In a small cup, mix the sugar, rice vinegar, and soy sauce until the sugar has mostly dissolved.
Add the broccoli, onion, and sugar mixture into the pan and cover with a lid until the broccoli has steam cooked and turned bright green.
While continuing to cook, remove the lid and mix together the contents of the pan until everything is covered in sauce.
Dissolve the starch into 2 tablespoons of water and pour it into the pan to mix with the sauce.
Cook until all the excess water has evaporated and the broccoli is covered in sauce. Plate and serve hot.

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Italian-Style Broccoli

Written on March 24, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Side Dish

If this recipe were a person it would be on Jersey Shore.

If this recipe were a person, it would have a cousin Vinny.

If this recipe were a person, it would GTL(Gym, Tan, Laundry) every Saturday.

This recipe is very Italian. It reminds me of the kind of vegetables I ate growing up: Covered in garlic. The olives are a welcomed, meaty bite with the broccoli. And it’s so easy it comes together in only 10 minutes. This just might save the reputation of Italian-Americans.

Italian-Style Broccoli

Ingredients:

3 cloves of garlic, diced
1/2 yellow onion, diced
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1lb steamed broccoli florets, fresh or frozen
1/4 cup finely chopped black olives
3/4 teaspoon salt

Over medium heat, sauté the onion and garlic in the oil for 2-3 minutes until the onions start to turn color.

Add in the broccoli and lower the heat. Toss the pan to make sure the broccoli soaks up the oil.

Add in the olives and distribute evenly throughout the dish. Serve hot.

My favorite part about this is how much flavor gets soaked into the broccoli. It completely loses that off-putting “green” flavor and is filled up with onion, garlic, and olives. If this recipe were a person, it would be way too good for Snooki.

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Lunchtime Stir-Fry

Written on February 7, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Entree

Lunchtime is a funny time. I usually just want hot food fast, that still tastes good but won’t take too long to cook(because that might interfere with watching Days of Our Lives). I usually opt for leftovers, quick-cooking quinoa, or—a big favorite of mine—a stir-fry. Start to finish, a stir-fry only takes 12-15 minutes to cook, and it usually has a lot of flavor. I make this with frozen veggies which makes the preparation even faster without changing the flavor.

Lunchtime Stir-Fry

Ingredients:

1/2 block extra-firm tofu, cubed
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2-3 garlic cloves, diced
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup steamed broccoli
1-2 handfuls spinach
a pinch of salt

Heat the oil in a pan with the garlic. Let it sauté for a few minutes over low-medium heat to flavor the oil.

Once the garlic starts turning slightly browned, add in the tofu, soy sauce, and salt. Keep stirring the pan as the ingredients cook and the tofu browns.

Once the tofu has browned on all sides, add in the broccoli and spinach and continue to cook until they have absorbed the liquid.

All the flavor and none of the fuss. To steal the words from Ina Garten(and actually mean them), “How easy is that?” My favorite part is the broccoli after it has sucked up all the salty sauce and is tender and juicy when you bite in.

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Nutty Roasted Broccoli

Written on December 4, 2010 by Wannabe Chef in Side Dish

I was always a fussy eater growing up. The only vegetables I liked were ketchup and french fries. OK, I wasn’t that bad. But besides carrots, broccoli, and black olives, I really didn’t care for vegetables. Because of that, we ate a lot of broccoli, a LOT of broccoli. I still love cooking it different ways, and roasting has to be my favorite. The florets get nice and crispy with a nutty aroma. Add some nuts and you’re golden.

Nutty Roasted Broccoli

Ingredients:

1 head of broccoli, cut into florets.
2-3 tablespoons oil
1/3 walnuts
Salt to taste

Preheat an oven to 375 degrees. Wash and dry your broccoli florets and lay them out on a baking tray.

Next, cover them in oil and toss to coat.

Roast the broccoli for 30 minutes on their own. Then add the walnuts and continue to roast for 10 more minutes. Drain the excess oil from the pan and season with salt. Serve hot.

This works really well with a nutty oil like walnut or sesame, but anything will do. It’s an easy side dish to make and pairs well with most any food.

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