Sweet Potato Crusted Quiche

Michael and I are both huge fans of quiche. This quiche is a healthier version of the standard quiche but is so delicious if you like sweet potatoes. We will definitely be making this recipe again.

Ingredients

2 medium sweet potatoes

1 teaspoon canola oil

1 (5 oz) bag baby spinach

1/2 cup milk (we used almond milk, but soy or regular milk can work as well)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

4 large eggs

2 large egg whites

1.5 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Peel and slice the sweet potatoes, into fairly thin slices. Coat a pie dish with cooking spay. Fill the bottom of the dish with a layer of sweet potatoes slices. Cut the sweet potato rounds in half and fill around the edges of the pie dish; round side facing up. 

Once the entire dish is filled, coat one more time with cooking spray. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Heat a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat. Add spinach and saute 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

Combine milk and next 5 ingredients in a bowl; stir with a whisk. Arrange spinach mixture in the crust and pour the egg mixture over the spinach. Sprinkle with feta. 

Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes. Let it stand for 5 minutes before cutting.

Enjoy!

Corn and Chickpea Salad

This salad is such a great option when it's really hot outside and fresh corn is in season. It's really easy and quick to throw together.

Ingredients

4 ears fresh corn on the cob, cleaned and washed

1 10 oz package grape tomatoes, halved

8 oz fresh mozzarella, cut into bite-sized pieces

10 leaves fresh basil

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cut the corn off the cob and place into a medium bowl. Add the tomatoes and mozzarella and sprinkle with the basil.

In a small bowl add the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

Pour dressing over the salad and toss to combine.

Enjoy!

Healthy Spinach and Artichoke Dip

I was in the mood to try some new Vitamix recipes today. Both turned out in strange colors but were really good. This "spinach and artichoke" dip is more like a bean and artichoke dip, but is very good and healthy, nonetheless. Next time I will probably use a food processor instead of the Vitamix. It was hard to pulse in the Vitamix which is why it turned out so smooth and green instead of chunky like normal spinach and artichoke dip.

Ingredients

about 1 cup scallions, chopped

1 15 oz can cannellnni beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup cashews

1/2 cup non-dairy milk (I used almond milk)

1 to 2 garlic cloves

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons dijon mustard

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

5 ounces fresh spinach

1 15 oz can artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained

Blend all ingredients together in a high speed blender,except for the spinach and artichoke hearts, until very smooth.

Add the spinach and artichokes and pulse through to keep some chunky texture.

Put in an oven safe dish and bake for 20 minutes.

Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Risotto

I was in the mood to try a new recipe for dinner last night. I found and saved this recipe a while back and wanted to give it a shot. The mouthwatering combination of butternut squash and goat cheese did not disappoint. This is a recipe I will definitely be making again. Once you prep/chop the veggies it is so easy and takes less than 45 minutes.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion

1/2 butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 1 1/2 to 2 cups)

about 3 cups beef stock

1 1/2 cup portobello mushrooms, chopped

200 grams uncooked pearled barley

4 handfuls fresh spinach

120 grams goat cheese

Heat the oil in a pot, then add the onion and saute for 4-5 minutes until slightly softened. Add the squash and continue cooking for 4-5 minutes or until it starts to change in color.

Add about 2 cups of the stock, then cover and simmer for about 10 minutes until the squash begins to soften. Stir in the barley and mushrooms and continue to simmer gently for about 15 minutes. When the liquid has been absorbed, add the remaining stock. Stir occasionally until the barley is tender and the liquid is almost absorbed.

Remove from the heat and stir in the spinach, cover and allow it to cook in the residual heat. Stir in the goat cheese until it is fully mixed in.

Enjoy!

Simple Mashed Potatoes

 

Michael made the mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving and I have to say they may have been my favorite dish. See his recipe below.

 

Ingredients

 

3 large russet potatoes (or about 6 small potatoes), peeled and cut into chunks

1/4 cup margarine

1/2 cup soy milk

salt and ground black pepper to taste

 

In a large pot bring water to a boil, add the potatoes, cover, and simmer until a fork is easily inserted, about 15 or 25 minutes. Drain, and return the potatoes to the pot.

 

Mash the potatoes with a potato masher until a chunk consistency, then add the margarine and milk. Continue to mash to consistency of choice. Stir in the salt and black pepper until evenly distributed.

 

Enjoy!

 

Candied Sweet Potatoes

 

After the turkey was in the oven, Michael and I had some time to relax and figure out just what we wanted to do with the potatoes. We came across this recipe and thought it sounded interesting. It was a little bit less sugar/oil than a lot of the other recipes we had looked at, but did not lack any taste. I would definitely make it again in the future.

 

Ingredients

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 pinch freshly ground pepper

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pour the oil into a 9x13 inch baking dish, and place in the oven until hot, about 5 minutes.

 

Add potatoes to the oiled dish and bake for 20 minutes in the prehead oven, turning after about 10 minutes. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and pepper.

 

After the 20 minutes is up, remove the potatoes from the oven, and sprinkle with the brown sugar mixture. Stir to coat. Return to the oven and roast for another 10 minutes (it took us about another 20-25 minutes), or until potatoes are tender and golden brown. Stir potatoes as necessary and allow them to brown evenly.

 

Enjoy!

 

Green Bean Casserole

 

We knew green bean casserole was going to be on our Thanksgiving menu, but we hadn't found a recipe when we were at Trader Joe's and stumbled upon a package of fried onions that came with a recipe. We thought we would give it a shot. It turned out well, but next time I need to cook the green beans longer in the skillet, as they came out a bit underdone.

 

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons butter (or margarine)

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 package slice crimini mushrooms (regular mushrooms work as well)

1/4 sweet onion, sliced

24 oz green beans

1 container Trader Joe's Cream of Portobello Mushroom Soup (canned mushroom soup would work as well)

1/2 cup water

1 1/2 cups swiss cheese, shreeded

about 4 oz fried onion pieces

 

Directions

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet; add mushrooms and saute until they become soft and lightly browned. Add onion and continue to saute until soft and lightly browned. Add green beans and saute until heated through. Add soup and water to skillet, mix and heat through. Add mixture to a small or medium size casserole dish. Top with cheese and fried onion pieces; place in oven and bake until cheese melts and becomes warm and bubbly, about 15 to 20 minutes. 

 

Enjoy!

 

Vegetarian Stuffing

 

We wanted to make a traditional Thanksgiving meal, but we were a little bit worried we were going to have way too much food for 8 people. We were thinking about skipping the stuffing since neither of us were huge stuffing fans. However, we decided to halve a recipe I found. The stuffing ended up being a hit and was the first thing we ran out of! Next time, I will probably use the original recipe (as shown below) that yields about 10 servings.

 

Ingredients

1 loaf of sliced white bread

3/4 cup butter or margarine

1 onion, chopped

4 stalks celery, chopped

2 teaspoons poultry seasoning

salt and pepper to taste

1 to 2 cups chicken broth (I used vegetable broth to make it vegetarian)

 

Toast the slices of bread in a toaster oven. You want them to be pretty well toasted on both sides, but just be sure not to burn them. Once toasted, cut the bread into cubes.

 

In a stove pan (or a Dutch oven), melt the butter or margarine over medium heat.

 

 

Cook onion and celery until soft. Add the poultry seasoning, salt and pepper.

 

Stir in the bread cubes until evenly coated. Moisten with 1 cup of chicken broth, mix well.

 

 

Put the stuffing in a greased baking pan or casserole dish. Add more broth, depending on how moist you like your stuffing. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 to 40 minutes. I made the stuffing the morning of Thanksgiving and just reheated it right before we sat down to eat. I added some broth once I put it in the baking pan and then added a little bit more right before I put it back in the oven to reheat. The amount of broth you add really depends on your preference. 

 

Enjoy!

 

Pickled Jalapenos

This is a favorite of mine. Nothing says authentic Mexican food quite like taqueria-style pickled jalapenos. Of course they are fantastic on any taco or quesadilla, but in our apartment these babies go on everything - sandwiches, eggs, cheese and crackers, salads - everything. They're super easy to make, and stay good for a really long time (no idea how long cause they never last long enough to find out).

You'll need:
-Jalapenos - sliced into rings (I would say 6-8 but it really depends on the size of the jalapenos, size of the      jar, and how many jars you are making)
-1 carrot -sliced into rings (optional)
-1/2 white onion - chopped (optional)
-2 cloves garlic - minced

For the Brine you'll need:
-1 cup water
-1 cup distilled white vinegar
-4 tbsp sugar
-2 tbsp kosher salt

Directions
(1) In a medium saucepan combine the water, vinegar, sugar, salt, and garlic. (Note: you will want to make extra brine if you are using larger jars, or making several jars full).
(2) Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar and salt are dissolved.
(3) Add the jalapenos, carrot, and onion and immediately remove pan from the heat. Use a spoon to press the vegetables down into the brine.
(4) Let sit for 10-15 minutes. The jalapenos will have turned a darker shade of green.
(5) Use tongs to remove the jalapenos (and other vegetables) from the brine and pack your jar(s) until they are full.
(6) Use a ladle to pour the brine into the jar(s) until they are filled to the brim and all vegetables are covered in brine.
(7) Let the jars cool to room temperature before putting the lids on.

Tips:
-I prefer using the hottest jalapenos I can find. I've seen some labeled 'medium' or 'mild' (mostly at farmers markets), but keep in mind that they will lose some heat in the pickling process. I have done this with both 'hot' and 'medium' peppers, and the 'hot' ones turn out to be what I would consider medium spicy.
-I've heard some people say to keep these in the fridge after you open them, but the pickling process does preserve the vegetables, and I've left jars on my counter for several weeks without a problem.

Mozzarella Making

While websites like Groupon often have the same deals over and over (car wash, massage, mediocre restaurants)  but every once in a while there is an amazing deal that stands out. A couple of months ago we saw a deal for a mozzarella making class. The class included a bottle of wine and an appetizer to split. Without any hesitation, we bought the deal and decided to take the class as soon as we could. It was a great time and best of all we learned a new, tasty skill. 

In the class they had us use vinyl gloves.

First, you should start off with 1/2 pound of fresh cheese curds

Prepare a medium sized bowl with the combination of 2-3 tablespoons of kosher salt and 3-4 cups of nearly boiling water. Soak the fresh cheese curds in the brine for about 5 minutes. After 5 minutes begin to stretch and smooth the cheese, but be careful not to do it to excess. Over-working the cheese causes the mozzarella to have a rubbery consistency. Continue to dip the cheese back into the brine throughout the stretching process. Once the cheese has been stretched and smoothed it can be formed in several different ways. The method we were taught by the instructor was to stretch the mozzarella out until it is very thin and then hold the middle so that the two ends hang down. Begin swirling the strands until the cheese has been twisted to the end, and then knot the twisted strand several times. See picture above for end result.

Enjoy!

Potato Kugel

Ingredients

4 large potatoes, grated

1 onion, grated

3 Tablespoons olive oil, separated

1 to 2 teaspoons paprika

1 1/2 tablespoon potato starch

Saute the grated onions in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the paprika and continue to saute until the onion is soft, but not yet brown.

In a large bowl, mix the onions and the potatoes. Add the potato starch and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and continue stirring until well mixed.

Press into greased muffin pans, sptize the top with a little bit more oil, and bake at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes.

Butternut Squash Barley

When I saw this recipe, I immediately added it to my list of recipes to try just based off of the picture. It looked so creamy and delicious I knew I had to try it out, using the basic ingredients and ideas but my own way. I started off by putting some butternut squash soup (from Trader Joe's) in a pan on medium to low heat, along with 1 1/2 cups of uncooked barley.

I simmered the sauce for about 15 minutes and added some sliced mushrooms into the mix. As the sauce thickened and evaporated, I continued to add more soup. Eventually I used the whole carton.

After about 45 minutes of simmering, I added some spinach and goat cheese. Once the goat cheese was melted it was ready to eat!

I was unsure how I felt about it at first but after the second helping I decided I really liked the dish. However, next time I think I'd make a few modifications. First, I'd soak the barley ahead of time because it cuts down the cooking time. Also, I'd add more spinach and mushroom. I'm excited to perfect this recipe. If you give it a try please let me know what you think!

Sun Deviled Eggs

While this post is not necessarily a recipe, we thought we'd share with you an idea we had, made and loved! We decided to make deviled eggs, but we'd thought we'd spice this traditional snack up a bit, literally. We hard boiled 5 eggs and mixed the yolks with mayo, a little bit of mustard and some sriracha. The best part is that you can add the sriracha to your own comfortable spice level. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed!

Happy eating!

Mexitalirranean Salad

I was trying to decide what I felt like having for dinner the other night when this unique combination of foods popped into my mind. The dish is a fusion of Mexican, Italian, and Middle Eastern flavors, hence the name. While healthy, this salad is filling and can be made either with or without meat. The first time I made it without meat but the second time I used some ground turkey and I thought it was good both ways.

While you can use any brand of couscous, I used Israeli couscous from Trader Joes and prepared it based on the box instructions, but halving the amounts of water, couscous and olive oil because there were only two of us eating. 

As the couscous was cooking, I cut up about 1 1/2 avocados, 2 roma tomatoes, and a half a can of black olives.

Once the couscous was done I mixed it in a medium sized bowl with the cut up ingredients, 1/3 can of black beans and about 3-4 tablespoons of feta cheese. Finally, I added lemon juice, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper. I recommend just adding each ingredient, mixing and taste testing to determine how much more, if any, of each ingredient to add. You can serve it a variety of ways. I liked eating it on it's own, but my brother really liked scooping it up with tortilla chips.

**Next time I may experiment using some sriracha sauce or red peppers to spice it up a bit.