Anytime Crustless Vegetable Quiche

Derived from Bisquick's "Impossible Garden Pie," I call this an "anytime" crustless quiche--and it's true. This is a quick and easy "go-to" to whip up for any season, and it pairs so well with a nice garden salad in the summer months or a cup of soup in the winter months. I just love the versatility of this dish. It can be served hot or cold, and you can tailor the veggies to your liking! This is one of those light meals that I rely on when I haven't had a chance to get to the grocery store---and supplies are limited in the house. My husband NEVER complains with this one, especially when I pair it with a tray of baked sweet potato fries. My favorite way to enjoy this dish, though, is in the summertime with our very first veggies from the back yard garden. The best!

Anytime Crustless Vegetable Quiche

Ingredients:

1 cup zucchini, chopped

1 cup roma tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 cup organic whole milk

1/2 cup of your favorite organic, whole grain, baking mix (I like Bob's Red Mill or similar)

2 eggs

Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

Prepare a 9 inch pie plate with cooking spar. Spread the veggies evenly into the plate and top with cheese. Then, beat the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl with a fork or electric mixer until well combined. Pour over the veggies and cheese in the pie plate.

Bake the dish for about 35 minutes or until the center of the pie is cooked (I use a toothpick to test). Serve warm or cold. Enjoy!

Copycat Chocolate Vitamuffins!

I love chocolate brownie Vitalicious Vitatop muffins. Have you ever had them? They're a pretty pricey treat at over $5 a box (4 muffins)....masked as a 100 calorie "health food" in your grocer's frozen food section. But, I assure you...they are not healthy.  A safer choice than some other desserts, for sure. But, healthy? Nah.

Don't believe me? Just read the back of the box. There are plenty of ingredients listed that I have a difficult time pronouncing, let alone identifying. Still, I find myself putting them into my shopping cart every so often. There's something a little evil about them--knowing that for a measly 100 calories, I can pop em into the microwave for 30 seconds--and end up with a plate of gooey chocolately deliciousness.

Recently, though....I found myself at a moral and ethical crossroads. I am a Beachbody coach. I teach people how to train mean and eat clean. And, my challengers have asked about these evil little critters more than once. My advice? "Steer clear of them. They aren't clean." Yet. I have a difficult time following my own advice! Until now.....

Check this out. A friend of mine was kind enough to share a copycat recipe for the Chocolate Brownie Vitamuffins that she found on an AWESOME blog entitled, "Chocolate Covered Katie." Katie--you are my new best friend. As soon as I saw it, I studied the ingredients....PRETTY DARN CLEAN (there is a minimal amount of sugar)! I knew I had to give it a shot.

The original recipe had a few different ingredient options to play around with--so, I tried the recipe a couple of different ways, tweaking things here and there. Also, the original recipe seemed a bit scant to me. Although it states that it makes 12 muffins, I really was only able to get 6 from the recipe given. So, I doubled it. Listed below is the final recipe that I ended up with---the one with the BEST final result. And, I'm SO THRILLED! These babies store wonderfully in the freezer, they adhere to my CLEAN EATING guidelines, and they are INEXPENSIVE! A total Godsend, considering that they Vitalicious muffins are super pricey and only contain 4 in a box. Typically, they are more than $1 for EACH MUFFIN. YIKES!

So, I make a batch.....allow them to cool. Store them in the freezer. And, when the craving hits--30 seconds in the microwave (wrapped in a paper fowl) and a dollop of plain greek yogurt on the side (if you like)....and  I'm in HEAVEN. Check it out!

Katie's Copycat Chocolate Vitamuffins

Ingredients:

4-5 tbsp milk of choice 

1/2 tbsp pure vanilla extract 

1 tbsp ground flax meal

1/2 cup organic packed pumpkin 

1/2 cup spelt or whole wheat flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp cocoa powder (10g)

3-4 tbsp sugar in the raw or honey 

1/4 cup 60% cacao chocolate chips or darker

optional: 2-4 chocolate chips per muffin, for decoration

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 F. 

Grease a standard-sized muffin pan. 

In a mixing bowl, combine first 4 ingredients and whisk together.

 In a separate bowl, combine all remaining ingredients (except the decorative chips), and stir well. 

Next, mix wet into dry and stir until just combined. Distribute batter evenly among 6 muffin cups, and—if desired—place two or three chocolate chips on the top of each muffin. Bake 15 minutes (or until center springs back when touched), then allow to cool 5-10 minutes before removing from the muffin tins.

YUM YUM YUM!!! Thank you, coveredbyKatie.com!

Escarole & Sausage Pizza

Pizza is probably my very favorite "cheat meal." However, I have to say--I rarely indulge in restaurant varieties. I find that there are so many different kinds of pizza that we can make at home--and with so many healthy modifications--that I like to save my outings for more sophisticated dishes. Nevertheless, we DO enjoy our pizza in the Roland residence! This one is a spin-off of a recipe that I found in the August 2014 subscription of Eating Well magazine. With escarole being one of my favorite greens, and HOT turkey sausage being one of my husband's favorite choices---I knew that this one would be a hit! With a whole wheat crust, all natural (nitrate-free) sausage, robust escarole and unsaturated EVOO--we can forgive a bit of cheese indulgence in the name of moderation.

Rest assured...this pizza is definitely a cleaner, more healthful choice than a great majority of the restaurant varieties that you my pass by your lips. And, I think you'll be in agreement when I say that it tastes better, too!

Escarole and Sausage Pizza

Ingredients:

3 links of all natural, nitrate-free turkey sausage (hot or sweet)

1-2 Tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium head of escarole, chopped

sundried tomatoes or fire roasted red peppers (for topping)

2 tsp. cider vinegar

1 ball of whole wheat pizza dough (usually a pound)

1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1/2 cup shredded gouda or fontina cheese

Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and place sausage in a small baking pan. Bake for about 20 minutes or until cooked, while the oven is preheating. You may also want to place your pizza stone or baking sheet into the oven to preheat, as well.
2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the garlic and escarole. Cook, stirring, until the escarole is wilted. Then, remove from the heat and immediately stir in the vinegar.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pizza dough with your bare hands--or using a roller. You want the dough to form a 12 x 14 rectangle or circle (approximate, to fit your baking pan or stone)
4. When the sausage is done baking, remove from the oven, along with the preheated pan/stone. Place the dough on your pan and lightly brush it with olive oil. Next, spread the escarole mixture across the dough, draining as much liquid as possible (to keep the dough from getting too soggy). Top with sundered tomatoes or fire roasted peppers. 
5. When cool enough, cut the sausage into about 1/4-1/2 inch slices and spread on top of the pizza. Finish with the cheeses. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the crust is crispy and golden--and the cheese is melted. 
6. Serve with a  side garden salad and enjoy!