Roasted Eggplant

The texture and taste of this eggplant is as unusual as it is awesome. The slices of eggplant had a texture similar to the apples in an apple pie and they soaked up all of the flavor of the balsamic vinegar.

This makes a great simple side dish to accompany almost anything although I ended up eating all of it for dinner one night. :)

Enjoy!

Roasted Eggplant

1 Eggplant halved and sliced a 1/4 inch thick

4 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar

4 tablespoons Olive Oil

2 tablespoons Brown Sugar

In a large bowl mix together balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and brown sugar.

Toss in the eggplant and stir around until thoroughly coated.

Put into a 9 inch pie plate and bake at 375 for about 20-30 minutes (until eggplant is softened and the top has started to brown), stirring once of twice. Serves 4 as a side dish.

Classic Banana Bread

I think just about everyone has a recipe for banana bread, but even if you do you should give this one a try. It is just perfect: dense, banana-y, sweet but not overpowering, and packed with pecans. Also, it takes all of 15 minutes to mix everything together and presto you have a sweet treat to eat or give away.

As always this is a great way to use up blackened overripe bananas (which I usually toss in the freezer to preserve if I don't feel like making banana bread). I bake mine in a tube pan because I have never gotten around to buying a loaf pan. I am sure this would turn out just fine in a bread pan but it might take a little longer to bake.

Classic Banana Bread
1 3/4 cups Flour
1 1/2 cups Sugar
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 Eggs
2 blackened (overripe) bananas mashed
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon Buttermilk (you can easily substitute curdled regular milk by adding in a tablespoon or less of vinegar to plain milk)
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 cup Pecans chopped
In a bowl mix together dry ingredients and set aside. 

Dry ingredients

Combine mashed bananas, eggs, oil, vanilla, and buttermilk.

Wet ingredients

Add in the dry ingredients and mix until all is combined. Stir in the pecans.

Pour into a greased tube pan.

In the tube pan

Bake at 325 degrees for about 1 hour and 10 minutes checking on the hour to make sure it doesn't get overdone (bread is done when a knife inserted into the middle comes out mostly clean - with only a few sticky crumbs).

Final product

Fresh Salsa

I made salsa for the first time a few weeks ago and the results were ok but not great. This time around I added in another tomato, used more peppers, and took out the cilantro (I still don't like the flavor it imparts) and I am quite pleased with the results. Very simple to make but it does taste a lot better if it sits and marinates for a day.

Having sampled it again a few more days later - it is really excellent. The hotness and flavor from the peppers really come out.

Enjoy the heat!

Fresh Salsa
3 Tomatoes finely chopped
1 Onion finely chopped
4-5 Serrano Peppers finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons minced Garlic
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 Lime juiced
Mix together all ingredients and chill for a day (if possible) before serving. Makes a huge bowl that would be perfect for a party.

Sweet Potato Salad

Went for a long ride out to Key Biscayne, about 45 miles total, on Saturday with Emerge (a Miami cycling group) and we had a picnic so I made this salad to take. Everyone loved the taste of sweet and tangy, and the sweet potatoes were the perfect vehicle for the flavors. I made it the night before because I wanted it to chill and marinate, but you could probably make it just a few hours ahead of time too.

The original recipe called for boiling the sweet potatoes, but I baked them instead because I have tried that before. Word to the wise: boiled sweet potatoes are gross. The texture is off and the flavor is weird; overly starchy and still kind of "raw" tasting.

I actually forgot to put in the pecans before I was out the door but am sure they would be a nice addition to the salad.

Sweet Potato Salad (adapted from a Taste of Home recipe)
2 lb. Sweet Potatoes (about 3-4) cubed
1/3 cup dried Cranberries
2-3 tablespoons Orange Juice (use a fresh orange)
1-2 teaspoons Orange Peel
3 Celery Stalks diced
1/2 teaspoon ground Ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground Nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
1 tablespoon Brown Sugar
1/2-3/4 cup Mayonnaise
1/2 cup Pecans chopped
Note: Spices are approximate - I just sprinkled them on the sweet potatoes

Toss cubed sweet potatoes with ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon and bake on a large ungreased pan at 410 degrees (turning over potatoes about 2-3 times so they don't stick) for about 20 minutes or just until the potatoes become slightly soft (not super soft though or they won't hold up in the salad).

Celery and orange peel

While potatoes are cooking mix together orange peel, orange juice, brown sugar, dried cranberries, and celery.

Orange after peel has been grated off

Once potatoes are done toss in with all the other pre-mixed ingredients and add in the mayonnaise. Chill for at least a few hours. Add in the pecans right before serving. Makes about 6 servings as a side dish.

Tomato Pinto Bean Gratin

Before it went in the oven

There was a large can of tomato puree sitting in my fridge for a couple of weeks after I opened it to use in a recipe and then decided against using it and I wanted to use it up before I was forced to toss it. As luck would have it I happened to be reading Feministe, a feminist blog, and the main author, Jill, posted an article about healthy eating with a link to NYT's "Recipes for Health." I decided to check it out and see if there were any recipes using tomatoes that I could follow to use up the puree in the fridge and I found this recipe for Provencal Tomato and Bean Gratin; it sounded good and called for ingredients that I mostly had on hand so I decided to try it. I am glad that I did, because it was very tasty and different from anything I have ever made using pinto beans.

I made a few alterations to the original recipe including using dried spices instead of fresh, because that was what I had available, and I also upped the spiciness of the dish. One of the best things about this meal is that the ingredients are so cheap and it is also a filling one dish meal that doesn't use meat. It is a little time consuming to put together (30-45 minutes) because there is some stove-top time and then time in the oven but none of the steps are difficult and the beans can be made in advance to speed the process along.

Below is the recipe, Enjoy!

Tomato Pinto Bean Gratin
1 lb. dried Pinto Beans
2 teaspoons Parsley
2 teaspoons Oregano
1 1/2 teaspoon Thyme
1 Parmesan Cheese Rind
1 28 oz can Tomato Puree (or sauce)
1 15 oz can diced Tomatoes
2 Onions chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons minced Garlic
1 teaspoon Cayenne
1 teaspoon Paprika
1 teaspoon Sugar
Salt to taste
Butter or oil for frying
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese
Cover pinto beans with water in a large pot and let soak overnight (this allows the beans to absorb moisture and cuts down on cook time). The next day drain the beans and refill the pot with fresh water until the bean are a little more than covered with water. Bundle parsley, oregano, thyme, and parmesan rind together in piece of cheese cloth and put the cheese cloth in with the beans along with some salt. Begin cooking over medium heat and cook until beans are tender (about 2 hours).

Pretty much all the juice cooked off my pot of beans

Most of the bean broth should have cooked down but if not discard most of it leaving just a little broth.

Meanwhile in a large skillet over medium heat saute chopped onions in oil or butter for about 4 minutes then add in the minced garlic and cook for another 2 minutes then pull off of heat and transfer to a large Pot.

Add the tomatoes, puree, cayenne, paprika, and sugar to the pot with the onions and garlic and cook over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes then add in the beans and a little of the bean broth and continue to cook for another 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

Pour bean and tomato mixture into a 13x9 inch greased baking pan and sprinkle with the cheese. Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes or until cheese has started to brown and the gratin is bubbling.

Let cool for a few minutes before serving. Makes about 6-8 servings.

Sweet Potato Curry with Spinach

This is my first go at a sweet potato curry. I am having a dinner party this weekend and decided that a sweet potato curry sounded good, but never having made one or had one I thought a trial run was in order. The time was right tonight and I was very pleased with the results. I do think I will be tweaking this recipe a little but the basics will stay the same.

This curry was very savory and also sweet (due to the sweet potatoes) and not at all spicy. The cinnamon and cardamoms came through powerfully; providing a unique balance of flavors with the curry mix I used.

Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Curry with Spinach
3 Sweet Potatoes cubed
1 Onion finely chopped
1 package Fresh Spinach
2/3 cup Coconut Milk
Broth (approx 1 cup)
2 teaspoons Madras Curry Powder
2 Brown Cardamoms
1 stick Cinnamon
4 Cloves
2 teaspoons Garlic
1 teaspoon grated Ginger
Salt to taste
1-2 tablespoons Butter
In a large skillet over medium heat melt butter and then add in the cardamoms, cinnamon stick, and cloves.

this is what they look like while frying

Fry for about two minutes to release the flavors of the spices (the fat in the butter helps to fully release the spices) and then add in the onions and saute for about four minutes before adding in the garlic and ginger.

Once the garlic and ginger are in the pan saute for another two minutes then transfer to a larger pot and sprinkle with the curry powder and salt. Put sweet potatoes in the large pot with just enough broth to cover the bottom of the pan and about half the coconut milk as well; cook, covered, over medium low heat for about 15 minutes then check and add in more broth if needed and the rest of the coconut milk. Continue to cook for about 10 more minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are soft and some have started breaking down, making a sort of soupy puree with the broth and coconut milk.

Add in the fresh spinach once the potatoes are fully cooked and stir for about one minute, then pull off of heat (the spinach just needs to wilt slightly).

Let cool for a few minutes then serve over rice, with naan bread or by itself.

Serves about 3-4 people

Pepper and Black Bean Filling

All the peppers and Onions

This is my go-to meal when I am by myself or don't feel like doing a lot of cooking. Mexican is probably my favorite cuisine and this is a mexican-ish tasting filling that works for pretty much anything. I use them as a filling for a quick burrito, sprinkle them on top of nachos along with other toppings, in quesadillas...you see where I am going with this.

Nachos!

I can make this in about 20 minutes and have enough to use for several days (if it is just me eating it). I never get tired of eating it either, yesterday I had a burritos filled with these beans and today I had nachos.

Enjoy!

Pepper and Black Bean Filling
2 15 oz cans Black Beans
1 Onion chopped
1 Orange Bell Pepper diced
1 Poblano Pepper diced
1 Red Chili Pepper diced
3/4 cup Frozen Corn
Oil
To taste:
Salt
Pepper
Chili Powder
Cumin
Coriander
Cheese
Heat oil in a large frying pan on medium heat and saute onions, bell pepper, poblano pepper, and chili pepper until browning then add in the corn, black beans and spices and cook on medium low for about 10 minutes; sprinkle with cheese and continue to heat until melted then take off of heat. Wrap these beans in a tortilla, sprinkle over nachos, or whatever you want to do.

Simple Moong Dal with Plantains

My partner is a huge fan of dal but until today I hadn't actually made it before; however, I had a bag of dal on hand and the bf decided today was the day to make some dal. (Our plans to bike 40 miles never materialized because it rained all day, so cooking seemed like a good substitute). He found this recipe from Group Recipes for dal and we decided to make that (with a few modifications). This dal is absolutely delicious and I will definitely be making it again. Also, it is quite healthy and sure to please everyone, even vegans. :)

Enjoy!

Simple Moong Dal with Plantains
5 cups Moong Dal rinsed and drained (or other type of dal, whatever you have on hand)
12 cups or more Water
5-8 Tomatoes diced (can used canned if you want)
3 Onions chopped fine
3-4 tablespoons minced Garlic
4 teaspoons Coriander
3-4 teaspoons Turmeric
1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons Cayenne
3-4 teaspoons Cumin
4 teaspoons Salt (at least)
Olive oil
2 Plantains optional
Put dal and water into a very large pot with the diced tomatoes and salt and cook (covered) on high until boiling then reduce heat to medium and cook uncovered. Meanwhile in a frying pan heat olive oil and add in the onions and garlic, cook until the onions are beginning to get translucent then add in all of the spices, continue to fry for a few more minutes then add the onion mixture to the dal. If desired slice up 2 plantains into half inch pieces and fry on medium-high heat until browned on both sides and add to the dal. Continue cooking dal on medium stirring about every 5-10 minutes until dal has started to break up and form a thick soup. Once the dal has reached the desired thickness turn off heat and serve. FYI, it takes about 40-60 minutes for the dal to cook down. This makes a huge pot of dal, probably at least 15 servings. Calorie count for the entire pot approx: 5446 (about 360 calories per serving)

Sweet and Spicy Roasted Sweet Potatoes

I made these sweet potatoes for a birthday party potluck on Saturday and got a steady stream of compliments on them. They are just the right blend of spicy and sweet, and quite healthy to boot! If you want a quick side dish this a great recipe to try, because it goes well with pretty much anything.

peeled whole sweet potatoes

Sweet and Spicy Roasted Sweet Potatoes
3-4 Sweet Potatoes cubed and peeled
2-3 tablespoons Brown Sugar
1-2 tablespoons Chili Powder (depends on how spicy you like your food
Enough olive oil to coat the potatoes
Salt to taste
Spread the cubed sweet potatoes in a single layer onto a large cookie sheet (15x10) and sprinkle on chili power, brown sugar, and salt. Drizzle with enough olive oil to coat the sweet potatoes.

potatoes just after sprinkling on spices

Mix together until all the sweet potatoes are evenly covered with the seasonings and oil. Bake at 425 for about 20-30 minutes (time varies due to the size of the potatoes, if you cut in larger chunks it could take more time to cook) stirring once or twice. The sweet potatoes should be slightly crusty on the outside (allow the potatoes to stick to the bottom of the pan while cooking as that facilitates a nice caramelly "crust") and soft on the inside. Enjoy! Calories for entire recipe are about 1050.

Creamed Broccoli Curry Casserole

Just Out of the Oven

I had a lot of broccoli I needed to use up last night and, fortuitously, I remembered having a really delicious casserole at a party a couple of days ago that contained said ingredient. I called the woman who made it and got the recipe: this casserole is based on that recipe, with modifications based on what I had available. I substituted potatoes for cauliflower, sour cream for mayo, and cream of chicken soup for mushroom. My point being that you can generally substitute or leave out quite a few things, if you put a little thought into it, without sacrificing flavor.

The casserole turned out great! Very rich and creamy. Enjoy.

Creamed Broccoli Curry Casserole
2-3 Bunches Fresh Broccoli (or one 12 oz. Frozen Broccoli) chopped
4-6 Carrots cut into sticks
2-3 Potatoes cubed
1 10 oz can Cream of Mushroom Soup (or other cream soup)
4-6 oz. Parmesan Cheese (or italian cheese blend)
2 tablespoons Butter
2 tablespoons Sour Cream (Mayonnaise)
2 tablespoons Curry Powder
Salt
Pepper
Croutons
Briefly steam broccoli, carrots, and potatoes (for about 5 minutes); drain any excess water. Put vegetables and potatoes in a baking dish and mix in the soup, cheese, butter, sour cream, curry powder, salt, and pepper. Bake for about 40 minutes at 350 then put croutons on top and sprinkle with more cheese if desired and bake for another 15 minutes.

Roasted Green Beans

Yummy Green Beans

All vegetables taste better roasted, as far as I can tell. Now that I have started to roast veggies I eat them so much more often! These green beans are so yummy I could just eat them for dinner and nothing else. Also, super easy.

Roasted Green Beans
About 1 lb. Fresh Green Beans (obviously you can use more if you want)
Balsamic Vinegar
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil
Rinse green beans and snap them (snap off the ends, this will get rid of any strings too). Then snap in half so they are easier to eat. Put green beans on a large cookie sheet (10x15). Shake balsamic vinegar onto the beans to taste (I think I used about a 1/4 cup). Drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle on salt and pepper. Toss the green beans until coated and roast in the oven at 425 for about 20 minutes turning the green beans over once or twice. The beans should be starting to get a little browned and be just starting to soften when they are done.

Curried Carrot Raisin Cuscus

I originally made this with chicken but realized it wasn't really necessary to have the extra protein for this meal to come out just fine. This is a great meal to throw together when you are short on time or tired, it only takes about 15 or 20 minutes to prep and 20 minutes to bake. Made it tonight since I was feeling under the weather and wanted something quick and wholesome on the table. 

This is not a spicy curry (provided you don't use a spicy curry powder), it is very much a savory dish with a pleasant sweetness from the coconut milk and raisins. As far a curry powders go, there a huge variety, especially if you go to an indian-american store that specializes in those products. Your basic curry spice that you get at an american grocery is going to be not spicy most likely, because it is marketed to please more sensitive palettes. If you can get to a store that sells a variety of curries and masala spices I would recommend it because there is a lot of variation in the spice composition of these spice blends. All curries are not the same! The curry powder I am using right now is called Madras curry powder and the brand name is Parivar. 

The Curry I use

Curried Carrot Raisin Cuscus

Cuscus

1/2-2/3 cup Raisins

1 box Cuscus

2 cups Chicken or vegetable broth

Boil raisins in broth and add Cuscus. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes as per package direction.

Other filling

1 15 oz can Chickpeas

4 carrots grated

1 onion chopped roughly

1 cup Coconut milk

1 1/2 teaspoon Ginger

4 teaspoons Curry

salt

pepper

Saute onion and carrots with a little olive oil and sprinkle spices on. Grease a 13x9 inch pan with olive oil and toss cuscus mixture, sautéed onions and carrots, chickpeas, and coconut milk together. Add in more spice to taste if necessary. Cook at 350 for 20 minutes or until heated through. Makes about 4-6 servings depending on how hungry people are.

Szechuan Vegetarian Stir Fry

All the ingredients assembled

I made this stir fry for friends on Friday and everyone agreed it was awesome! :) It's a great way to get in lots of vegetables and still be full at the end of the meal since the fried rice helps to beef up the stir fry. This is pretty spicy but it also has some hints of sweetness; however, if you don't like hot food very much I wouldn't put in the Sriracha chili sauce. If you do like spice then you will love Sriracha chili sauce. This stuff is magical; even when my mouth is burning from it I still want more. It has this incredible garlic/chili flavor that I have never tasted in anything else.

Have fun cooking!

Szechuan Vegetarian Stir Fry

3 cups chopped Broccoli

1-2 cups Snow Peas

1 8 oz. container sliced Water Chestnuts

2 Carrots grated

½ chopped Purple Cabbage

1 ½ inch piece Ginger grated

1 tabl. minced Garlic

House of Tsang Szechuan sauce to taste (I used about a third of the bottle)

Sriracha chili sauce to taste

Fried rice

Oil

Fry garlic and ginger on medium high heat for about 2 minutes. Add in water chestnuts (with water) and broccoli and sauté for about 7 minutes while adding in seasoning. Add all other vegetables and cook until heated but veggies are still somewhat crispy (about 10 minutes). Serve over fried rice.

Mango Paneer Curry

Some of the fresh ingredients used

It looks odd close-up but it tastes so good!

Yesterday I had the pleasure of cooking for a group of people, as I had company for dinner and so I decided to make this curry. Normally I use chicken but I have been wanting to experiment with paneer (a type of cheese used in Indian cooking) and one of my guests was vegetarian so I went ahead and stopped by this adorable Indian Grocery and picked some up.

While I was there the lady running the store recommended a spice mix for the paneer curry that did not disappoint, it was spicy, a little sweet, and savory all at the same time and worked great paired with the mango and other ingredients. I absolutely love this meal! Have fun making this!

Mango Paneer Curry

14 oz. Paneer (fresh cheese) diced

1 Green Pepper diced fine

1 Red Pepper diced fine

1 Onion diced fine

3 Tomatoes diced fine

2-3 Mangoes diced fine

5 Thai or Serrano Peppers – seeded and finely chopped

1 15oz. can Coconut Milk

1 package (1.76 oz) Paneer Tika Mix (Rasoi Magic Brand is the one I used)*

2-4 tsp. Garam Masala powder

4-5 whole Cardamom

4-5 whole Cloves

Basmati Rice

Heat frying pan to medium high and brown paneer on both sides (you don't have to use oil to brown but I spritzed on the pan). Meanwhile chop up onions, mangoes, tomatoes, bell peppers, and Serrano peppers. Remove paneer from pan and put in onions, bell peppers, and Serrano peppers. Sauté until browned and sticking to bottom of skillet and then put in tomatoes and mangoes. Sauté for a while until tomatoes start to break down (about 10-15 minutes). Meanwhile mix together coconut milk and paneer tika mix and pour into skillet. Add in paneer and cook on low until the flavors are blended together. Serve over Basmati rice. 

This also tastes good with a sweet Riesling wine as an accompaniment.  

*This is what the packaging looks like: http://www.rasoimagic.com/paneer_tikka.html

Fresh Tomato, Onion, and Mushroom Fettucini

The Fettucini ready to eat!

My basic ingredients assembled along with my glass of wine

On Friday's I like to have a real sit-down dinner with my boyfriend since he works evenings every day except for Friday, so I thought I would make this yummy vegetarian fettucini dish. I had him pick up some Chardonnay on the way home from work to even out the sauce; previously I used tomato sauce but I think the wine adds a more subtile finish to the dish and provides a good excuse to get my drink on. :) 

The other thing I love about this dish is that it uses both fresh and cheep ingredients, it probably cost about 7 bucks tops to make and if you needed to pinch pennies further you could substitute canned tomatoes and mushrooms for fresh. Also, this doesn't take too long to prepare, only about 45 minutes from start to finish, since it is basically all chopping up and dumping into one big skillet. 

Enjoy making this tasty meal!

Fresh Tomato, Onion, and Mushroom Fettucini

4 Tomatoes chopped

1 Onion chopped

2 or more cups baby portabella mushrooms chopped

1 cup White Wine (Chardonnay) 

2-3 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons brown sugar

½ box Fettucini pasta cooked according to package directions

Olive Oil

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

1 teas. Cayenne pepper (more if you like it spicy)

1 ½ teas. Basil

1 ½ teas. Tarragon

1 teas. Oregano

Sauté Onion in a large skillet in olive oil – when onion begins to caramelize sprinkle on brown sugar and add in mushrooms. Sauté for about 5 minutes then add tomatoes, garlic, and other spices. Cook about 15 minutes (or until tomatoes are soft but have not lost all shape). Add in wine – cook on low for about 5-10 more minutes or until flavors have mellowed. While in the last few minutes of cooking, boil pasta. Stir into sauce and serve. 

Sautéed Vegetable Pasta Sauce with Ground Turkey

Some of the fresh veggies I used 

I started messing around with creating a pasta sauce that was more veggie intensive a few months ago and came up with this. It is now one of my most favorite dishes. It is super healthy, delicious, and makes a large batch ideal for freezing. You could easily make this completely vegetarian by omitting the ground turkey and using more veggies. Also, if you don't have one of the vegetables listed you can substitute another that you think would go well in a pasta sauce. The last time I made this I had some extra portabella mushrooms lying around so I added them in along with everything else. 

Happy cooking!

Sautéed Vegetable Turkey Pasta Sauce

1 Zucchini sliced

1 Summer Squash sliced

1 Eggplant sliced and quartered and peeled*

1 Onion diced

2 Tomatoes diced (optional)

2 Red Bell Peppers diced

16 oz Ground Turkey

1 ½ - 2 Jars pre-made Tomato based pasta sauce (preferably low salt and sugar)**

3-4 Generous Squirts Sriracha Chili Sauce

1 ½ tbl. Tarragon

1 ½ tbl. Basil

2 teas. Oregano

Olive Oil

Salt to taste

Fresh Ground Pepper to taste

Whole Wheat Pasta cooked according to package directions

Put spices and pre-made pasta sauce into a large pot and begin to heat on low. Then brown onions and ground turkey and put it in the sauce. Roast eggplant at 450 for 20 minutes and add to sauce. Saute the zucchinin, squash, and red bell peppers together until they start to soften and brown/caramelize and then add them to the pot. Add diced tomatoes to the pot and put in Siriachi chili sauce until food reaches desired spiciness. Cook until tomatoes have softened or the sauces flavors has melded (about 30-60 minutes) and serve over whole wheat pasta.

** May substitute plain tomato sauce but if you do I recommend adding extra spices 

* You may substitute more zucchini or squash instead of using eggplant if you wish

Sauteed Potatoes, Green Beans, and Onions

I made this delicious dish last week and my boyfriend liked it so much we made it again the next day; which if you know him is a huge deal because he absolutely hates to cook and will avoid it at all costs.

His usual idea of making a meal is to have a bowl of cereal but he said that this dish was so good he actually wanted to learn how to make it (with me guiding him along of course, I didn't want the kitchen to catch fire - that actually happened once).

The butter is what really gives this meal it's rich carmelly flavor so I wouldn't recommend substituting anything else for it.  

Sautéed Potatoes, Green Beans, and Onions

5-7 medium Red Potatoes cubed (don’t peel skins)

10 oz (approx) fresh Green Beans/Broccoli (could use frozen)

1-2 Onions chopped

4 tbs (approx) Butter (Can start with less but add more if it is not enough)

Pepper to taste

Salt to taste

Optional: 4 chicken breasts chopped

Microwave potatoes for about 5 minutes in a little bit of water to partially cook them. Put butter in a skillet on medium high heat and sauté onions and potatoes. Add in green beans or brocolli after potatoes and onions begin to caramelize and sprinkle with pepper and salt to taste throughout cooking. (I usually go pretty heavy on the pepper). Stir frequently but allow mixture to stick to the bottom of the pan somewhat so that everything caramelizes. Cook for about 20-30 minutes. 

Note: If you decide to use chicken cook chicken completely first and add when you put the brocolli or green beans in with the potatoes and onions.  

Mushroom, Spinach, and Onion Quiche

I found this quiche recipe a while back on another cooking blog, called Confabulation in the Kitchen, and modified it to suit my tastes. Instead of a crust I just sliced up some potatoes to put on the bottom; if you prefer a crust by all means use one, but I thought this was an excellent way to cut down the calories and fat on this quiche. 

I also took the time to estimate the calories in this recipe in case you are curious. One quiche (this recipe makes two so it is great if you want leftovers for a few days) is about 1440 calories and 1/6 of the quiche is about 240 calories. 

As far as substitutions go, I have swapped yogurt for sour cream and cream cheese of the ricotta when I ran out and still wanted to make this and it came out just fine, so don't be afraid to mix it up a little. 

Below is the recipe, enjoy!

Mushroom, Spinach, and Onion Quiche

Two 9” Pie Plates

2-3 cups of fresh chopped Spinach

1 Onion chopped

1 container of Portabella Mushrooms chopped

2-3 Cubano peppers chopped

2 tabl. minced Garlic

2 Red Potatoes thinly sliced

7 Eggs

1 1/2 cups 1% Milk

1 cup Sour Cream

1/2 cup Ricotta Cheese

1 1/2 tabl. Flour

2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese (reduced fat works just fine)

Olive Oil for sauteing 

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Spray pie plates with non-stick cooking spray or olive oil. Lay sliced potatoes on bottom of pie plates. Finely chop any remaining potato and sauté with onion, pepper, garlic, and mushrooms (season with salt and pepper) until browned and mix in flour until all vegetables are coated. Beat eggs, milk, ricotta cheese, sour cream, and 2 cups of cheese together and put in spinach and sautéed vegetables. Sprinkle remaining cheese over potatoes and pour filling over it. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes and 350 for 30 minutes or until knife comes out clean. Cool slightly before cutting. May be served warm or cold.