Category: Breakfast

Frittata (photo: R Marinho)

Frittata

Frittata (photo: R Marinho)
Vegetable and Cheese Frittata (photo: R Marinho)

Do you have a bunch of vegetables in you’re fridge and need to get rid of them fast? As long as you have some eggs and milk you can make a simple frittata. I think I learned this one from Rachael Ray but of course I just took her base and then added what I thought would taste good. It’s a great option for breakfast too.

So the reason I made this was we were invited to my cousin Roya and Bayan’ house for dinner but I offered to cook. In the morning Raphael and I went to the farmer’s market and we bought the most amazing looking butternut squash. It was a cold rainy day so I thought I would make a yummy roasted butternut squash soup.  When we got home, I roasted the squash, with some carrots, potatoes and fresh garlic. It looked delicious but lets just say that’s where the deliciousness stopped. I think I added too much sage and it was all kinds of wrong. Even Raph wouldn’t eat it and he eats ANYTHING I make.  But we still had to go to my cousin’s house and I had nothing to take so I quickly took all of the left over vegetables in my fridge mixed them with eggs and ta da – a frittata came out. So here is what you have to do to make this yummy dinner.

  • 6 eggs
  • ¼ cup milk or cream
  • 1 cup broccoli – chopped
  • ½ cup red peppers – cubed
  • 1 cup spinach – chopped
  • ½ cup green onions – chopped
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese – grated
  • 1 cup parsley – Chopped
  • Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 350º and if you have a cast iron pan, put it in the oven so it gets hot while the oven heats up.

Beat eggs together with milk until everything is mixed well and frothy.
Add vegetables, cheese and seasoning.
Mix everything.
It may look like there aren’t enough eggs but in the oven it will puff up.
Take pan out of the oven (careful it will be very hot) and spray with Pam or equivalent so the eggs don’t stick.
Pour eggs and vegetable mixture into pan and put back in the oven.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown and when you shake the pan the eggs don’t giggle.
Let cool for 5 minutes and flip over.

Notes and Tips: You can also add cooked chicken, pepperoni, ham or sausage if you want to add some meat. You could also put potatoes and onion for a more hearty meal.

Notes and Tips: This is a great and easy recipe for a brunch or potluck. Just make sure you serve it warm.  You cannot make it too far ahead of time because the vegetables will start giving off water and it wont be so yummy.

Notes and Tips: It’s the best if you make it in a cast iron pan but if you don’t have one, any oven safe dish will do. If you forget to put it in the oven to heat while the oven is pre-heating it’s okay too. It just wont have a brown crust and it might take a little longer to bake.

Banana Bread (photo R Marinho)

Mom’s/Mae’s Banana Bread

Banana Bread (photo R Marinho)
Banana Bread (photo R Marinho)

This past Sunday we had a devotional gathering at our house because as a Baha’i, we wanted to meet people by saying prayers, poems and writings together. The plan was to go to brunch after but I wanted to make sure everyone had a little something in their tummies before we started the devotional part.

Raph had been asking for banana bread a few weeks now so I thought this would be a great opportunity. When we got married my mom bought me a KitchenAid Mixer and it really is the best thing for quick and easy muffins, cakes, doughs, and of course banana breads. The key to Banana bread and other like batters, is not to over mix or it will become very dense.

So this recipe is called Mom’s/Mae’s Banana Bread because it’s an amalgamation of my mom’s recipe and Raph’s mom’s recipe. My mom always put chocolate chips and Raphael’s mom always put Brazil nuts and a cinnamon/brown sugar topping on hers.

So this is what I came up with. It’s really yummy, just ask the 20 people who were at our house on Sunday morning.

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • ½ cup butter, at room temperature
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 ½ tsp. vanilla
  • 4-5 overripe bananas, mashed
  • ½ cup chopped brazil nuts
  • 1 cup chocolate chips or chunks

Sugar and Cinnamon topping

  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 ½ tablespoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°

Mix all dry ingredients (from flour to cinnamon) together.
In another bowl combine all other ingredients.
Mix dry ingredients with banana mixture until everything is combined.
Pour batter into a sprayed or buttered bundt or loaf pan.

Combine sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle over batter.

Bake at 350° for about 45 mins or until you stick a toothpick in and it comes out clean.

Notes and Tips: I like the bundt pan best because that’s how my mother in law made it, the bread cooks faster and more evenly, and the pieces are smaller.
Notes and Tips:
You can make this recipe lower fat by using the following recipe:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • ½ cup applesauce
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 ½ tsp. vanilla
  • 4-5 overripe bananas, mashed
  • ½ cup chopped brazil nuts
  • ½ cup flax seed

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Nutella Crepes (photo: R Marinho)

Nutella Crepes for Breakfast

Nutella Crepes (photo: R Marinho)
Nutella Crepes (photo: R Marinho)

I never really cook (this is Raphael, if you are wondering, I’m the guy who takes the photos and eats all the food posted on this blog), mostly because Ghaz is a much better cook, but here and there I try something out in the kitchen to give the Wife a rest – she deserves it.

One of my few specialties are French Crepes, that can be prepared with savory or sweet fillings – I’m a man and of course I like the savory crepes better, but I had long promised the missus to make her Breakfast Crepes a couple weeks ago. So this morning, as I was trying to get out of the ‘dog house’, it was the perfect opportunity for me to get in the kitchen. Hope you guys give it a try, it’s really easy… even I can make crepes.

Preparing Nutella Crepes (photo: R Marinho)
Preparing Nutella Crepes (photo: R Marinho)

Serves: 2 – 3 people (6 crepes in total)
Cook time: 30ish minutes

  • 3 eggs
  • 12 table spoons of flour
  • 250 ml of milk (soy milk will do if you are lactose intolerant like me)
  • a pinch of salt
  • fruits (I personally recommend strawberries or banana)
  • almonds (optional)

In a bowl stir with a whisk 3 eggs and salt, then add milk and finally flour – keep stirring for a minute or two. Let the mixture rest for about 15 minutes.

White you wait, wash and slice up the strawberries (or bananas). If you choose to add almonds, crush them – it will add a nice texture.

After the 15 minutes are done, heat a frying pan (medium heat) and spray it with oil (or brush w/ butter). Then pour a full ladle of the mixture in the pan, spreading it evenly by turning the pan sideways. After about 30 – 45 seconds flip the crepe (if you are feeling good that Morning, feel free to flip the crepes in the air instead of using a lame spatula) and let the other side fry, this side will be done much faster.

Notes and Tips: the first one or two crepes that you fry won’t turn out very good, as the pan is warming up – it’s normal – serve them to the guest you like the least.

As you fry the crepes, pile them, as this will keep them warm. Spread the Nutella (yes, it must be Nutella, no similar cheap hazelnut spread… come on!) and add the sliced strawberries and crushed nuts on one half, then fold the crepe.

Voilá! All done, if you feel inspired, add some Nutella and strawberries on top to decorate it.

Homemade Granola (photo: Raphael Marinho)

Homemade Granola

So my cousin, who I have now made my editor because I apparently have spelling mistakes (which should come to no surprise to those who know me well), has let me know that I need to make my blog more about me. Well other than food, me is the next thing I love to talk about so this should be easy. Most people get nervous about job interviews but I love them; an hour talking about yourself, how can it get better?? Ok now back to the blog and homemade granola… I went to go buy some from the supermarket and I either found ones that have raisins in them (which is the ONLY thing that Raphael WILL NOT eat) or they were super high in fat. So I decided to make my own. You can use whatever nuts and dried fruit you want. Just go buy CBD products bulk food area of your local supermarket (not sure why people say local, I think it’s kind of given that you would go to your nearest grocer – but I digress) and get about half cup of each kind of raw nuts and seeds that you like. You can also get 1/4 cup to half a cup of dried fruits that you like. Anyways have fun with it! Read this blog about the benefits of superfoods and mental health, there are lots of ways superfoods can benefit your mental health, you can check all the benefits at https://www.lisasnotebook.com/superfoods-can-benefit-your-mental-health/.

Homemade Granola (photo: Raphael Marinho)
Homemade Granola (photo: R Marinho)
  • 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats – not instant
  • 1 cup sliced or slivered almonds
  • ½ cup raw sunflower seeds
  • ½ cup raw pumpkin seeds
  • ½ cup cashews – because Raphael is Brazilian and loves them
  • ½ tablespoon wheat germ – optional (I didnt put)
  • ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil or melted butter
  • ½ cup pure maple syrup or honey – don’t use that Aunt Jemima stuff
  • 1 cup dried fruits (cranberries, cherries, apricots, dates, figs, and/or raisins) – I didn’t put any of these so you wont see it in the picture

Preheat oven to 325°

In a large bowl combine the rolled oats, nuts, seeds, wheat germ, ground cinnamon, and salt.
Do not add dried nut until after you have baked the granola. – I made the mistake once and it wasn’t pretty.
In a small bowl, stir together the oil (or melted butter), and maple syrup.
Pour this mixture over the dry ingredients and toss together, making sure all the dry ingredients are coated with the liquid. Spread onto a parchment paper covered baking sheet.
Bake for about 30 – 45 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally so the mixture browns evenly.
The browner the granola gets (without burning) the crunchier the granola will be.
The granola may still be sticky when it is removed from the oven but it will become crisp and dry as it cools.
Break up any large clumps of granola while the mixture is still warm. Once the granola has completely cooled add dried fruits and store in an airtight container or plastic bag in the refrigerator. It’s good for many weeks.

Makes about 5 cups.

Notes and Tips: Did you know that cashews are a seed that grows outside of a fruit? I didn’t know until I went to Brazil. Here is a picture that I took last December:

Sholehzard or Saffron Rice Pudding

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sholehzard
Sholehzard or Saffron Rice Pudding (photo: Raphael M.)

This recipe will make about 8 servings and you can eat it hot or cold.

2 cups of rice
8 cups of water
2 to 3 cups of sugar – depending on how sweet you like it
1 tablespoon of saffron
3 tablespoons of hot water
1/4 cup of butter
1/4 cup of rosewater –
1 tablespoon of cinnamon
1/4 cup of almonds, slivered

Rinse rice in warm water by filling a large pot up and swishing it around then slowly draining the water, being careful not to pour the rice out. Repeat 3 times.
Add 8 cups of warm water. It may seem like a lot but trust me you will need it.
Bring rice to a boil and keep boiling and stirring for 20 minutes. Make sure rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of your pot.
Turn heat down to a slow boil and slowly add sugar half a cup at a time and stirring rigorously each time.
Meanwhile dissolve the saffron in another small bowl or a cup in the hot water, let stand for 10 minutes and then add to rice.
Stir in butter and rose water.
Stir over medium or low heat until mixture becomes thick and you can’t see rice grains any longer.
Serve with cinnamon and slivered almonds on top. I toasted my almonds to give it more flavour.

Notes and Tips: You can also use roasted pistachios. The simplest way to roast nuts is in the microwave by placing a paper towel on a plate and spreading the nuts apart. Toast for about one minute depending on the nut and size. You know it’s done when nuts are a light brown.

 

Waffle with Strawberries & Maple Syrup

Sunday Morning Waffles

Waffle with Strawberries & Maple Syrup
Waffles with Strawberries & Maple Syrup (photo: Raphael M.)

Recipe makes about 8 square waffles

  • 1 ¾ cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 3 egg yolks – beaten
  • 1 ¾ cup milk
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 3 egg whites – beaten stiffly

Mix all dry ingredients.
Combine yolks and milk.
Stir into dry ingredients.
Stir in oil and mix.
GENTLY fold in beaten egg whites until you cant see whites, do not over mix.
Spay or butter your waffle iron right before you pour batter.
Pour about 1/2 cup at a time into waffle iron.
Waffles are ready when they are light brown and crispy to touch.
The first ones never seem to work out for me. But don’t give up!

Notes and Tips: You can make half the recipe with the following measurements:

  • 1 cup flour 1 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ Tablespoon sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg yolk – beaten
  • 1 cup milk
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 egg white – beaten stiffly

Notes and Tips: You can add any barriers or chocolate chips to your batter or add fruits on top with syrup. I love mine best with strawberries and Nutella on top.