After a much needed break, Fairytale Feasts is back for 2012!!! I have so many wonderful recipes and food photos that I can’t wait to share with you all. Please let me know if you have any requests or would like to see some more or you’d like for me to test a certain product. I do all of this in my spare time, but am going to make an effort to update more frequently this year.
Since it is January and a notorious time for resolutions to help shed those unwanted holiday pounds, I thought I would share some of my favorite healthy recipes. I am going to start by posting my favorite breakfasts. 
I’ve never been a huge breakfast person. In fact, it’s definitely my LEAST favorite meal of the day – but I also think it’s the easiest meal to eat healthfully if you’re making it yourself. I usually have my Kourtney Kardashian Steel-Cut Oatmeal or an omelet. This breakfast omelet really helps to start my day off on the right foot. I make this all the time with all different types of vegetables, so feel free to switch it up using the formula below. 

1 egg + 1/2 cup of egg whites  + vegetable + 1/4 cup of cheese = omelet
Depending on how many veggies I use, I usually eat half of  this full omlet. If I want to eat the whole thing, I will use less egg whites and vegetables. You can’t go wrong no matter how you make it. 

One other favorite variation of mine is instead of using mushrooms and feta cheese, I use chopped broccoli and 2% shredded Cracker Barrel white sharp cheddar cheese. Before adding the broccoli to the skillet, I steam it in the microwave. 

Let me also note that I almost always use Athenos Natural Crumbled Feta cheese in all of my omelets except the broccoli and cheese as mentioned above. Feta cheese is most commonly used in Greek dishes and has been used for centuries. Feta cheese does not have a rind, and it is cured and stored in brine in large blocks for months. In Greece it is made primarily from sheep’s or goat’s milk, but large commercial producers usually use cow’s milk. Feta can range from semisoft to semihard cheese and is available here in blocks or crumbled. It’s salty and has so much flavor, and it retains it’s texture in the omelet. I prefer the regular version and not the reduced fat version. I think the regular one is more flavorful and I’d rather use less of a full fat cheese than more of a fat-free cheese. Since I use a lot of feta in my omelets and salads, I usually buy the large container of Athenos Feta from Sam’s Club.

Fairytale Spinach, Mushroom and Feta Omelet
(Serves 2)

Ingredients:
1 egg
1/2 cup of egg whites
1 1/2 cup of chopped fresh spinach
1/2 cup of chopped mushrooms
1/4 cup of chopped onion
1/4 cup of Athenos crumbled feta cheese
1/4 teaspoon of Mrs. Dash Salt-Free Seasoning (or 1/2 teaspoon of chopped fresh herb of choice)

Directions:
In a 9 or 10 inch nonstick skillet, saute the onion over medium-high for two minutes. (I usually spray once or twice with non-stick cooking spray). Add the mushrooms and a sprinkle of Mrs. Dash seasoning or your choice of chopped fresh herbs. Saute for a minute. Add the spinach and stir until wilted.

In a separate bowl, combine the egg and egg whites. Beat with a fork until well blended. Add to skillet with spinach and mushrooms. Ensure the vegetables are evenly distributed throughout the egg mixture. Reduce the heat to LOW and cover with a lid. Let cook for a few minutes, until the top is doesn’t run anymore.

Add the feta cheese crumbles to the omelet, and turn over with a spatula. Serve immediately alongside a piece of fruit for a perfectly balanced breakfast.

Nutritional Information for half of omlet: 146 cals, 7 grams of fat, 8 carbs, 18 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber, 300 mg of sodium. 

Enjoy!