Delicious High-Protein Frittata

💪 Per Serving 👉 If you divide into 2 servings:• ~420 kcal • ~25g protein 👉 If you divide into 3 servings:• ~280 kcal • ~17g protein

YUM!

As part of my Spring Reset, I’ve been focusing on eating more protein.

Not in a “diet culture” way…
In a “please give me steady energy and stop the 9pm snack rampage” kind of way. 😅

So naturally, I kept seeing the same advice over and over:

👉 “Just eat egg whites!”

Okay. Fine.

So I made scrambled egg whites.

And let me tell you…
They were grey. Rubbery. Emotionally disappointing.

I stared at them thinking,
This cannot be the answer.

So I started experimenting… and eventually landed on this:

A high-protein, lower-calorie frittata that is actually delicious, satisfying, and doesn’t make you question your life choices.

This one is now on repeat in my kitchen.

🌱 Why This Works (Especially in Midlife)

This frittata hits all the right notes:

• High protein → keeps you full and reduces cravings
• Lower calorie → without feeling restrictive
• Balanced carbs → from potatoes for steady energy
• Healthy fats → for hormones and satisfaction

And most importantly…

👉 It tastes really good.
Which, in my opinion, is non-negotiable.

🧾 Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil (or avocado oil)
• 3 eggs
• 4 egg whites (about 1/3 of a 500g carton)
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1/2 red pepper, diced
• 1/3 cup grated smoked cheese (cheddar or gouda — the smoked cheese is the magic)
• 2 medium-sized yellow potatoes, skin on, sliced 3 cm-ish thickness
• A handful of chopped baby spinach
• Salt & pepper

👉 Optional swap: use 1/2 a sweet potato instead of yellow potatoes

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. Cook the potatoes first
   Boil or bake your sliced potatoes until just tender. Drain well.

2. Sauté the veggies
   In a medium non-stick pan, heat olive oil.
   Add diced onion and cook until soft.
   Add red pepper and cook a few minutes more.
   Toss in spinach and sauté until wilted.

3. Add the potatoes
   Stir in your cooked, well-drained potato slices.

4. Mix the eggs
   Whisk together the eggs and egg whites.
   (I season at every step with salt and pepper… but you do you.)

5. Bring it together
   Pour egg mixture into the pan.
   Gently stir in the smoked cheese.

6. Cook low and slow
   Cover with a lid and cook on medium-low for about 6 minutes.

7. Finish cooking
   Check and gently pull edges away with a spatula, tilting the pan so any runny egg moves outward.
   Turn heat to low and cook another 2–5 minutes until set.

8. Flip and serve
   Flip onto a plate (or don’t — rustic is fine 😄) and enjoy.

💛 A Little Midlife Truth

Here’s what I’ve learned recently:

Eating well isn’t about restriction.
It’s about feeling good in your body.

When I eat enough protein, I have:

✨ more stable energy
✨ fewer cravings
✨ better mood
✨ less “what can I snack on now?” energy

And paired with good sleep and strength training… it makes a huge difference.

🌸 Want to Do This Together?

This recipe is part of my Spring Reset, where I’m focusing on:

• more protein
• better sleep
• less alcohol
• building strength

If you’re in a similar season of life — changing hormones, changing body, changing needs…

You’re not alone.

You can join me by:

👉 trying this recipe
👉 coming to a strength training class
👉 or simply starting your own small reset at home

Because we’re not trying to be perfect.

We’re trying to feel strong, energized, and well cared for.

Insanely Delicious Whipped Feta and Pesto Bowtie Pasta

Oh my gawd! This is so delicious!

What you’ll need:
1 package of Bowtie pasta (400 grams)
6 oz. of feta
6 oz. of plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup packed down fresh basil
1/2 cup of pine nuts
1/3 cup good quality olive oil (you can use more if you like but start with that)
fresh minced garlic to your taste (I use 3 cloves)
salt and pepper to taste (feta and parmesan are already salty so you don’t need a lot)
I cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half

Whip together feta and Greek yogurt in a food processor until creamy and set aside in a bowl.

Don’t bother to clean the food processor you used to make the whipped feta. Add basil, parmesan cheese, minced garlic, olive oil, and pine nuts and process until smooth. Add whipped feta to your desired creaminess. You can use it all or not! Add any salt or pepper to your taste.

Boil salted water for bowtie pasta and follow directions for desired tenderness.

Immediately after draining the pasta stir in the creamy pesto and top with cherry tomatoes.

Best Pesto Ever!

Homemade Raspberry Jam

Homemade Raspberry Jam

So Easy!

When Dave and I got married, a kind soul gave us a beautiful raspberry bush. That one bush turned into dozens of raspberry bushes with incredibly delicious raspberries.

Today I picked 6 cups of raspberries and made this fabulous jam.

What you’ll need:
- 6 cups of washed raspberries
- 3 cups of sugar
- 1.5 oz. lemon juice (not quite a quarter cup)

That’s it!!!

Combine sugar, raspberries, and lemon juice in a stainless steel pot.
Squish raspberries with a fork.

Bring to a roiling boil and stir frequently.
Remove foam as it forms with a spoon.

Removing foam from boiling raspberry jam

Meanwhile sterilize jars and lids in boiling water. Remove with tongs and set aside.

Place two small plates in the freezer to test the jam to make sure it is set properly.

Boil jam for 20 minutes or until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Place a teaspoon of jam onto a plate that was in the freezer and put it in the freezer for 2 minutes. Remove from freezer and press your finger into the puddle of jam. If it is thickened and wrinkles a bit, it is set. If not, try again until it’s ready.

When ready, pour into sterilized jars. Wipe off any jam from the outside of the jars and screw on the lids.

Submerse jars in boiling water for 5 minutes.

Remove with tongs and let cool.

Check seal by pressing down on the center of the lid. If it doesn’t move it is sealed!

Voila! All done!

Delicious and Simple Fresh Fig Appetizer

My friend Joyce makes these all the time in late summer. They are amazing and couldn’t be easier!

What you’ll need:
Fresh ripe figs
Goat cheese
Honey

Wash the figs and slice a tiny bit off the top. Then score the top with a knife in an X pattern. Squeeze the bottom third of the fig until the top blossoms open. Add a blob of goat cheese in the centre. Drizzle honey from a spoon onto the figs.

That’s it. Serve room temperature. For a delicious twist, warm them in the oven or in foil on the BBQ.

If you like figs, you’ll love this! It’s such a beautiful, fresh starter to wet your appetite without being heavy.

Carolyn's Killer Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

You are going to love it!

You will need:

1​ cup of butter

1 and 1/2 cups of sugar

6 ripe bananas

4 eggs

2 and 1/2 cups of unbleached flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp nutmeg

3/4 cup of chocolate chips (optional... but why wouldn't you?)

Makes two loaves. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (180 degrees C) and lightly grease two loaf pans (I use a bit of butter). Melt butter in large mixing bowl in the microwave for one minute. Add sugar, bananas and eggs. Use a hand-blender to mix to a silky liquid. Add salt, baking soda and nutmeg and blend again. Add flour and mix until all lumps are gone. Swirl in chocolate chips with a spoon and pour into two loaf pans. Bake for one hour. Let it cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pans. Try not to eat it all at once.​

Enjoy!

Amazing 20 Minute Vegetarian Butter Chicken

I've been making this family favourite for my meat-loving family for years and they LOVE it! 

You'll need:

2 cups of basmati rice

3 tablespoons of salted butter

1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

1 finely diced Vidalia onion

2 finely diced jalapeno peppers (with seeds if you like it spicy)

4 inches of grated ginger (I love ginger-you can use less)

2 jars of favourite marinara sauce (Victoria White Linen Collection is my top choice)

1/2 litre of 18% table cream

Lots of baby spinach (add to your preference)

1 and 1/2 cup of chickpeas

1/2 cup of cashew nuts

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Gently fry onon in 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablepoon of oil until soft.  Add jalapeno and ginger. Stir for 2 mnutes over medium heat. Add marinara sauce, chickpeas, cashews and cumin. Simmer on medium/low heat.

Meanwhile, rinse basmati rice and add to 4 cups of lightly salted water and 1 tablespoon of butter. Bring to boil. Stir until water is almost at the same level as the rice. Cover and let sit over lowest heat for 15 minutes.

When rice is ready, finish the sauce by stirring in spinach, table cream and salt to taste, if needed. Serve in bowls over rice. Leftover sauce is even better the next day!

Enjoy!