Omelet in a Bag!

Omelet in a Bag!

I know, Omelet in a Bag!?  This is one of the most quick and easy ways to get in a healthy breakfast without a lot of prep time and can be made in bulk and frozen or refrigerated to help you during your week!  This is not my original invention, I believe this is one we found online forever ago when looking for egg recipes. Boiling the eggs in a bag saves time on clean up and you get to enjoy your eggs without any added butter or oils.  This has been one of our family favorites for a while, since you can quickly enjoy these omelets or have them Good To Go in your lunch for the day, my Hubby often brings these to work for his lunch.  I'll be honest, sometimes, I even eat these omelets for a snack! *Gasp* I know, I'm a wild one.

Ingredients:

1 Freezer Bag - Quart sized  (I like Ziploc, but whatever will work, just make sure it is a Freezer bag, they handle extreme temperatures the best.

2 Eggs

3T Cheese (Cheddar or Feta are my favorites)

1/2 - 1C Salsa or chopped veggies - Get some veggies in!

My  Favorite Chopped Veggies:

* Salsa would save you on prep time, but I keep these chopped on hand anyway for salads or recipes like these during my week.  It's a great way to help me squeeze in my veggies for the day! 

Onion

Green Bell Pepper

Tomatoes

Spinach

My Favorite Egg Seasonings:

*Optional (I don't really measure, I just do 1-2 shakes of whatever I'm in the mood for... you really can't mess these up too easily)

Onion Powder

Garlic Powder

Smoked Paprika

Parsley 

Black Pepper

Chili Powder (adds some heat, so, go easy on this one)

Directions:

1. Fill a Sauce Pot full enough to cover your Omelet Bag.  I use a 4 Quart sauce pot and fill it 2/3 full.  Put this pot on Medium High heat to get it boiling, while you are doing your prep work.

2. For the most easy prep, put your Freezer Bag inside a mug and pull the bag open.  I like to fold the opening over the edges of the mug, so the bag doesn't accidentally close while I'm trying to put my eggs in it.

3. Crack your eggs into the mug.  Add Salsa & Seasonings.  I like to add 1/2 of my Cheese and salsa and reserve the rest for the top of my Omelet, if you aren't going to enjoy your omelet right away, go ahead and put all of your cheese in the Omelet. :)

4. Squeeze the air out of the bag and zip the bag closed.  Squeeze the contents until well combined.  Insert bag into your pot of hot water and boil for 13 - 15 minutes.  You will want to boil longer if you are doing multiple Omelets, I would only bump it up to 15 - 20 minutes at the most. 

 

Note: You do not need to fully immerse the bag in the boiling water, but can leave the top of the bag out of the pot so you can easily remove the bag once it is done... Be sure not to let the bag hang over onto your hot burner, as this could start a fire!

5. The omelet should not have liquid running around in the bag, if it does, simply flip the bag around or push it down with a wooden spoon and continue boiling for 1-2 minutes.  The omelet will come out looking fully cooked.

6. The fully cooked omelet will simply slide out of the bag!  Add the rest of your cheese on top while it is hot, so the cheese can melt, you can also add more salsa on top to get more veggies in!  If you are saving an omelet for later, refrigerate for up to 4 days, freeze for 1 month.  You should never eat raw or undercooked eggs.  If your eggs are runny or undercooked, simply microwave them for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

For those doing the 21 Day Fix program: This Omelet counts as 1 Red, 1/2 - 1 Green & 1/2 Blue containers. 

Enjoy!

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Okra the Alien Vegetable

 

Okra - The Alien Vegetable

I remember it like it was yesterday, my family sat down to the meal my mom laid out for us; I made my quick inventory of what was for dinner, deciding what I wanted most... then I saw it. Something green and slimy, with little slimy balls stuck inside.  A quick glance to my mother and the set look on her face let me know she was completely serious about what was on the table, she was determined to make us eat the Alien Food!  Surely Not! My mom, seeing my face, told me it was "Okra."  What kind of name is okra?!  I watched in dread as a heaping spoonful was piled on my plate and my mother, cautious of the potential adolescent outburst, softly said "just try it."  This is when I knew my parents had been replaced by Pod People.  It was the only logical explanation as to why my mother, who said she loved me dearly, would attempt to end me with this slug filled "food"!
Well, I survived and it turned out my parents weren't Pod People.  I don't think Pod People are allowed to show such an intense emotion as rage, like the kind my parents showed when I attempted to get out of eating the okra by putting it on my brother's plate and proclaiming I wasn't eating dinner that night. 

Fast-forward 15ish years and you would find newlywed me freshly settled in Florida to be near my new hubby's family. I was a little lonely for my family (none of which lived in Florida), so when we received a dinner invitation from my grandfather's elderly cousin and his wife, we were quick to accept. My husband and I would joke that our first "couple friends" were in their 80s. They were wonderful people, the conversation was interesting and dinner smelled great!  We sat down for dinner and, gasp, there it was again... after years of avoidance, okra was again on the menu!  I put on my polite-brave face and only wondered for a minute if they would notice if I put it on our host's plate (hey, it was the closest plate to mine), but I was good and, with a deep breath, took my first bite in years.  I was pleasantly surprised!  The once strangely fuzzy texture of the outside of the vegetable was tastily toasted with a simple coating of an egg and Parmesan cheese mix, sauteed up in olive oil.  The previously perceived slimy texture was now a textural compliment to the lightly toasted outside.  I had seconds. 

I recently jumped on the "Clean Eating" train, which includes eating lots of fresh veggies and fruits.  After years of struggling with my weight I finally reached out for help and true guidance on what to eat.  It has made a very big impact on my life and I can't recommend it enough!  Message me if you would like more details. 

I have added Okra into my regular diet.  I enjoy this veggie several times a week and am trying new ways to enjoy this strange food. Here is one of my favorite way to enjoy it:

 

Sauteed Okra with Feta!

Ingredients:

2 1/2C Frozen Okra
1t Garlic Powder
1t Smoked Paprika
1/2t Cayenne Pepper
3T Feta Cheese
2t Olive Oil

Directions:

Mix okra and olive oil in a skillet on medium heat, stirring until okra is thawed.  Once okra is thawed, slightly turn up heat and add Garlic Powder, Smoked Paprika & Cayenne Pepper. Mix well.

Place okra in a mixing bowl and add Feta Cheese, mixing well.

(Serves 2 - 1 Serving is 1 Green Container of the 21 Day Fix and 1/2 Blue Container)

I also enjoy the frozen mixed bag of veggies that includes okra, and throwing that together with a little whole grain rice and a tasty pork chop!  Keep an eye out for my Baked Pork Chops!  Until then, give okra a try! :)

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