To make this Cauliflower Broccoli Mash even easier for you, there is no cutting, boiling, draining. This recipe uses the frozen organic veggie bags from Costco. If you don’t have access to that, you can purchase elsewhere.

Costco sells large bags of organic vegetables which contain smaller bags, making it very convenient. These bags of Organic Broccoli and Organic Cauliflower rice go right into the microwave. The cooked veggies then go into a super blender with some butter, salt, pepper and softened cream cheese (for smoothing).

Optionally, doctor up with feta cheese, olive oil drizzle, and fresh herbs such as parsley or dill. Would be great with these lamb recipes.

Why Add Broccoli to the Mash?

Broccoli adds a little more heft for those who think a cauliflower mash is too weepy.

How to Use Fresh Cauliflower in Recipe

If you want to use a whole non-frozen cauliflower head, follow the recipe here and add in cooked broccoli and re-blend.

As far as amounts, I used a bag of each.

Ingredients for Broccoli and Cauliflower Mash

• Frozen Organic Cauliflower Rice
• Frozen Organic Broccoli
• 4 tablespoons Cream Cheese
• 2 tablespoons butter
• herbs: parsley, mint or dill
• salt
• pepper
• Options: Pecorino Romano or Feta Cheese

Make Ahead Side

Cauliflower Broccoli Mash can be made ahead and reheated in the oven or microwave, so it’s perfect for dinner parties, holidays. There are times my husband is traveling and I eat it all week long with a protein side. It also makes great shepherd’s pie, using any left over meat.

More Cauliflower and Broccoli Recipes

• Broccole Basil Soup
• Twice Baked Cauliflower
• How to Make Roasted Broccoli
• Bacon Broccoli Salad
• Flash Fried Greek Cauliflower

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Broccoli Cauliflower Mash

Using frozen organic veggies, broccoli Cauliflower Mash is the perfect low carb side.

Course Sides

Cuisine American

Keyword broccoli, cauliflower, low carb browines

Cook Time 7 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 1 bag frozen broccoli
• 1 bag frozen cauliflower rice or cauliflower
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon Pecorino Romano optional
• 1 tablespoon olive oil optional
• 2 ounces feta cheese optional (see notes)

Instructions

• Microwave frozen vegetables as directed on package.
• Add to super blender (or Vitamix) with remaining ingredients.
• Blend until you have consistency of mash, but not all the way to puree.
• Serve with more butter or a drizzle of olive oil if desired.
• Season more with salt as needed.

Notes

Option 1: Use butter and pecorino romano

Option 2:  Drizzle olive oil, crumble feta cheese

The post Cauliflower Broccoli Mash Using Frozen Veggies appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

We are foodies, which means we dine out a lot more than most people, even though most of you see me cooking and cooking and cooking, recipe after recipe.

While I do tinker in the kitchen, I have a thing for dining out because I was raised that way. Weekends usually mean restaurants and Sundays usually mean recovery, but it certainly still has to be that big fat healthy food that we look forward to.

This dish was originally inspired by my mom, Retro Rose. She loved comfort food made with biscuits. You can bet that if we went out to restaurant and chicken and biscuits was on the menu, you can bet she would order it. She’s no longer with us, but her spirit is and 

Chicken and Biscuits can be made with any number of Spinach Tiger’s biscuits.

What ingredients are in grain free biscuit?

This is the biscuit I sell in my keto bakery. It’s made from almond flour, coconut flour, butter,  golden flax,  egg whites, baking powder and salt. You can find the recipe for the biscuits here. 

How to thicken keto chicken and biscuits 

Instead of using flour, I used gelatin as a thickening agent to make this keto friendly. If you don’t want to use gelatin, you could use arrowroot or a very small amount of xanthan gum.  You could also add some heavy cream. 

This is the best keto comfort food. You will still love the comfort of the creamy chicken and the crispy biscuits.  

Instead of potatoes, I used cauliflower rice, and added in some broccoli, carrots, celery and onions..

The biscuits are baked separately and put on the chicken right before serving, so they don’t get soggy.

There is a gluten free biscuit version of this dish here.

This dish can also be made with these grain free cheddar biscuits.

More Keto Recipes from Spinach Tiger

Grain Free Cheddar Biscuits

Parmesan  Mayonnaise Chicken Bake

Low Carb Chicken Piccata

Low Carb Chicken Parmesan with Pepperoni

Low Carb Zuppa Tuscana

Za’atar Chicken

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Grain Free Chicken and Biscuits

Grain Free Chicken and Biscuits

Course Entree

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 6

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons butter divided
• 1 large onion diced
• 2 carrots shredded or sliced (leave out if keto)
• 2 ribs celery diced optional
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 package unflavored gelatin
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 2 cups frozen cauliflower rice or chopped broccoli see notes
• 4 cups cubed cooked chicken see notes
• salt and pepper
• handful parsley reserve some for garnish
• Grain Free Biscuits see recipe

Instructions

• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in frying pan. Add diced onion, celery, carrots, cauliflower rice,
• Heat broth separately.
• Sprinkle gelatin over broth to thicken it.
• Add in a tablespoon of dijon mustard. Stir to incorporate.
• Cook on low for about fifteen minutes, adding in vegetables and chicken.
• As the broth is cooking down, make the biscuits.
• Add 3 tablespoons minced parsley. Reserve some for final garnish.
• Once the chicken mixture is creamy enough, add golden baked biscuits to top serve.
• Make sure you use biscuits crispy right from oven. If you make them in advance, reheat in oven to make they browned and crispy.

Notes

You can use sauteéd cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken.
You can leave out the cauliflower rice or chopped broccoli.

If you don't want to use gelatin:

• You can thicken with 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum, stirring vigorously. 
• You can thicken with arrowroot. 
• You can thicken with heavy cream.

The post Grain Free Chicken and Biscuits Pot Pie (Paleo, Keto) appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Broccoli is probably my favorite green vegetable and comes home with me every week, second only to greens for salad, The versatility of this beautiful, anti-oxidant super healthy vegetable is unsurpassed for many reasons.

Broccoli is the star here, but there are handfuls of basil and fresh spinach, which, of course, makes me grin from ear to ear.

I set out to show you a way to love vegetables, and while we are eating them here at home, I’m not reporting them back to you on a frequent enough basis. But, I guarantee you that if you like broccoli, you will love this soup, and if you don’t like broccoli, maybe you just haven’t had it prepared properly.

If the only kind of broccoli soup you’ve experienced is that thick, gooey broccoli cheese soup that restaurants purchase in large plastic buckets, then you haven’t had good broccoli soup.

Broccoli Comes to America Via Italy

My love affair with broccoli is probably genetic. Did you know that it was the Italians who brought this beautiful cruciferous to America? The D’Arrigo Brothers weren’t the first to plant it, but they popularized broccoli in the 1920’s, first in San Jose, California, then in Boston, under the name Andy Boy.

Broccoli was meant to be married with olive oil, salt and lemon, served at room temperature, after being cooked quickly so that it would remain bright green, or placed inside a frittata, or tossed with pasta. That is how I remember broccoli.

Broccoli Basil Soup Ingredients

• Broccoli
• Spinach
• Basil
• Olive Oil
• Lemon
• Organic Chicken Broth (or broccoli broth)
• Salt
• Pepper
• Pine Nuts (optional pistachios or sliced almonds)

If broccoli is cooked too long, it will release a sulfur smell that makes it unappetizing. After being assaulted with overcooked broccoli that stuffed into too many casseroles, mashed beyond identity, it’s no wonder people sometimes mistake broccoli for a vegetable they don’t like.

This soup just might turn a hater around.

Broccoli Basil Soup, Clean Eating, Paleo

This soup can be made with organic chicken broth or it can be made with the broccoli water it is cooked in. I’ve done it both ways. I used handfuls of basil and spinach, olive oil, lemon and pecorino romano cheese. This really gives it the Italian flavors I was looking for and feels heartier than it really is.

By this time the broccoli was cooked and ready to drain. I kept the broccoili water and began to blend about 1 cup of water to 2 cups of broccoli to this mixture. You can use a Vitamix, blender, or immersion blender. Add a few toasted pine nuts or almonds for garnish.

You can use Frozen Broccoli

Some people enjoy a soup that you can drink. Sometimes I do too, but sometimes I want more tooth to my soup. I only blended it to a point where you can still have texture. For me this is like porridge and it’s just right.

Taste along the way, and feel free to add your own touch to your broccoli basil soup. I drizzled olive oil into the soup and placed a dollop of Greek yogurt on top.

More Soup Recipes from Spinach Tiger

Asparagus Detox Soup

Golden Cauliflower Soup

Cheap Hearty Soups

Homemade Chicken Broth

Tomato Bisque Soup

Spring Pea Soup

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Broccoli Basil Soup

This version of broccoli soup is extra healthy, with added spinach, garlic, olive oil and lemon.

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 6 large broccoli flowers See Instructions for either fresh or frozen
• juice of half lemon
• 1 large pot of boiling water with sea salt
• 3 handfuls fresh spinach leaves washed
• 1 handful basil
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil and some for drizzling into soup
• 1/2 cup pecorino romano grated
• 1/4 cup pine nuts optional (can use Pistachios or toasted almonds)
• olive oil for finishing off
• sea salt
• black pepper
• 2 cups chicken broth (optional) You may use the broccoli broth.

Instructions

Using Fresh Broccoli

• Cut about 2 inches of stems off the broccoli and throw in a large pot of boiling water, with sea salt. Use a lot of water so there is so much heat that the broccoli will cook very quickly.
• Once broccoli is cooked, drain in colander. Save the broth or use added chicken broth.
• You can use frozen broccoli. Use chicken broth for broth.
• Squeeze lemon all over the broccoli.
• (Should be able to put a fork into easily enough, but don’t overcook)
• Put the broccoli in the Vitamix or blender with spinach, olive oil, basil, salt and pepper.
• Blend to your liking. I don't puree, but blend enough to have some heft remain I in the soup. Taste test to get the soup the way you like it.
• Add the broth or water 1/2 cup at a time, so as not to make too watery.
• Taste for seasoning.
• You may want to add more lemon, cheese, etc.
• Finish off with drizzle of olive oil, toasted pine nuts.

Notes

Buy very green dense broccoli. Use a very good cheese of choice.
You will be able to taste everything, so be sure you use FRESH spinach, FRESH garlic and very good extra virgin olive oil.

The post Broccoli Basil Soup with Pecorino and Pine Nuts appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

These make a quick snack, lunch, or game day appetizer. If you are on the keto diet, this is especially for you .Let the rest of the crowd eat all the carbs. You can snack on yummy veggies like cauliflower, broccoli and brussels spouts wrapped in bacon.

The Best Low Carb Veggies for Air Frying with Bacon

These couldn’t be easier to make. All you need to do is cut your favorite veggies into bite sized pieces and wrap in a 1/3 piece of regular to thinly sliced bacon. The thicker bacon isn’t going to work as well. Ten minutes later you have this yummy bite.

The best lower carb veggies are brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower, because they can be easily trimmed to bite size pieces.

You could just choose to use one vegetable, but I think a variety is fun for parties.  You don’t need to season them and you really don’t need a dipping sauce.

Dipping Sauce

If you do, use my favorite mayonnaise from Better Body Foods which is so full of flavor and the healthier choice, made with avocado oil.  I added a scant amount of sugar free ketchup.  I like it so much I have a monthly subscription on Amazon.  It has the right amount of acid and zing that you’ll eat it with a spoon.

Using the Air Fryer for Bacon-Wrapped Veggies

I am very smitten with my air fryer. I was hesitant at first to invest in one, so I bought the Cosori smaller version and it works just fine. You can actually fit all of these in the picture in it.

How to Wrap Raw Veggies with Bacon

This is really quite simple. I like to dip the head of the veggie in a little olive oil and wrap 1/3 of a piece of bacon and close with a toothpick. You can prep up to this point and refrigerate until you’re ready to make and serve.

They will roast up rather nicely inside the the bacon. I was actually surprised how fast they cook in the air fryer and that the veggies were softened, but not mushy.

Bacon Wrapped Veggies are so Easy and Fast to Make

You do not have to pre-cook the vegetables before wrapping them in bacon.

You probably can do this in the oven just as easily, but the air fryer is a snap and so is the clean up. I set the temperature at 375 degrees F. for 10 minutes. Turn them half way. Your sizes may be different than mine, so check at 5 minutes to see if its time to turn over.

Net Carbs for Bacon Wrapped Brussels, Cauliflower and Broccoli

This is super easy and a very relaxed recipe, using 1/3 piece of thin bacon per bite sized piece of vegetable. The bacon has zero carbs and you can see how keto friendly this is using low-carb veggies.

• One cup of brussels sprouts is 5 net carbs.
• One cup of cauliflower is 3 net carbs.
• One cup of broccoli is 3 net carbs.

Have fun with this recipe. Don’t be afraid to try other veggies if you desire and let me know if you do.

More Keto Friendly Appetizers from Spinach Tiger

Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites

Loaded Deviled Eggs

Pimento Cheese Deviled Eggs

Party Caprese Salad

Keto Crunchy Taco Cups

How to Pick Cheese for a Cheese Board

Cheesy Grain Free Pigs in the Blanket 

Popcorn Cauliflower

Shrimp Avocado Salad

Grain Free Sausage Balls

Chicken Wings with Aromatic Rub

Poached Lemon Dill Shrimp

Poached Shrimp with Olive Oil and Lemon Juice

Authentic Table Side Guacamole

Roasted Broccolini Wrapped in Prosciutto

Click here for 20 Keto Party Foods in One Place

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Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Veggies

Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts wrapped in bacon and made in an air fryer for a very delicious low-carb, keto snack or appetizer.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Equipment

• Air Fryer

Ingredients

• 1 cup cauliflower pieces
• 1 cup brussels sprouts, trimmed if large, cut in half
• 1 cup broccoli pieces
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 10 pieces bacon cut into three (more as needed)

Dipping Sauce

• 1/2 cup Better Body Foods Mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Sugar Free Ketchup

Instructions

• Trim all veggies and make sure they are bite sized.
• Cut bacon into three pieces
• Dip just the top of the veggie into the oil.
• Wrap bacon. Close with toothpick.
• Cook in air fryer at 375 degrees F. for approximately 10 minutes. Check at 5 minutes to turn over.
• You can also roast in oven at 375 degrees F. for 15-20 minutes. Turn half-way through
• Serve with your choice of dipping sauce or this sauce below.

Easy Dipping Sauce

• Mix mayonnaise and ketchup together.

Notes

You can prep these ahead and refrigerate for a few days, wrapped well in plastic. 

Then take out, let sit for 30 minutes to bring temperature up and proceed with cooking instructions.

The post Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Veggies (Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, Broccoli) appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

The D’Arrigo Brothers weren’t the first to plant it, but they popularized broccoli in the 1920’s, first in San Jose, California, then in Boston, under the name Andy Boy. You might be familiar with Andy Boy and the pink label, as they are still in business, four generations strong.

They mainly grow broccoli, broccoli rabe, cauliflower, fennel, and romaine hearts, all common to my kitchen. I’ve written extensively about Andy Boy’s broccoli rabe here also brought from Italy. (FYI, broccoli rabe is not broccoli), but also worth embracing. This is not a sponsored post, just a company I believe in. 

I’ll never understand anyone who doesn’t love broccoli. For me, roasted broccoli with olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper is very umami. Once I eat one stalk, I want to eat the whole pan.

Roasted Broccoli is a Life Giving Vegetable

Sometimes I do eat the whole pan, but broccoli is one of those life giving vegetables that has so many amazing benefits, I’ll never feel guilty for a little broccoli binge. It also seems to be one of the green veggies kids love.

One cup of raw broccoli has 4 net carbs and is very friendly to a low-carb diet or ANY diet. There’s not one diet that prohibits broccoli (outside of the carnivore) and there are many that encourage it for its cancer fighting anti-oxidants.

Broccoli was meant to be married with olive oil, salt and lemon, served at room temperature, after being cooked quickly so that it would remain bright green, or placed inside a frittata, or tossed with pasta.  One of my favorite broccoli recipes is is this soup, but when I want a side, I want this.

Broccoli is slightly intimidating because people may not be sure how to cut the crowns. For this recipe, I like to purchase broccoli crowns, cut lengthwise and place in a pan. You could also cut each small florets and roast that way. Make it your own. Just please make it.

I like my broccoli a little charred, a little crunchy.

Broccoli Basil Soup with Pecorino and Pine Nuts

Paleo Bacon Broccoli Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing

Broccoli Mozzarella Frittata

If you’re looking for low carb vegetable recipes, I have over 75 at this post, naming 30 low-carb vegetables.

Broccoli is low in calories and one cup is only 4 net carbs. Eat as much as you want.

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Roasted Broccoli with Olive Oil and Lemon

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 cups

Ingredients

• 1 bunch broccoli
• 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
• 1 1/2 lemon sliced
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

• Trim the more fibrous tips of the broccoli.
• You can slice lengthwise through the broccoli or trim off each little bud of the crown.
• Drizzle olive oil and use hands to make sure all broccoli has olive oil.
• Season with salt and pepper. Add lemon slices.
• Roast at 400 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Carbohydrates: 6g | Fiber: -9g

The post How to Make Roasted Broccoli with Olive Oil and Lemon appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Broccoli is one of my favorite vegetables. Nutrient dense, beautifully green, with a versatility that spans sides, soups and salads.

Bacon and broccoli salad hits all the right texture and flavor notes for me. Bacon adds just the right amount of saltiness. If you use a smoky bacon, all the better. I also like to add in golden raisins for sweetness and toasted sliced almonds for crunch. You can use any kind of dried fruit, such as cranberries. You can exchange the almonds for nuts of your choice.

The problem I’ve had with broccoli salad bought at markets or salad bars is the unnecessary sweetness and amount of sugar. I also find the extra large pieces awkward to eat. I cut the sugar using some honey mustard instead and made sure to cut the broccoli into pieces a fork can grab.

Does bacon and broccoli salad have carbs?

One cup (91 grams) of raw broccoli contains 6 grams of carbs, 2 of which are fiber.  This bacon and broccoli salad can be made very low carb by eliminating the golden raisins. You can leave those out, or just add a few.

As for dressing, I avoid adding sugar, but use some honey mustard, which has minimal carbs.

Do I cook broccoli for broccoli salad?

No, while, I’ve seen a few recipes that cook the broccoli, I don’t recommend that for this particular salad.

The best part of broccoli salad is the crunch. I do not pre-cook broccoli for broccoli salad. You want to make it at least six hours in advance so that it marinates in the dressing which will slightly soften the broccoli. You can eat this two days later if you have any left.

What Part of the Broccoli do I eat and use for Bacon and Broccoli Salad?

When I make my bacon and broccoli salad, I trim the broccoli of the big stems and cut it into true bite sized pieces.

While I trim off the ends, I will use as much of the broccoli as possible, which includes the stems. You can choose not to use the biggest parts of the stems and just use the florets, but there is nutrition in all of the broccoli parts and the stems are edible. Sometimes I take the bigger parts of the stems and feed them to the chickens at my friend’s farm.

If you love broccoli and all things veggie, check out the my post on 30 low-carb vegetables, which include 75 Spinach Tiger Recipes.

If you love raw salads as much as I do, you’ll want to check these out from Spinach Tiger.

Raw Red Cabbage Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette

Raw Cauliflower Salad with Walnut Vinaigrette

Disclosure: Spinach Tiger is an Amazon Affiliate, earning a small commission, but does not affect price.

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Bacon and Broccoli Salad

Raw Broccoli and Bacon Salad, with Golden Raisins, Toasted Almonds and Crispy Bacon.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 6 cups raw broccoli cut in bite sized pieces
• 6 pieces bacon
• 2 large shallots minced
• 1/2 cup roasted sliced almonds
• 1/3 cup golden raisins or dried cranberries
• 1 cup honey mustard dressing recipe below
• Honey Mustard Dressing
• 3 tablespoons honey mustard
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 6 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise

Instructions

• Rinse broccoli. Trim ends. Cut into bite-sized pieces.
• Cut bacon into lardons, cutting 1/4 inch pieces across. Then fry until crispy.
• Toast almond for about 4 minutes until nearly golden. Careful not to burn.
• Toss all ingredients together.
• Honey Mustard Dressing Instructions
• Make Salad dressing by putting all dressing ingredients in jar and giving a good shake. Taste for your own preference. You will want to have a sharp acidic taste which will calm down during the marination process. I use enough to cover all the pieces. Save what's left over. You may want to add more in after refrigeration.

Notes

If you are eating low carb or keto, leave out the raisins.

The post Paleo Bacon and Broccoli Salad, Honey Mustard Dressing appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Baked frittata with spaghetti and broccoli could be baked frittata with any kind of pasta and veggie, because it’s all about using the left overs to drive home a protein packed, healthy breakfast lunch or dinner. I needed some cooking inspiration this week and I was helped along with an egg accessory package from OXO. Within 24 hours I was making these backed mini spaghetti broccoli frittatas.

I had left over spaghetti treated with olive oil and you know I hate wasting good food. Left over spaghetti with freshly sauteed broccoli with a few red peppers became the ingredients for my left over frittata. I made individual frittatas in these cast iron dishes, but feel free to follow this recipe to make one large frittata.

The key to good scrambled eggs or a good frittata is to get the egg beaten well. I grew up on that old fashioned egg beater,  but I love the the scrambler OXO makes. This tool does a great job of aerating the eggs and mixing them completely.

The spaghetti was already cooked and tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper. The broccoli was sauteed until it was softened about 5 minutes and then the spaghetti and eggs were added in.

Frittatas can be served hot, or room temperature. Serve with crusty bread.

More Frittatas From Spinach Tiger

Sweet Potato Frittata

Italian Sausage Ricotta Frittata

Spinach Frittata

Broccoli Basil Frittata

Let’s connect. I would love to meet you on Instagram.

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Baked Frittata with Spaghetti and Broccoli

A baked frittata using left overs of cooked spaghetti and broccoli tossed in olive oil.

Course Brunch

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons grated cheese such as pecorino, parmesan, gruyere, cheddar
• 2 tablespoons chopped papadew
• sea salt
• black pepper
• 2 cups cooked broccoli
• 1 cup cooked spaghetti you can use as little or as much of the pasta as you wish

Instructions

• Scramble eggs with cream. Add cheese.
• Add spaghetti and broccoli to a greased pan, individual baking dishes. They may fit 3 eggs or 2 eggs, depending on size.
• Add eggs into pan.
• Bake at 375 for 15 to 25 minutes in the top third of the oven. The frittata will be done when the middle is cooked. You may need to press out some of the liquid egg so it can cook down.

The post Baked Frittata with Spaghetti and Broccoli appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

How are you holding up out there during flu season? Me. I’m fine now, but I didn’t do so well. I just had a terrible bout with pneumonia and then relapsed and then celebrated with a perfect check up and a 4th chest x-ray in 8 months. All symptoms were resolved. I didn’t want to talk about it here. Somehow I managed to keep the blog going, and it might have been the thing that kept my spirits up.

Finally after  8 weeks, I started boot camp classes. I even broke a speed record in our boot camp group the second week.I was happy to see that I hadn’t lost most of my fitness level because of a thing called muscle memory. If you work out consistently, the body remembers and it’s much easier to get back to it.

Ten days after that great doctor’s report, I got the flu. It took the wind out of my sails, and I admit to feeling discouraged, defeated and even a little depressed. I’ve never been sick in my life longer than a week. I’ve never had to battle anything serious or be hospitalized.  I have much gratitude for this, and even more so now because health is a gift, and its not guaranteed.

I had to do some deep thinking about what my life is. What do I need to do before I leave here? I came to the conclusion that I don’t need to do anything. The question is who do I need to become? Is it more important to have a cookbook on the Amazon to prove something to myself or is it more important that I know how to be a consistently kind person waiting in line in the grocery store. Kindness changes the world more than a good recipe. I can do good recipes all day long. I can’t do kindness as easily.

I thank God every day for having had a lifetime of general good health, and I try to do my part in the fight.

During this time of fighting back, this 30 Minute Health Soup was something I relied on. I made many variations of it, and this one was my  favorite. I wanted a soup, not only tasty, but I was looking for that bright green color that made me happy.

Broccoli, potato, spinach, watercress, chicken broth, leeks, onion, and fresh lemon. Even the color of the soup was what I had been hoping for, a bright green, as I thought it might be therapeutic to look at, and I didn’t want any mossy green color.

This couldn’t be any easier to put together. After I chopped the leek, onion and potato, I threw it into the chicken broth and let it start boiling away. I added in some black pepper and starting chopping broccoli. I used one whole broccoli stalk. Once everything was softened, put it all in the Vitamix with handfuls of raw spinach. This was blended and put back into the pot with a half of  lemon and it’s juice. Watercress was added right before serving, but one night I skipped it and it was just as good.

This soup is creamy with no cream.

I’m fighting back with good food and plenty of liquids, mostly water and green tea.  How do you fight your flu symptoms or fight for your health?

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30 Minute Health Soup

A quick and healthy soup of broccoli, potatoes, and raw spinach cooked in chicken broth and put into the Vitamix for a delicious, bright, green, healthy soup.

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 2 quarts chicken broth see note
• 1 large broccoli stalk cut into course pieces
• 1 onion cut coarsely
• 1 leek chopped
• 1 large potato peeled, diced
• sea salt
• black pepper
• Squeeze of lemon
• 1 or 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 handfuls of raw baby spinach
• handfuls of water cress optional
• Note: Water must cover the vegetables by 4 inches. I used a heaping tablespoons of Better than Bouillon organic Chicken broth paste to make the broth.

Instructions

• Put all the vegetables in cold water and bring to boil. Continue on slow boil until the vegetables or fork tender. Squeeze lemon into cooked vegetables Put into a blender or Vitamix including broth. Serve immediately. Garnish with watercress, drizzle of olive oil.

The post 30 Minute Health Soup appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

This is my first “baked” frittata. I have always followed in the footsteps of my mother, grandmother, great grandmother and made my frittatas on top of the stove, a method that takes a lot of practice and confidence, perhaps even a hands on lesson. But, this method just might be the way to go if the idea of flipping a frittata is a little intimidating, or if you want to avoid standing at the stove.

But just for fun, let’s bake a frittata in the oven with my new found friend, the cast iron pan.

I am embracing cast iron with gusto, and decided to turn it into a baking dish that could make a frittata in the oven that gives my stove top method some tough competition. I was hesitant to give this a try, as the protein in eggs naturally wants to bind to a pan, and I didn’t know how the pan was going to behave. Success would mean it would slip out of the pan easily in one piece. It worked.

The eggs baked beautifully, while forming a bit of a golden crust that made for a delicious texture. The inside eggs, beaten with a splash of cream, almost had a quiche like texture, and the end result was show stopping beautiful.

Now that I’ve convinced you (hopefully) of trying this technique, allow me to persuade you to try a broccoli basil combination. I once made a broccoli and basil soup and was delighted with the aromatic surprise the broccoli needs.

Typically broccoli and cheddar travel the egg path together but the mozzarella compliments the basil a bit better, because olive oil is the base and one could put this in a crusty Italian roll and melt even more mozzarella cheese into the bread for a great lunch. I also avoided cheddar, trying to avoid the idea of those many broccoli cheddar casseroles.

The Process for Broccoli Mozzarella Baked Frittata

I started this with a fully cured cast iron pan that has been around forever. It’s my smallest of my three frying pans (8 inch). You can use a non-stick pan that is oven safe if you don’t want to chance a cast iron or don’t have one.

You can see that there is not a large amount of oil used, at least not as much if this was being prepared stove top. I chopped the broccoli and sauteéd in the cast iron pan until the broccoli was tender. This is your judgment call.

You don’t want mushy broccoli, but you don’t want it too crisp either. It will continue to cook a bit in the oven, so keep that in mind.

Use the best eggs you can afford. I get my eggs from a farm with roaming chickens and there is a difference.

The frittata baked in the oven approximately 30 minutes and came out a slightly golden brown and oh so appetizing.

More Frittatas from Spinach Tiger

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Cast Iron Broccoli Basil Mozzarella Frittata

Broccoli Basil Frittata covered in mozzarella cheese, baked in a cast iron pan. Easy brunch, lunch or dinner.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 1 large bunch of broccoli or enough to cover skillet cut into small pieces.
• Extra virgin olive oil or canola oil
• 10 large eggs beaten
• Splash of cream optional
• 1 handful basil torn into small pieces
• 1 cup Fresh mozzarella cheese cut into cubes or small thick slices
• Sea salt
• Black pepper freshly ground
• Touch of freshly grated nutmeg

Instructions

• Saute broccoli in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper until cooked but still firm as it will continue to cook in oven.
• Beat eggs. Add salt, pepper splash of fresh cream and just a touch of nutmeg. The cream results in a richer texture, but is not absolutely necessary. Once broccoli is sauteed, make sure the pan has enough oil on bottom and sides so that the eggs don’t stick, approximately 2 tablespoons. My pan is very well seasoned (cured) and I probably used 1 tablespoon. Add beaten eggs.
• Arrange mozzarella evenly, but not covered all over.
• Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25-40 minutes or until the middle is set. Check at 25 minutes. The time will depend on size of pan, your oven, etc.
• Once frittata is removed from oven, allow to cool for at least 10 minutes. Cut into wedges.
• Frittata is best served at room temperature.

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