Individual feta & mushroom omelettes

In an effort to reduce foods containing gluten I eat, I’ve been avoiding pastry and bread. This makes it a little hard to come up with transportable, quick and easy lunch foods considering we’re so used to eating sandwiches or wraps. I was going on my son’s school excursion last week and thought about making little quiches. What I came up with was basically an omelette baked in a muffin pan. They puffed up beautifully (and then sunk, as egg dishes usually do) but were just the right size for a quick lunch on the go.

There is nothing else in this recipe other than eggs, mushrooms and feta and then topped with a little grated cheese. A good protein ‘pop’ for a mid morning or afternoon snack or a couple with a salad for lunch. Of course they’d be just perfect for breakfast as well.

I’ll be remembering to cook my omelettes this way from now on. They’d freezer well or will keep in the fridge for a couple days. Next time, I might use some folded baking paper just to lift out of the pans or even cupcake papers to line the muffin pan. As much as I oiled the pan really well, they got a little stuck. Perfect little ‘pies’ eaten hot or cold.

Individual Feta & Mushroom Omelettes

• 4 eggs
• mushrooms, finely sliced
• 125gm feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• salt & pepper
• grated cheese
• oil or butter for greasing muffin pan

1. Beat eggs well.
2. Add other ingredients and pour into well greased (or lined with baking paper or cupcake paper) muffin pan.
3. Top with grated cheese.
4. Bake in a 170 deg C oven for approx 10 mins or until golden on top.
5. Makes 6 individual omelettes.

Creamy Mushroom Risoni/Orzo

Have I told you how much I like risoni (or otherwise known as orzo)? To me, it’s like a ‘poor man’s’ risotto, not that arborio rice (the rice traditionally used for risotto) is all that expensive. Sometimes you can pick up a bag of risoni for $1 and it will last you for ages, it’s quick to cook and you can use it so many ways. I love it cooked like this in a bit of stock and a touch of cream. Change your macaroni to risoni for the kid’s Mac’n’Cheese or add to soups to bulk it out a little. This is also a great side dish with any vegetables added.

Creamy Mushroom Risoni

• 250gm button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tbs butter
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1/2 tbs thyme, dried
• 1/2 cup risoni
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup cream
• grated parmesan cheese, to serve

1. Pan fry mushrooms in melted butter until just starting to soften.
2. Add thyme and garlic.
3. Add stock and risoni.
4. Cook until pasta has softened and most of the liquid is absorbed.
5. Just before serving, add cream and heat through.
6. Top with grated parmesan to serve.
7. Serve with garlic bread.

Serves 2.

Spaghetti con pollo e funghi - Chicken & Mushroom Pasta

It sounds better in Italian. This is one of those quick, throw together type meals I just love, especially on Girl Guides nights. I drop my daughter off and I’m barely home and then I have to go and get her. We usually opted for takeaway on Thursday night but that’s always expensive and the kids were eating too late.

I also like this recipe with bacon and mushrooms or just mushrooms on their own. You can use any pasta you like. I don’t have this often because I don’t often have cream in the fridge but I’m sure you could substitute the cream with evaporated skim milk, Greek yoghurt, sour cream or cream cheese.

Spaghetti con Pollo e Funghi

1 chicken breast, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped finely (or crushed)
2 green onions (spring onions), chopped finely
extra virgin olive oil, for frying
250ml cream
parmesan cheese, grated (plus extra for serving)
salt & pepper
500gm cooked spaghetti (or pasta of choice)

1. Saute chicken in a little extra virgin olive oil until cooked. Add salt and pepper. 
2. Add mushrooms, garlic and green onions. Saute for 5 minutes.
3. Add cream and allow to thicken for approx 5 mins.
4. Add a handful of parmesan chicken to thicken sauce.
5. Spoon a little sauce over cooked spaghetti. After placing spaghetti in serving dish, spoon over chicken mixture and sprinkle more parmesan over the top.

I’m linking up with Keith at Chronicles of a Reluctant Housedad and hope he puts this one in his Recipe Shed.