Spinach Pancakes. It can be done and be GOOD.

It's no secret I've been trying to find some "healthier" recipes and really cut down on the refined foods (hello, bread anyone?).  I came across this recipe and decided to give it a whirl, though of course I modified it quite a bit so that it looks like a completely different dish. 

The pictures don't do justice to this dish.  The pancakes come out looking all weird but they are really so good!  Although they are densely "spinach", they're still pretty thick.  However, I wouldn't call them bready.  The flour in the recipe is just enough to get everything to stick together.  The end result is a hearty and healthy meal.

SPINACH (and sweet potato) PANCAKES

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup chopped spinach (or use one package 10oz frozen spinach)
1 cup sweet potato fries, chopped
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 large egg
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Canola or Vegetable Oil
Accompaniments: Marinara sauce, Ketchup, or Mustard

Or see this recipe for the Ka-Pow dipping sauce. It is absolutely, RIDICULOUSLY good!


DIRECTIONS:
Place the vegetables in a food processor and pulse to chop fine.

Add the chopped vegetables into a bowl along with the flour, salt, egg, basil and garlic powder. Mix to combine.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat and place 1 tbsp of the batter into the pan for each pancake.
Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side.

Serve with marinara sauce or dip of your choice.

PERSONAL NOTES:

These pancakes came out much heartier than I originally anticipated.  I love it that there's hardly any flour in the mix so the pancakes are really very spinach-sweet potato.  And because of the egg/flour additions the pancakes came out nice and thick.  So good.  Not to mention, they're very filling.  I probably eat 2 for each serving.

As I mentioned above, these pancakes are really, really good with the Ka-Pow sauce.  You should try it!!!

Cheese Souffle

I'd always been curious about souffles and why they were challenging to make.  So I decided to try out this recipe for a cheese souffle.  As I was making it, I had an "A-ha!" moment.  I totally got how they work.  I might say it's having common sense.  *However*, if you're cooking-challenged (or just don't have enough experience yet), there are some things you might not realize.  And that's OK.  I'll let you in on the secrets I learned. 

Before I go further, I have to say that I tried this souffle with very high hopes.  Unfortunately I wasn't "wow'd" by the results.  For starters, the flavor was bland - even despite using a sharp cheddar.  It did have some kick with the added cayenne, but overall I felt "meh" about it.  On top of that, the consistency, while light, almost reminded me of scrambled eggs.  Which I don't like.  Ick.

What I ended up doing rather unintentionally, was making another souffle - this time with zucchini.  Initially I thought I'd try a different one and the zucchini caught my eye but as I was going through the recipe I was confused by mixing in the eggs and adding baking powder.  I mean... isn't that opposite of what a true souffle is?  That sounds to me more like a quiche.  Or a frittata.

Anyhow, I made the second souffle by adding shredded zucchini and it was SO MUCH better than the plain cheese souffle.  It added just enough flavor and a really nice contrast with the texture.  The zucchini made this recipe a keeper. 

CHEESE SOUFFLE

INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons butter or margarine 

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon ground mustard

dash cayenne pepper

1 cup milk

1 cup shredded Cheddar or Swiss cheese 

4 eggs, separated

DIRECTIONS:

In a saucepan, melt butter. Stir in the flour, mustard and cayenne until smooth; gradually add the milk. bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; stir in cheese until melted. Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Cool slightly.

In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into egg yolk mixture. Pour into four greased 10-oz. souffle dishes or custard cups. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve immediately.

CHEESE & ZUCCHINI SOUFFLE*

*For the Cheese & Zucchini Souffle, just add a pound of shredded zucchini (about one medium zucchini).

PERSONAL NOTES:

As I mentioned above, the cheese souffle was boring.  Meh.  But once I added zucchini to the mix it was MUCH better.  I'd make this one again, for sure.

The secret to successful souffles is timing, when it all boils down to it.  I set everything up in advance - all ingredients measured out and ready to go.  It makes things much easier.

When mixing the ingredients on the stove, keep stirring!  Don't stop.  Take the pot off the heat, add the cheese and zucchini and allow it to cool down just a little bit. 

At the same time, start whipping the egg white.  As the mixer is going, start spooning bit by bit the souffle mixture into the bowl with the egg yolks.  Transfer back to the pot.  Gradually fold in the egg whites.  This is where it can get dicey.  Mix it ONLY UNTIL BLENDED. You don't want to mix the egg whites too much or they'll lose their "air".  The end result to that is, after putting the souffle into the oven; baked bricks.

So to ensure fluffy souffles that rise, do NOT over-mix the egg whites into the pot.  Moving quickly, scoop the mixture into ramekins (oiled or sprayed) and place into the oven.  Watch the clock to make sure you don't over cook them either. 

It might sound like a bit of work, but once you get these basics down, the rest will really be easy.

Sweet Potato and Fennel Frittata (with Leeks!)

This is a creative combination right here (and I wish I'd thought of it!): Sweet potato and fennel.  I wouldn't have thought to bring these two together but I'm glad someone else did.  Since I wasn't sure how I'd feel about fennel (beleive it or not I've never actually had fennel before except as tea) so I picked up some leeks to split the frittata into two parts: one half fennel and the other half leeks.  As it turns out, both halves are delicious!  Although I'm still glad I grabbed the leeks.  They offer good flavor combinations as well as textures.  So good.


SWEET POTATO & FENNEL FRITTATA (AND LEEKS)

INGREDIENTS:
4 eggs (or egg subsitute)
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup milk
1 large sweet potato (peeled and sliced really thin with a mandolin
1 large fennel bulb (cored, and sliced thin)
2 leeks (optional)
1/4 cup fresh grated Pecorino cheese
1 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (or oregano)
Salt and pepper as needed
2 tablespoons butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:
Whisk together the eggs, mascarpone and milk together. Season with salt and set aside. Brush the bottom of your tart pan with butter. Arrange one-third of the sweet potato slices in a single layer on the base slightly overlapping the slices. Sprinkle a third of the fennel slices evenly. Season with salt, pepper and a third of the thyme. Pour a third of the egg mixture over the veggies. Sprinkle some of the Pecorino cheese. Repeat with 2 more layers ending by sprinkling all the remaining Pecorino on top.

Bake at 350F for 30 minutes until the center is set. Remove to rack and serve immediately.

PERSONAL NOTES:

As I mentioned above, I split the frittata into two halves.  One side for the fennel, the other for the leeks.  Also - and this is a BIG note - my frittata cooked for 50 minutes NOT 30 minutes.  I kept checking to see if the eggs were cooked in the middle and they weren't.  I have no idea why it took so long, but there you have it.  Check it at 30 minutes and see if you need to keep it cooking or not.  50 minutes is quite a bit of time - and considerably longer than what the recipe originally called for.  But let me tell you, the end result was worth the wait.  SO GOOD.