Cheat Omelettes aka The Wafflette and Soufflé Egg Balls

Omelettes are a frequent breakfast item in my home both during the week and on the weekend. My husband and I both LOVE having a hot breakfast whenever possible, and different variations of this delightful day changer always keep us wanting more. Often, friends have told me that they have a difficult time making a hot breakfast for their family during the week. It Is much easier to have cereal, instant oatmeal, fruit or yogurt for breakfast when time is a factor.

What if I told you that you could have a hot breakfast with fresh eggs, vegetables and cheese in the same amount of time it would take to wash and slice fresh fruit or gather the ingredients for a morning smoothie?  It requires some planning, but it works! I made a hot breakfast for my husband and I  in 5-8 minutes. It was so fast and easy I had to share my cheat Omelettes with all of you. I have created two variations of this breakfast. The first is what I like to call a "Wafflette", or a Waffle Omelette and the second is Soufflé Egg Balls.

This is how I did it:

When I woke up, I went down to the kitchen and started brewing a fresh pot of coffee. Before heading up to the shower, I plugged in the waffle maker. Once I was ready, I took eggs, scallion, shredded cheese, mushrooms and red pepper out of the fridge. I cracked the eggs into a measuring cup and quickly diced the vegetables. I dropped the vegetables and cheese into the measuring cup and seasoned with dried chili flakes, salt and pepper. I whisked until well combined, sprayed my waffle maker with non stick cooking spray and poured the egg mixture, spreading it evenly before shutting the lid. THREE minutes later my hot Wafflette was ready. The outer exterior had delicious crispy bits from the cheese and it was fluffy and moist on the inside. SOOOOOOOO TASTY! It can also be placed in a whole grain bun or English muffin and wrapped in parchment to be eaten as you run out the door. If you are not confident with flipping eggs and folding over traditional or crepe style Omelettes, or if time is a factor, this recipe is for you!

The second variation is a lighter oil-free version. In order to make these delicious egg balls, a non-stick poaching pan is needed. I purchased mine new at Costco 3 years ago and use it a every week. It was an affordable investment that has made hundreds of eggs over the past few years. I used exactly the same ingredients except left out the oil and cooking spray that I would normally use when making a Wafflette.

This is how I did it:

When I woke up I went down to the kitchen and started brewing a fresh pot of coffee. Before heading up to the shower, I placed 2 inches of water in the bottom of the poaching pan and set the covered pan on low over the stove.  Once I was ready, I took eggs, scallion, shredded cheese, mushrooms, and red pepper out of the fridge. I cracked the eggs into a measuring cup and quickly diced some the vegetables. I dropped the vegetables and cheese into the measuring cup and seasoned with dried chili flakes, salt and pepper. I whisked until well combined. I poured the mixture into each egg slot, filling each slot 3/4 full. Cover and in 8-10 minutes the egg balls puff up like a soufflé and are ready to eat or pack up for an on-the-go snack.

This version is very popular with both children and adults because each batch can be customized utilizing different ingredients.  This is a fun substitute for regular hard boiled eggs and is great for breakfast, as a snack at the office, for a mid-morning protein boost or a late-afternoon or post-workout snack. Hard boiled eggs get very boring, so having an alternative with some vegetables is a nice change. This recipe takes 8-10 minutes and can be made in advance similar to a hard boiled egg.

Both recipes are listed below and BOTH can be made the evening before and reheated in the microwave if desired.

In addition I have included a STEP by STEP picture demonstration in order to help you make a crepe style omelette, when time is not a factor. I hope that these recipes inspire you to change up your morning routine.

Wafflette
For every two people use:

2 eggs
1/4 cup shredded cheddar
1 scallion- diced
2 mushrooms- diced
1/2 red or green pepper- diced
pinch of salt, pepper
pinch of cayenne pepper- optional
garnish- tomatoes, herbs, avocado, greens- optional
The ingredients above will make 2 Wafflettes

1. Plug in the waffle iron.
2. Whisk all the ingredients in a measuring cup.
3. Spray the waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray
4. Pour the mixture evenly into the waffle iron making sure to spread the toppings evenly.
5. Seal the lid shut and wait 3 minutes.
6. Open waffle iron and gently lift out the Wafflettes.
7. Garnish if desired and enjoy!!!!

Soufflé Egg Balls
Yield 6 balls

2 eggs
1/4 cup shredded cheddar
1 scallion- diced
2 mushrooms- diced
1/2 red or green pepper- diced
pinch of salt, pepper
pinch of cayenne pepper- optional
garnish- tomatoes, herbs, scallions- optional

1. Fill the poaching pan with two inches of water, cover pan with lid and heat until water is simmering.
2. Whisk all the ingredients in a measuring cup.

3. Pour the mixture evenly into each egg slot. Make sure the toppings are distributed evenly.
5. Seal the lid and cook for 8 minutes. Each soufflé will puff up.
6. Gently remove each egg ball from the pan.
7. Garnish if desired and enjoy!!!!

How to make a 2 egg crepe style omelette:

Step 1

Heat a 10 inch non-stick pan on the stove on medium heat.

Step 2

Meanwhile, whisk together the following ingredients in a bowl:

2 eggs
pinch of salt and pepper

Step 3

Add 1 Tbsp. of avocado or vegetable oil to your pan and add:

red pepper- diced
1 scallion- diced
parsley- finely chopped

Sauté for 2-3 minutes.

Step 4

Turn the heat down to low and pour in the egg. Gently swirl the pan to ensure the egg EVENLY covers the bottom of the 10 inch pan. Cook on low until the egg looks set and you are able to work with it and flip it without breaking. Tilt the pan toward you and gently slide a spatula under the egg. If you are able to lift the egg it means it is ready to flip. Flip the egg.

Step 5

Fill the omelette with cheese and greens.

Step 6

Gently fold over.  Leave the omelette on low heat for a couple minutes until the cheese melts and the greens wilt.

Enjoy!!!!

 

 

Vietnamese Meatballs THREE ways: Sweet and Sour, Banh Mi Submarine Sandwich and Pizza

 

If I asked my husband to describe my cooking style in one word, he would probably say that I am experimental. I rarely follow recipes as I always like to challenge my ability as a home cook. It doesn't always work, in fact there have been many mishaps in my kitchen. I believe that my mistakes and experiences make me a better home cook overall. At least that is what I tell myself. I feel that I am able to work with ingredients I have on hand in the freezer, pantry and fridge and create meals that utilize everything leaving minimal food waste. I learn from the experiences both good and bad and rarely make the same error twice. Most recently I ruined my scallop potatoes because I failed to cover them in cream before storing them in the fridge over night. I thought It was so smart to make them ahead of time. I was VERY wrong. When I uncovered the potatoes they were BLACK. As black as a tire. They oxidized because I didn't cover the sliced potatoes in the cream mixture before refrigerating them. I have also used salt instead of sugar when baking, left a casserole unattended under the broiler until it was on fire, turned my BBQ on high when I thought it was the low setting and ruined 4 hens that I marinated overnight. I could go on and on about all the crazy things I have experienced in my kitchen over the years, but I think my point has been made.  My experimental personality is what led me to this triple feature blog post and I wanted to share the success with all of you.

I challenged myself to make MY interpretation of Vietnamese Meatballs without following a recipe. I have only had Vietnamese meatballs once and LOVED them but really was not certain of all the ingredients. When I started this recipe I thought that the principals of making a good meatball would be the same. Season the meat well, keep them moist, don't over mix them. IT WORKED, and they were so tasty. I used two pounds of ground pork in this recipe which yielded 50 medium sized meatballs. Turkey and chicken would also be an amazing and figure friendly alternative. The first evening I served the meatballs over some rice accompanied by steamed broccoli. I had so many meatballs left over that I decided to make two completely different meals to utilize the leftovers in different ways. One meatball recipe, 3 ways:

1. Sweet and sour meatballs with Sriracha
2. Banh Mi Submarine
3. Vietnamese pizza

If you have children, you can eliminate or adjust the spice level and alternate from pork to chicken or turkey if desired. It is a great recipe to share with your family and get the kids involved in the kitchen . I have fond memories of making meatballs with my mother as a child. I loved mixing and rolling the meatballs and spending time with her while she prepped our dinner. I believe that if  kids are invested in the cooking process they will be more open to trying new ingredients. At least that has been the experience in my family. These meatballs are also a great meal for the kids because there are pureed  carrots, celery, onion, garlic, ginger, and cilantro in this recipe which can not be identified once they were mixed into the ground pork. They add great flavor and moisture without being overwhelming for kids that shy away from their vegetables.  If you are looking for a versatile, affordable, fun family meal that can transform into three different dishes, give this recipe a try.

Note: If you are a cilantro HATER, substitute scallions, chives, parsley or all three. If you don't like pork, this recipe will also be great with ground chicken or turkey. If you don't like spice or Sriracha, simply leave it out of this recipe. The best thing about making meatballs is that you can alternate the flavors to your liking each time you make them.

Pork Meatballs

2 lbs. of ground pork
2 carrots- peeled and rough chopped
3 stalks of celery- rough chopped
1 large thumb size nub of ginger- peeled
3 cloves of garlic
1 small bunch of cilantro
1 small red onion- rough chop
1 scallion- rough chop
1 Tbsp. Chinese 5 spice
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. Soy sauce
1 tsp. mustard powder
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 egg- whisk before adding to the meat mixture
3/4 cup panko crumbs
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. Sambal Oelek chili sauce- optional
1 Tbsp. Avocado oil or Vegetable oil

Sweet and Sour Glaze

1/2 cup of Passata (tomato puree) or ketchup
1/2 cup of rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup of honey
1 Tbsp. Sriracha- optional
1/2 cup of water
Salt and pepper if desired
Soy sauce- Optional

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

1. In a food processor mince the carrots, celery, ginger, garlic, cilantro, onion, and scallion.
2. Heat a medium size saucepan with the avocado oil. Add the vegetable puree and sauté on medium high heat for 10-12 minutes. This step is optional. If you wish to add the vegetable puree to the ground pork at this point to save time just do that. Cooking the puree first adds another depth of flavor and aids in making the meatballs extra moist.

3. Once the puree is cooked, set aside until it is at room temperature.
4. In the meantime, prepare the sweet and sour glaze.
5. Mix all the ingredients in a small saucepan set over medium high heat and bring to a gentle boil. Turn the heat down to once it reaches a gentle boil and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the sauce is consistent with a glaze. It should gently coat the back of a spoon but not be thick like a caramel. Once you reach the correct consistency remove the sauce from heat and set aside until your meatballs are baked and ready to swim in the sauce.

Note:
Taste the glaze to determine if you are happy with the sweetness and spice level. If you like your sweet and sour sauce on the sweeter side, add more honey. If you like it more spicy add more Sriracha. Just be sure to keep the vinegar, water and tomato puree equal parts.

Now that the vegetable puree is cooled, and the sauce is ready, you can mix up your meatballs. Be sure to sure to use a larger bowl than you need, so there is enough space to gently fold together the mixture.

6. Pour the panko crumbs into a small bowl and cover with the milk. Let rest for 5 minutes until the crumbs are well soaked.
7. Squeeze out the excess milk from the crumbs and add the soft panko into a large bowl.
8. Add the ground pork, vegetable puree, and all the remaining meatball ingredients to the large bowl that the panko is in. Gently fold to mixture together until just combined. It is important that you don't over work the meat. The meatballs can become tough once cooked if they are overworked.
9. Roll out your meatballs into 1-1/2 inch balls and place onto a parchment lined pan.

10. Bake them for 20 minutes on the middle rack in your oven.
11. Once they are removed from the oven, gently transfer them into a deep saucepan and pour the sauce over them, gently mixing them until they are coated in the glaze. Simmer on low heat, in a covered deep pan for 10-12 minutes.
12. Serve over rice or as an appetizer immediately or see below for TWO ALTERNATIVE ways to showcase these Vietnamese Meatballs.

I added chopped toasted cashews, quinoa and sesame to my rice for extra texture and flavor.
Garnish (optional)- toasted sesame seeds, chives, scallions or cilantro

Banh Mi Submarine Sauce

1/4 cup of left over glaze
1 Tbsp. Mayonnaise
juice and zest of a lime
Additional Sriracha if desired
Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl until well combined.

Quick Crunchy Slaw

Equal parts of :
carrots-match stick sliced
radish-match stick sliced
daikon-match stick sliced
purple cabbage- shaved
scallion-angle cut

Just before building your submarine sandwich add a splash of rice wine vinegar and a dash of salt to the slaw. Toss and serve. Do not mix this in advance or it will not have any crunch to it and the radish and cabbage color will run and bleed into the slaw turning it all purple.

Those of you that know me are aware that I am crazy in love with sandwiches. I believe that layering a sandwich in a certain order is necessary to achieve GREAT results. To make the most DELISH submarine sandwich give this method a try:


1. Use a fresh baguette or submarine bun. I used a whole grain sub bun.
2. Slice the bun on one side and flatten open, keeping the top and bottom attached.
3. If there is a lot of dough inside the bread, gently remove the excess and throw away.
4. Toast the bun on broil facing up until golden. DO NOT WALK AWAY FROM THE OVEN AT THIS POINT.
5. Remove the bun from the oven and place on a cutting board or large plate.
6. Spread both halves with the Banh Mi mayo made earlier. END TO END.
7. Cut 6 meatballs in half and place in a bowl.  Heat up the meatballs in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or until hot, if you are using leftover meatballs.
8. Meanwhile, place shredded lettuce or spinach or kale (I used baby spinach and kale)on the bottom half of the bun over the special mayo.
9. When the meatballs are ready place them cut side down over the spinach and drizzle any excess sauce that is left behind from the meatball bowl.
10. Toss the slaw with the vinegar and salt and place a healthy portion EVENLY across the submarine. This will add great texture and flavor to the Banh Mi Sandwich.
11. Garnish with fresh cilantro sprigs, toasted sesame seeds and an additional drizzle of mayo if desired. If you hate cilantro use scallions or chives.
12. ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fast and Easy Pizza

To turn your leftovers into delicious mini pizzas, use whole wheat naan bread.

1. Place your naan bread on a sheet pan and place under the broiler until golden and crispy.  DO NOT WALK AWAY FROM THE OVEN AT THIS POINT.
2. Turn over and toast the opposite side as well.
3. Remove from the oven and use the meatball glaze as the pizza sauce. Spread the glaze evenly around the naan almost to the edge.
4. Cover the naan with shredded mozzarella.
5. Cut the leftover meatballs in half and microwave for 1-2 minutes or until hot. Place 4-6 pieces of meatball cut side down around the pizza.
6. Place the pizza back into the oven until the cheese is melted. DO NOT WALK AWAY FROM THE OVEN AT THIS POINT.
7. Remove from the oven and garnish with slaw (remember not to mix the slaw until needed), cilantro, toasted sesame seeds and a drizzle of Banh Mi mayo. If you hate cilantro use scallions or chives.
8. ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

I hope that you enjoy these fun and delicious recipes!

 

A

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blueberry or Raspberry Coconut Lime Bars

Family gatherings, picnics, pot luck parties and friends popping over for quick visits all seem to happen more often in the spring and summer months. People want to embrace the weather and shake off the winter blues. I created this make-ahead easy recipe so I can spend more time being social and enjoying the summer and less time over the stove. Although I love being in my kitchen creating recipes, I also love great weather and good times with loved ones. This dessert is packed with fresh blueberries, toasted coconut and is held together by a crispy flavourful crust. It tastes like a combination of pie and crumble but you can pick it up and eat it with your hands.  It is FANTASTIC and so easy to make. I have also made this dessert with fresh raspberries and either variation is a guaranteed crowd pleaser. If you want to make a portable dessert for your next potluck, picnic or gathering with family and friends, consider making this scrumptious dessert. It will not disappoint!


you will need:

1 8x8 inch pan
parchment paper
Butter foil package *** TIP-  always save your butter wrappers and use them for greasing pans and cookie sheets.

Preheat the oven - Bake 375 degrees.

For the crust:

1 1/2 cups of flour
1/2 cup of sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 egg yolk
1 Tbsp. cold water
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 sticks of cold butter cut into cubes

1. Use the foil butter wrapper and spread the 8x8 pan with the butter.
2. Line the pan with parchment paper, pressing it down so it sticks to the buttered surface. Press the parchment along the bottom and all sides. Fold the excess over the pan. The excess will allow you to lift the bars out of the pan once they reach room temperature. It is much easier to slice them on a flat surface.
3. In a food processor, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and pulse until just combined.
4. Add the butter and pulse until well combined. The flour mixture should appear crumbly at this point.
5. Mix the egg yolk and the cold water together and slowly add to the flour mixture pulsing with every addition until the flour crust mixture is well combined.
6. Press 1/2 the mixture into the parchment lined pan and set aside.


For the Filling:

1 cup of unsweetened coconut
3 cups of blueberries or raspberries
3 Tbsp. of lime juice
1 tsp. of vanilla extract of vanilla bean paste
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup of sugar

1. Toast the coconut in a pan on the stove or in the oven until golden brown. Set aside to cool.
2. In a bowl, mix together the berries, lime juice, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon until well combined.
3. Spread the toasted coconut over the crust made earlier.
4. Pour the berry mixture over the coconut layer and spread the mixture evenly.
5. Top the berries with the remaining half of the flour mixture.
6. Bake on the middle rack for 35 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling.
7. Rest until it has reached room temperature.
8. Slice into 9 healthy size bars and serve.
9. Enjoy!



A

Quick and Easy Baked Trout

During the week I love making dishes that are fast and easy while boasting big flavour. This one pan trout dish can be served over a variety of greens or vegetables and garnished with a healthy squeeze of fresh lemon.  I make this meal at least once a week using Trout, Salmon or Arctic Char. I bake it for 12-15 minutes and place it over fresh greens and vegetables to serve it as a meal size salad. The glaze is made up of just a few ingredients, but when they are mixed together something magical happens. The sugar in the maple syrup thickens as the marinade is baking, creating a wonderful sweet and savory crust on the exterior of the fish. IT IS SOOOOOOOO DARN DELISH! If you like fish and want to make a meal that takes 5 minutes of prep work, 12-15 minutes of cook time and packs AMAZING flavour, than this is a dish for you.


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
For every two 6oz skin on filets you will need:

Glaze

1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. Maple syrup or honey
1 tsp. low sodium soy sauce
juice from half of one large lemon- cut the other half into wedges for the garnish.
pinch of cayenne pepper and black pepper
1 tsp. dried parsley- if you have fresh parsley, garnish with it at the end and omit from the glaze

Add all the glaze ingredients into a baking dish and mix until well combined. Dip the fish on all sides and place the filet skin side down.  If you wish to add onions and jalapenos to the baking dish, place them under the fish or around the sides of the dish.  Bake the fish for 12-15 minutes until desired temperature is achieved. Trout, Salmon and Arctic Char all have a high fat content making the fish more forgiving when slightly over cooked.

NOTE:

There are three easy ways to know your Trout, Salmon and Arctic Char are cooked but still moist.

1. The skin will turn opaque in colour.
2. The flesh will start to flake apart when you apply gentle pressure to the thickest part of the filet.
3. Place a thermometer gently into the thickest part of the filet to gauge the temperature. It should be a MINIMUM of 145 degrees. If you cook Trout, Salmon or Arctic Char for less than 145 degrees there is a risk that you have not killed all the organisms in the fish which could make you sick.


Once the fish is cooked, place it over greens and vegetables of your choice. In the picture above I used left over vegetables from a previous meal and fresh spinach and cucumber. Squeeze the lemon over the fish and vegetables and dig in!

Enjoy!
A