Sweet Potato and Spinach Frittata

I cook frittata every week. Well, almost every week and sometimes even twice! That’s how much we love it. We are a egg loving family and have taken the punchline "Sunday ho ya Monday... Roj khao aande" (be it Sunday or Monday... Got to have Eggs everyday) quite literally.

I have always wondered why the dishes that I make most frequently, never make it to the blog. May be because I never have a fixed recipe for them; depends on what I have on hands. Same is true for frittata as well. The sky is the limit to what you can add to this extremely versatile breakfast favorite. On my bad days its just eggs, onions and cheese and on better days its a veggie galore. From Garam Masala to Italian Seasoning, from fresh herbs to dried ones, from Taco Seasoning to Grill Rub (McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Chicken) you can experiment all the way. The frittata is very accommodating that way. 

Though it can be easily made on the stove top, I always prefer to bake my frittata in the oven. Its a lot less hassle and does not require the constant vigil. While it bakes in the oven low and slow, it gives you the time to brew your morning cuppa, or play with your little ones, or to catch up on the current affairs or that book that you were so yearning to read, or you can head right away to the couch and fall asleep again. The last one being the personal favorite.

Since I mostly serve frittata as the first meal of the day, I try to make it as healthy and balanced as possible, with the right balance of slow absorbing carbohydrates, protein and fiber. Potatoes, usually a key ingredient in a frittata, have a bad rap when it comes to diabetic diet, and rightly so. They are pure starch and gets converted to sugar pretty quickly, raising your blood sugar. Sweet potatoes, though a starchy vegetable is however a different story. Sweet potatoes is a low-glycemic index (GI) food. The glycemic index measures how quickly certain foods release carbohydrates into the body. High-GI foods cause blood sugar levels to spike, while low-GI foods release glucose slowly into the bloodstream, maintaining a steady blood sugar level. The fact that they're also an excellent source of dietary fiber, potassium and iron is an added bonus. Its a wiser choice to swap regular potatoes for sweet potatoes in your recipes. 

Here's how I generally do my frittata on lazy Saturday morning.

Recipe Snapshot: Sweet Potato and Spinach Frittata What I used: Eggs - 6 egg whites and 2 whole eggs or 1 cup of egg substitute. Skim Milk - ¼ cup Salt Pepper Sweet Potatoes - 1 medium sized, grated or cut into very thin slices Baby Spinach or any greens of choice - 1 cup Onion - 1 medium sized, slices Mushroom - ½ cup, sliced Bell peppers (green or any assorted colors) - ½ cup, sliced Grated Cheese (cheddar or Monterey Jack) - a handful Oil spray What I did: 1. Preheat the oven at 375F. Line a 8" or an 9" baking pan with aluminium foil and spray with cooking spray. This is for easy clean up. To avoid the extra step of lining with foil, you can use a nonstick baking pan. 2. Layer the grated sweet potato evenly. You can also use thinly sliced sweet potato. But make sure its an even layer for uniform cooking.   3. Next add the spinach. I often add baby arugula, baby kale or even spring mix. 4. Add the sliced onions, mush room and bell peppers. You can also add some green chilies. 5. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites, whole egg, milk, salt and pepper till smooth and frothy. 6. Pour over the vegetable layers. Shake and tap the pan a little so that the liquid is uniformly spread. 7. Sprinkle the cheese evenly. 8. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes till the center is set and the cheese is melted. 9. Cut into wedges and serve with ketchup (for the kid) or hot sauce (for us). Tip: You can enjoy this luxurious frittata on a weekday too. Just make an extra batch on a weekend. Slice it up and freeze in individual zip-lock. microwave it for 2 mins and your breakfast is ready!

Diabetic Platter: Sweet potatoes are a good food choice for diabetics as they are high in fiber and have a low glycemic index. Foods with a low glycemic index have less of an immediate impact on blood glucose levels, and therefore can help diabetics control their blood sugar. They are also packed with important vitamins like A, C and B6 and have good antioxidant properties too. They're also an excellent source of dietary fiber, potassium and iron. The proteins from the egg whites further ensures there are no blood sugar spikes. Spinach, mushroom and bell peppers are all low calorie and low carb options with valuable nutrients that makes it a great meal option, not only for breakfasts but dinner too.

Grapefruit and Avocado Salad

If the Fall and the super extended Winter saw me turn into a Soup-o-holic, the Spring and the Summer will bring out the Salad Addict in me! As the weather turns warmer, my body craves for fresh crunchy and light salads especially for lunch. And this wonderful, nutrient rich Grapefruit and Avocado Salad fits the bill perfectly.


Though I had heard both the names before, I started having both Avocado and Grapefruit after I set my foot on the US soil. Though I instantly connected with Avocado, it took a lot of coaxing from  various nutritionist to coax me to try Grapefruit.


Grapefruit (Citrus Paradisi) reminded me of Batabi Lebu or Pomelo (Citrus maxima or Citrus grandis), a fruit I was never fond of. Though Grapefruit is a lot juicer and sweeter than the Batabi Lebu, that you get back home, I don't like the bitter after taste they leave. Don't get me wrong, I love Guinness!!! And Karela (Indian Bitter Melon) and Neem Pata Bhaja (margosa, Azadirachta indica, a bitter leaf known for its anti bacterial and anti fungal properties) too..... But when its a fruit and its starts with the word 'Grape", its difficult to imagine a bitter taste.
A mental block I say.

However, I could not eat a grapefruit on its own, the way I gladly eat an orange. A sprinkle of rock salt, as Mom suggested, did not help either. But I wanted all its anti-oxidant properties, all its metabolism boosting capacity and all its cholesterol lowering abilities, but without its bitterness. This recipe which I got from here, fits the bill perfectly. Since I just have to be me, I could not stop myself from tweaking the recipe a little. I added some sweet clementines, tart cranberry  and some crunchy sunflower seed to finish it off. 

When you combine bittersweet Grapefruit with crisp Spinach, creamy Avocado, sweet Clementines  Oranges, tart nuggets of dried Cranberries and crunchy Sunflower seeds, dressed in a spicy vinaigrette, you get one platter full of flavor explosion. I added some hot sauce (Tabasco) to my vinaigrette, which might sound a little audacious, but trust me few dashes of this fiery liquid, takes the salad to a whole new level.

Recipe Snapshot: Grapefruit and Avocado Salad What I used: For the Salad: Baby Spinach or Arugula - 1½ cups (or any greens of choice) Grapefruit - 1, peeled and segmented Avocado - 1 peeled, pitted and sliced Clementine - 1 small, peeled and segmented or Orange - ½, peeled and segmented Cranberries - ¼ cup, dried (optional) Sunflower Seed - 2 tbsp or Flax Seed or Almonds or Walnut For the Dressing: Grapefruit Juice (reserved) - 2 - 3 tbsp Raspberry or any other fruity Vinegar - 1 tbsp (Red or White Wine Vinegar works well too) Olive Oil - 1 tbsp Hot sauce - 10 dash or to taste (optional) Salt Pepper What I did: The Salad: 1. Peel and segment the grapefruit and reserve any juices that might flow out. Do the same with the oranges. Peel and pit an avocado and slice them. 2. In a platter, arrange the green (in this case spinach) and top it alternately with grapefruit section and avocado slices. Also add the orange or clementine slices. 3.  Tip in the dried cranberries and the sunflower seeds. 4. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and enjoy! The Dressing: 1. In a small bowl, whisk together the reserved grapefruit juice, vinegar, olive oil, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Drizzle over the salad and refrigerate the leftovers.

Diabetic Platter: Grapefruit is a citrus fruit with a high water content and a good amount of fiber, making it a great choice for people who are trying to lose weight or prevent or manage heart disease or type 2 diabetes. All grapefruits are a good source of vitamin C, and red and pink grapefruits also offer up a high dose of beta-carotene. Vitamin C and beta-carotene are antioxidants found in many fruits that help prevent arthritis, cataracts, and macular degeneration as well as help maintain healthy hair and skin.  Caution: Because grapefruit and other citrus fruits are possible triggers for IBS and migraine headaches avoid them if they are problematic for you. Grapefruit and grapefruit juice can affect how some medications (most commonly cardiac medication and cholesterol medication) are absorbed and metabolized, so always speak with your pharmacist about your medication/grapefruit interactions.  Source: http://www.joybauer.com/food-articles/fruit.aspx#grapefruit Avocado is high in monounsaturated fats, which are generally considered among the healthiest of fats. Researchers have found that a diet high in monounsaturated fats and low in low-quality carbs may improve insulin sensitivity. Monounsaturated fats also improve heart health—an especially important benefit for diabetics, who are at increased risk for heart disease and stroke. Source: http://www.joybauer.com/funnel/type-2-diabetes-results.aspx#slideshow

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Burnt Chili Garlic Cabbage Stir-fry

 

Of late I have been bitten by a bug. Its called lowcal-carbofication. And its infectious.

This is a condition where the affected is obsessed with the idea of how to convert a  High Calorie/ High Carb meal to a Low Calorie/ Low Carb meal, without compromising on the flavor or the taste. This is how it all began...

A couple of week ago Soma of eCurry posted the recipe of Burnt Chili-Garlic Noodles. I  drooled over the pic, salivated and even tried to sniff the laptop screen. Indo-Chinese cuisine is my absolute favorite and anything with burnt chili-garlic can transform me from a sober individual to a "hungry dog, eyeing a piece of flesh". The next day after finishing my morning chores, I made a pan of this delightful noodles and gobbled down the entire wok, satisfying my soul and my senses. And then, there was this soul shattering incident...

Two hours later my blood sugar read 282!!! The glucometer fell from my hand, shattering into pieces, I pressed my palms to the ears and let out an earsplitting "Naaaahiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!" Okay... none of that melodrama happened. But it was fun imagining it.

On a more serious note, I tried to introspect. I had used whole wheat thin spaghetti instead of the refined egg noodles, then why?

My first mistake was, no portion control. I was so in love with the flavors that I kept eating, even after I was full. The fact that I was home alone and not sharing my meal just added to the problem.

Secondly, whole wheat  does not mean guilt free. Yes! Its a better option than having the refined flour version but it still contains calories and carb. The label said, one serving (2 oz or 56gms or 1/7 of a packet) contains 41 gms of Carbs and 210 calories. I definitely used much more than 1/7 of a pack... one fourth may be. You can do the math. Plus you have to count for the carbs in the veggies (carrots, green peas and green beans)  that I added. No wonder my poor little pancreas could not handle the pressure in spite of an external help of insulin.

Does that mean we can never have spaghetti or noodles. No... but we definitely got to be more careful about the portion. Also it should be more veggies and less noodles and not the other way round.

Coming back to my  lowcal-carbofication, the flavor of burnt chili and garlic kept haunting me and I was tempted to try it again but the 282 was kinda restraining me. Just for the heck, I Googled "how to make low carb spaghetti". I was not expecting any relevant results, but one result said, cooked spaghetti squash mixed with pasta sauce is an excellent and delicious way to get the all the satisfaction and flavors of spaghetti with fraction of carb. That gave me the idea of Burnt Chili Garlic Cabbage Stir-fry.

Growing up, I was never fond of cabbage. Even today, I don't like soft cooked and heavily spiced cabbage. I like it crunchy and hence I make it as a stir-fry. I followed exactly the way you make the noodles. But instead of noodles, I used shredded cabbage. You can use any vegetables or even mixed veggies for this recipe. Even a coleslaw mix works well. This recipe uses very little oil and is somewhat in between a salad and a stir fry. I had it with Quinoa, another low cal, low carb and high protein option. More on the magic grain in my next post!

Recipe Snapshot: Burnt Chili Garlic Cabbage Stir-fry What I used: Cabbage - 1 small head, finely shredded, washed and drained Onion - 1 medium sized, finely sliced Garlic - 4 fat or 6 medium sized cloves, minced or super finely chopped Red Chili flakes - ½ tsp or to taste Soy sauce - 2 tsp Rice or White Vinegar - 1 tsp Salt, if required Canola or any flavorless oil - 1 tbsp What I did: 1. In a wok or kadhai heat the oil over medium-low heat and fry the chili flakes till it turns dark brown and you cough heavily. 2. Add the minced garlic and fry till golden brown. 3. Add the onions and crank up the heat to medium high and fry the onions till soft. 4. Now add the finely shredded cabbage and mix well with the chili-garlic-onion fry. Keep stirring and moving them around the pan for a minute. 5. Add the say sauce and the vinegar. The moment the soy hits the cabbage, it will release some moisture. On a high heat keep stirring and moving the things around  so that the moisture evaporates quickly. A minute may be. By this time the cabbage would have been cooked, but it'll still be crunchy. 6. Check for seasoning. If needed ass more salt. For me the saltiness of the soy sauce was enough. 7. You can have the Burnt Chili Garlic as itself, or as a side to grilled/broiled/baked Chicken or Fish. Or as I had done, on a bed of low-cal Quinoa.

Diabetic Platter: Cabbage is extremely low low in carbs, fat and calories. 100 g of leaves provide just 25 calories and 10 gms of carb. Its a storehouse of phyto-chemicals like thiocyanates, indole-3-carbinol, lutein, zea-xanthin, sulforaphane, and isothiocyanates. These compounds are powerful antioxidants and known to help protect against breast, colon, and prostate cancers and help reduce LDL or "bad cholesterol" levels in the blood. Fresh cabbage is an excellent source of natural antioxidant, vitamin C.It is also rich in essential vitamins such vitamin B-5, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-1. These vitamins are essential in the sense that our body requires them from external sources to replenish.It also contains a adequate amount of minerals like potassium, manganese, iron, and magnesium. Read more on health benifits of cabbage at http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/cabbage.html

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Remembering Boro Mama with his favourite Aloo-Kumro Diye ChingDi Maacher Jhol: Tiger Prawns in Potato and Pumpkin Stew

This post was in my draft for a long time, with only the "Ingredients" and the "Process" jotted down and I was not sure how to start the post. Here I go... I just started the post!

I made this comforting Jhol (watery gravy or stew) as a part of out Easter Sunday lunch. This year, with so many Food Network Shows dedicated to Easter Brunches and Allrecipes.com bombarding my inbox with special Easter recipes, I was sure I had to be part of the festivities. I am sure last Easter Sunday and all those previous Easter Sundays, I must have had good food (every Sundays is a Good Food day for us), only that I was not aware that I was celebrating Easter Sunday!

So why is this simple, humble, everyday Prawn Stew so special when there are more exotic Prawn/Shrimp recipes that the Bengali cuisine boasts of? Its the man who loved this simple Jhol, that makes it so special.

Boro Mama (Sam's maternal uncle), a very well-read man of few words and a great sense of humor lost his battle to Lung Cancer three years ago on that very day (31st March). A strict disciplinarian, yet a doting father and uncle to his children and nephews and nieces, not to mention an ardent foodie. Though I did not get to spend a lot of time with him, he touched me with his wit, his vast knowledge, his warmth and abundant affection. Since we stayed close to his hospital, he had spent his last days with us. Every time I walked into his room, he greeted me with a smile and said, that he was feeling a lot better, though his pain and discomfort was clearly visible.

Being a food blogger, the best way to pay a tribute is through food. Boro Mama, a connoisseur of good food might have eaten in a variety of restaurants in and around Kolkata, yet it was always simple, home-cooked, comforting food that was close to his heart. Sam remembers Boro Mami (his wife) making this simple, runny but immensely flavorful ChingDi Macher Jhol with chunky potatoes and pumpkin and Boro Mama would sip the soupy liquid from his big bowl making a big SLURRRPPP sound, gesturing huge satisfaction. Then he would proceed to mix rest of the gravy and vegetable pieces with fragrant white rice and enjoy to the last bit.

Though I never had this jhol made by Boro Mami, since I am allergic to shellfish, I tried to recreate using my gut feel and my Mom's recipe as a base. Sam declared its delicious in its own rights but nothing compared Boro Mami's version. And for the records, I am not competing!

Shedding a tear for a man who lived life on his own terms and lived it well, would be dishonoring his memory. Lets practice what he preached and practiced, "Be happy and make others happy!"

May you continue to bless us and inspire us! SLURRRPP! SLURRRPP! 

Aloo-Kumro Diye ChingDi Maacher Jhol a.k.a Tiger Prawns/Jumbo Shrimps in Potato and Pumpkin Stew What I used: Tiger Prawns/ Jumbo Shrimps - ½ lb (use can use the head on variety too) Potatoes - 2 medium sized cut into wedges (I used the red skinned variety and left a little bit of skin on) Pumpkin - ½ lb, cut into chunky cubes Whole Garam Masala Troika (Cardamom, Cinnamon, Clove) - 4-5, 1 stick, 4-5 Bay leaf - 1-2 Onion - 1 medium sized, grated Ginger - 2 tsp, grated Turmeric Powder - ½ tsp+more for rubbing on the prawns Red Chili Powder or Paprika - 1 tsp Green Chilies - 4-5 Ghee - 1 tsp (optional) Oil - 2 tbsp + 2 tbsp Salt What I did: 1. Rub prawn/shrimp with turmeric and salt and let it rest for 5 minutes. Meanwhile peel and chop the potatoes and the pumpkin and grate the onion and the ginger. 2. Heat the 2 tbsp of oil in a wok/ khadai over medium eat. Lightly fry the prawns/shrimp, till they turn light orange and curl up a bit. Remove and keep aside. 3. Add the remaining 2 tbsp of oil to the same pan and temper it with the Whole Garam Masala Troika (Cardamom, Cinnamon, Clove) and bay leaf. 4. Add the grated onion, grated ginger, turmeric powder and red chili powder or paprika (if you are heat intolerant). Fry till the masala is cooked (2 min. approx). You would want to add a tiny splash of water to prevent the masala from sticking to the bottom of the pan and burning. 5. Add the chopped potatoes and pumpkins and coat with the masala. Add the salt and cover and cook for 5 more minutes. This will infuse the flavor of then masala in to the potatoes and pumpkin. The salt would draw out the moisture from the pumpkin and they will cook in its own steam. 6. Add a cup and a half of water and green chilies and bring to a boil. Then simmer till the veggies are tender. 7. Tip in the fried prawns/shrimps and let it cook for 3-4 more minutes. If you want more gravy add more water and adjust the salt. In case you want less of gravy, increase the heat and evaporate some of the liquid till you get your desired consistency. 8. Finish off with a teaspoon of Ghee or clarified butter. You might want to add a little gram masala powder. I didn't add because I did't want to overpower the delicate prawn flavor. 9. Enjoy with fragrant Basmati rice.

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Bong Mom's Aam Kasundi Glazed Terrific Broiled Salmon

The moment I saw this recipe on Bong Mom's Cookbook, I knew that I had to make this on the first  given opportunity. 

Kasundi, a tangy, pungent Bengali Mustard Sauce, an accompaniment to the various fish fries, chops and cutlets, has a special place in most Bengali's palate. Ever since I can remember it had always been store bought affair at my place and never homemade. I think it has to do with the fact that I was raised in a Flat Bari (apartment), with a tiny Baranda (balcony) and limited access to the roof. 

Last week Cincinnati was blessed with two (19th and 20th) gorgeous days of sunshine. Unlike meringue, this recipe of Aam Kasundi has nothing to do with the levels of humidity. It would have tasted perfectly, had I made it on a cold, rainy or a snowy day. But the moment my living room was filled  with golden rays of the rising sun, I could literally smell the enticingly pungent Aam Kasundi wafting through warm rays. I just HAD to make it.

Raw mango is not a pantry staple for me and I did not have it. I had a lone Brazilian mango (leftover from the Black Bean -Mango Salsa) in my fridge. The best thing about these Brazilian mangoes is that they are not too sweet nor absolutely tart. They are khatta-meetha (sweet and tangy) and that's the way I like my mangoes. I was also out on yellow mustard and hence used only brown mustard instead of the the combination of yellow and brown mustard. Except for the mangoes, I have followed the instruction to the tee. Her recipe in her words:

From Bong Mom's Cookbook - Aam Kasundi Soak in water 4 tbsp Mustard seeds ( a mix of brown and yellow  gives the best color but I had only brown this time) Grate a small mango to yield 3/4th-1 cup of grated raw Mango (I did it in the blender) In a blender jar add strained mustard seeds  grated mango 5 fat clove of garlic chopped 8-10 hot green chili chopped With a splash of water make a smooth paste.  Try to make the paste in one go instead of pulsing. When the paste is almost done drizzle 2-4 tbsp mustard oil (more is better but I went low) a pinch of turmeric salt to taste Give a final whiz and your Aam Kasundi is ready

                                                                                                                                                  My prized bottle of Aam Kasundi is the pride of my refrigerator right now. It stands tall, with its head held high amongst all the ketchup, salad dressings and Thai sauces on the fridge door. I have used it as salad dressing, as a dip for my fish and sticks, drizzled over my Palaong shaak bhaja (stir fried spinach) and Sam even added to his jhaal muri (a spicy concoction of puffed rice).

But the best way I savored the Aam Kasundi was when I slathered it over a fillet of salmon and broiled it and had with some Green Beans Salad for a quite lunch.

My weekday lunches are usually the leftovers from last night dinner and one particular cloudy day, I was not interested to have vegetable fried brown rice for lunch. Salmon was already thawing in the kitchen sink, since it was on the dinner menu that night. Now Sorshe (mustard) and Salmon are match made in a Bengali's culinary heaven. Some tangy mango and a garlic thrown in wouldn't do much harm, I reassured myself. Going by pure gut feel, I went ahead and slobbered my precious Aam Kasundi on a 6 oz Salmon steak and placed it under a broiler.

Six minute later I flipped and broiled again for another 5 minutes. Meanwhile I steamed my Green beans, chopped my onions and dressed my salad with balsamic vinegar. Minutes later I digged into the most Terrific Broiled Salmon I have ever tasted!

I have tried the same glaze for Tilapia too, which was also good. But Aam Kasundi glazed Salmon was the winner hands-down!

Recipe Snapshot: What I used: Salmon Fillet/Steak - 1  Aam Kasundi - 2 tsp (its 1 tsp a side) What I did: 1. Preheat the oven broil Mode. 2. Double line a cookie sheet with Aluminium foil. 3. Place the salmon fillet and broil for 6 minutes. (it also depends on the thickness of the fillet) 4. Flip and broil the others side for 4-5 minutes. 5. Serve and enjoy. Tip: Alternatively, the salmon fillet can be grilled too.

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