VEGETARIAN (or not) OMELETTE

Eggs are a great way to get your protein and good fat hit. I don't think of omelettes or eggs for that matter as exclusively for breakfast; they are a wonderful late night dinner idea, as they are low in carbs and full of flavour. I have always been a little apprehensive about cooking omelettes, however after several attempts over the years I am confident with my recipe below. The finished product may not look as fancy as what would appear on your plate at a cafe, but it is tasty, nutritious and simple to make. I prefer this omelette sans meat, however I do realise that will not like this, hence the optional addition of bacon or ham. Ground or smoked paprika is also optional- if this is not in your pantry just use more ground black pepper. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 teaspoons olive / rice bran oil
• 1/4 small red onion (30g), finely chopped 
• 1/2 a small red capsicum, roughly chopped
• 1/2 a small green capsicum, roughly chopped
• Optional - 1/2 teaspoon ground or smoked paprika 
• Optional- 80g bacon or 100g ham, roughly chopped
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup water 
• 2 tablespoons fresh chives, roughly chopped, plus extra, to serve 
• ground black pepper 
• 20g feta, crumbled 
• a small handful of baby spinach 

COOKING 

1. Heat 1/2 teaspoon of oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat and cook the onion for 2 minutes or until the onion has softened. Add the capsicum and the paprika and/or meat if using and stir for 2 minutes or until well combined and the capsicum is just al dente (still slightly crunchy). If you are cooking bacon or ham this step may take slightly longer, depending on how you like your meat cooked. Remove from the pan when cooked and keep warm. 

2. Whisk the eggs, water, chives and a generous pinch of pepper in a deep bowl or jug. Heat 1/2 teaspoon of oil in a medium frying pan on low to medium heat and swirl to coat. Pour in half of the omelette mixture and leave until the egg is set around the edges; this should take around 2-3 minutes. Carefully fold one half of the omelette over the other and leave to cook for another minute or until the the omelette has just set.  Remove the omelette from the pan, place on a serving plate and add half of the capsicum mixture, topping with feta and half of the baby spinach. Repeat the cooking process with the remainder of the egg mixture. 

Serves / 2 
Total Preparation time / max 10 minutes 
Total Cooking time / around 15 minutes 

x Emily