Three Cheese and Crab Souffle Bomb - sorry Omelette

Sorry for the radio silence, the last few months have been crazy, we moved...well we bought a house, THEN we moved, and now we are trying to renovate it while we are living here - crazy times.

And now I have a kitchen that is mine, MINE! And all my geekery and gadgets are slowly being unpacked and loved again - we have been in a month, there are still a few boxes to go, I will be fully unpacked by Xmas...hopefully!

Meanwhile, the last few months, weight is still coming off, albeit very slowly, with stalls lasting longer than I would like (not helped by small servings of crap food choices, and too much booze.)

This last weekend saw lots of cooking, and I enjoyed it again, but I have a bucket load of eggs to use up, so Sunday night I decided a souffle was in order....but I can't find my ramekins, so a souffle omelette was what we were going to get!

Without further ado, I give you my Three Cheese and Crab Souffle Omelette!

Ingredients

5 large eggs
50 grams mature Cheddar, finely grated
50 grams Parmesan cheese, finely grated
50 grams Gruyère, finely grated
15 grams butter
salt and freshly milled black pepper
100 grams fresh or canned (and drained) white crab meat
Finely chopped parsley, to serve

1. Separate your eggs and place the whites in a very very clean mixing bowl, I love my Kitchenaid and am loving any excuse to get it going again! Beat on a medium speed until still peaks form.
2. Whisk the egg yolks in a separate bowl seasoned with salt and pepper.
3. Heat a large ovenproof frypan over low heat, heat your grill (you will need this in a few minutes)
4. Carefully fold the egg yolks into the egg whites, together with all of the cheddar and half of the parmesan cheese
5. Melt the butter in the frypan and tip in the egg mixture, use a spatula or spoon to gently spread around the pan and to loosen the sides inwards, sprinkle the remaining cheese and crab meat over the top, and allow to cook on a medium heat for 3-5 mins.
6. Transfer the pan under your grill and cook on high about 8-12cms away from the heat for 1-2 mins until brown and the cheese has melted and oozey.
7. To serve, sprinkle with the parsley and eat while it is hot!

Serves 2-3 people (well, one Hussyband, me, a bit for the cat - did I mention we got a cat?, and there were still leftovers this morning for breakfast!)

This works out about 300 calories per serving, with about 22 grams of protein and sod all carbs! A great (treat) for a Sunday night dinner. Or any meal really.

Bon appetite!

30 Second Poached Eggs

Yes, you read that right. Poached eggs in 30 seconds. No swirling, no vinegar, and no waiting!

After gastric sleeve surgery, we eat such small amounts, and they need to be protein rich, low fat, tasty, perfect bites. Eggs tick all of those boxes. One large poached or hard boiled egg gives 6 grams of protein, 5 grams of iron, and is only about 70 calories.

When I was first post-op, runny scrambled eggs were the go. Over the months, I have switched to hard boiled and poached as an easy meal - especially after a session at the gym.

Poaching eggs in the microwave is so easy. I use a small ramekin, you could also use a mug.

Fill the ramekin half full with cold water (if using a mug, go for about a third of the height of the mug in water). Carefully crack an egg in and microwave for 30 seconds (in a ramekin, about 45-60 seconds in the mug). Use a spoon and place the egg on a piece of kitchen paper to drain and you are done. You may need a little bit of trial and error depending on the strength of your microwave (mine is 900 watts).

Simples. So simple, even the Hussyband could make it (if he was out of bed before lunchtime on a weekend)!

This morning I had mine with two slices of smoked salmon (91 calories and 12 grams of protein), the yolk oozed out unctuously, you could add some toasted sourdough, and/or blanched asparagus to this to make it a larger meal. Or if you are up for the ultimate indulgence, turn it into an eggs benedict with the addition of hollandaise sauce and a muffin (but no carbs for me please!)