I have always loved a good quiche. I love the way they smell when they are baking and the blend of flavors when consumed. But sadly, most quiches are anything but healthy. For example, a Quiche Lorraine at Mimi's Café will cost you 894 calories, 540 of which are from fat! Order this for breakfast and you could end up consuming 92% of your daily fat intake for breakfast. As much as I love raw vegetables, I don't want to spend the rest of my day eating only celery and carrot sticks because I spent all my calories the moment I rolled out of bed. But quiches are so good!
After closer inspection, it turns out that a large portion of the fat and calories in most quiches comes from the crust. Now, I like a quiche crust as much as the next person, but when eliminated I'm surprised at how much I don't miss it. In fact, I think a quiche without the crust actually enhances the flavors of the entire quiche because you don't have a flaky crust trying to steal the show. Another thick does of calories comes from the whole milk used in most quiches and the substantial amount of cheese. But I've found that substituting a low-fat milk, say 1% does not make me wish for the full fat version. I also use cheese more as a minor supporting role in the overall dish. Most of the flavor in these quiches comes from the teaspoon-sized scoop of crumbled bacon, chives and egg. I've found that the amount of cheese added to a recipe does not significantly change the flavor of it, and so I always use less cheese than typical in my recipes. Don't believe me? Try it. Use a little less than normal cheese in your favorite dish, or go without cheese at all, and see just how much you miss it. If you have enough other good flavors you won't be disappointed.
Finally, most quiches are about 4-5 inches in diameter, which is a hefty size if the quiche contains fatty ingredients. In the U.S., we are consistently given portions that are much larger than we should actually consume, but we eat them because we have been trained since childhood to “finish our food”. So by reducing the size of the quiches, eliminating the crust, using low-fat ingredients and adding in fresh vegetables that provide nutrition, these quiches succeed in making you feel full and satisfied without making you feel like you need to exercise immediately thereafter to eliminate the calories and guilt.
By spraying mini muffin tins with fat-free cooking spray and using it to cook up bite-sized quiches, you end up with not only delicious quiches with easy portion control, you also have a great, easy, healthy brunch offering that your guests will love. It’s also an easy way to appease your gluten-free friends as well as those without dietary restrictions. It’s a win-win for everyone.
Ingredients:
5 Whole Eggs3 Egg Whites
1 Cup 1% Milk
¼ t. Salt
1/8 t. Pepper
Chopped Chives
Crumbled Bacon
Chopped Fresh Spinach
Mozzarella
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Generously coat a mini muffin tin with fat-free cooking spray. Beat eggs, egg whites, milk, salt and pepper together until blended. Pour into muffin tin and fill to 3/4 of the top. Sprinkle bacon, chives, chopped spinach and mozzarella on the top of each little quiche as desired. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes or until the tops of each quiche turn a golden brown. Olive Garden's Zuppa Tuscana
Ever since I was a kid I have always loved the Zuppa Tuscana soup from Olive Garden. Most of the time I don't even taste their pastas because the soup, salad and bread sticks are enough to satisfy my cravings and fill my belly for one day. But combining all you can eat bread sticks and soup when they are both so delicious is a dangerous combination for me. So I make my own version of Zuppa Tuscana at home that tastes just as good, has fewer calories and is much cheaper than ordering at the restaurant, and it's so easy to make.
Start off by sauteing the chopped garlic in olive oil on medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the sausage and red pepper flakes. I use spicy sausage but for a milder soup substitute regular sausage for spicy. Once the sausage is completely browned, pour in the chicken broth, low-fat milk and water and bring to a low boil. While waiting for the soup to boil, thinly slice 3-4 medium red potatoes and chop up two cups of kale. Once the soup is boiling, add in the potatoes and simmer until the potatoes are soft, approximately 8-10 minutes. Add the kale and salt and continue simmering for about 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy the caloric and financial savings! Makes approximately 4 servings.
Ingredients:
1 T. Olive Oil
1 T. Chopped Garlic
1/2 roll Spicy Sausage
1 T. Red Peppers
2 Cans Chicken Broth
1 Cup 1% Milk
1 Cup Water
3-4 Red Potatoes - thinly sliced
2 Cups Chopped Kale
1/4 t. Salt
BBQ Salami Pepper Pizza
Here's a fun, fast, weeknight pizza that's not necessarily healthy, but is definitely healthy-er than cooking up a DiGiorno. I start off with a piece of Naan bread, coat it with my favorite BBQ sauce and then add mozzarella, salami, red onions, green peppers, banana peppers and feta cheese. I love the explosion of flavor and how unique it is, not to mention how fast it cooks. Throw it in the oven at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
This is a great family dinner night as everyone can layer on their own favorite toppings. One slice of Naan bread feeds about 2-3 people so you can enjoy making a couple different varieties and have dinner on the table in 15 minutes.
Ingredients:
Naan Bread
Famous Dave's Devil's Spit BBQ Sauce
Salami
Red Onions
Green Peppers
Banana Peppers
Mozzarella Cheese
Feta Cheese
Blueberry Cream Smoothie
This is one of my favorite smoothies! It is so creamy and flavorful yet it's filled with nutrition. The yogurt, bananas and oats give it a thick, milkshake-like consistency that makes you feel like you're ingesting 1000 calories rather than a couple hundred. If you're a blueberry fan and prefer creamy smoothies over icy, this is the smoothie for you.
Ingredients:
1 Cup Frozen Blueberries
1/2 Cup Frozen Banana Slices
3-4 Pitted Dates
1/2 Cup Oats
1 Cup Almond Milk
1/2 Cup Vanilla Yogurt
1 Scoop Protein Powder
Hearty Pumpkin Pancakes
Since Eden started eating solid foods I developed a new found love for pumpkin puree. She loved eating it straight from the can and it provided her with great nutrients while cost less than traditional baby food. I had almost forgotten what a wonderful, useful thing it can be, not just for babies, but for adults as well.
So I started experimenting with pumpkin in my pancakes and was inspired to make pumpkin pancakes as healthy as I could without sacrificing any flavor. The result is the recipe below. These pancakes are moist and flavorful and Eden devours them joyfully. They are fantastic with a little bit of whipped cream and powdered sugar, though to lose some of the best benefits by sugaring it up, but you have to have a little fun every now and then right?
Ingredients:
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 Cup Almond Meal
1/2 cup rolled oats (old fashioned)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch ground nutmeg
Pinch ground ginger
1/4 t. salt
3 T. Honey
2/3 cup canned pumpkin purée
2 eggs
1 t. Vanilla
3/4 cup 1% milk
Mexican Casserole
Considering my husband Brandon grew up in Yuma, Arizona and I spent nine years in Phoenix, the longest I've lived in any state, it's no surprise our family meals often have a southwestern flair. It certainly helps that we love a good avocado. When I was first getting to know Brandon, he mentioned at one point just how much he loved avocados and from that moment on, I knew he must be a great guy, because only truly great guys love avocados. Turns out I was right. So I am always trying to come up with ways to enjoy these fantastic green vegetable, especially since it provides valuable nutrition as well. Avocados help lower cholesterol, protect against heart disease, cancer and cataracts, so what's not to like?
This recipe is fantastic with sliced avocado or guacamole on top. It is relatively low in fat and bursting with flavor and you can have on the table in under 30 minutes. Sometimes I cheat with recipe and use frozen chopped chicken breast to help speed up the cooking process. I cook the chicken, onions and green peppers in a dash of olive oil until the chicken is hot and the vegetables are soft. Then I add the salsa, taco seasoning, cream cheese, black beans and corn. Once everything is blended together, I put half of the mixture in the bottom of a pan and top with a sliced whole wheat tortilla and a sprinkling of cheese. Then I spread on the second half of the mixture, top with more tortilla strips and pop it in the oven at 375 degrees for 12 minutes. I take it out, sprinkle a little more cheese on top and put it back in the oven for an additional 3 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Then comes the fun part - top it with sour cream and a generous helping of guacamole or sliced avocados and devour!
Ingredients:
1 Chicken Breast, Cooked and Diced
1 Small or 1/2 Large Yellow Onion - Diced
1/2 Green Pepper - Diced
1 1/2 Cup Salsa (I use Herdez Hot)
1 Package Taco Seasoning (I use McCormick)
2oz Reduced Fat Cream Cheese
1 Can Black Beans
1/2 Can Corn
Mozzarella Cheese
2 Whole Wheat Tortillas
Green Energy Smoothie
As a parent of a spunky one-year-old I am always trying to make sure Eden's diet is filled with valuable nutrition to help her grow and develop into a healthy and strong young girl. The habits I set up with her now will help prepare her for the future, and will hopefully be what she falls back on when I am no longer in sole control of her diet. With this thought in mind, I am always trying to make healthy food a fun treat. For example, I started feeding her fresh blueberries several months ago and she loved them because they were different and easy to chew. So every day when I pick her up from daycare, I surprise her with a handful of blueberries, which she subsequently devours. It is something she looks forward to every day and makes fruit something to anticipate.
One of the ways I get her to eat her fruits and vegetables is to eat them myself. Eden is in a phase when she wants everything that I have, so I use that to my advantage. When I make a fruit and veggie packed smoothie, I always give some to her, and she sucks it down like most kids would a glass of chocolate milk or apple juice. The difference is, she is getting fresh, whole fruits and vegetables free of added sugar and preservatives and loving them.
She has never turned down a sip of mom's smoothie and always wants one of her own, so I've been testing the boundaries of what she might like. I decided to mix up a powerful, nutrient rich smoothie with ingredients most kids would shy away from. I threw in kale, spinach, an apple and celery and blended them with a little agave nectar and pineapples - she couldn't get enough of it! Neither could I to be honest. The flavor is spectacular and every sip reminds me that I'm doing something truly fantastic for my body, and for my daughter. There is a lot of pulp with this smoothie so you'll want to blend it longer than usual or use a filter to separate the juice from the pulp. For Eden and I, we drank the whole thing, pulp and all.
Kale is a super food bursting with nutrition including: calcium, vitamins A, C and K. It's not hard to find information on the benefits of kale and the benefits of spinach are equally easy to find as the green leaves are known to be a great source of iron, potassium, calcium, protein and vitamin A among other nutrients.
So for kids and parents alike, a smoothie like this packed with spinach and kale is a fantastic way to start your morning and a great way to get in healthy greens without having to eat a salad. Eden doesn't have the teeth yet to crunch on a salad, so a smoothie is the perfect alternative. And how much will consuming this smoothie cost you? Less than $1 per glass.
Ingredients:
1/2 Granny Smith Apple
1 Large Kale Leaf
1 Cup Spinach
1 Celery Stick
1 Cup Chopped Pineapples and Juice
1 Cup Ice
1 t. Agave Nectar
Sweet Spinach, Vanilla, Pecan Smoothie
My Amazing Aunt Susan introduced me to a similar recipe just after I had Eden. I was amazed at the flavor and I had never before thought about adding pecans or dates to a smoothie. Since then, I have continued to add a little bit of my own flare and I will go through phases when I drink this for breakfast for weeks at a time. I know it might sound strange, maybe even look it, but the flavor is worth it. Just make sure to blend for a couple of minutes to prevent lingering chunks of pecans and dates.
Ingredients:
1 Cup Almond Milk
1/2 Cup Vanilla Protein Powder
1/2 Cup Greek Vanilla Pudding
5-6 Large Frozen Strawberries
2 T. Pecans
5-6 Dates
1 Cup Fresh Spinach Leaves
1/2 t. Honey
1/2 t. Ground Flax Seed (optional)
Healthy-er Scalloped Potatoes & Ham
I love this recipe, and I owe my amazing mom for this one. This is a way to make delicious, creamy scalloped potatoes and ham with a fraction of the calories you would get from a restaurant. As an added bonus, you can make it fairly fast. And for a really fast, easy weeknight meal, prepare the potatoes and turkey ham in advance and throw the bag in the freezer. When you are ready to cook, simply pour the contents into a sauce pan and follow the directions below. Voila! A freezer meal that tastes anything but.
In a large skillet, cook sliced potatoes in butter till coated. Add water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, mix the flour, salt, milk, ham, and parsley in a small bowl. Pour the mixture over the potatoes in the skillet, stirring until fully coated. Continue cooking for about 2-3 minutes or until the sauce becomes thicker.
Ingredients:
4 large/6 medium Potatoes
2 T. Butter
1/3 Cup Water
2 T. Flour
1/4 t. Salt
1 Cup 1% Milk
1 Cup Diced Turkey Ham
1/2 t. Parsley
Protein Packed Ricotta Cheese Pancakes
I have always enjoyed the flavors of a good pancake. Blueberry, chocolate chip, buttermilk, whole wheat, the list goes on and on. But as I got older and started making them in my own kitchen, I started to cringe with every tablespoon of vegetable oil I added to the batter, thinking of all the crunches I would have to do to eventually work off those delicious silver dollars. So I started avoiding pancakes, indulging only once in a great while.
Then I went to Dallas. My husband and I took a weekend trip to Dallas from Tulsa, Oklahoma in 2012 just three weeks before our daughter was born. While we were there we ate breakfast at a lovely little restaurant downtown, the name of which I wish I remembered, and I was introduced to an incredible creation, a Ricotta Cheese Pancake.
From that moment on, I was hooked. I got home and soured the Internet for a perfect recipe, and then modified it to suite my own tastes. The result was these fantastic Ricotta Cheese Pancakes that require no oil and instead infuse previously nutrition-weak pancakes with valuable protein.
When I make a batch of these pancakes, I love making more than what my family will eat, dividing the leftovers into small sandwich bags and then eating them for breakfast throughout the rest of the week. I just grab a bag from home and pop the pancakes in the microwave for 15 seconds when I get to work for a delicious, fast and protein-packed breakfast.
Ingredients:
1 16oz container of Ricotta Cheese - drained
1 16oz container of Ricotta Cheese - drained
1 1/2 Cups White Flour
1 t. Baking Powder
3 T. Sugar or 1 1/2 T. Truvia
1/4 t. Salt
1 1/2 Cups 1% Milk
6 Eggs - divided
1 1/4 t. Vanilla
Frozen Raspberries
1/2 t. Agave Nectar or Honey
Start off by separating the eggs into two bowls, putting the egg whites in an electric mixer. Whip the egg whites until fluffy and stiff. While the egg whites are being whipped, blend the egg yolks, ricotta cheese, flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, milk and vanilla in a bowl.
Whisk in approximately 1/4 of the whipped egg whites, then gently fold in the rest of the egg whites.
Heat a skillet and spray with cooking spray or coat with butter. I don't put butter on top of my pancakes but I put it on my skillet so I get a little bit of the flavor with less butter overall.
Cook for approximately 5-6 minutes, flipping when you start to see tiny bubbles form around the outside edges of the pancakes.
I enjoy thawing a cup of raspberries, mixing it with 1 t. of honey and pouring over the top of my pancakes instead of using maple syrup. After eating my fill, I put the rest of the pancakes into sandwich bags and put them in the fridge. This makes for an easy, out-the-door breakfast that I take with me to work and microwave for 15 seconds at the office. The have such a great flavor that I eat them plain during the week.
Healthy-er Banana Bread A.K.A. Hippie Bread
This bread has been nicknamed Hippie Bread by a former colleague of mine who swore it was the only healthy thing he ever ate that tasted good (I might be paraphrasing a little bit but he did love it). I wouldn't call this diet food, but if you are craving Banana Bread, this is definitely a healthy-er alternative.
Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Butter
2 Eggs
1 Cup Truvia (sugar substitute)
1/4 Cup Sugar
1 1/2 Cups Very Ripe Bananas (about 3)
1/2 Cup Plain Yogurt
1 T. Vanilla
1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 Cup Ground Flax
1/2 Cup Wheat Germ
1/2 Cup White Flour
1 t. Baking Soda
1 t. Salt
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Soften the butter and then blend with an electric mixer until blended. Add in Truvia, Sugar, Eggs and Bananas and blend until fully combined. Blend in Yogurt, Vanilla, Salt and Baking Soda. Gradually stir in the Ground Flax, Wheat Germ, Whole Wheat Flour and White Flour until blended. Grease the bottoms only of two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 loaf pans or 1 9 x 5 x 3 loaf pan. Pour batter into greased pan. Bake smaller loaves for approximately 50 minutes, checking the center of each with a knife at 45 minutes. A knife inserted into the center should come back clean not doughy. Larger loaves cook approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes but check the center of the loaf for doneness at 50 minutes.
I stirred up 2oz of cream cheese with 1 t. of honey and 1/2 t. cinnamon to spread on top of the warm bread. Tasty but not necessary. The bread is great by itself.
Southwest Bean Stew
We were snowed in recently and I couldn't get to the grocery store to restock after the work week. As a result, I was forced to get a little creative with what I had on hand. The result was a delicious southwestern bean stew that has now made it onto our favorites list. It's easy, delicious and good for you too, and I love that I can keep the ingredients always on hand so I can whip it up whenever I am short on groceries.
Start by heating the oil in a saucepan on medium heat and cooking the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes until the onion is soft. Add all additional ingredients except the brown rice. Mash mixture slightly with the back of a spoon and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Serve over brown rice.
Ingredients:
1 T. Canola Oil
1 Cup Chopped Vidalia Onion
1 T. Minced Garlic
1 14oz Can Chicken or Vegetable Broth
2 T. Tomato Paste
1/4 t. Dried Oregano
1 t. Adobo Seasoning
1 15oz Can Black Beans
1 t. Fresh Cilantro (optional)
2 Cups Cooked Brown Rice
Healthy-er Crockpot Chicken Enchiladas
These easy crockpot chicken enchiladas are one of my favorite weeknight dinners. They are so fast, easy, delicious and so much healthier than regular enchiladas. I can toss everything into the crockpot in 3 minutes before leaving for work in the morning. When I get home, it takes another 3 minutes to shred the chicken with two forks before rolling the meat in corn tortillas and topping with cheese, sour cream and avocados. They are not too spicy nor too bland and have incredible flavor. My daughter even loves them.
Simply mix the chicken, cream of chicken soup, diced tomatoes and green chilis, salsa, chili powder and ground cumin in a crockpot and stir until combined. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours. When complete, remove the chicken and shred on a cutting board using two forks. Pour half of the sauce into a bowl with the shredded chicken. Scoop the chicken mixture into corn tortillas and top with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Roll the tortillas and top with remaining sauce, mozzarella cheese, sour cream and avocado.
Ingredients:
Mix in the Crockpot:
1 lb. Chicken Breasts
1 lb. Chicken Breasts
1 10.5oz Can Cream of Chicken Soup (I like Campbell's Healthy Request because it doesn't contain MSG)
1 10oz Can Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilis
1/2 Cup Salsa (I use Herdez Hot)
1 t. Chili Powder
1/2 t. Ground Cumin
Additional Ingredients:
Corn Tortillas
Mozzarella Cheese
Sour Cream (I use reduced fat or fat free because the flavor is the same)
Avocado
Salt
Pepper
Dark Cherry, Vanilla, Almond Smoothie
I was about to make myself the same old strawberry banana smoothie I have been making for years when I decided to try something new, and since I love anything cherry, vanilla, almond, I thought I'd try it in smoothie form. In a word: Success.
Ingredients:
1 Cup Frozen Dark Sweet Cherries
1 Scoop Vanilla Protein Powder
1 Cup Almond Milk
1 Cup Almond Milk
1/2 Cup Vanilla Yogurt
2 T. Slivered Almonds
1 Cup Ice
Power Tacos
I have introduced these Power Tacos to people that rarely eat a vegetable that isn't fried and they love them. I think the cheese, sour cream and avocados in particular help enhance the flavor.
My favorite thing about this food is how it makes me feel afterwards. I feel full, invigorated and energized, thus the name Power Tacos. I especially loved eating these while I was pregnant because they made me feel good and I know I was giving great nutrients to my growing baby. I know they sound strange, but try them once and I promise you will be surprised at just how good they are.
Ingredients:
Tortillas - I prefer Mission Life Balance Wheat Tortillas
Sweet Potato
Black Beans
Sour Cream
Cheese
Avocado
Pierce the sweet potato with a fork and cook in the microwave for approximately 5 minutes depending on the size of the potato. Spread the sweet potato on a tortilla as if you were spreading refried beans. Top with remaining ingredients.
Protein Packed Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
Because I have been doing Insanity every day my body's metabolism is skyrocketing and I am starving by lunch. To help keep me from snacking on things I shouldn't all morning I made myself a healthy-er protein packed smoothie for breakfast. This smoothie is not low calorie or low fat, but it has great nutrients and the protein my muscles need to recover from a harsh week of workouts. Oh and as a bonus, it's delicious!
Ingredients:
1 Frozen Banana
1 Cup Almond Milk
2 T. Creamy Peanut Butter (I use the natural kind)
1 Scoop of Vanilla Protein Powder
Pumpkin Breakfast Smoothie
My mornings are always super busy. Between getting myself and my 1-year-old daughter ready for the day and then commuting an hour to her daycare and to work, I don't have much time for breakfast. This pumpkin smoothie turns out to be the perfect thing. I was inspired by a recipe on Pinterest and decided to make it a little differently. All I have to do is throw the ingredients in a blender, pour into a travel cup and I'm out the door! As an added bonus, my daughter Eden loves it too, so we sip on smoothies together on our way to work. It's super easy, delicious and SO good for you.
Ingredients:
1/2 Can of Pumpkin Puree (15oz)
1 Cup Almond Milk
1/2 Cup Vanilla Yogurt
Half of a Banana
1 Cup of Ice
1 t. Cinnamon
1/4 t. Pumpkin Pie Spice
Just a shake of Nutmeg and Ginger
1 Scoop of Vanilla Protein Powder
Healthy-er Ice-Cream From Snow
You've heard of making lemonade from lemons, well this weekend I made ice-cream from a snow storm. What else am I to do when I'm snowed in all weekend? It is so good and SO easy to make!
Scoop up about 15 cups of pure snow into a large bowl, making sure to only scoop up what's freshly fallen. Pour in one 14oz can of Sweetened Condensed Milk and 1 tsp. of Vanilla and mix. Serve immediately! You can even add some food coloring if you want for a little extra fun.
No, this ice-cream isn't healthy, but with fewer calories and less fat than store bought ice-cream it is healthy-er. And so cheap! Less than a dollar makes 8-10 servings. So bundle up and enjoy!
For my friends in warmer climates, you can replicate this recipe by using shaved ice.
Ingredients:
15 Cups of freshly fallen snow
1 14oz can of Sweetened Condenses Milk
1 tsp. Vanilla
6 Ingredient Veggie Potatoes
After a two hour commute and 9 hours on the job everyday I am constantly challenged to get food on the table for my little family of three. I whipped this up with a few items I had on hand and it has become one of our favorite weeknight meals. It's healthy, delicious, filling, cheap, vegetarian and can be on the table in under 6 minutes. What's not to like?
Just pierce two potatoes with a fork and throw them in the microwave for three minutes. At three minutes, add the bag of vegetables, flip over the potatoes and cook them all for another three minutes. Once they are done, split the potatoes in half and top with the vegetables, mozzarella, sour cream, salt and pepper to your desired taste. This is surprisingly delicious and filling. Best of all you can make this meal for under $5
Ingredients:
1 Bag Bird's Eye Steam Fresh Vegetables - Broccoli, Carrots, Sugar Snap Peas & Water Chestnuts
2 Potatoes
Mozzarella
Fat Free Sour Cream
Salt
Pepper
You are so creative! Love your ideas!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Morgan! Likewise. :)
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