Mushroom + Onion Frittata

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So as you know, Shaun and I are going meatless for a week. So far, I've been cooking up a storm for our lunches and dinners (we typically don't include meat at breakfast, so no change there) and I'm psyched to share some of my ideas with you. I think I found a good one.

I knew that to keep us on track, I'd have to arm us with all the tools to keep our food fun, exciting and most importantly, delicious. So on my day off for MLK day, I made a loose menu plan, a big list of goodies and went shopping. I am happy to report that 75% of my shopping cart was filled with fruits and veggies. Booyah! So to kick things off, I eased us into dinner with a little frittata with a side of sauteed broccoli and cauliflower.

Hold the phone. Eggs...for dinner? Yep, I went there. And if that's wrong, I don't want to be right.

I have one word for this dinner: yum. Though I had never tried one in the past, I've seen many a frittata made on Food Network by some of my faves (Giada, Tyler) so when I came across a delectable looking version in this month's Food Network magazine (obsessed much?) I knew this was a must for meatless week. Not to mention that Shaun loves all things eggs and requests them every Saturday and Sunday morning. Personally I prefer pancakes, but eggs are ok too :) Anyhow, the point of my story is that this frittata is light, delicious and even easier than scrambled eggs if you can believe it.

Mushroom + Onion Frittata
*Adapted heavily from Food Network Magazine
3 eggs
4 egg whites
1 C smoked mozzarella cheese, grated (or cheese of choice, but smoked is recommended)
2 C sliced mushrooms, I used about one package of baby bella's
1 clove garlic, minced
1 onion, cut in half and sliced
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 tbsp parmesean cheese + more for dusting
splash of skim milk
olive oil
light butter

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a non-stick oven approved skillet, heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and a little scoop of light butter. Add the onions and cook on low heat until they are soft and browned, stirring occasionally. Low and slow is key here - don't let them burn! Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Season with kosher salt and pepper. Once combined, whisk in the mozzarella, parmesean and basil.

Add the garlic and sliced mushrooms to the onions and continue cooking just until the mushrooms start to soften and break down. They will continue cooking in the oven, so don't overcook them here!

 

With a silicon brush, I coated the sides of the pan with olive oil. Pour in the egg mixture, evenly over the mushrooms.

 

Cook over medium heat, without mixing or touching it in any way, until a crust starts to form in the pan, about 2 or so minutes. Run your rubber spatula around the edges to make sure it has set. Transfer to the oven for 7-10 minutes or until lightly cooked through.

Cut into wedges and serve that bad boy up! We enjoyed this along with a bag of frozen broccoli and cauliflower that I sauteed in a tiny bit of olive oil and season with salt, pepper and parmesean cheese. Belissimo.

Though the original recipe called for cottage cheese, I, of course, did not read the entire recipe before food shopping and forgot this ingredient. I don't know what it would taste like with the cottage cheese, but I don't need to find out. This was pure perfection without it. The smokiness of the cheese coupled with the earthiness of the mushrooms was a fab flavor combination all on its own, if I do say so myself.

So there you have it. Our meatless, eggy dinner that Shaun immediately said he 'hated' (our inside joke for when something is over-the-top yum) which also lead to cleaning his entire plate and going back for seconds. And taking another serving for breakfast today. So what do you think? Do you believe in eggs, or any breakfast, for dinner? I personally think it rocks my world!

The Going-Meatless Challenge

...for a week.

But let me back up. When I left you last, I had just arrived in Atlanta for a quick work trip. Shaun joined me and we had a great weekend! We had an uh-mazing(!!!) dinner at the Buckhead Diner and then nabbed last minute tickets to the Falcons-Packers game (which sadly did not turn out to be a good game at all, but was still fun to be there!).

We changed our flight to arrive early yesterday and make it in time to see the Jetties crush the Patriots, so everyone is happy in the Humiston house. I also have a fun roundup of the Buckhead Diner coming at you this week, but first I wanted to make a quick announcement.

Shaun and I have decided to go meatless for one week. A couple of weeks ago, I brought up the notion of going vegan. You know, just to think about it. Could I do it? Is it something that I’ve always balked at, but perhaps might be a good thing for sustaining my life? Shaun was not necessarily pleased. I was talking to a master meat griller after all.

Not that I was seriously considering this as a life change (or even know that much about it, as a matter of fact), but I have become interested in the topic and have been questioning its merits. The next day, Shaun came around a little. He might be a master griller, but he’s also been reading Omnivore’s Dilemma (I’ve tried but I just can’t get ‘er done). He suggested that perhaps we should try going vegetarian for a week and see how it goes. At a minimum, we’ve both been questioning where the meat we eat comes from. The more we think about it and talk about it, the more apparent it is that we seem to have our very own omnivore’s dilemma. So here’s the thought process behind this week’s challenge:

First and foremost, I actually want to give up meat for a week in order to force the issue of a more plant-based diet. We don’t eat nearly enough fruits and veggies. In fact, for a long time, I couldn’t even envision a lunch or dinner feeling fulfilling without some sort of chicken (at least) as the star of the dish. This really needs to change. Regardless of meat quality, the reality is that we need to be eating way more vegetables - that whole 50-25-25 thing on your plate and eating less of this:

...and more of this:

Secondly, I need to find something to hold myself accountable to. I’ve gotten into some bad habits over the last few months of eating things that I shouldn’t be eating more often than not. As I try to get myself back on track, I’m ready and excited to tackle this first challenge! (Note: I know that cutting out meat is not necessarily a healthy way to lose weight without counting calories, etc, but my hope is that by forcing more fruits and veggies, this will happen naturally without feeling like dieting).

Thirdly, that whole where is my meat coming from? issue that we all know and love.

The plan:
We’re giving up meat for 1 week, starting today.
There’s no limitation on dairy, eggs or fish. Though we don’t particularly eat a ton of fish anyway, so I don’t foresee this being a big issue.
We’re going to be eating lots and lots of fruits and vegetables.

We'll reevaluate how we move forward at the end of the week. That all being said, I don’t foresee myself ever completely giving up a great cheeseburger or pastrami sandwich in the long run.

Because part of my love for food is eating all of it (and I have a brand new 10 lbs to prove it). But at the very least, I could potentially see myself limiting my meat intake to locally sustained farming or for specific occasions that do not include a ham and cheese sandwich from the local bodega (ack).

And to keep it fresh and fun for both Shaun and me and for all of you as I track this week’s eatings, I’m working on a full-blown menu plan which I hope will keep us on track and excited about food this week! I can’t wait to share it!

So I’m guessing you guys are going to have lots of opinions on this and I cannot wait to hear them! Are you all for going veg? Do you think it’s a wasted effort? This isn’t something that I’m completely swayed on one way or the other for the long term, so I’d love to hear your thoughts on the matter!

Psst...tomorrow I've got another fun announcement - The Avid Appetite turns 1!

Three Bean Chili

I'm not gonna lie. I make a mean chili. Usually consisting of pretty basic ingredients like ground beef and ground turkey, some beans, crushed tomatoes and spices. But when my friend Lauren asked if I'd ever made a vegetarian version (you know, one that she could actually try since she doesn't eat meat), I realized that it never occured to me to make it meatless. And so a challenge was born.

I assumed that the same basic chili principles that I use for my meat-filled chili would apply.

This chili was so easy to prepare. Packed with veggies and beans, it's hearty and filling. When I told Shaun that I was making a meatless chili...well, let's just say he was...skeptical. But the final verdict? Neither of us missed the meat. Shaun even transformed the chili into other dishes throughout the week (since somehow I felt it necessary to make a vat large enough to provide for hibernating bears). First up, he added a dollop of sour cream and some baked tortilla chips and we had a nice chili dip for the Jets game on Monday night. Though we've since blacked out the evening from our minds (if you saw the game, you'll understand), this dish was the only memorable part of the night.

I also came home from Zumba on Tuesday to find my love preparing huevos rancheros at 9:30 (gotta love a man who cooks). Utilizing the chili, he layered low fat sour cream, low fat cheddar cheese, scrambled eggs and the veggie chili atop a whole wheat tortilla that he lightly sauteed to crispify. Not bad, right?

The best part is that you can really add any vegetables that you want to this chili. I used carrots, celery and bell peppers, but I bet you could also mix in some asparagus or spinach as well.

Three Bean Chili
2 small onions, diced
4 celery stalks, roughly chopped
1 ½ C carrots, chopped (I used a few handfuls of baby carrots and chopped ‘em up)
1 garlic clove, minced
4 bell peppers, roughly chopped, ribs & seeds removed (I used a combination of red & green)
1 tbsp butter or light butter
1 tbsp olive oil
kosher salt
2 cans canellini beans, rinsed & drained
2 cans black beans, rinsed & drained
2 cans red kidney beans, rinsed & drained
2 28oz cans crushed tomatoes (I use Red Pack)
2 28 oz cans tomato sauce (I use Red Pack)
4 tbsp cumin
3 tbsp chili powder

Chop up all the veggies. In a big stock pot, heat the butter and olive oil and add the onions, sautéing for a couple of minutes. Add the celery and carrots, sprinkle with kosher salt, and give it a big stir. This is your mirepoix. The holy trinity of aromatics if you will.

Let that cook for a few minutes and then add the peppers and garlic. We’re layering flavors here people!

Once softened, about 3-4 minutes, add the rinsed beans and stir all together. It might require a bit of elbow grease to get ‘er done since the pot will be about halfway to two-thirds full. Next, add in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce and spices. Mix all together now.

Bring it to a boil and then turn to simmer. With the lid to the pot slightly ajar so that steam can escape, simmer for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally. The chili will reduce and start to smell heavenly. You’ll be left with a delicious chili for all to enjoy. While the cumin and chili powder to give the chili some depth, if you want it spicy (which we did not), you can also sprinkle in some cayenne pepper.

So there you have it. A tale of my meatless chili. So what do you think? Have you ever transformed a favorite dish to suit other needs? Like those of a vegetarian friend? :)