This is the first of the recipes I developed as part of my Diploma in Culinary Medicine. I’ve just completed the first module relating to Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolic Syndrome and this is the breakfast recipe that formed part of a days menu. At the end of the recipe I’ve included the write up I had to submit with the recipe, so if you’re interested you can see why I’ve used certain ingredients and the benefit they offer! This has been read by Dale Pinnock, The Medicinal Chef, who has written the course and assesses our work!

You can serve one or two of these tasty little frittata for a perfect breakfast or wrap in greaseproof paper and take with you! They are so quick to put together, you could pop them in the oven whilst you get ready in the morning! They also make a perfect lunch with salad at home or on the go, or make really small ones and serve as canapés!

Makes 6

coconut oil or olive oil

1 courgette about 200g total weight

4 large eggs

2tbsp chopped fresh chives

salt and freshly ground black pepper

80g smoked salmon, roughly chopped

1 tomato, sliced

6 thin slices mini goats cheese roll

baby spinach leaves or watercress to serve

wholegrain bread to accompany, optional

 

Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Grease 6 deep muffin tins with coconut oil or olive oil.

Coarsely grate the courgette and place on a piece of kitchen paper to drain for about 5 minutes, turning occasionally.

Meanwhile, lightly beat the eggs in a bowl with plenty of freshly ground black pepper. (Go easy on the salt as smoked salmon is quite salty)

Stir in the chives, smoked salmon and courgette. Mix until well combined.

Divide the mixture between the muffin tins and place a slice of tomato and a slice of goat’s cheese on top. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the egg is just set. As an option to finish, you can flash the frittata briefly under a hot grill until golden brown.

To serve, run a small round bladed knife around the frittata to release and carefully lift out of the tin. Serve with some baby spinach leaves or watercress and, if wished a slice of wholegrain bread.

These store really well in an airtight container in the fridge for unto 2 days.

 

Health Benefits

Breakfast is such an important meal and ideally you want something to keep you full, not spike your blood sugar levels and set you up for the day ahead.

Eggs

Eggs are perfect for breakfast as they are packed with protein which not only provides the body with amino acids, the essential building blocks the body needs to produce its own proteins, but also helps to keep us full for longer. Protein will slow down the digestion and release of useable sugars in the meal, minimising blood sugar spikes, thereby maintaining the efficiency of insulin cell receptors to glucose in the body. It’s when these receptors stop responding to high sugar levels in the diet that the risk of Type 2 diabetes increases.

Salmon

Oily fish such as salmon also contains protein and adds essential omega 3 fatty acids to this meal. It is very important to include good sources of omega 3 rich foods in our diet to improve insulin production and limit insulin sensitivity. It is also known to reduce inflammation and help keep cell membranes healthy.

Courgette

It is important to include as many low GL vegetables in our diet as possible. Adding courgette to your breakfast not only contributes to the daily vegetable intake, but also provides a source of carbohydrate with a very low glycaemic response, which will prevent sugar spikes.

Goat’s Cheese

The goat’s cheese adds a little extra fat, which allows the meal to digest more slowly, helping to keep us feeling fuller for longer.

Wholegrain bread

There is an option of a slice of wholegrain bread with your breakfast. Choosing wholegrain over white bread means the more complex structure of the wholegrain bread will take longer to digest and therefore release its energy more gradually.