easy spinach garlic frittata

January 10, 2016 radish*rose 0 comment

A confession: The art of frittata-making eluded me for a very long time. This spinach garlic frittata is a hard-won victory for me. Every recipe I tried went like this: In an oven-proof skillet, sauté the fillings on the stovetop, pour in beaten eggs, continue to cook on the stovetop until almost done, then broil until puffed and brown. Sounds easy, right? Except… mine never worked. Ever! It would always burn either top or bottom, possibly both, and it would stick to the pan, requiring a long soak to clean up. Sigh. I had almost given it up for lost, until I came across this easy frittata recipe for kids, using a simple baking method. I thought to myself: Surely I can make this if kids can make this. Right?! Right! Guess what – this method totally works. No burning, no sticking to the pan. Hurrah! The great thing about frittatas is that you can use any veggies you have on hand, so feel to modify to your needs. Go ahead, use that asparagus, kale, or whatever you have. And if you have leftover frittata, it is delicious in a sandwich the next day. Continue reading

salty sweet maple granola

December 7, 2015 radish*rose 0 comment

Granola. What’s your favorite kind? It might be this one, once you give it a try – and a mason jar of it would make a really cute homemade gift for the holidays! What makes it so great? It’s kind of hard to describe how super-good this is, but I will try, because you really should make it, even if you’ve never made granola before (I hadn’t). First of all, it has an amazing balance of flavors – sweet and salty in just the right way. Secondly, it is almost half nuts, so it is extremely hearty and will keep you going all morning. Thirdly, you can change it up to suit yourself – just keep to the proportion of oats to nuts, but you could use any kind of nuts you want, or add herbs and spices. I might try a little rosemary next time.
Continue reading

savory bread pudding with broccoli rabe and mushrooms

November 1, 2015 radish*rose 0 comment

Just back from London, mates! Did you miss me? Here’s some healthy comfort food to make it up to you! Savory bread pudding features cubes of hearty whole-grain bread, broccoli rabe, mushrooms, and Gruyére cheese, bound with eggs & low-fat milk, then baked until puffed and golden. Having just been in London, I’m reminded that the Brits call dessert “pudding”. But this is not that kind of pudding. This is a main dish if you’re vegetarian, or a hearty savory side if not. It would also be a most excellent brunch dish! Or should I say egg-cellent? Teehee.

perfectly poached eggs on lemony avocado toast

May 4, 2015 radish*rose 2 Comments

I love the moment when you break a perfectly poached egg open and the gooey warm yolk spills all over everything. Especially a crunchy piece of toast with lemony avocado spread. Yay! Moment of egg happiness! However, until now I’ve been sadly limited in my poached-egg consumption because the technique of poaching eggs has eluded me. Somehow I always ended up with an overcooked egg bomb with no gooey yolk in sight, or an undercooked icky blob. Yet I wanted to learn, because a poached egg or two is such a great way to add a delicious little package of protein to your otherwise veggie- or grain-based meals, any time of day. Finally, Martha Rose Shulman’s technique in The Simple Art of Vegetarian Cooking: Templates and Lessons for Making Delicious Meatless Meals Every Day showed me the way to a fully cooked white with still slightly gooey yolk. I was so thrilled when it worked! I may even have done a happy egg dance. And if I can poach an egg, so can you – better get your own happy egg dance ready! Continue reading

easy broiled asparagus with crispy Parmesan crumbs

April 4, 2015 radish*rose 1 Comment

Hello, Spring! Asparagus season is here, and asparagi (I know that’s not really the plural, but I think it should be) are featured in many Easter dinners for those who celebrate. Really, though, any time is good to enjoy asparagus – think brunch and lunch as well as dinner. Here is a very easy way to make an asparagus crowd-pleaser using your broiler. You will end up with lightly charred stalks topped with crispy, crunchy Parmesan and golden breadcrumbs. Yum! Continue reading

mini crustless spinach feta quiches

March 8, 2015 radish*rose 4 Comments

These easy mini crustless quiches work very well for a weekday breakfast (make ahead on Sunday, then grab and go) or lazy weekend brunch (with bloody Marys or mimosas, am I right?). But it also works for dinner. You could make the 9-inch pie version, then serve a wedge with a simple green salad on the side, a glass of crisp white wine, and a happy sigh. To make the mini version, you use something you probably already have: a muffin tin. That’s right. Mini or regular. Your choice! The recipe magically makes exactly 12 mini-quiches or one 9-inch pie. Continue reading