Egg & Swiss Chard Tacos

There are some days I just don’t feel like cooking.  Yes, I think everyone has this problem- even food bloggers.  But we would like to continue to eat healthy, and not always call for take-out, or grab dinner at the restaurant around the corner.  So for those kinds of days, I look for recipes that are simple, yet still delicious.

This Egg & Swiss Chard Taco is inspiring and easy- perfect for a lazy Sunday dinner, something quick on a hurried Thursday night, or a perfect breakfast dish Saturday morning.  Love the versatility!  If you’re not a fan of Swiss Chard, swap it out for spinach, kale, or any winter greens which might be available in your area- it will still be tasty!

Egg & Swiss Chard Tacos
Adapted from: Food & Wine (January 2013)
Serving: 6 tacos

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño, finely chopped (seeded or optional)
1 large Swiss chard bunch, finely chopped
5 eggs
1 tbsp half and half
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tbsp butter
6 corn tortillas

Additional taco toppings:
sour cream
salsa verde
tomatoes
cilantro
cheddar cheese/Mexican cheese

In a large skillet heat olive oil, then add the onion.  Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the onion is starting to brown.  Then add in the garlic and jalapeño pepper, cook for another 3 minutes.  Finally, add in the Swiss chard and cook, stirring, until it softens- about 5 minutes.  Put the ingredients to the side.

In a cup whisk together eggs, half and half, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.  Heat a non-stick sauté pan over medium heat.  Add the butter, let it melt and pour in the egg mixture.  Let the eggs cook for about a minute, until the bottom starts to set.  Using a rubber spatula, gently push one side of the egg into the center of the pan, repeat with all edges.  Once there is no liquid left, turn off the heat from the scrambled eggs.

Next, dress your corn tortillas.  Spoon out sour cream, add the Swiss chard mixture, scrambled eggs, then top with salsa verde, cheddar cheese, cilantro and tomatoes on top.

Green Veggie Rice with Fried Egg

As I’ve mentioned previously, I try to use up all of our produce- rather than throwing it all out!  Sometimes I might not get to a recipe I wanted to try, or I get a little crazy at the Penn Quarter Farmers Market and buy too many greens.  Or as I browse through other blogs, magazines or cookbooks I get inspirations about trying new things.  Where do you get your cooking inspiration or recipe ideas?

How did this recipe make itself?
1) I was walking through Whole Foods, and I came across Lundberg Black Japonica rice.  It’s a whole-grain blend of short-grain black rice and medium-grain mahogany rice which originates from Japanese seeds.  It looked so pretty, I just had to buy it!

2) I’m not the hugest fan of kale, until I tried this recipe.  Although I’ve added it to many dishes (kale lasagna, kale white bean & potato soup, pomegranate and kale orzo salad), I haven’t been sold on it.  Until I saw baby kale in the grocery store, and I decided to give it another chance.  Although I didn’t have a recipe for it, I wanted to incorporate kale into something.

3) Fried eggs make everything better.  Trust me!  (burgers, pizza, BLTs, asparagus, soups, noodles, salads- have I sold you yet?)

4) I wanted to clean out our fridge, and I hate taking everything out and putting it back in.  I prefer if the fridge is very very empty- makes the chore so much easier!

As a side note: This weekend I’ll be attending my first food blogger conference- Eat, Write Retreat 2012.  I’m very excited to meet other fellow food bloggers and learn some new things!  And I can’t wait to check out what’s in my swag bag!

Green Veggie Rice with Fried Egg
Fifth Floor Kitchen original

If you don’t have this specific rice, you can substitute with brown or wild rice- both will taste equally delicious.  As noted above, feel free to experiment with other greens if you don’t have kale or swiss chard on hand (ex: spinach, arugula, beet greens, mustard greens, bok choy, etc).

1 cup Lundberg Black Japonica Rice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch of swiss chard, roughly chopped
1 bunch of baby kale, roughly chopped
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
juice of 1 lemon

In a medium saucepan, cook rice in water per package instructions.  Drain and keep covered.

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil.  Add the onion and cook until translucent.  Then add the garlic, cook for another 3 minutes.  Next add the swiss chard and baby kale.  Cover and cook, stir a few times, until the veggies are tender.  Add the rice into the saucepan, mix all of the ingredients together.  Season with soy sauce, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, and lemon juice.  Allow to simmer while you fry the egg.

In a small pan, fry an egg per each serving.  We prefer runny eggs, but fry it to your preference.

Plate the rice and veggie mixture, top with a fried egg.

Indian Chicken Soup

I’m a soup lover!  If soups varied every so often, I could eat it every day, for every meal.  Growing up, my Mom had always made a lot of soups- and I never get sick of them.

Why the love for soups?  There are so many reasons, such as:

1) they are easy to make
2) fast to make
3) lots of different flavors
4) can be vegetarian, or meat-based
5) there are a million ways to make them, and you don’t have to repeat the recipe!

So there is simplicity, deliciousness and variety.  If those are not the best qualities a dish can have, what is?  For the most part, I like to take ideas for soups, and make them my own.

This week we actually bought a chicken, celery, onions, carrots and leeks to make our own stock.  So the soup featured below used the stock as well as the chicken we had used in the preparation.  Very convenient, and if you’re looking for budget meals- this would definitely be one!

I’ve decided that we’ll have to do a step-by-step on how we make stock.  If you have never done this before, it’ll be a must as soon as possible!  You’ll never go back to the store bought broth or stock.

Indian Chicken Soup
Adapted from: The Whole Kitchen

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
5 carrots, peeled & chopped
1 celery bunch (about 10 stalks), chopped
1 bunch of swiss chard, leaves & stalks separated; stalks and leaves chopped
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp curry
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 cup wild rice
6 chicken stock (or veggie)
1 cup water
6 small red potatoes, roughly chopped
1/4 cup coconut flakes
2 cups shredded chicken (cooked)
*naan bread

While heating up a soup pot, drizzle olive oil.  Once it’s warm, add the onion, carrots, celery and swiss chard stalks.  Saute for about 10 minutes, or until the onion is translucent.  Then add the salt, garam masala, curry, chili powder and cumin.  Stir the spices and the vegetables for about 1 minute, so everything is well incorporated.

Then, add the rice, chicken stock and water.  Cover the soup and bring to a boil.  Once it’s boiling, uncover and cook on low for about 20 minutes.  Add in the potatoes.  Simmer for another 15 minutes and continue to stir the soup.

Finally, add the coconut flakes, chicken and chopped chard leaves.  Stir the ingredients and cook them for 5 more minutes.

* This meal would be good with some naan bread.