Baked Bell Pepper Egg Cups

 Fun & hardy breakfast adapted from a recipe at Sweet C's

You know me well enough by now to realize my favorite breakfasts are dinner leftovers. LOL I have been known to enjoy leftover stuffed peppers for breakfast, so this recipe is ideal for anyone sharing my affection for a hardy start to the day.

Ingredients:

• 4 medium bell peppers - any color but green
• salt & pepper to taste
• black pepper to taste
• a dash of crushed Aleppo pepper per pepper half (optional)
• 1/3 - 1/2 cups scallions - diced
• 8 large eggs
• 1/3 cup Mexican-blend shredded cheese

Instructions:

When buying peppers for this recipe try to find the ones that have the same diameter top and bottom. This makes for easy filling.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a baking pan with cooking spray to ensure the peppers do not stick to the pan. Alternately line pan with parchment paper. (preferred)

Trim each stem close to the top of the pepper and cut bell peppers in half through vertically. Remove ribs and seeds. Place the peppers in the pan cut-side up and sprinkle with salt & pepper.

Bake the peppers for 10-15 minutes depending on how much crunch you want to retain. Remove the pan from the oven and crack 1 egg into each pepper cup. Season with the scallions and a bit more salt and pepper. Top each cup with about 1 tbsp cheese and a dash of Aleppo if desired.

Bake until the egg whites are set, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro or parsley, if desired. 

Use this recipe as a base and add anything you think will make these cups your own. Enjoy!

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Egg & Spinach Muffins

Credit for this adapted dish goes to the ADA's Diabetes Food Hub.

Breakfast for diabetics can be a challenge, so I'm always in search of new ideas. Eggs are my go-to for breakfast because they're a superfood, and this muffin version of a scramble just made me smile. It's a dish you can be creative with, adjusting the ingredients to make the final serve your own. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 cup frozen chopped spinach - thawed and squeezed
• 1/2 cup scallion tops - cut into 1/4" rings
• 9 eggs
• 1/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray each cup of a muffin pan with one spray of non-stick cooking spray.

Add 1 heaping tablespoon of the thawed spinach to the bottom of each muffin cup in the muffin tin. Divide the scallions among the cups as well.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, yogurt, salt and pepper. Evenly divide the egg mixture among the 12 muffin cups and give a gentle stir. Top each egg muffin with 1 teaspoon of parmesan cheese.

Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the eggs are slightly firm to touch. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 5 minutes.

Remove from the muffins from the pan and serve or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week, or freeze and store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.

To reheat from the refrigerator, place the muffin uncovered on a plate in the microwave for 30 seconds. To reheat from frozen, place the muffin uncovered on a plate in the microwave for 1 minute.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Creamy Colonial Crunch

Desserts... always a tough one in the realm of diabetes. The ingredients here have a relatively low GI, and by limiting the quantity to what a sensible dessert SHOULD be, you can indulge without freaking out . Yeah yeah, I know... yogurt and berries... what's the big deal, right? Well the big deal is that you're putting this together yourself. You can get creative with the fruit colors to represent different holidays or countries. :-) More importantly, you are TAKING CONTROL and making something delicious that won't wreak havoc with your numbers! :-) 

Ingredients:

· 1/2 cup fat free PLAIN yogurt
· Some blueberries
· two strawberries
· some sunflower seeds

Preparation:

Put the yogurt in a very small bowl. The key here is.... dessert, not a whole meal. Cut up the strawberries into small pieces so it looks like more than just two and place them on top. Add the blueberries and sunflower seeds... Done!

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Healthy Breakfast

We already know that breakfast is important, so let's fuel our systems properly, shall we? Contrary to popular belief, it does NOT take forever to put together a fantastic breakfast at home that will easily fuel you through the morning and beyond. The key here is FRESH. If you're a gardener, it's wonderful to go out just after dawn and pick items you'll be consuming shortly. To me there's nothing better than going plant to table in minutes. Even if you don't or can't garden, you can stock your fridge with real food for real meals.

Make the effort to get into the routine of making breakfast at home instead of the motto... "I'll just grab something on the way"... Your system as well as your mind will thank you all day long :-)

Color in the morning is nearly as important as flavor and nutrition. Choose ingredients that will brighten your spirits while fueling your body for the day ahead!

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp lightly salted butter or olive oil
• 2-3 large eggs - lightly beaten
• 2-3 scallions
• 4-5 leaves spinach
• 1/8 yellow onion
• 1/4 red, yellow or green bell pepper
• 2-3 baby portobello mushrooms
• 5-10 grape tomatoes cut in half

Preparation:

Start by cutting up all the ingredients to your liking. I suggest staying away from mincing so that color splashes are more pronounced. Melt the butter and add onions, peppers and mushrooms. Sautee until cooked but still firm. Add spinach and scallions and toss for a few seconds. Add the lightly beaten eggs and spread the veggies so they're distributed evenly in the eggs. Lower heat and cover pan. Cook until eggs are firm. Slide omelet onto plate, top with halved tomatoes and serve.

Have a nice day!!!

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Breakfast Bolognese

Okay, okay... I know what you're thinking.... this guy's crazy, right? Bolognese for breakfast? Well, get used to it LOL I simply adore incorporating dinner food in my breakfast menus. It's just who I am, and from a nutritional standpoint, it's spot-on :-)

Ingredients:

· Leftover bolognese

· 2 eggs

· dash of salt for the eggs

Preparation:

Beat the eggs with a dash of salt and fry into a 7 - 8" smooth patty, depending on what size pan you own. Warm up your leftover Bolognese in a separate pan. Place egg patty on plate and spoon Bolognese on top, leaving the edge of the eggs showing for presentation.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Chef Michael's Irish Soda Bread

Irish Bad Boy... and LOVING IT!!!

I know... I know... Purists will chastise me... Hardliners may disown me... My Irish heritage is appalled and I am sure my ancestors are stirring in their graves readying to mount a zombie attack against me and my disrespectful ways...

I'm not much of a baker, but years ago when I was running parenting workshops with my very Irish friend Mary Dowd, she introduced me to her version of Irish Soda Bread that was just divine. She was kind enough to share her recipe and I had fun making the breads on my own. Easy peasy...

...and then...

I was getting ingredients to make the breads one year and there they were... calling to me... and I thought... hmmmmm, this might work... Enter the beautiful, amazing, tasty and tradition-bucking...

----CRAISINS----

Irish Soda Bread made with craisins has been my St. Patrick's Day signature treat ever since; friends and family rave quietly by way of yummy noises every year. Ohhhhh the sacrilege... The recipe is best used as a dessert or breakfast bread, because... well, the craisins are just a little weird with corned beef ;-) So without further ado, let me introduce you to something quite different from Irish tradition:

Chef Michael's Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 16 oz. container sour cream
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 cup Craisins…. YES CRAISINS!!!

Yes... I know I am handing my fellow diabetics pure sugar, but there's a good chance not all our guests share our disease, and as always... moderation is our friend. We diabetics are diligent all year round, right? So, in a nutshell... "Live a little!" a few times a year is how I roll... Enjoy!

Preparation:

Mix all dry ingredients well. Add egg and sour cream. 

Fold ingredients with floured hands until well combined, but not overly mixed.

Fold in and combine... and combine.... yeah, right LOL

Basically, squoosh the hell out of this messy, very sticky batch

of gooey goodness until you have a big, sticky ball.

Then... just when you're ready to launch Irish obscenities....

You're done!

Bake at 375 degrees in greased 9” cake pan for about 50-60 minutes

or until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Enjoy!

Serve as a dessert or for breakfast… Add a little butter and OMG YUM!

And... all my fellow diabetics? Moderation, please! 

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Banana Bread

 Full credit for this diabetic friendly treat goes to my good friend

Betsy Kelp Galloway

Servings: 10 slices

Time: 1 hour, plus cooling

This recipe was modified to be more diabetic friendly from a banana bread recipe published in 1973 by The American Heart Association.

The amount of white sugar was reduced from the original by 33%.

All purpose flour has a glycemic index of 85 placing it in the high range. Almond flour has a glycemic index of 1, a very low value. The all purpose flour in the original recipe version was reduced by 50% and substituted with almond flour. Wheat germ has a glycemic index of 15, which is also very low.

The glycemic index of bananas goes up as they ripen. Ripe bananas are needed to mash and incorporate but resist the temptation of overly ripening the bananas.

This bread is naturally darker in color than banana bread made only with all purpose flour. Don’t be concerned if, on first glance, it looks like it’s burning.

Keep the oven door closed for best leavening.

The modified version and the original bread have a slight crack along the top.

Ingredients:

• 3 ripe bananas
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup buttermilk*
• ¼ cup heart friendly oil
• ½ cup all purpose flour
• ½ cup almond flour
• ½ cup wheat germ
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a mixing bowl, mash bananas with the back of a fork then add sugar and mix thoroughly to completely mash the bananas. Reduce the mixer speed to low to avoid splashing; add eggs, oil, and buttermilk; and blend thoroughly.

In a second bowl, gently whisk together all remaining ingredients. (For best bread results: gently spoon flour and wheat germ ingredients, one ingredient at a time, into a measuring cup then level off with a straight edge, such as the back of a table knife, before adding to the bowl. This will help keep the bread from becoming too dense.)

Add dry ingredients to the liquid mixture. Combine well but be careful not to over mix or the bread will have a tough consistency.

Pour batter into an 8” x 4” loaf pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake in a preheated oven for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from the oven. Cool for 5 minutes then carefully turn out of the loaf pan.

Cut into 8-10 slices, each ¾ to 1 inch thick. For best presentation, gently remove a sliver from both ends of the loaf before slicing. A bread knife is useful to limit tearing and crumbling.

*In baked goods, the acid in buttermilk works with leavening agents, like baking soda, to provide a fluffier texture. It also deepens the flavors. If you don’t have buttermilk, try substituting ¼ cup milk plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice.

Blessed be… and happy cooking!

Healthy Hardy Breakfast

I like a good, hardy breakfast. I am of the belief that eggs are a superfood, so if I'm not having dinner leftovers for breakfast, I most often turn to eggs. I always try to make my egg dishes filling enough so that no toast is needed. To that end, I give you this hardy, tasty, healthy blend that will easily carry you through the morning. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 lge eggs - scrambled
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1-2 tbsp minced onion - red, yellow, white... get creative
• 3-5 baby portobello mushrooms - sliced or chopped to your liking
• 2 tbsp shredded sharp cheddar or your own favorite 
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2-4 tbsp homemade chutney 

Preparation:

Scramble the eggs in a small bowl and season to taste.

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add oil and saute onions for a couple minutes. Add mushrooms and saute with an occasional stir until almost done. Add the eggs and cover skillet.

Watch for eggs to be almost done, add cheese and cover again until cheese is melted. Plate and add the Tomato/Pepper/Basil Chutney.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Avocado Mash & Eggs

Avocados are good for you... Eggs are a superfood in my book. Combine the two as you'll see here and your morning will start with Yummy Noises! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 avocado
• 2 eggs - sunny side up
• olive oil as needed
• salt & pepper to taste
• cooking spray

Preparation:

Cut up an avocado on a plate and mash with a fork.

Add olive oil, salt & pepper a little at a time until you get a

mash consistency and seasoning to your liking.

Heat a skillet, add cooking spray and fry the eggs. Just before the eggs are done, warm the mash for 30 seconds in the microwave on high. Slide the eggs onto the mash and enjoy!

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Black Beans & Barley... Revisited :-)

The Slow Cooker Black Beans & Barley recipe yielded quite a bit more than anticipated so I decided to play a little. It turns out the mix makes for a delightfully earthy breakfast patty or lunch. Sorry, folks, but we just left vegetarian territory. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• leftover Black Bean & Barley mix - cold
• light oil of choice for frying
• 1-3 eggs
• 1-2 cups seasoned Panko
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp Everything Bagel seasoning - optional

Preparation:

Set up the egg dip and Panko and heat oil in a non-stick skillet.

Shape enough patties to feed everyone.

Dredge through egg and Panko and fry until golden brown on each side.

Enjoy solo or slice up your favorite fruits to accompany these beauties.

I never like anything to go to waste, so the second option after breaded patties is to mix remaining egg and Panko with some more bean/barley mix. Add some scallions or whatever you think will elevate the mix... maybe some minced bell pepper... and fry over medium high heat basically to add a bit of a crisp to the formed patties. 

A bit of grated Parmesan gave mine a little extra zing. :-)

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Simple Sprouts

Need a quick lunch that's healthy? This is something that can be made fast at home as well as at work. At work you can easily opt for the microwave for prep, but if at all possible, try to stay away from that thing... period. Anyway... if you're not a fan of sprouts, feel free to switch up the vegetable, the nuts and even the grated cheese.... Come on... have some fun with simple! 

Ingredients:

· 1 10oz pkg frozen baby Brussels sprouts
· sliced almonds, plain or toasted
· 1 tbsp grated parmesan

Preparation:

Place almonds in dry skillet over medium heat. Toss until they start to brown. Continue tossing until you reach desired toast. Boil or steam the sprouts (or a vegetable of your choosing) until just tender. Drain and plate. Sprinkle on the nuts and top off with parmesan.

(Shown with un-toasted almonds)

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

The Cold Breakfast Wrap

 This is currently my daily go-to breakfast.

It's quite healthy and packed with protein that will easily hold you until lunch.

Nice thing about it is it allows for creativity every single morning

as it's easy to switch up the ingredients to keep it interesting.

The Cold Breakfast Wrap

Ingredients:

1 Carb-Balance Whole Wheat Wrap from Mission

1 Schmeer of lite cream cheese

Red Onion

Capers

1 Hard Boiled Egg - sliced lengthwise

Smoked salmon

Black Pepper

Tomato

Baby leaf spinach

Preparation:

Assembly is really easy... the pics say it all. ENJOY!!!

Blessed be... and happy cooking!