Breakfast Archives | Page 8 of 9

Jackfruit Muffins

April 26, 2010

What exactly is a jackfruit?

Well, it is likely the largest fruit you’ve ever seen. My first encounter with them was in Brazil, the photo at the right was taken in Ubud-Bali, Indonesia. When I say big, I mean when they are sitting on the ground they would come up to about mid-thigh, some perhaps even to your waist.

I might also mention that they are quite scary. There were many growing in the park around the zoo where we lived in Brazil. On more than one occasion I heard a ripe one fall out of a tree and hit the ground. Beneath such a tree you do not want to be. Loudest thud I’ve ever heard.

I only tasted them once when we were in Brazil at the local farmer’s market. It was a sticky, gooey piece of fruity flesh that tasted somewhat like a mix between a mango, banana and pineapple. I had a difficult time with the texture, but the fruit has a delicious flavor.

Despite my easy access, I never bought one. I often regret that decision now, but there were two reasons for this. The first was their size. About 98% of the time I went to the market by myself and this required a 20 minute walk each way. Yeah, lugging a fruit the size of my lower body back to the apartment wasn’t going to happen.

Second, anytime we got into a conversation about jaca (the Portuguese word for jackfruit) we were warned of the sticky flesh. Apparently it is no less binding than a good glue and I heard horror stories from friends about how they spent days trying to get it off their hands after they would eat them outdoors as kids. I really didn’t want to tackle that either.

Before we left Brazil, Tracey at the Tangled Noodle posted a recipe for Langka Muffins. Langka is jackfruit in the Philippines. What a language lesson you are getting in this post!

After seeing the recipe, I wanted to try it, but still didn’t get up the courage to buy fresh jackfruit. Then, when we were in Thailand I tried a jackfruit shake that was incredible and my interest grew.

The next thing I knew we had moved back to the US and I found canned jackfruit at our international market. I know it is a bit backwards for a real foodie to have access to the fresh and go for the canned, but the canned I knew I could handle.

I was a bit surprised by the texture of the fruit in the can. It was much different than what we had in Brazil. This might have to do with the fact that the fruit I had in Brazil was overripe and they probably harvest the canned variety early, or it could have been the syrup, or maybe it is a different variety that grows in different regions. Who knows?

I know one thing though, Tracey wasn’t kidding! Those muffins are delicious! I modified the recipe a bit to use whole grains, coconut oil and some mascavo sugar I have left from Brazil. I also topped some of them with coconut before baking.

Jackfruit Muffins
Modified from Langka Muffins at Tangled Noodle

Ingredients
2 cups white whole wheat flour
3 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¼ cup minimally refined sugar
½ cup milk
1/3 cup virgin coconut oil, melted
1 egg, beaten
1 cup chopped jackfruit with ¼ cup syrup reserved
½ cup shredded coconut,unsweetened (optional)

Preparation
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease or spray the bottom of each muffin tin with coconut oil or non-stick spray. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a separate bowl whisk together the sugar, milk, oil, egg and jackfruit syrup.

Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry. Stir in the jackfruit just until everything is combined. This batter will be very thick. Divide into 12 muffins. Press coconut into the top of each muffin if using. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until muffins are browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool and remove from pan. Makes 12 muffins.

Granola Pancakes

April 22, 2010

Several weeks ago I was watching an episode of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives; one of my favorite shows, if you haven’t gathered as much from my blog thus far. In that particular episode the restaurant being featured served granola pancakes. I quickly jotted down the idea like I always do when I discover something on television that I want to try and recreate.

A few days later Galaxy Granola offered to send me some of their granola to try. Now, I’m all about making my own granola. I’m all about making all my own foods in general. However, I try to find a balance with my blog because I know I can’t sit in front of my computer and tell you that you need to make everything from scratch.

Everyone has different lifestyles and responsibilities. However, I can tell you to make the majority of your own foods and when buying packaged items, choose those with the least amount of ingredients and ingredients you can identify.

What inspired me to try the granola was the company’s goal of providing a product with less fat. I embrace fat, but not the processed kind in packaged foods. Instead of processed oils, Galaxy uses fruit. I could also live with their list of ingredients such as evaporated cane juice, wildflower honey and spelt and barley flakes.

Once the granola got here I knew I wanted to try making the pancakes with it, but we tried it by itself first. My favorite is the Vanilla Almond which is what I used in my recipe. This is a fine granola, however. No large chunks so it is more ideal to sprinkle over yogurt than eat by hand. Of course, I’m still in favor of making your own, but if you need to grab a bag when you are in a time crunch, or maybe to take on a trip this granola would be a better choice than many out on the market today with their endless list of additives.

These whole grain pancakes where just what I had envisioned before making them. They are filling, but not too heavy. The granola adds texture and sweetness. I’m sold on adding granola to pancakes to spice up breakfast and will definitely do it again.

Granola Pancakes

1 large egg, beaten
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon minimally refined sugar (I used mascavo)
2 tbsp virgin coconut oil, melted
3 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ cup granola

In a medium-sized mixing bowl combine all ingredients. You may need to add a little more milk, depending on the type of granola you use as it may make the batter thicker.

Use a ¼ cup measure to drop pancakes onto a preheated griddle two to three at a time. Grease the griddle beforehand if it is not non-stick. Once the pancakes begin to bubble, flip to the other side. The pancakes will be cooked after about a minute and a half to two minutes on each side. Makes 6 pancakes.

Want to try some Galaxy Granola?

The company will give away a bag to one of my readers. Tell me in the comments if you make your own granola or buy it (or both) and why. I will pick a winner at random next Monday, April 26, 2010. (The company ships to US addresses only.) You can check out the Fruit Not Fat blog as well where the company posts recipes and workouts.

Disclaimer: Yes, I received this granola for free, and no, I wasn’t required to post about it and received no compensation for doing so.

Good to the Grain: Honey Amaranth Waffles

March 26, 2010

After you’ve been food blogging for a while, I think you start to realize what your thing is; the topic you like to cover in your posts most often, the one ingredient you like use in your cooking, or the cooking method you prefer. Sure, it may change over time, but there is a point where you realize what you truly enjoy learning about, talking (or typing) about or making.

My thing…is grains.

I’ve always enjoyed baking, but the more I learn about whole grain flours the more interested I become. They all have such unique histories, flavors and nutrient compositions.

Given this fact about my interests, it’s likely no surprise that when I came across the cookbook Good to the Grain: Baking with Whole-Grain Flours by Kim Boyce, I knew I had to get my hands on a copy!

I was out walking pug a few days ago and I noticed the UPS guy had left a package by the garage. I was pretty sure I knew what it was, and I literally opened the package right there in the yard. I’m sure if any of our neighbors were watching, they had to be wondering what gift had been bestowed upon me.

As I balanced a retractable leash in one hand and the envelope in the other, I flipped through the pages of the cookbook. The smile began to spread (and I might have even done a mini happy dance) as I saw amaranth, buckwheat, barley, Kamut, spelt and teff; each with its distinct section, utilized in some of the most delicious looking baked goods I’ve had the pleasure of viewing.

The author, Kim Boyce, was a pastry chef at the well known Spago and Campanile restaurants before she left to raise her kids, and then embark on creating whole grain baked goods for her family to enjoy. The book is filled to brim with 75 recipes of cookies, cakes, waffles, pancakes, breads and tarts made with 12 different whole grain flours.

The author shares information on the baking equipment and ingredients she considers essential. You will find yourself sharing her journey of balancing flour combinations and perfecting flavors, while you learn a great deal about whole grains and how to use them.

I will mention that since the author’s goal is to create the right structure for the grain products she does use all-purpose flour with the whole grain flours, as well as refined sugars. But as you will see in the recipe below, these things can be altered a bit if you choose to do so. In fact, she encourages you to try different combinations just as she did to develop the recipes.

While the Muscovado Sugar Cake and the Cornmeal Blueberry Cookies are on my list to make, for this review I made the Honey Amaranth Waffles. Taking the author’s suggestion to heart, I was modifying right out of the gate. Mainly because I was hoping amaranth flour could be found in the bulk bin of our Whole Foods, but no such luck. I ended up using spelt flour instead. In addition, I don’t use much all-purpose flour at all anymore, so I substituted white whole wheat for this, and then used the whole wheat the recipe calls for. I also used mascavo sugar in the dry mix.

The result? Seriously the best waffles I have yet to make. They were as light and fluffy as any standard white waffle with that deep rich flavor from the whole grains and a mild sweetness from the honey. I needed no toppings at all for these, but tried adding the Greek yogurt suggested in the recipe and a bit of blackberry jam I had made.

If you have any interest in baking with whole grains, this is one cookbook that needs to make it on your shelf. I have a feeling I will be baking from it on a very regular basis.

Honey Amaranth Waffles
From Good to the Grain by Kim Boyce, reprinted with permission

2 ounces (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted, for the waffle iron
Dry mix:
¼ cup amaranth flour
¼ cup flaxseed meal
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt

Wet mix:
2 cups buttermilk
¼ cup plus 2 tbsp honey
2 eggs
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

Finish:
Greek yogurt, optional

Turn the waffle iron to its highest setting. Even if you don’t usually heat it this high, these waffles come out best when cooked at high heat. Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl, pouring back into the bowl any bits of grain or other ingredients that may remain in the sifter.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients until thoroughly combined. Using a spatula add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently combine. The batter will begin to bubble and swell as the baking soda begins to react with the buttermilk.

Brush the waffle iron generously with butter; this is the key to a crisp crust. Use a ladle or measuring cup to scoop ½ cup batter onto the spaces of the iron. Promptly close, and listen for the iron to sigh as the batter begins to cook. The smell wafting from the iron starts out like a freshly kneaded loaf of bread, then becomes toasty. Remove the waffle when the indicator light shows that it is done, or when a quick peek shows that it’s turned a dark golden-brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove the hot waffle with a fork, and repeat with the remaining batter.

The waffles are best eaten right off the griddle, with a bit of butter, a drizzle of honey, or a hearty spoonful of Greek yogurt, as desired.

P.S. The book says it makes 9 waffles, but I got 8.

Disclosure: The review copy of this cookbook was sent to me free of charge. I was not under any obligation to write about it on my website and I did not receive any compensation for doing so.

Apple Cheddar Brown Biscuits

March 18, 2010

You know those moments when you taste something incredible? Not just good food, but something that could quite possibly be the best version of a dish or an individual ingredient you’ve ever put in your mouth.

I had that experience this week and with something that was unexpected – sausage.

I wouldn’t say we eat a lot of sausage. Although, German sausage is in my top 5 of all time favorite meals, and I have to say a piece with waffles or an omelet can really complete a breakfast. However, it has been a long while since I’ve had any.

I’ve been steering clear of ordering meat out at restaurants and buying meat from the supermarket since the beginning of the year. It’s just a personal choice I’ve made. I want the meat I consume to come from grass-fed, pastured and humane (as possible) sources. The last time I tried to order sausage from the farm that has become our regular resource, they were all out. A restaurant had completely wiped them out of all their pork sausage. Bummer.

But a few weeks ago, I placed an order for eggs and Teresa let me know that there would be sausage available in a week, so I signed up and waited patiently. This week, I finally got around to trying it.

I took one nibble from the skillet after I browned it up and I knew. This is what sausage is supposed to taste like! Not greasy, not dry and overcooked, not so salty and seasoned that you can barely taste anything else. This was perfection.

The lack of fat, I’m sure, has to do with it being pastured meat. The seasoning, perhaps it was their processor, but somebody is doing something right. The meat was tender and that familiar sausage flavor was there, but mild and there was just a tiny bit of heat that lingered.

Seriously, I can’t believe I’m going on about sausage like this, but this is some good stuff.

Since I really don’t think it is a good idea to sit down to a bowl of sausage I needed something with which to eat this tasty meat. I love the way apple and cheddar cheese go together, so I thought why not put them in a biscuit.

However, you know me; it couldn’t be just a plain white biscuit, so I decided to combine white whole wheat flour and whole wheat flour for some lesser refined brown biscuits. The sausage pairs up with them nicely and I love the tiny bits of sweet apple I get among the salty flavors.

Next up? Bacon. I’m on the waiting list, though, so the anticipation will be building until May!

Apple Cheddar Brown Biscuits

1 cup white whole wheat flour
¾ cup whole wheat flour
1 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 tsp dried parsley
¼ tsp garlic powder
4 tbsp butter
¾ cup milk
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
¼ cup apple, finely diced

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Combine the flours, baking powder, salt, parsley and garlic powder in a mixing bowl. Cut the butter into cubes and add to the bowl. Mix using a pastry blender until the butter is transformed into pea-sized pieces. Make a well in the center of the dry mix and add the milk. Stir to combine.

Add in the cheddar and apples and gently mix in. It is easier to use your hand for this. Place the dough on a floured surfaced and roll it out to about a 1 to 1 ½ inch thickness. Using a glass or biscuit cutter, cut into biscuits and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for about 12 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool to touch, slice open and place a sausage patty inside. Makes about 12, 2-inch biscuits. (Mine made 11, but I think they were slightly bigger than 2 inches.)

7-Grain Blackberry Pecan Muffins

March 8, 2010

I’ve been in a breakfast rut lately. Between oatmeal, muesli and some fruit I haven’t broken my pattern in a few weeks. However with a newly completed kitchen, all the kitchen boxes unpacked and a freezer still full of last summer’s berries I decided to climb out of my rut and get baking.

I was at Whole Foods last week and picked up my favorite 7-grain cereal from the bulk bin. I just love the bulk bins. You can get so many grains at a great price. Since I have yet to make it down the aisle without bumping someone with my basket or receiving an accidental elbow I don’t worry too much about lack of turnover. The grains seem to fly off the shelf there.

I cooked up a big batch 7-grain cereal for us to eat throughout this week and I thought it would make a good addition to the muffin batter. Then I decided on a blackberry and pecan combo. I used butter this time, but next time, when I have fresh berries, I want to try these muffins with coconut oil. I was worried the coconut oil would solidify in the batter when I added the frozen berries since this has happened to me before.

The muffins baked up beautifully. They have a hearty, yet soft texture on the inside and are overflowing with tart berries. The pecans add a toasty crunch with each bite. This combo would work for a lot of different grain cereals, even steel cut oats, and with a lot of different berry/nut combos. I like this one because the muffin itself is sweet, but the blackberries add a strong pucker effect because they are a tart variety.

As of this week, the breakfast pattern has been broken, at least for a little while.

7-Grain Blackberry Pecan Muffins

1 cup milk
½ cup grain cereal, cooked
¼ cup butter, melted
1 egg
½ cup minimally refined sugar (I used mascavo)
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 ½ cup frozen blackberries
1/3 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and lightly grease the bottoms of a 12 serving muffin pan. In a bowl, whisk together the milk and cooked cereal. Stir in the butter, egg and sugar. Add the baking powder and salt and then gradually stir in the flour. Stir just until combined, the batter will be very thick. Gently stir in berries and nuts.

Divide batter into 12 muffin cups. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Cool in muffin pan for about 5 minutes and remove to a cooking rack or enjoy warm.

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Our fridge is finally in its appropriate spot and the kitchen is complete! I still can’t get over all the space I have. I love that I have to actually take a few steps to walk to the fridge from the stove! I’m looking forward to a lot more baking now that I have all this counter space for kneading, mixing and tossing around ingredients.

Whole Grain Biscotti

December 18, 2009

Do you have one of those foods or recipes that you are known for in your inner circle of friends and family?

For me, it is biscotti.

I started making it when I first began working in an office place out of grad school. I used the Banana Chocolate Chip Biscotti Recipe from the Betty Crocker’s Cookbook Bridal Edition and altered it over time to make it my own. My original version that became so popular with my coworkers included white chocolate chips, walnuts, almond extract instead of vanilla and no banana.

I still love that biscotti and will make it again, but I wanted to play with the recipe a bit and see if I could get buy using whole wheat flours and unrefined sugars. Like the Pecan Shortbread, I was so happy with how it turned out! Of course, it isn’t exactly like my old version, but it is every bit as good in its own unique way.

Whole Grain Chocolate Walnut Biscotti

1 cup demerara sugar
½ cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups white whole wheat pastry flour
¾ cup whole wheat flour
3 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate, chopped or chips
½ cup walnuts, chopped
Extra sugar for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cream together the butter and sugar. I give it a little extra time because the sugar is such a coarse granule. Next, blend in the eggs and vanilla. Gradually incorporate the flours, baking powder and salt. Finally stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts.

Transfer the dough to an ungreased baking sheet. Separate it into two pieces and mold the dough into a rectangular shape about one inch thick. Sprinkle each with a bit of demerara sugar. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 15 minutes.

Transfer to a cutting board and cut (I use a serrated bread knife) the biscotti into pieces about one inch wide. Place the pieces back on the baking sheet, cut side up. Bake 10 to 12 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and carefully flip each piece over so the other cut side is exposed. Bake an additional 10 minutes. Allow to cool and enjoy! Makes about 24 pieces of biscotti.

What food or special dish are you known for?

Sweet Potato Flax Muffins

December 8, 2009

These muffins were inspired by Off Her Cork. I read Andrea’s Thanksgiving Day recap and the idea of putting bananas in sweet potato casserole to sweeten it caught my attention right away. I had wanted to make some muffins with some hearty, healthy ingredients that were also relatively low in added sugar and this gave me a great idea to work with.

These muffins are made with the flesh of a mashed sweet potato, banana and maple syrup for sweetness, and flax and whole wheat flour for an extra nutritional boost. They are slightly sweet with a hearty texture. The banana comes through and the sweet potato adds a special richness.

Sweet Potato Flax Muffins

2 cups whole wheat flour
¼ cup ground flaxseed meal
4 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup butter, softened
1 ripe banana, mashed
1 sweet potato, flesh only, mashed
½ cup milk

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and lightly grease a 12 muffin pan. In a large bowl mix together the flour, flaxseed, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl mix together the egg, maple syrup and butter. Combine well and add in the mashed banana, sweet potato and milk. Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients mixing gently just until they are incorporated into the batter. Divide the batter evenly into each muffin tin. Bake 15 to 18 minutes.

Frittata for Dinner

September 23, 2009

I love the Scrubs episode when Turk can’t stop talking about Brinner. I’m sure you know, but just in case, brinner is breakfast for dinner. Not only does that show always give me a healthy, stress-relieving laugh, I also happen to like breakfast for dinner quite a bit too.

Honestly I could eat it much more often than I do, but somehow it always seems like a cooking copout. I’m not sure why. The dishes take about as long to cook as many standard dinner foods, but brinner always seems to be the thing you turn to when you are out of ingredients or don’t know what else to eat. At least that is the case for me anyway.

Eggs, pancakes, bacon, French toast, oatmeal – I could easily eat them all at the end of the day. Somehow, though, dreakfast isn’t quite as appealing. Ha! Get it. Dinner for breakfast. Okay, hopefully you don’t click your way here for the humor. Hopefully you are here for the food instead!

The ingredients are dwindling around our kitchen as we prepare for the move and I’m trying not to buy things that I won’t use up. We’ve been sticking with a lot produce and eggs. I made quiche the week before last and after that I thought I’d spice it up with a frittata for variety. A frittata is an Italian omelet in case you are unfamiliar. I find them to be a delicious, quick, one skillet meal.

First I should say that it is really difficult to attractively photograph a frittata. Kudos to those who do it so well. Secondly, don’t let the looks fool you. This simple dish is both hearty and full of flavor. I like to top mine with a little hot sauce for a kick. It’s kind of hard to beat brinner!

Potato Green Pepper Frittata

½ tbsp olive oil
2 medium potatoes, thinly sliced
½ cup green pepper, diced
¼ cup onion, diced
5 eggs
1/3 cup milk
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp crushed red pepper
½ cup shredded cheese

Heat the olive oil in a deep, oven-safe skillet. Layer the potatoes in the skillet and stir gently to coat with the oil. Cover the skillet with a lid and let cook for 10 minutes. Stir gently again and spread the slices out to completely cover the bottom of the skillet. Sprinkle the potatoes evenly with the green pepper and onion. Return the lid and cook for 5 more minutes.

Meanwhile whisk together the eggs, milk and seasonings. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Check the vegetables and cook a few minutes more if potatoes aren’t yet tender. Pour the egg mixture over the veggies and sprinkle with cheese. Allow to cook until the edges are firm. Place the skillet in the oven and bake until the center is set, about 7 minutes. Remove when firm and golden brown. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and cut into 4 to 6 slices.

Peanut Butter Wheat Berry Pancakes

September 21, 2009

I love all things peanut butter, so despite first making these peanut butter and wheat berry pancakes several years ago, they remain a breakfast favorite!

There are several things you should know about me when it comes to pancakes. I like a very simple recipe. I know you can add eggs, and oil, and milk and create a nice fluffy platform for rich maple syrup, but what I look for is something closer to a just-add-water mix that doesn’t come from a box.

And speaking of syrup, while I do love the stuff, I often enjoy my pancakes dry. I sweeten the batter a bit, top them with butter, and then maybe some dry, yet sweet toppings. You’ll understand what I mean in a few minutes.

I also like a hearty whole grain pancake. I sometimes add oatmeal to my batter, but given my recent fondness for wheat berries, I thought I would give them their chance to shine once again. And shine they did.

This recipe combines whole grains with salty-sweet peanut butter. The wheat berries lend their chewy goodness and the sparkling water creates a somewhat lighter texture to this filling breakfast. I spread a little butter on the finished product and then made a mixture of ground peanuts and mascavo sugar. Sprinkling this on top gave them all the sweet flavor I needed.

Peanut Butter Wheat Berry Pancakes Recipe | Fake Food Free

Peanut Butter Wheat Berry Pancakes on Fake Food Free via @Lori_Rice

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Peanut Butter Wheat Berry Pancakes

2015-08-20 08:24:15

Makes: 5 small pancakes

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Ingredients

¾ cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon fine ground sea salt
3 tablespoons mascavo sugar
¼ cup cooked wheat berries
¾ cup sparkling water
2 tablespoons peanut butter (any variety)
2 tablespoons chopped salted peanuts

Instructions

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and 2 tablespoons of the sugar. Stir in the wheat berries. Next, whisk in the water until everything is combined. Add the peanut butter, and stir or whisk until it is evenly distributed into the batter.
Preheat the griddle. Measure ¼ cup of the mixture for each pancake and pour onto a hot griddle. Cook about 2 minutes, or until bubbles begin to form on the surface of each pancake. Flip and cook another minute or two, until the pancake is browned on both sides and cooked through the center.
In a small bowl, stir together the chopped peanuts with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar. Sprinkle over the pancakes before serving.

By Lori Rice

Fake Food Free https://www.fakefoodfree.com/

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Zucchini Quiche with Whole Wheat Crust

July 9, 2009

There was a time when the egg yolk rarely made it into my diet. I hastily followed the crowd when this food made the spotlight for being high in cholesterol. The truth is I enjoy egg whites just as much as the whole egg. I also tend to enjoy just eating the white and not the yolk when eggs are hard boiled.

However, I disliked that nagging voice in my head telling me that I shouldn’t be enjoying the whole egg on rare occasions. Fortunately, as seems to be happening with a lot of foods previously labeled unhealthy, the nutrition news changed and eggs came back as being a food now known for its healthy attributes which outweigh any nutritional shortcomings.

I gradually started eating the whole egg again and said good bye to that nagging voice. I knew my great grandfather couldn’t have been all wrong considering he lived into his 90s and ate almost a dozen fresh from the farm eggs a day.

The main thing that got my attention concerning health and the egg was choline. Egg yolks are one of the richest sources of choline, which is part of the B vitamin family. The most important benefit for me being that it is necessary for brain health.

I have eggs often and many times I will include one yolk and multiple egg whites when I just want the protein, but don’t want a lot of calories. The whole egg has about 70 while the white has about 17. That way I can still benefit from the choline and have a filling meal with a lot of protein.

One of the best ways to use whole eggs is in a quiche. I have always enjoyed quiche with its buttery crust and airy texture. You can also fill it with all kinds of vegetables and flavorful cheeses which is a huge bonus.

Earlier this week I had a zucchini that needed to be used up so I decided shredding it for a quiche would be a great way to enjoy it. I also had some smoked provolone cheese which is one of the better cheeses I find here and offers so much flavor to many of the things I make from pizza to a green salad.

But what about the crust? I wanted something partially healthy, but still rich and buttery. I haven’t had access to a rolling pin for two years. It is tucked away in a storage unit in the US, so I’ve become a big fan of pat-in- the-pan crusts. I decided to take the one I regularly use from the Joy of Cooking and make it whole wheat.

It turned out great! Still buttery, but with a crumbly texture and a flavor that really paired nicely with the eggs, veggies and cheese. In fact, I think I am going to attempt at making a sweet version of it soon for a pie adding some spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg.

Zucchini Quiche with Whole Wheat Crust

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
½ tsp salt
½ cup butter, softened
Milk

¼ cup onion, finely chopped
¾ cup zucchini, shredded
1/3 cup smoked provolone, shredded
4 eggs
1 tbsp flour
1 cup of milk
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp hot paprika

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a bowl mix together whole wheat flour and salt, cut in the butter and mix with a fork or pastry blender until butter is incorporated and dough is crumbly. Slowly add milk, one tablespoon at a time until the mixture forms a dry, yet cohesive dough. Press the dough evenly into bottom and sides of a deep, 9 inch pie pan.

Sprinkle the onion, zucchini and cheese evenly over the crust and set aside.

In a bowl or in a blender combine the eggs, flour and milk. Mix well with a whisk or in the blender. Add the remaining seasonings and whisk or blend again until the mixture is somewhat frothy. Pour the mixture over the vegetables and cheese in the pie crust. If your pan is not deep enough you may want to cut back on the milk to make less egg mixture. Leave at least a ¼ inch of crust visible around the edge.

Bake for about 45 minutes to an hour. The egg will rise a bit and the top should be slightly browned and the center set. Allow to cool for five minutes, slice and serve. Makes six to eight servings.