Spring Asparagus Frittata

I thought that once I started a 9-5 job, my schedule would feel easier. As a student, I woke up, went to class all day, and studied all night when I got home. I was preoccupied with school nearly every waking hour, but I still seemed to find time for making dinner, running errands, and even completing a yoga teacher training (!). I felt like there were more hours in a day then than now. How does that even work?

But I think I’m figuring out what it is. Despite me having more hours of free time, energetically speaking, I am a bit frazzled and a bit less focused. In school, I had one purpose- to study. I had a strict list of to-do’s and became an expert at checking them off. Now, I come home and without a clear agenda, my energy just flows everywhere, making it difficult for me to focus, difficult for me to be efficient. As frustrating as it is to feel myself being inefficient, I’m glad that I’m finally figuring out the source of my squandering-the-hours-away attitude. I’m also not saying that it is important that I be maximizing productivity at all times, but I realize that for me, being productive makes me happy. I relish in the feeling that I’ve done something, created something, and grown just a little bit.

So how does all of this relate to my frittata here? With my evenings feeling a bit truncated because of this scattered energy, I’ve struggled getting a well-composed dinner on the table. Avocado toast, fried eggs, clean-out-the-fridge grain bowls have always been my healthy go-to’s for hectic times, but I also wanted something more composed, a dish that felt more purposeful and intentional. Frittatas have been one of my favorite dishes ever since living abroad in Spain where I ate more than my fair share of tortilla española, a Spanish frittata of sorts. Rich with olive oil-sauteed onions and potatoes, and sometimes even zucchini, they were a daily mid-morning habit when my belly would start to grumble around 11am and lunch wasn’t until 2pm.

The beautiful thing about a frittata is that you can throw almost any vegetable in it (and a little cheese if you’re feeling it) and call it a meal. Because it’s spring, I’ve been using asparagus and local feta, sometimes tossing in a handful of cooked broccoli or sauteed chard. It may seem a little intimidating at first-- my #1 worry was that the whole thing would stick to the skillet. To be honest, I did screw up my first one, but not in the way I anticipated. The top seemed beautifully golden and perfectly done, and the whole thing slipped right out of the pan for me- success!--, but the inside was still jiggly, runny egg began to ooze everywhere, causing me to hastily slide it back into the skillet and under the broiler until it firmed up. After another try, I got the timing right, and now, no more undercooked eggs. I promise, if you give this a go, that’s pretty much the worst thing that can happen to you. If your frittata does end up sticking to the pan- which it shouldn’t with my tips- just eat the darn thing out of the skillet.
 

Asparagus and Feta Frittata

2 eggs
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
5 asparagus spears, tough ends removed and chopped in 1-inch lengths
¼ cup grated cheese (I used ½ grated extra-sharp cheddar and ½ crumbled feta)
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat broiler on high. Place rack 8-10 inches from the broiler. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil over medium heat in a 6-inch cast iron pan. Add asparagus pieces and a sprinkling of salt and saute for 2 minutes or until asparagus are bright green and tender. Remove asparagus from heat.

Add 1 teaspoon olive oil to same pan and allow to heat over medium-low heat while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. In another bowl, beat eggs with a pinch of salt and sprinkling of pepper. Add all but a few pieces of asparagus and all but 1 tablespoon of cheese. Mix well. When skillet is hot and oil shimmers, swirl oil to coat bottom and sides of pan well. This will ensure your frittata has a nice golden edge and won't stick to the pan.

Pour egg mixture into skillet and gently distribute vegetables evenly. Sprinkle with reserved asparagus pieces and cheese. Allow to cook on stovetop for about 1 minute over medium-low heat. Place skillet under broiler and allow to cook for 4-5 minutes or until puffed and golden on the sides. To check for doneness, press the top of frittata just at the center. It should be firm with a slight give. There will be some carryover cooking after removing from the oven, so keep that in mind. If it gives too much, leave under broiler for another minute. Sometimes, I poke a few holes in the center with a fork and tilt the pan, letting the runny egg ooze out to the top so that it cooks faster.

To remove from skillet, place a plate or cutting board on top of pan. Invert skillet and cutting board. Frittata will release from the pan upside down, so gently flip right side up to serve. If you find the eggs are not quite ready after flipping, just slide the frittata back into the skillet and return to the oven until done. You'll get better with the timing each go-around. Allow the frittata to rest a few minutes before cutting into to allow it to settle. Enjoy! Serves 1.

Spring Goddess Bowl

Someone stole spring, and I want it back. I have been awaiting that glorious moment when I can unburden my coat rack of winter coats and scarves and tuck away my gloves and boots. Just when I thought we were almost there, the mercury falls and the wind gives a raucous helloooooo. Sigh. I wish I had a spring dance of sorts, you know, to call upon those warmer temperatures and get them to linger for just a little longer, but I think any type of dancing of mine just may scare spring away. Again.

Despite these cooler temperatures, I am loving what I am finding at the farmers' markets right now -zippy radishes, tender, earthy greens, eggs from happy spring chickens, and tangy cheeses and yogurt from sprightly goats. When the ingredients, especially vegetables, are at their peak, so fresh and bright, I like celebrating them in simple preparations, and sometimes a few different ways in the same dish- cooked and raw, pickled and sauteed, roasted and blanched, pureed and left whole. In this recipe, sauteed red radishes are topped with raw, julienned watermelon radishes. You may have never sauteed a radish before, but I promise you, you'll never see a radish the same way once you do. Heated with olive oil and a sprinkling of salt, the harsh radish mellows with just a teensy sweetness while still staying crisp and light.

This spring bowl came together one evening when a foodie friend of mine and I decided to meld minds...and pantries and fridges. (Side note: This foodie friend is also an amazing photographer...who just so happens to be shooting our wedding in just over two weeks and who shot our engagement photos!!!). We had both been in a bit of a recipe funk, so we decided to make it interesting by each contributing two different ingredients to the mix and then coming up with a dish. I chose radishes and beluga lentils, and she chose avocado and black rice (side note: I used a short-grain brown rice when I re-made the recipe, but black rice is both beautiful and delicious if you have never had it). We made things up as we went, tasting here and there for any additions to make it all really sing. I had some spring chickweed, a dainty and slightly bitter green, and fresh mint in my fridge, and we assembled a bright lemon and olive oil dressing to drizzle over top of everything. It really does taste as good as it looks. It was so good, in fact, I made it again after restocking my radish supply.

Like most bowl recipes, this is a template. The amounts of each component will vary depending on your preferences, but the ingredient combo here is spot-on. If you are craving a little more crunch, go ahead and toss in some toasted nuts or seeds. Feta or a tangy goat cheese will be beautiful on here as will a hard-boiled egg if you want to make it even more robust. Either way, this bowl is fit for a spring goddess- or god!

Spring Goddess Bowl

1 cup short-grain brown rice
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup beluga lentils
1 small bunch of radishes (about 6-7 radishes), greens removed (or a mix of red and watermelon radishes)
1 avocado, sliced
2 handfuls of greens (examples are chickweed, arugula, mache, or even sprouts!)
a few mint leaves, finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, finely minced
1 lemon, zest and juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for sauteeing radishes
fancy salt, to taste...also known as Himalayan salt or flaky sea salt;)

Cook rice. Bring water to a boil. Add rice, return to boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover pot and cook 45 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest 10 minutes. Reserve 2 cups of cooked rice for the bowl, and save the rest for another meal.

Cook lentils. Add lentils to pot and cover with water by 1-2 inches. Heat water to boiling, then reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 15-18 minutes or until tender. Test often to check doneness- you want a slight bite, but no mushiness. Drain and set aside.

Prepare radishes. Reserve one radish for raw garnish. Cut the remaining radishes into small wedges for sauteing. Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add radishes, sprinkle generously with salt, and saute about 5-8 minutes, stirring often. Remove radishes when just golden brown on both sides and tender.

Thinly slice reserved radish (or use watermelon radish here) and then julienne slices for the raw radish garnish.

Make dressing. In small bowl, whisk together minced garlic, zest of 1 lemon, juice of 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, and salt to taste.

Assemble bowls. Divide rice, lentils, sauteed radishes, and greens among two bowls. Top each with 1/2 of avocado, garnish with raw radish and mint, and drizzle with lemon vinaigrette. I like to finish mine with a sprinkling of fancy salt or whatever salt I have on hand. Enjoy! Makes 2 servings.   

Sweet Potato Wedges with Lucky Pinto Bean and Beef Chili

I do not even have words for these wedges. They taste so much better than any chili cheese fry combo you could have, and I do not need to tell you just how much better they are for you.

These are the perfect game day food, the perfect comfort food, the perfect, "health food" to feed your skeptical guy friend whose first answer to kale anything is a resounding "No." Also, they are gluten-free if you need a crowd-pleasing recipe that accommodates those with gluten-sensitivities.

I like the thick-cut wedges for this recipe because they are just that much more fun to eat with your hands, but you could make skinnier sweet potato fries and dig in with a knife and fork. For an Asian variation on sweet potato fries, check out one of my first but favorite blog recipes, my Thai Loaded Curried Potatoes. I really need to re-photograph those fries to do their awesomeness justice.

I treat these wedges a little like nachos and throw some avocado, a touch of sour cream, and a smattering of cilantro on there, but you could leave them a little bit more naked with just chili and cheese. I recommend a sharp cheddar cheese, but I also love the idea of a tangy feta or even a salty cotija. Go wild. Your taste buds will love you, and your friends will love you more.

Sweet Potato Wedges with Lucky Pinto Bean and Beef Chili

1 large sweet potato (1 pound), cut in half lengthwise and then into wedges of 1/2ª-3/4ª thickness
2 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
salt, to taste
2 cups warm Lucky Pinto Bean and Beef Chili with Kale
3/4 cup loosely packed finely grated sharp cheddar cheese (see note above for other cheese recommendations)
Optional toppings: avocado, red onion, fresh cilantro, sour cream

Preheat oven to 425º Fahrenheit. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat. Toss sweet potato wedges with olive oil and generous pinch of salt. Spread in single layer on baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until wedges are tender and starting to brown. Remove from oven, top with warm chili and cheese. You can return the pan to the oven just to melt the cheese if you wish. Sprinkle with desired toppings. Enjoy! Serves 3-4 as an appetizer, 2 as a main.

Lucky Pinto Bean and Beef Chili with Kale

I wish I did not believe in luck or was superstitious. But I do, and I am. My reasonable, rational self knows that it is not only a bit silly, but that I am also in a sense surrendering my agency to some outside force. When I was younger, I thought that if I watched my favorite athletes perform, they would lose. Thank goodness for replays because that is how I watched Tiger Woods play golf and the Duke Blue Devils play basketball. For exams, I never liked to break from my routine of having three mechanical pencils at-the-ready because that is how I had always taken tests and had done well. If I did not score well, it was not the pencils' fault, it was mine,  but if I did do well, it was because I had three mechanical pencils. Even to this day, if someone talks about how wonderful the weather is or how smooth the traffic is flowing, I have been known to get absurdly upset, like stomp-my-feet-and-cross-my-arms-upset, because I am convinced that their very words will jinx us into a torrential downpour or into a stop-and-go traffic pattern.

When I really think about it, the idea that I think what I or another person could say or do could impact something so far removed from me is selfish. I must think of myself as really, super-duper important if my watching Tiger Woods play golf will impact his play or that having two pencils instead of three will cause all of the material I studied to just go poof! from my little brain. 

Despite my observations and my rational sensibilities, I still cling to luck and superstition. This especially comes to those things that I have less control over, like sports games. Which brings me to the Superbowl.

I have no real vested interest in the Superbowl until Superbowl Sunday. I usually pick a team and root for them for some arbitrary reason, unless it is the Green Bay Packers, and then I am obligated by my Wisconsin-born side of the family to root for them. This year, I already know who I am rooting for given that I am from North Carolina, and we could use a professional sports win. Go Panthers, go!

Now I cannot control how the team actually plays, but I can eat this chili, chock full of lucky black-eyed peas and fortuitous green kale. As I see it, I am doing my part to win this Superbowl, now they have to do theirs. It takes all of 35 minutes to come together if you are in a rush, but it can also simmer for up to an hour to allow the flavors to meld a bit more. I highly recommend making a big pot of it the day before you plan to serve it and let the flavors come together even more overnight. I give some suggestions for serving, but get creative. Top a baked potato or baked sweet potato with chili, make chili fries, or serve it alongside brown rice or another favorite grain.

For those of you who have been reading my blog for a while now, I rarely post meat dishes but I do eat them on occasion. When I cook them at home, I try to source meat from local farms, without antibiotics or hormones, and if possible, free-range and/or grass-fed. I encourage you to find the best quality ground beef you can find for this, and then go get your Superbowl cheer on.

Lucky Pinto Bean and Beef Chili with Kale

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 pound lean ground beef (90%), preferably local and/or grass-fed
1 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ancho or chipotle chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
pinch of cinnamon
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 cups chicken stock or water
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
2 cans (15 ounces each) pinto beans, drained
1/2 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
Optional toppings: sour cream, sharp cheddar cheese, green onions, avocado, cilantro, crushed tortilla chips or cornbread

In a large pot, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil over medium-high heat and brown beef for 5-7 minutes, breaking into small pieces as it cooks. When cooked, remove beef to bowl and add remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil to pot. Add onions and garlic and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add chili powders and cumin, pinch of cinnamon, and generous pinch of salt and pepper. Cook 30 seconds or until fragrant.

Add tomato paste, cooked beef, stock or water, diced tomatoes, and drained beans, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook for 25-30 minutes or until flavors have melded, stirring occasionally. Make sure you stir to the bottom of the pot! If you can cook a little longer, cook for up to 45 minutes. Stir in kale and cook for 5 minutes or until wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve with desired toppings. Enjoy! Makes 4 servings.

The Best 5 Minute Tomato and Egg Toast

We have been hunkered down inside since Friday overtaken by a blizzard. Our final snow count? 16 inches. It was a doozy of a snowfall, and a fantastically beautiful one at that. As much as I love getting outside, exploring the city, I also love an excuse to stay inside and do basically nothing. Nothing is a bit relative, considering I am knee-deep in wedding invitations, workshop planning, and more wedding planning, but an excuse to just lounge in my pajamas all day is quite welcome. The cats are loving it.

My would-have-been-a-meteorolgist-in-a-second-life Dad called me on Friday to tell me- "Emily, make sure you have plenty of food in the house. At least 3 days worth. This storm is going to be a big one." I reassured him that we would not go hungry- especially since I had a giant batch of this heart-warming dal in the freezer and had stocked up on avocados, bananas, and nuts- you know, all of the essentials, but I also kind of thought he was over-reacting. Oops.

Now what does this recipe have to do with this blizzard and our 16 inches of fluff? Nothing really except for the fact that it most likely does not require a trip to the store and can be made comfortably in your pajamas while watching Youtube videos of James Corden and John Mulaney. I may or may not know this from personal experience.

It tastes a little like pizza but does not require an oven or a tip to the delivery guy. A sprinkling of cheese to take it to the next level is totally optional. Good quality extra-virgin olive oil, however, is not.

The Best 5 Minute Tomato and Egg Toast

1 thick slice of your favorite bread, toasted (I used a local rosemary and olive oil bread from Metropolitan Bakery)
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 egg
pinch of fresh oregano leaves, chopped, or dried oregano, crumbled
salt and pepper, to taste

Toast bread. While warm, rub with garlic clove sliced in half. Fry egg. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in pan over medium-high heat and. Add egg, turn heat to medium, and allow to cook until desired doneness. I cover mine with a domed lid to help the white steam a little and cook faster. Meanwhile, mix remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil and tomato paste in a small bowl until combined. Place egg on garlic toast, top with oil mixture, and sprinkle with oregano and salt and pepper. Enjoy. Makes 1 egg toast.

Optional toppings to spiff it up: sliced avocado, a shower of Parmigiano-Reggiano, basil instead of oregano, a sprinkling of cayenne or dash of hot sauce for some heat. Play around, have some fun, make something delicious.