Quinoa Enchilada Bake

I'll eat just about anything with melted cheese on top. Add to that chicken, quinoa, onion and green chile and and this is one of the most scrumptous dishes I've had the pleasure of eating lately.

It's also fairly quick and easy, especially if you boil the chicken in advance. (about 15-20 minutes, then shred it with two forks.)

Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cups cooked quinoa, white or red
1 cooked chicken breast, shredded
1/2 can (15 oz) black beans
3 tbsp canned chopped green chiles
1 1/2 cup enchilada sauce (from 19 oz can)
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions:
Heat over to 350 degrees
Spray 8 inch square ceramic baking dish
Heat a medium size skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and onion; cook 5 minutes or until onion is soft
Reduce heat to low. Add quinoa, chicken, black beans, green chiles, and the enchilada sauce; stir to combine. Remove from heat.
Stir in cheddar cheese. Transfer quinoa mixture to prepared baking dish. Top evenly with pepper Mozzarella cheese.
Bake 10 to 15 minutes
Enjoy!

Super Green Frittata

I love vegetables. And not in the I-just-discovered-them-and-they're-actually-not-that-bad or the I-can-choke-down-green-juice-if-I'm-on-a-cleanse kind of way. I genuinely love them and have since childhood. My mom was never able to explain why, while my younger brother was requesting meatloaf and chicken fingers for dinner, I was asking for brussels sprouts and artichoke hearts. Ha. Strange child. Healthy, but strange.

Of course all these years later I'm glad I developed a taste for vegetables early in life. I have many friends who either turn their nose up at them or are open to eating them but have no idea how to cook them.

The vegetables in this recipe include a ton of vitamins, nutrients and insoluble fiber (good for digestion!) plus protein from the eggs. It's basically the perfect meal. And if you're dining solo you will have plenty leftover.

Ingredients:
3 small zucchini, thinly sliced
1 small stalk broccoli, stems
trimmed, finely chopped
1 large spring onion (scallion), finely sliced
1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil, julienned
8 large organic eggs
1 cup almond milk
Olive oil to drizzle
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Serving SuggestionServe with macadamia pesto and a drizzle of maple-balsamic dressing.


Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
Mix all the greens and vegetables -- except for the zucchini -- in a large bowl then transfer them to a baking dish and arrange them in a single layer.
Beat the eggs with the almond milk and pour over the ingredients in the baking dish. You may need to press the vegetables down with your hands so that they are evenly soaked with the egg.
Arrange the zucchini slices over the top of the frittata and drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Bake in the hot oven until firm, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Tex-Mex Summer Squash Casserole

I very rarely post pictures of my dishes "in progress" but as this one looks like a big mess of deliciously calorie laden gluttony I had to prove that it's actually very healthy!

As you can see from the pic below the bottom layer is 90% squash with peppers, onion, and a sprinkle of cheese. The topping is salsa, onion, and more cheese.

If you follow my blog you know cheese is the one indulgence I'm not willing to give up. Grain? Sure, no prob. Cheese? Never!!

Ingredients:
1 1/4 lbs summer squash, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise (about 10 cups)
2/3 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1 4 ounce can chopped green chiles
1 4.5 ounce can chopped jalapeños
2 1/4 cups grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 mild salsa
1/2 tsp salt
4 scallions, thinly sliced for garnish
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion for garnish

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 9 x 13 in baking dish with cooking spray.
Combine squash, onion, chiles, jalapeños  salt and 3/4 cheese in a large bowl. Sprinkle with flour; toss to coat. Spread the mixture in the prepared baking dish and cover with foil.
Bake the casserole until it is bubbling and the squash is tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Spoon salsa over the casserole and sprinkle with the remaining 1 1/2 cups cheese. Bake, uncovered, until golden and heated through, 20 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle with scallions and red onion.

Chickpea and Tomato Casserole with Poached Eggs

No I don't have a family to feed. Sometimes I don't even have a soon-to-be husband to feed. But that clearly doesn't stop me from making an enormous casserole and spending the next several days eating it. (Note: these leftovers make a great breakfast:)

My favorite thing about this recipe is the fried eggs on top. And by fried eggs I mean fried egg YOLKS. In the past year I have become accustomed to purchasing egg whites by the carton and ordering my omelettes sans yolk. (Which is more expensive by the way. Less egg apparently = more money. The same way our tiny bikinis cost twice as much as a pair of board shorts. Hmph.)

My least favorite part of this recipe is the cilantro. If you insist upon it be my guest but those who know me know I wouldn't let cilantro so much as occupy space in my refrigerator let alone touch my food;)


Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 jalapeños, seeded, finely chopped
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand, juices reserved
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup coarsely crumbled feta
8 large eggs
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro (optional)




Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°F. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and jalapeños; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft, about 8 minutes. Add chickpeas, paprika, and cumin and cook for 2 minutes longer.

Add crushed tomatoes and their juices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle feta evenly over sauce. 

Transfer to baking dish. Crack eggs one at a time and place over sauce, spacing evenly apart. Bake until whites are just set but yolks are still runny, 5–8 minutes. Garnish with parsley and cilantro (if you insist).