Savory Vegetable Quiche - Paleo!

The crust smells amazing when it's baking and the whole thing is amazing!!! YUM!!

Savory Vegetable Quiche

Crust:
1 & 1/2 c blanched almond flour
1/2 t sea salt
1/2 t baking soda
1 T minced scallions (white and green parts)
1/4 c grapeseed oil
1 T water

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large bowl, combine almond flour, salt, baking soda, and scallions. In a medium bowl, whisk together the grapeseed oil and water. Stir the wet ingredients into the almond flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Press dough into a pie pan.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before filling.

Quiche:

2 T grapeseed oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1 c mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/4 c finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes (dry packed)
3 large eggs, whisked
4 oz goat cheese (** I omitted this ingredient to make it paleo)
1/2 t sea salt
1 savory pie crust

Preheat oven to 350

Heat the grapeseed oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion for 8-10 minutes until soft and translucent. While the onion is sauteing, steam the broccoli until it is bright green. Add the steamed broccoli, garlic, mushrooms, and tomatoes and saute for 15-20 minutes, until the broccoli softens. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, cheese (** if using), and salt. Stir in the sauteed vegetables, then pour the mixture into the crust.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until browned around the edges and cooked through. Let the quiche cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then serve.

Spaghetti Squash Mania!

I picked up a couple of spaghetti squash at the store today and am excited to try a couple of different recipes!

Wikipedia describes Spaghetti Squash as:

The spaghetti squash (Cucurbita pepo) (also called vegetable spaghetti, noodle squash, "Spaghetti Marrow (in the UK) , squaghetti or Sharkfin Melon 鱼翅瓜 to Chinese) is an oblong seed-bearing variety of winter squash. The fruit can range either from ivory to yellow or orange in color or green with white streaks. Its center contains many large squash seeds. Its flesh is bright yellow or orange or white for the latter variety. When raw, the flesh is solid and similar to other raw squash; when cooked, the flesh falls away from the fruit in ribbons or strands like spaghetti or shark's fin (when cooked in a soup form). Spaghetti squash can be baked, boiled or steamed, and served with sauce as for pasta, or used as a vegetable base for macaroni and cheese. Spaghetti squash contains many nutrients including folic acid, potassium, vitamin A, and beta carotene. It is also a food low in calories, averaging 75 calories in 8 cooked ounces. It is a Chinese native vegetable."

So, there are 2 recipes that I can't wait to try!

The first is from Food Network's Michael Chiarello. His show, Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello, has such fun dishes. I've tried a couple of them and they are yummy! Anyway, this one is called Spaghetti Squash with Marinara. I think that pretty much sums up the dish! It will be an easy dish to make tonite! I hope it's a great substitute for spaghetti!!

The second and equally yummy sounding is Simple Spaghetti Squash. It sounds really fresh and yummy! I thought I'd make it tonite, but I'll wait until later this week when I can pillage my Dad's garden for a couple of tomatoes!

So, we'll see how the spaghetti squash adventure goes! I'll keep you posted!

Sunday 4/6/08: Dinner

Tonight we are going to Mom and Dad's for dinner. I actually took the time to prepare everything before we go and put it into these handy containers we got at Ikea. So, I don't have to cart 20 ingredients over there, just take the containers and go. And, I chopped all the veggies, so there is another plus!

Menu:
Sloppy Joes (Everyday Food Cookbook P216)
Glazed Carrots (page 85)
Parmesan Potato Wedges(P83) - I couldn't find the exact recipe on-line and I've returned the book to the library, but this is almost the exact same recipe only with sweet potatoes! Personally, I think I'd prefer the sweet potatoes!

Dessert: Quick fruit (peach) cobbler

Click on the links above for the recipes!

The Best Mashed Potatoes Ever!

I have never been successful at making mashed potatoes. This is the beset recipe I have made so far and it turned out great! The next time, I will not add so much garlic, or I will omit to change the recipe a bit. They were light and fluffy, creamy and oh so delicious!!!

Official Taste Tester: Best potatoes you've made!

The recipe:

1 bulb garlic, unpeeled
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
2 pounds potatoes, rinsed and quartered (use russet, yukon gold, or red creamer)
3/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
3/4 cup half and half (I used half and half)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (I used margarine)
sea salt, to taste
ground pepper, to taste

Heat oven to 425 F. Slice 1/2 inch top off garlic bulb and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap in aluminum foil. Bake until garlic is soft and golden, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven. When cool enough to handle, peel garlic cloves, mince and set aside.

In large pot, add potatoes and cover with water and 3/4 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until tender, about 15 to 25 minutes.

Drain potatoes and force through a potato ricer or mash potatoes until smooth into a large bowl. Mix in Parmesan and garlic. Cover and keep warm.

Heat half and half, butter, salt and pepper in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until butter has melted. Pour over potatoes and combine. Adjust salt and pepper to taste

I found this recipe HERE on the Whole Foods Market website they have a ton of great recipes! Check it out!!!

Arby's Curly Fries

Another french fry recipe...

I haven't tried these yet, but I plan to!

Arby's Curly Fries

1 3/4 t salt, divided
4 russet potatoes (8 oz each; 2 lbs total), peeled
oil oil spray
2 1/2 T egg substitute
1 1/2 T unbleached or all-purpose flour
2 t paprika
1/4 t cayenne
1/8 t garlic powder
1/8 t onion powder

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add 1 t salt.

Meanwhile, with a twin curl cutter, cut 7 oz of potato curls, about 2 cups. (Cover with water and refrigerate the scraps for another recipe) Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly mist a small nonstick baking sheet with oil spray. Set aside.

transfer the potato curls to the boiling water. cook for exactly 3 m but no longer or they will break. drain in a colander. set aside for about 5 m to cool.

meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the egg substitute, flour, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, and the remaining 3/4 t salt. With a fork, mix until well blended. Add the potatoes. Toss them with your fingers until they are coated with the seasoning mixture. Transfer, allowing any excess seasoning mixture to drip off, to the reserved baking sheet. arrange the potatoes, not touching in a single layer. lightly mist with oil spray. bake for 18-24 m, turning them about halfway through, until crisp and cooked through.

"Sonic" Tater Tots

I found this "healthful" version of tater tots.. who doesn't love a good tater tot...

SONIC TATER TOTS:

olive oil spray
1 1/4 c bagged refrigerated pre-shredded potatoes
1 1/2 T egg substitute
1/2 t salt

Preheat the oven to 450. Lightly mist a large nonstick baking sheet with oil spray. Place the potatoes on a cutting board. With a knife, chop them finely. transfer to a mixing bowl. add the egg substitute and salt. stir to mix well.

using a measuring spoon, scoop out a level tablespoon of the mixture. shape into a nugget and place on the reserved baking sheet. continue until all of the mixture is scooped, shaped, and placed, not touching, in a single layer on the baking sheet. there should be about 13 nuggets.

lightly mist with oil spray. bake for about 20 m, flipping the nuggets a quarter turn every 5 m, or until crisp and lightly covered.

Sweet Potato Casserole

As I am sure I have stated many times, I love fall! One veggie in particular I really love (any time of the year) is the sweet potato. They are heart healty and of course deliciously sweet! This recipe is Weight Watchers and was so yummy I felt like I had dessert!

My stand-in taste-tester (Dad) had this to say:

"Rachael Ray would have been envious"

Makes 4 Servings

2 apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
3/4 t finely chopped crystallized ginger (I just used regular ground ginger)
1/2 t salt
1/4 c thawed frozed apple juice concentrate
2 T packed brown sugar
2 t fresh lemon juice
1/4 t cinnamon
1/8 t ground cloves
2 t margarine, diced

Preheat oven to 375 F; spray 8" square baking dish w/ non-stick cookig spray. Arrange half of the apples in the baking dish; top w/half of the sweet potatoes, then sprinkle w/ half the ginger and half the salt. Repeat the layers.

In a small bowl, combine the juice concentrate, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, cloves and 1/4 c wter. Pour over the potatoes. Cover with foil and bake 45 min; dot w/margarine. Bake, uncovered until tender, bubbling and lightly browned, about 15 min longer

Cal: 220/serving
Fat: 2 g

August 5

So, Rich and I have been married for one year already! How crazy. Time has simply flown by. Since we're both off work on Friday's, I decided to make a big anniversary meal for us. Kroger was having a great sale on Mussels! (yum) So for a starter we had steamed mussels in a white wine sauce and a salad with garden fresh veggies. For the main course we had stuffed porkchops, Emeril style, stuffed with apples and walnuts, rice, and baked butternut squash (from Mom's garden). After an un-Godly filling meal, we had a dessert of sorbet.

After a meal like that what is more appropriate than to kick some ass playing Warcraft 3?! Since the apartment is now a wireless "domain", we were able to play against each other. And I totally sacked his community! Go elves! We'll have to have a rematch soon.

Recipes from this meal follow:
Apple Walnut Stuffed Pork Chops with St. Andre Cheese

*the recipe calls for St. Andre Cheese, but I didn't have any so I omitted it. Still turned out great!*

Since the recipe is copywritten, if you want it go to:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_26458,00.html

~Butternut Squash~
My own recipe:
Butternut Squash
Butter (I like to use Fleishmann's Olive Oil Butter)
Nutmeg

Oven: 400 degrees
Cut squash in half lengthwise. Dab squash with butter. Put on baking sheet cut side down. Bake for 40-50 minutes. Ready with fork is inserted easily. Remove from oven. Dab with butter (lightly) sprinkle lightly with nutmeg. Serve (don't eat the "skin")