Cinco de Mayo Aftermath

Happy Seis de Mayo!…. Said no one ever.  I don’t know about anyone else, but I mayyyy have overdone it a bit this weekend with the Mexican food.  The boyfriend and I ordered Mexican carryout Saturday and ate the greasy leftovers the entire rest of the weekend.  Bleh.  Nachos and cheese and fajitas and enchiladas and heartburn….  Yeah.  And I didn’t even partake in a margarita.  Can’t imagine how the rest of you feel.  So in our greasy, bloated aftermath, I thought I’d share some of the recipes from this weekend that made me feel GOOD.

My dad’s firm had a Cinco de Mayo salsa/dip tasting so naturally I was recruited to come up with something unique.  I knew I wanted to make a black bean dip I made for the SuperBowl because it’s spicy and warm and creamy but light on calories and fat.  I also wanted to make a salsa but am totally uninspired by the classic pico de gallo or red salsa. So what did I do? Went green!  I worked with tomatillos for the first time and I was soooooo thrilled!  They’re such a funny, sour, tangy fruit.

So cute and dressed in a nice little outer jacket.

So cute and dressed in a nice little outer jacket.

This is a unique fruit (or vegetable, whatever floats your goat) but I was still able to find them at my local Meijer.  So don’t think you’ll be going all out and spending hours and thousands at Whole Foods or some specialty market.  When I got them home and was ready to use them, I peeled the outer skin off and rinsed the stickiness off with cool water and they were ready to go!

This recipe is sooo simple!  And it really only took a few pulses in my mini food processor to get a nice small dice.  You want to break everything down but not turn it into liquid.

Salsa Verde (Tomatillo Salsa)

  • 1 pound tomatillos, outer skins removed, quartered
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
  • 2 large garlic cloves
  • 2 Tbs onion, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 2-4 fresh serrano chiles, seeds removed (or left in if you really wanna light it up!)
  • Salt, to taste

Add everything to the food processor (I did half at a time in my mini) and pulse a few times until chopped but not runny.  Drain excess liquid if it’s too wet for your taste.

So naturally bright green!

So naturally bright green!

Ok now for the black bean dip!  I’ve adapted this recipe from one that was a “Black Bean Hummus” recipe, hence the tahini you will see.  Tahini is sesame paste (also available at Meijer in the ethnic section) and gives this dip a rich nutty flavor and creamy texture.  Also, a friendly reminder that whenever you’re working with chiles or hot peppers, always always always wear gloves.  I inflicted some serious pain to my eyes by skipping them this time…

See the gloves in this picture? WEAR THEM. Trust me.

See the gloves in this picture? WEAR THEM. Trust me.

Spicy Black Bean Dip

  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 jalepeño pepper, seeds removed (or left in for more heat)
  • 1/2 – 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 15oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 Tbs tahini
  • Juice of 1/2 a lemon and 1/2 a lime (or a whole of either)
  • 2 Tbs olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Add the garlic and jalepenño to the food processor and pulse until very finely diced.  Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.  You may need to add a touch of water or oil to get the consistency to your liking.

Dip

I added some black beans on top and a sprig of cilantro for garnish since it’s sort of a hideous color…

And there you have it! Two guilt-free Mexican dips you can feel good about after this weekend’s festivities! Either of these would go great with my easy Enchiladas or Enchilada Skillet recipes!

My dad snapped this pic as they were getting gobbled up at the office party!

My dad snapped this pic as they were getting gobbled up at the office party!

Adios!

Crustless Broccoli Quiche

Hey there!  Remember me?!?

I know, I know it’s been over a month since I posted on here!  Sorry about that… The end of the semester and exams and life sorta got in the way… But I’m back!  And I have a month and a half of NO classes and then just two summer classes so get ready to get sick of me over the next few months.  But seriously, I have some seriously great recipes to share with you.  I’ve had to make the most of my time with this busy schedule so today I’m going to share my first breakfast recipe with you!  It’s an easy easy easyyyyy broccoli cheese quiche and it’s so delicious.  My mom is especially a fan of this on-the-go meal!

Ok, so maybe you all aren’t night owls like me, but personally I’d rather but in a little work in the evening so as to maximize my snooze resets on the morning alarm..  This dish takes about 10 minutes to throw together and then 45 to cook- just enough time to put my PJs on and wind down for the night.  Eliminating the crust makes this an ideal low-carb, high-protein breakfast for all day sustained energy!

Here’s what you’ll need:

IMG_9350

Seriously, that’s it.  About a cup and a half each of chopped broccoli florets and red pepper (one pepper), or whatever veggie you love!  You can get creative and add whatever fillings you love in an omelette. Then 2 cups of egg whites (or real eggs if you choose), half cup of cottage cheese and shredded cheddar, and salt and pepper!  Couldn’t get easier.

I like to steam my veggies just for a minute or two before I cook them in the eggs.  Otherwise, they don’t cook all the way and are too crunchy.  This time, I used a microwave steamer and steamed the broccoli for two minutes, added the peppers, and steamed it all for another minute.

IMG_9352

Just enough to keep them bright and not totally mushy!

IMG_9353

I used my large frying pan, coated it with a little non-stick spray and dumped everything in.  Easy as pie!  Or.. Quiche… Then pop it in the 375 degree oven for 45 minutes.  Don’t even open it up, it’ll be perfect I promise.  When it’s done, wait a few minutes and slide it off onto a cookie rack to cool.  Once it’s cool, quarter it, bag it up, and try not to eat it all before breakfast!

Fits quite perfectly in a sandwich bag for maximum out-the-door grabability!

IMG_9357

A minute in the microwave or under the broiler and you’ve got a scrumptious breakfast!

IMG_9361

Next time you have a daunting busy day, make this the night before and start your day with the easiest, most delicious warm breakfast!  I can’t think of a better start to any day!  Let me know what you think!

5.0 from 1 reviews
Print
Crustless Broccoli Quiche
Recipe type: Breakfast
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
An easy make-ahead breakfast for those mornings on the go!
Ingredients
  • 2 cups liquid egg whites (or regular eggs)
  • ½ cup low-fat cottage cheese
  • ½ cup low-fat shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1-2 cups broccoli florets, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 F degrees
  2. Steam veggies in a steamer for 2-3 minutes, until just softened
  3. Mix veggies, eggs, cheeses, and salt and pepper in a large bowl
  4. Grease a large frying pan and pour in egg mixture
  5. Bake for 45 minutes, until firm in the middle
  6. Cool completely and slice into quarters
Nutrition Information
Serving size: ¼ of recipe Calories: 170 Fat: 4.3g Saturated fat: 2.5g Carbohydrates: 7g Sugar: 4g Sodium: 500mg Fiber: 1g Protein: 23g Cholesterol: 17.5mg

 

Avocado Egg Salad

Happy Monday everyone!  Mondays rock!  Yeah right, who am I kidding?!?  Anyone else feeling the burn of another grueling week and too-short weekends?  But, I thought I’d take a quick break from writing papers and taking endless notes to share a fantastic lunch or snack recipe!  I whipped this up this morning for my brother since he’s home for college and I’m trying to put some meat on his skinny bones!  He also requested some healthy options because apparently a diet of greasy dining hall burgers and 3am Taco Bell isn’t hitting the spot any more… Who’da thought?!

The great thing about this dish is that it’s essentially just two ingredients: hard-boiled eggs and avocado.  Then you just season it however you like!  I usually go for guacamole-type flavors because who doesn’t love guacamole? So, to keep it brief for you and so I can get back to my studies, here’s the recipe!

Also, I’ll note that at some point I will post a tutorial for my never-fail hard boiled egg process.  So keep an eye out for that for the simplest, most perfectly cooked eggs you can make!

So easy I made it in the morning before school! And somehow didn't devour it!

So easy I made it in the morning before school! And somehow didn’t devour it!

Print
Avocado Egg Salad
Recipe type: Lunch, Snack
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
A great alternative to mayo, avocado shines when paired with protein-packed hard boiled eggs! Healthy fats and sustained energy galore!
Ingredients
  • 4 hardboiled eggs
  • 1 large, very ripe avocado
  • 1 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1-2 tsp Adobo Mexican seasoning (with peppers)
  • 1-2 tsp herb salt (or regular)
  • 1-2 tsp lime juice
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Boil and peel eggs and allow to cool completely.
  2. Cut open avocado and cube into a small bowl.
  3. Chop eggs and add to bowl.
  4. Mix in seasonings and mash with fork until desired consistency.
  5. Top with a few squirts of lime juice to prevent browning and enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Serving size: ¼ of recipe Calories: 153 Fat: 12.5g Saturated fat: 2.5g Carbohydrates: 6g Sodium: 400mg Fiber: 3.5g Protein: 8g Cholesterol: 215mg

 

1 … 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26