Eggs Florentine with Spinach
Kiss your avocado toast goodbye and wave hello to Eggs Florentine!
Kiss your avocado toast goodbye and wave hello to Eggs Florentine!
Brunch. There is something so much more decadent about it than regular breakfast.
Brunch always seems so much more classy and elegant. But let’s be honest it’s a little overpriced, especially given that we can make it at home for a fraction of the cost. (Mainly because I was sick of paying $15 for avocado toast when loaf of bread and a few avocados don’t cost nearly that much!) Since I'm cheap, ahem, I mean, ...fiscally (somewhat) responsible(?), So, that’s what I started to do.. It is so much easier on your wallet, and there's complaints that you can't find what you're currently craving on the menu.
Now, I do like easy recipes. But I also like different things (move over avocado toast! We've got more fun stuff (and just as easy) on the horizon.
I started with Eggs Florentine. (Sounds fancy, doesn't it?) This recipe involves puff pastry, which is the easiest thing in the world to use. Buy it frozen, turn on your oven and you're pretty much good to go.
Even better, if you are making brunch for a crowd (or just your bestie or significant other) this dish will make them think you spent hours in the kitchen. realty is, it only took 20 minutes! (shh! I won't tell!) Just tell your guests to bring the mimosas and you'll take care of brunch!
4 servings
Prep time:
Cook time:
- 1 package puff pastry, defrosted
- 4 large eggs
- 1 bundle fresh baby spinach
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 quarter onion, chopped
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
- unroll defrosted puff pastry sheet and cut into 4 squares
- in a large skillet, saute onions in the oil over medium heat
- Add the spinach and cook until the spinach has wilted but still maintains colour. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- After 10 minutes, remove the puff pastry from the oven and with a spoon, push down the centre, so that the edges form a wall
- Spoon the spinach into the centre of the puff pastry. (Try to form a wall with the spinach to keep to eggs in the centre).
- Carefully, break an egg into the spinach.
- Very carefully, place the puff pastries back into the oven for another 10 minutes or until the egg whites are opaque. (The eggs will be cooked but the yolk will be runny.)
30 Minute Sausage Pasta
This recipe is also perfect for those cold nights after work when you have nothing prepared. It only takes a total of 30 minutes to make and will definitely keep you warm.
Oh winter. The time of year when I just want to hibernate at home while escaping the cold weather threatening me on the other side of my window.
Like most people, I fill up on carbs during winter. There is something comforting about eating a bowl of pasta in your pajamas while the snow accumulates outside. (Bonus points – I live in a condo and never have to go outside to shovel snow!)
This recipe is also perfect for those cold nights after work when you have nothing prepared. It only takes a total of 30 minutes to make and will definitely keep you warm. Best of all, you probably already have all of these ingredients in your fridge already. You’ll be on your couch eating this under a nice warm blanket in no time!
Paired with a great full bodied red wine, this recipe is also great for date nights. Your s/o will never know you were in the kitchen for only 30 minutes. (I made this for the Mister and added some fresh spinach just before serving and he was a happy man.)
30 Minute Sausage Pasta
Makes: 4 servings
Cook time:
- 2 cups of uncooked pasta of your choice
- 1 ½ cups of tomato sauce
- 2 uncooked sausages (any variety will do, but I do recommend sweet italian sausages)
- 2 cloves of garlic (minced)
- 1/2 onion (finely chopped)
- 4 oz mushrooms
- 1 tsp chili flakes
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ground black pepper
- freshly grated parmesan cheese
- In a medium pot, add pasta to boiling water.
- In a medium skillet, heat olive oil and brown onions and garlic for 1 minute.
- Remove the meat from the sausage casing and add it to the skillet. Cook until golden brown. Add chili flakes and italian seasoning.
- Add mushrooms and sauté until softened.
- Add the tomato sauce and cooked, drained pasta.
- Top with some freshly ground pepper and parmesan cheese before serving.
Keto-Friendly Stuffed Zucchini Boats
As summer is on its way out, I am taking this time to try and make more conscious decisions on what I am eating. I have now made a promise to myself to try to cut out unneeded carbs and stick to protein and fresh fruits and vegetables.
I apparently indulged a little too much over this summer. All those delicious fresh desserts and ice creams and little time for the gym has definitely left its mark on my waistline. So, as summer is on its way out, I am taking this time to try and make more conscious decisions on what I am eating. I have now made a promise to myself to try to cut out unneeded carbs and stick to protein and fresh fruits and vegetables.
I’ve made this recipe a few times – always with great results.
You will notice that this recipe does not call for salt. That’s because the feta cheese is so salty that adding more salt will just be overboard. …unless you like salt. Then dash away!
This recipe is also good for those days when you come home late from work. It takes just under 45 minutes to make and is very satisfying. I eat two of these “boats” for dinner (which is a while zucchini) and I am stuffed. But you could also serve this with a side of rice if you prefer.
You could also switch up the meat and use just about anything. Ground turkey or lamb would also be amazing. ...I may do that next time.
Keto-friendly stuffed zucchini is the perfect healthy dinner for those late work nights
Makes: 4 servings
Prep time:
Cook time:
- 4 zucchinis
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 ½ lbs lean ground beef
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper flakes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 red onion, sliced
- 3 tablespoons greek seasoning
- 1/4 cup tomato sauce
- black pepper to taste
- feta cheese
- Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees
- Slice each zucchini in half long ways. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and flesh leaving ¼ inch thickness of the zucchini shell. Set zucchini flesh aside.
- in a skillet, on medium, sautee onions and garlic.
- Add the ground beef, pepper flakes, greek seasoning and black pepper. Cook until well done.
- Add the Zucchini flesh to the ground beef and cook for approximately 5 minutes.
- Add the tomato sauce to the cooked meat. Stir and remove from heat.
- Fill the hallowed out zucchinis with the cooked meat mixture.
- Place on a baking sheet and bake in the pre-heated oven for 20 minutes.
- Carefully remove from the baking pan (as the zucchini will be tender). Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese.
Smokey Grilled Lamb Chops
it's no secret, I have a deep love for lamb.
it's no secret, I have a deep love for lamb.
If I go out to a restaurant and see lamb on the menu, I usually stop looking. My mind has been made up.
I think its because I grew up with it as often as I did with your more common meats like beef and chicken. Lamb was typically part of a weekly meal. For me, lamb is comfort food.
I know many people still stay away from it saying is has a "gamey" taste but I believe its all in how you clean it. Lamb does have a lot of fat, and when that fat isn't trimmed properly, that gamey taste is more pronounced. I trim off as much fat as possible - I also hate chewing on fat so that most definitely has a lot to do with it. I also do a quick rinse in white vinegar. And when I say a "quick rinse", I mean no more than 30 seconds. I'm not really 100% sure why, but this is how my parents have always cleaned meat and I just continue it. My mom used to say that if its in vinegar for long it would start to cook the meat and we're not trying to do that just yet!
While my parents prefer all of their meats cooked well done, I prefer mine medium rare - especially lamb. Its such a delicate meat when cooked this way. And it takes less time to cook, which is perfect for those nights when you just came home from work and nothing is prepared.
Which is why this recipe is so perfect. it's quick and easy. And I love easy.
I made mine on a cast iron grill but you can easily do this on the barbecue. I added a little bit of liquid smoke (a little goes a long way!) because I love that smokiness. You can find the liquid smoke at most grocery stores now and of course at your local specialty shops as well. Because you only need so little for each recipe, the bottle lasts a long time! Everything else in this recipe, you probably already have in your fridge.
Smokey Grilled Lamb Chops
Serves: 4
Prep time:
Cook time:
- 4 lamb shoulder chops
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 4 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
- 2-3 shakes liquid chipotle smoke
- 2 garlic cloves – roughly chopped
- a few slices red onion
- black pepper to taste
- mix all ingredients together
- Preheat a cast ion grill to medium high heat
- grill on each side for 2-3 minutes for a medium rare (or longer if you prefer a more well done lamb).