Greek Breakfast Pizza

Gabe and I got married a few years ago. Just like any other bride-to-be, I had what may be the most motivating factor in weight loss: wedding photos. Dun-dun-DUUUUUN!

So, just like anyone who's getting ready to do the weight loss thing, I jumped on the fad diet. My poison of choice? South Beach, baby!

I fell off that wagon not but a few months after the wedding but, I will say that I took away several habits from the South Beach Diet that I still follow to this day. This breakfast pizza is hands down my absolute favorite thing I learned from the book.

Of course, I jazzed this puppy up with some bacon and mushrooms which the original recipe does not, but you can definitely omit. Gabe won't eat it w/o the bacon though so that's my excuse for using the bacon.



Greek Breakfast Pizza
Adapted from The South Beach Diet book

Serves 2

1 whole wheat pocket pita
3 slices bacon, optional
1 c. mushrooms, sliced
4 c. pre-washed baby spinach
1 green onion, sliced
1 Roma tomato
2 oz. feta cheese
2 eggs
garlic powder, optional
salt, pepper, olive oil

*Note: pitas freeze really well!

Slice the pita in half horizontally. Put the cup sides up and toast.

I use my toaster oven.

Bacon. The root of all that is good in this world. We use three slices in our household.

Cut the bacon into little pieces - about 1/2"

Throw them into a cold non-stick pan to render a little bit of grease. The pan should be on medium to medium high heat.

If you're using uncooked bacon, just brown and drain off the grease into a bowl and whatever sticks in the pan, just leave it. Cut up the bacon and proceed as follows!

While the bacon heats up, get the mushrooms sliced. I use criminis, as always!

There we go. Give up that yummy porky goodness.

Throw into the pan and toss until the mushrooms get slightly browned.

I like using some green onions, just a small handful for flavor.

Then we have the triple washed baby spinach. You can use frozen chopped if you have it.

When the mushrooms look like this:

Go ahead and add the spinach:

Looks like a lot of spinach, but you know how spinach wilts down to nothing.

Going..

Going.....

Wilted. Add 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper and a dash of garlic powder.

Here's the pita all toasty and a little crunchy.

Golden brown edges. Look for those, people. Creates a nice texture contrast.

Throw in those green onions and toss.

So put the spinach mixture onto the pitas and throw into the toaster oven to warm.

I use the same non-stick pan. Dish tyranny, remember?

Crack the egg. Crack iiiit.

Look at those pretty eggs.

Slice the tomato, 1/4" thick. Thicker if you like.

Pretty.

Then the feta. Yummy yummy feta. Please don't use the crumbled stuff, it's so bland compared to the blocks.

Don't forget to salt & pepper the eggs, for the love of god. Gabe's been cooking eggs for years and still can't remember that very important step.

Put the slices onto the pizzas and then..

Crumble the feta on top of the tomatoes and throw it back into the toaster oven to get warmed through.

Cook your eggs how you like, but I like when the edges get a little crunchy but the yolk is still runny.

Bonus: Use the top of the toaster oven to warm your plates!

That cheese gets all warm and the tomatoes too. DE-lish.

Then, throw the egg on top.

Add some orange slices.

Gabe calls them the Sydney Opera House oranges.

See the resemblence?

Dig in. Thank me later.

Make this for a brunch party - they'll love it!

Quickie Lemon Shrimp Pasta

Let me be frank. I love shrimp. Love love love shrimp. Undoubtedly one of my absolute favorite seafoods. The only thing I requested to be served our little backyard wedding, which my husband's family so graciously obliged (cooked to perfection and served with lots and LOTS of butter - I knew I married into the right family), was shrimp. Sweet, succulent and crunchy when perfectly cooked. To me, there's not many other foods that rival the perfection that is the shrimp, and relatively affordable as far as seafood goes. Lucky for me my favorite Asian supermarket in Seattle's International District sells some pretty large shrimp at a decent price. That price may have something to do with the fact that while headless, they aren't peeled. Or deveined. This task isn't for the squeamish but for those that don't know (and maybe you don't want to know), you're not really removing a 'vein'. It's the intestine that runs along the back of the shrimp that can be filled with dirt and grit and digested parts of whatever shrimps eat. It's shrimp poo so it has to be removed. Unless you're into eating shrimp poo in which case, you're reading the wrong blog.

This was a super quick and easy meal that gets put together in less than 15 minutes (after the shrimp are peeled and deveined of course) that's fancy enough for entertaining. Try it and let me know how yours turns out and any variations you use, I'd love to hear from you!

Quickie Lemon Shrimp Pasta

Serves 4 generously

1.5 lbs large shrimp (I think mine were 15-20 which is a meaning about 15-20 shrimp per lb)
6 cups tender leafy veggies (spinach or arugula will work but I had pea sprouts)
1 14 oz. box short cut pasta (penne, rotini, etc.)
4 tbsp. grated cheese (grana padano or parigiano reggiano)
1 juice of a lemon, more for garnish
3 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 c. chopped Italian flat leaf parsley

kosher salt

fresh cracked black pepper

Preheat the oven at 400°F. At the same time, put a pot of water to boil pasta. The trick to this dish is to make sure your water is boiling at the same time the oven is up to temperature. You're baking the shrimp the same time the pasta is cooking and both should take about the same time to cook.

Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and place on an aluminum baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and one teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper - toss and spread out in one flat layer. Depending on exactly how large your shrimp these should take 8-10 minutes.

Throw a handful of salt in the boiling water. Wait for it to dissolve and dump the pasta, give it a stir. In the mean time, wash your veggies. I happen to have these weird pea sprouts I picked up at the same Asian market but they're a little obscure.

Spinach, arugula or even watercress will work perfectly. Any tender leafy veg that will wilt slightly with a little hot water. Put about 1.5 cups of greens per plate - raw. Chop up your parsley and have your cheese close and ready to sprinkle. When the shrimp is ready they will be completely opaque and when pressed with your finger, don't have any give.

As your pasta finishes cooking, check a piece for doneness. And use a slotted spoon or spider to drain the pasta directly onto the greens.

It's fine if the water isn't drained, you actually want some pasta water to go onto the greens.

Sprinkle the cheese onto the steamy pasta and it will make this nice, cheesy crust on ridged pasta like penne, mmmmmmmmmmm. Put about 5 (or 50) shrimp on top of the cheesy pasta.

Squeeze some lemon on top and dress with parsley, enjoy!