ISRAELI BREAKFAST - COLORFUL. TEXTURAL. DELICIOUS.

One of my Private Training clients inspired me to make this gem of a breakfast daily and now it’s become a staple. I tend to eat breakfast around “lunchtime” and the Israeli Breakfast hits all the right spots with a good balance of healthy fats, carbohydrates, and protein. It’s colorful, textural, and delicious.

Lately I’ve been on a kick to eat at home or home-cooked food as much as possible and I had never made a “medium-boiled” egg. IT’S SO EASY! Boil water, place eggs in boiling water, time for exactly 6 minutes 15 seconds, remove and place in cool water. It works perfectly every time.

I replaced Pita Bread with Ezekial Bread to inhibit me from binge eating Pita doused in garlic and olive oil. Extra credit for home made hummus. You MUST have ZA’ATAR it’s simply the best collaboration of herbs and spices. ZA’ATAR makes the dish. I pick up a yummy brand imported from Palestine - The West Bank ( Whole Foods).

This breakfast will take you less than 10 minutes if you have all the Ingredients. Throw it together into a colorful arrangement, serve it to friends or to your lover in bed on a late weekend morning.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Soft Boiled Eggs

1 Slice Ezekial Bread Cut into fours

1/4 Sliced English Cucumber

2 Sliced medium Radishes

2 -5 Tbsp Original Hummus

A sprinkling of Za’atar

Persian Herb Frittata - Greens + Protein = Delicious & Nutritious

This dish, known as Kuku Sabzi or Persian Herb Frittata is one of my favorite dishes year round. If you are looking for a meal with protein and greens without cream and excess fat - this frittata is a great option. The dish is typically served during the Persian New Year but I break from tradition and make it often. It’s packed with greens, eggs, and sometimes I take liberty by adding ingredients to my taste. it’s so easy!

You’ll need a pan (8” to 10”) you can use stovetop and in the oven. I personally use Zwilling ceramic cookware. It’s moderately priced and versatile. The recipe is for two “frittatas” as my husband and I eat more than the average person.

Preheat your oven to 375.

Finely chop one “bunch” Italian Parsley, one “bunch” Dill, two “bunches” Scallions, if you like Cilantro ( I don’t) chop one bunch, and feel free to add other greens laying around. I always chop some spinach. You can eat the stems - don’t waste your time removing the stems. Set your chopped greens aside.

Whisk together a bakers dozen eggs with I tsp turmeric, 2 cloves minced garlic, salt and pepper. Sometimes I add smoked paprika and barberries (for a yummy tart flavor). When I want additional protein - and I get a lot of backlash for it - I’ll even whisk in 2 cups cottage cheese. Don’t tell anyone.

Whisk your greens into the egg mixture a little at a time and don’t worry, the mixture will be mostly greens and there won’t be excess egg. It’s like a coating of egg for the greens.

Place your cooking dish stovetop with what looks like 2 tbsp olive oil on medium heat. Add 1/2 of the mixture and “spatula spank” it until the mixture is even in the pan. Cook here until it seems the egg is evenly cooked along the sides and base of the pan. Bake in the over for 7-10 minutes or until the entire thing is firm. Remove from the oven, flip over, cut, serve, enjoy. I tend to eat this with baked chicken, salmon, or for breakfast the next day.

INGREDIENTS

• one bunch parsley

• one bunch dill

• one bunch cilantro

• two bunches scallions

• one bunch spinach (optional)

• 12 - 14 eggs

• 1 tbsp turmeric

• I tsp salt

• 1 tbsp fresh ground pepper

• 2 cloves chopped garlic

• olive oil

OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS

• barberries

• sour cherries

• low-fat cottage cheese (don’t tell anyone)

CAULIFLOWER ALFREDO SAUCE - NO CREAM, NO BUTTER.

I absolutely love pasta and alfredo sauce but it just doesn’t agree with my fitness goals. A couple nights ago I experimented with making a cauliflower base “alfredo” sauce and it turned out perfectly. The dish hit the spot and didn’t require any butter or cream. Full disclosure - I did use some parmesan cheese for flavor but not much.

My recent obsession with “zucchini noodles” inspired the recipe… I really try to mix them with anything and sometimes it works. My constant struggle to get my macros in daily (protein, carb, fat) led me to add grilled chicken and protein pasta to the dish. Of course these are optional choices but they are good ones. I ALWAYS have baked or grilled chicken in my refrigerator so it can be added to any dish at any time

Here are the saucy details for the “CAULIFLOWER” alfredo.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 head cauliflower

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1/4 bunch Italian Parsley

• White Truffle Salt

• Pepper

• 1 - 2 cups chicken bone broth.

Steam the cauliflower florets until soft and place in your blender ( I prefer the vitamix), add the broth, garlic, parsley and blend until you have a puree consistency. Mix in white truffle salt and pepper to taste. Add little bits of broth to the mixture and blend until you have a beautiful creamy sauce.

Keep the sauce warm or hot on the stovetop until you are ready to add it to your noodles. I like to mix three zucchini noodled, four cubed (baked) chicken breasts with a box of Barilla protein pasta. All together you can feed 6-8 people or save a bunch for your lunch tomorrow.

Enjoy it and please send questions!

Reza

REZA'S JUICY BITS - PROTEIN, CHERRIES + BERRIES - OH MY

Ever tire of your chalky vanilla protein shake or your fancy fifteen dollar juice from the local juice shop? It’s so easy to blend up your own at a fraction of the cost with ingredients you know! Here is one of my favorite blends. Adjust your portions according to taste! This shake also fills a sweet craving. It is really yummy and you’ll be shocked you haven’t made this before.

• 2 scoops vanilla protein

• 1 cup frozen organic blueberries

• 1 cup frozen tart cherries

• 1 package unsweetened frozen açaí

• 1/2 cup aloe juice

• A generous chunk of ginger

• Water as needed.

Blend this up until it is smooth and delicious.

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CHICKEN + ZUCCHINI NOODLE PASTA

Chicken + Zucchini Noodle Pasta

DINNER TONIGHT, LUNCH TOMORROW

This is one of my favorite meals because it’s delicious and can be scaled from serving size and quantity to optional ingredients. The dish is super diverse and can be eaten for lunch, dinner, hot, cold and is also a hit at any party. You can easily modify to taste.

Get saucy by sautéing 3 pieces of chopped garlic in 2 tbsp olive oil - on medium heat - until golden brown. Add one large can stewed tomatoes and one small can tomato paste. Keep on low heat. Meanwhile if you plan to add pasta, and this is purely optional - boil water with a drop of olive oil and a pinch of salt - cook your pasta to your desired consistency.

Spiralize three zucchini and place in a large bowl, if you don’t have a spiralizer you can buy pre spiraled zucchini. Cube three pounds fully baked chicken breasts. I ALWAYS have baked chicken breasts on hand and it serves me well - typically made on Sunday each week. If you don’t have any baked chicken on hand, allow 40 minutes at 350 degrees to bake some, or buy it pre-cooked.

Add the chicken and cooked pasta to the sauce and keep warm on your stovetop. Combine the raw zucchini, chicken and sauce into a cold bowl and enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

• 3 zucchini, spiralized

• 1 large can cubed tomatoes

• 1 small can tomato puree

• 3 cloves chopped garlic

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 3lbs baked chicken, cubed

• salt and pepper to taste

OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS

• pasta

• mushrooms

• eggplant

• parmesan cheese