HEALTHY GRAB AND GO BREAKFAST EGG MUFFINS 2 WAYS - LOW CARB & VEGETARIAN OPTION

As someone who thrives on being a busy body, I often forget to eat or worse, go after items high in carbs and sugar as a way to sustain my energy and curb my cravings. Knowing this, I decided to make some delicious, healthy, grab and go egg bites that I can batch make and store in the fridge for easy access throughout the week. This has totally helped me choose better snacking foods and its super easy to just warm up quickly in the microwave before I head out the door. I love them in the morning or after a workout and they are packed full of protein and veggies so you can have two or three completely guilt free!

Hope you like them!

INGREDIENTS:

- Makes 12 Servings -

Butter to Greece Baking Sheet
!2 Large Eggs
1 Small Sweet Onion - chopped roughly
Salt and Pepper To Taste

- For 6 Muffins Italian Style -
1/4 Cup of Freshly Grated Mozerella
5-6 Cherry Tomatoes, Sliced
3-4 Strips of Prosciutto

- For 6 Muffins Greek Vegetarian Style -
1/4 Cup of Grated Halloumi
1/4 Cup of Crumbled Feta Cheese
A handful of Freshly Washed Spinach

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350.

Greece baking tray wel.

Mix eggs, onion, salt and pepper in a large bowl and whip together.

Pour mixture into baking tray till each muffin cup is 1/2 way full.

Add in ingredients for both the Italian and Greek style.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until the tops brown slightly.

Remove and let sit for 10 minutes before trying to remove them from the tray.

Enjoy!

P.s You can store these eggs muffins in the fridge for 3-4 days in a ziplock bag or sealed container and warm up in the microwave for an easy grab and go snack!!

---

If you like this recipe or have any comments/questions, feel free to leave them in the comment section below!

---

PIN THIS POST

TRADITIONAL ITALIAN HOMEMADE FOCACCIA (SO EASY)

Is there anything better than the smell of fresh bread?

Especially when it’s covered in all your favorite focaccia toppings?

My Achilles heel, sun dried tomato focaccia is one of those traditional Italian appetizers that I can never turn down. As soon as I spot it (usually across the room), you know I’m right there, having a slice - okay 2, maybe 3….

While in self-isolation I had time to perfect this amazing homemade focaccia dough recipe I learned while in Italy and I must say, it stands the test of time! The dough always turns out perfect - fluffy and doughy with a crisp bottom and golden crust. Oh, and did I mention it’s also a vegan focaccia!

I can’t wait for you to enjoy it too!

FOCACCIA BREAD INGREDIENTS:

Serving: 8-10 Servings

-Focaccia Dough-
1 3/4 Warm water
1 Package of Yeast
1 TBSP of Sugar
5 CUPS of All-Purpose Flour
1 TBSP of Kosher Salt
1 CUP of Olive Oil - Spilt in two halves

-Optional Focaccia Toppings-
Coarse Sea Salt
Cherry Tomatoes
Kalamata Olives
Basil
Capers
Rosemary
Garlic

---

HERE ARE SOME OTHER BREAD RECIPES YOU MAY LIKE!

---

FOCACCIA RECIPE DIRECTIONS:

The first thing you need to do is activate the yeast so you will need to combine the warm water, yeast and sugar in a bowl. Stir and let it sit for 10-15 minutes until it starts bubbling and becomes very aromatic.

When ready, in a mixer using the hook attachment, combine the flour, salt, half a cup of the olive oil, and the yeast mixture on the lowest speed. After it is well mixed, increase the speed to three (low/medium) until it becomes smooth.

Once smooth, remove the dough from the mixer and place on a floured surface. Kneed the dough by hand until the dough stops being sticky. If you need to sprinkle more flour to help it along, do so.

When ready, form a ball with the dough. Using the mixing bowl you used before, coat the sides of the bowl with some oil and place the dough once again inside. Coat the dough with a little bit of oil as well before covering it with a cloth or plastic wrap, and place somewhere warm for about an hour until it doubled in size.

Take your cooking sheet or jelly roll pan (pan with lip) and cover with parchment paper (including the sides). Put a heavy coat of olive oil on the parchment paper before putting the dough on top. Focaccia is a heavily oiled bread so be generous with the olive oil.

Place the dough on the pan and stretch out with your fingers, flipping the dough over to allow the olive oil on the tray to coat both sides. Use your fingers to stretch the dough the full length of the pan and create finger holes so as to give it an uneven texture. Place the stretched dough in a warm place until it once again doubles in size (approximately one hour).

When dough is close to ready, preheat oven to 450.

If you want to add toppings to your focaccia you can do so at this point. If you want it plain you should still liberally sprinkle it with coarse sea salt.

When ready, bake until the top is golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before serving to your guest.

Buon Appetito!

---

FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM @ISTHATSOH

---

If you like this vegan focaccia dough recipe or have any comments/questions, feel free to leave them in the comment section below!

---

PIN THIS POST FOCACCIA BREAD RECIPE

FOREVER DREAMING OF ITALY: CACIO E PEPE, A SIMPLE ITALIAN CLASSIC

We may not be able to travel during this global pandemic but that doesn’t stop me from dreaming about Italy!

A couple of years ago Adam and I ate our way through Tuscany and spent some time in Rome (click here to read my food guide to Rome) and during our time there we took a fantastic authentic Italian cooking/pasta making course. It was during that course that I first had Cacio E Pepe and feel in love with the bite of the pepper against the salty cheese. Not only did we love our time in Italy but this classic, simple dish always reminds me of our great adventures there.

Buon Appetito!

INGREDIENTS:

- Serves 2 people

120 Grams of Pasta of Your Choice
Salt
3 TBSP of Unsalted Butter
1/2 TSP of Freshly Ground Pepper
3/4 Cups of Finely Grated Parmesan
1/2 Cup of Finely Grated Pecorino

DIRECTIONS:

Boil water, add salt followed by your pasta of choice. Cook slightly before al dente.

Before draining the pasta, set aside about 1/2 a cup to 1 cup of pasta water.

Warm up butter in a skillet and add in the freshly ground pepper. Toast the pepper for 1-minute stirring continuously.

Add in 1/2 a cup of pasta water followed by the pasta - coat the pasta so it cooks a little further. The sauce should be wet so once you fold in the parmesan and allow it to cover the pasta fully if the pasta water is absorbed fully, add more before lowering the heat and adding pecorino.

Stir, serve and enjoy!

---

If you like this recipe or have any comments/questions, feel free to leave them in the comment section below!

---

PIN THIS POST

RECIPE REVIEW: STRAWBERRY GOAT CHEESE BRUSCHETTA RECIPE

I found this recipe online while trying to find inspiration and had to try it out. I am a huge fan of goat cheese and the mix of sweet and salty flavors, so right off the bat it caught my attention. I did make an adjustment to the original recipe which called for thyme instead of mint, and I am so happy I did. The freshness of the mint perfectly complimented the strawberries and it tasted just heavenly. If you have a sweet tooth or like sweet fruits with cheese, you got to try this strawberry bruschetta recipe! Feel free to also get creative and change up the cheese! I am sure it would also taste amazing with feta cheese and a little balsamic glaze or cream cheese if that’s all you have!

INGREDIENTS:

Serving: 3-4 People

1/2 CUP of balsamic vinegar
Bread cut into slices - I used baguette but the original recipe calls for Italian
1 TBSP of olive oil
1 LB of Fresh Strawberries (cut into small morsels)
2 TSP of Fresh Mint (chopped) - original recipe calls for thyme
1 CUP of Goat Cheese - Keep at room temperature for easy spreading
Salt and Pepper to Taste

---

LOOKING FOR AN INTERESTING APPETIZER? CHECK OUT THESE OTHER RECIPES!

---

HOW TO MAKE STRAWBERRY BRUSCHETTA:

The first thing you want to do is reduce the balsamic vinegar into a glaze so in order to do this you need to heat it in a small pot or pan over medium to low heat. Let it simmer there for 8 to 10 minutes, it should reduce by about half and thicken nicely to a glaze. Once it is done, remove from heat and allow it to cool back to room temperature.

Next, you have to toast the bread. You can either do this in bulk using a foil-lined baking sheet, drizzling them with olive oil, and placing them in the oven at 400 for 5-10 minutes. The timing here can vary depending on how thick you cut the slices and how golden/crunchy you want them so keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.

While the bread is in the oven, combine cut-up strawberries with fresh mint in a bowl and add in the room temperature vinegar glaze. Salt and pepper the mixture to your taste.

Once the bread is ready you can go ahead and spread goat cheese across each piece before spooning the strawberry bruschetta mixture over each piece. Garnish with more mint and serve!

Enjoy!

To check out the original recipe, click HERE!

If you are looking for an authentic traditional Italian bruschetta recipe with tomatoes, click HERE!

---

FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM @ISTHATSOH

Gallery Block

This is an example. To display your Instagram posts, double-click here to add an account or select an existing connected account. Learn more

---

If you like this strawberry bruschetta recipe or have any comments/questions, feel free to leave them in the comment section below!

---

PIN THIS POST

MUSSELS ARRABBIATA (SPICY TOMATO SAUCE)

One thing my brother-in-law and I have in common is our love for all-you-can eat mussels. When it comes to who can put down more bowls of mussels, I’ve got some stiff competition. Almost every time I go to visit him we always go to this restaurant that runs a ‘bottomless mussels’ special on Tuesdays and when they see us walk in they know, IT’S GOING DOWN!

The last time I visited though, I suggested trying our hand at making mussels at home. At the time I had also been craving something with a spicy arrabbiata sauce and I thought the flavors would pair really nicely with mussels (very similar to mussels marinara). So why not hit two birds with one stone!? Dinner that night came together beautifully, and I loved how well my new mussel recipe turned out. Needless to say, there were ZERO leftovers and being a self-proclaimed ‘mussel connoisseur’ I’m definitely giving myself a pat-on-the-back for this one!

To all my seafood lovers out there, this one is for you!

Buon Appetito!

INGREDIENTS:

 Serves 2 People

-Seafood-
4 lbs of fresh mussels – rinse, scrub and debeard. (I usually buy extra because I know that some are going to be bad)

How to buy, store, and prep fresh mussels:

When buying fresh mussels, make sure to smell them - they SHOULD NOT have a strong odor! You also want the shells to be shut. Since mussels are alive if you bang the shells or apply pressure and close them yourself, if they are indeed alive, they should shut or remain shut. If they open once again right away it means that they are weak/not fresh, so don’t buy those. Make sure to store your mussels in the fridge, they need air to breathe so don’t use a sealed container, instead place a damp cloth over them like a napkin or paper towel to provide further moisture. Before you are ready to use them make sure to rinse the shells, remove the beards or hairy bits, and scrub away any debris off the shells.

-Arrabbiata Sauce-
3 tbsp of olive oil
1 small sweet onion - chopped finely
2 cloves of garlic - minced
1-2 dashes of hot chili flakes (as desired)
2 800g (28oz) cans of peeled tomatoes (Roma / San Marzano)
2 tbsp of fresh basil, chopped roughly
Salt and Pepper to Taste

-Toppings-
Fresh Italian Basil

-Extras-
Baguette

---

LOVE SEAFOOD? CHECK OUT THESE OTHER SEAFOOD RECIPES!

---

HOW TO MAKE MUSSELS ARRABIATA:

In a deep skillet or Dutch oven, add olive oil and let it heat up on low to medium heat.

Once hot add onion to skillet and let sweat for 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally.

Once onion and garlic are translucent add in your chili flakes and continue to cook, 1-2 minutes.

Next, add in your roughly chopped fresh basil and both cans of tomatoes. Chop up any large tomato bits.

Add salt and pepper and mix thoroughly before covering and simmer at a low temperature for 30 minutes, stirring periodically. After 15 minutes add more salt and pepper to desired taste, if needed, then cover and let the sauce continue to simmer.

Place mussels in the skillet or Dutch oven and mix until fully coated in the simmering sauce. Cover and allow mussels to open/cook for 3-5 more minutes

Once all the mussels appear to be open and cooked, place in a bowl, garnish with fresh basil and serve!

Enjoy!

---

FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM @ISTHATSOH!

---

If you like this fresh mussels recipe or have any comments/questions about how to cook mussels, feel free to leave them in the comment section below!

---

PIN THIS POST