Red Bell Pepper Frittata

Frittata?? you're probably thinking. Yes, but you're going to use silken tofu in place of 4 egg whites and 3 eggs, which were used in the original recipe.

First though, bring 1/2 a cup water to a boil and gradually stir in 1/3 cup couscous. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and set aside.

Place one (12-ounce) package silken tofu (such as Mori-Nu: www.morinu.com) in a food processor, and process until smooth. Add 1/4 cup water, and process again until combined.

Transfer to a bowl and add 1 tablespoon more water, 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. black pepper, stirring with a whisk. These are now your "eggs"!

Coat a 9- or 10-inch ovenproof skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add 2 cups red bell strips, 1 cup vertically sliced onion and 2 minced garlic cloves; saute 5 minutes.

Stir in the couscous and the "egg" mixture and cook 5 minutes. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup vegan cheese - try shredding the Mozzarella block from Galaxy Foods in place of Manchego, in the original recipe.

Transfer the skillet to an oven and bake at 350 degrees for 10 munutes. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting into 4 wedges, each of which is 210 calories. It might not be quite as set as the egg mixture, but it is still delicious!

Note: if you don't have couscous, try substituting orzo or even spaghetti.

On a side note, I was interested to learn the origin of the frittata, which I had always assumed was a Spanish dish - it actually hails from Italy, and is classified as the Italian version of the French omelet, only started on the stovetop and finished off broiled in the oven, instead of being served folded over. Pasta, such as spaghetti or macaroni, can often be found in a frittata - along with meats, cheeses, and vegetables - and is usually leftover from a meal the night before.

Cost:
silken tofu $1.50
red bell pepper $1.94