Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche

Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche
Serves 6

One 9" pie crust (store bought or homemade--I used store bought because I was in a hurry.)
1 large head of broccoli, cut into bite-sied chunks
1 whole egg
3 egg whites
Spices/Herbs (I used 1 tsp Penzey's Sunny Paris. You can use the herbs of your preference.)
2 ounces shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. If frozen, thaw the broccoli. If fresh, chop as directed and microwave until hot, but not soft (5 minutes.)
3. Spray 9" pie tin with cooking spray. Place pie crust inside. 
4. Whisk egg and egg white.
5. Drain excess water off broccoli, and place in pie shell. Sprinkle herbs over. 
6. Sprinkle half the cheese over broccoli.
7. Pour egg evenly. Top with remaining cheese.
8. Bake 35-40 minutes.

Nutritional data:

Calories:         213

Fat:                12.8g

Sat fat:             3.8g

Chol:          40.2mg

Sodium:   248.9mg

Carbs:           16.3g

Fiber:              1.4g

Protein:             7g

Note: this recipe makes a small quiche. The egg filling is not deep. If you want this to be more substantial, double the egg and egg whites. Keep the broccoli and cheese the same.

You can also vary the ingredients. You can use different vegetable, or add meats. Use all whole eggs if you want. Your options are only limited by your imagination and the ingredients in your fridge and pantry.

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Note: the link to Penzy's is NOT an affiliate link. Affiliate links will earn me a small commission when readers purchase something. Not all links are affiliate links. Many are placed here only to make your cooking easier. When you do click on and buy an item from an affiliante link it does not change your cost at all, but it will help me continue to provide recipes and advice here and in my podcast Make Your Someday Today. 

Baked Eggs in Ham "Flowers"

Baked Egg in Ham "Flower"
Serves 1

1 ounce shaved ham (2-4 slices)
1 egg
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400F
Spray muffin tin with cooking spray.
Line the tin with ham slices.

Carefully crack egg into the ham flower.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the egg is set. Remove before it is fully cooked, it will continue to cook for about 3 minutes after removing.

When done the yolk should be thick and hot, but still fluid.

I served it on a toasted whole grain English Muffin, topped with a slice of horseradish cheddar and a drizzle of coarse German mustard.

Awesome!

Nutritional data (as I served it):
Calories:       373
Fat:             20.5g
Sat fat:          9.8g
Chol:         416mg
Sodium:    855mg
Carbs:         14.3g
Fiber:               2g
Protein:       31.7g

Baked Eggs in Potato Cups

Baked Eggs in Potato Cups
Serve 2

This is a great way to use a leftover baked potato. If you don't have any left, you can easily microwave a potato in about 5 minutes, while getting your morning coffee ready.

1 large potato
2 eggs
1 slice of cheese
salt and pepper as needed
Sriracha sauce (or your preference)

Preheat oven to 450F
Cut baked potato in half the long way.
Scoop out most of the potato, leaving less than a 1/4 inch of potato.

Season with salt and pepper (if needed).
Crack an egg into the potato cup. You may not have room for all of the white (depends on the size of the potato.

Place 1/2 slice of cheese over egg.
Bake for 8-12 minutes (8 will be very soft-cooked and 12 minutes will be fully hard cooked.)
Drizzle with Sriracha and let cool for a couple minutes.

Nutritional data (approximate, as different sized potatoes, scooped out more or less will change this):

Calories:            187

Fat:                   8.9g

Sat fat:              3.9g

Chol:          199.5mg

Sodium:       93.3mg

Carb:               15.4g

Fiber:                1.4g

Protein:           11.4g

Another Fun Day Cooking on TV

I was asked to cook on Green Bay's WLUK Fox11's "Good Day, Wisconsin!" this morning. I already told you that I was going to make Baked Eggs with Spinach and Feta, and a variety of Crepes on an earlier post.

I also promised to include links so that people who do not live in wonderful northeast Wisconsin can watch me if they want. I am a man of my word.

Here is the link to the Crepes segment. (The Baked Eggs segment isn't linked.)

I will possibly be going back on in a couple months. Does anyone have any suggested recipes? I need them to be relatively quick to prepare, and appeal to a wide range of people.

Drop me a line with your ideas below. They do not need to come from my blog, but if they are not already on the blog, I will need a recipe or good idea of how it is prepared. I always make everything in advance to work out any kinks (and there are always a few kinks.)

A few stills that I took:

Almost ready for the crepes segment.

Baked Eggs are still in the oven.

Crepes ingredients. Brad Stillmank's Wisco Disco adds just the right flavors!

Thank you to Emily Deem, Doug Higgins and the entire crew at WLUK Fox11 for the invitation and the warm reception. Everyone made me feel at ease and very welcome. That weekend crew is awesome! The fun interaction that you see on TV isn't just for the camera. It is real! 

Crepes and Baked Eggs with Spinach and Feta Cheese

Crepes

From left to right: strawberry, nutella-strawberry, and lemon

Basic Crepe Recipe

Makes 12 crepes

6 oz milk

5 oz beer

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs (room temperature)

1 cup all purpose flour

1/8 tsp salt

1.  Put first four ingredients in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, mix for 30 second. Add the remaining ingredients and mix for another minute, or until thoroughly mixed and smooth.

2.  Cover bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

3.  Re-whisk the batter just before you begin frying the crepes.

4.  Preheat 10 inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with non-stick spray.

5.  With the skillet off the heat, pour 2 oz (1/4 cup) batter in the center of the skillet. Tip the skillet so that the entire bottom is covered.

6.  Return to heat. When the top begins to dry and the bottom is beginning to brown, flip using a wooden or rubber flipper. The edges will begin to curl away from the pan at this time.

7.  Fry the crepe for another 10 second. The crepe should be be very lightly brown.

8.  Remove from skillet.

9.  Add fillings, fold or wrap and serve -OR- stack with wax paper between layers for later use.

Nutritional data (per crepe, without any filling):

Calories:           64

Fat:                   1.2g

Sat fat:              0.5g

Chol:           36.5mg

Sodium:       43.8mg

Carb:                 9.2g

Fiber:                0.3g

Protein:             2.7g

Possible fillings are endless:

Sweet

A whole banana, sauteed in some butter

Nutella (or peanut butter) and banana

Nutella (or peanut butter) and strawberry

Any other fruits (fresh or canned pie filling) with whipped cream

Lemon juice and powder sugar

Greek yogurt and your favorite fruit

Your favorite jam/marmalade

Savory

Bacon and eggs (with a touch of cheese)

Ham and cheese

Cream cheese and smoked salmon

Shredded chicken and salsa

Thin-shaved beef with horseradish yogurt

Baked Eggs with Feta and Spinach

Baked Egg with Feta and Spinach
Serve 4

4 eggs, separated
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 teaspoon of your preferred herb blend (I used Penzey's Sunny Paris.)
1 cup (packed) fresh baby spinach, finely chopped
Pepper to taste

1.  Preheat oven to 350F.
2.  Spray oven-safe custard cups with cooking spray (or otherwise grease them.)
3.  With electric mixer, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
4.  Gently stir in cheese, spinach and herbs.
5.  Divide between the four cups.
6.  With a spoon, create a small well in the center of the egg white mixture.
7.  Carefully slide a yolk into each well.
8.  Place cups on a baking sheet, and place in oven.  Back 10-14 minutes, until the egg white puffs up and browns. The yolk will be hot and thick, but not solid.

Note: in the picture, I topped the egg with a half tablespoon of Greek yogurt. That was unnecessary, and won't be repeated in the future.

Nutritional data:
Calories:          106
Fat:                    7g
Sat fat:               3g
Chol:           220mg
Sodium:       186mg
Carbs:             1.6g
Fiber:              0.2g
Protein:           9.3g

Alternatives:
Crumbled bacon and finely shredded sharp cheddar
Shedded Swiss and minced mushrooms
Fresh basil, scallion and Parmesan

Overnight No-Cook Oatmeal (Blueberry Variation)

This is the same basic recipe as yesterday except instead of bananas and almond butter, I used frozen blueberries and whipped topping.

Again, I used 1/2 cup each of oatmeal, yogurt and skim milk, and 1/4 teaspoon allspice (I omitted the cinnamon) and then after mixing those together, I stirred in 1/2 cup frozen blueberries. If I had fresh, I would have used that, instead, but sometimes you need to adapt to the current situation.

After resting in the fridge overnight.

Stirred and warmed lightly in the microwave. 

I tried both versions cold and warm, and I prefer them warmed.

With all honesty, this variation was not as good as yesterday's. I think the berries were much more tart than I had expected. When I make this again, I think I will probably use a blueberry yogurt in the first step instead of a plain yogurt and then add blueberries if needed. I will also taste it and add sugar/sweetener as needed.

However, this recipe is a great start to the day. It is a hearty breakfast, and one which is very easy to make. It is also very inexpensive, important for anyone who lives with both calorie and monetary budgets.

Overnight No-Cook Oatmeal

Overnight No-Cook Oatmeal
Serves 1

Basic recipe is equal amounts of:
Yogurt
Milk
Dry oatmeal (not instant)
Spices

I used 1/2 cup of each of oatmeal, skim milk and Fage 2% Greek yogurt, and a half teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon allspice.

Mix together in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
The next morning, add your fruit of choice, and (if desired) a source of healthy fats.

I used a small banana and 1 ounce (32g) almond butter.

Mix together. You can serve this cold, but I preferred it warm.

The texture is incredibly smooth. It looks like "normal" oatmeal, but it is silkier and softer from the overnight soak.

Nutritional data (for just the basic recipe, not adding the banana or nut butter):

Calories:         305

Fat:               5.6g

Sat fat:          2.7g

Chol:          9.6mg

Sodium:  100.4mg

Carbs:         40.3g

Fiber:            4.8g

Protein:       23.8g

You can certainly reduce those numbers by using only 1/3 cup of each ingredient and using fat free yogurt. I just used what had on hand.

The variations are limitless. You can use different yogurts, fruits, butters (optional) and spices. 

Note: Thanks for this recipe go out to a follower, Andrew Carpenter, for giving me this suggestion. This was an excellent and seriously simple breakfast. I will make and post variations as I try them.

A Relaxing Weekend

Just a quick update. I am halfway through the first semester, and so far my students are all successful! It has been a very busy two months, but life is good.

Life is very good.

On Saturday, my wife and I went to a fantastic little place, The Bottle Room, a craft beer and wine bar. In addition to very nice food menu, they offer an astounding collection of craft beers from around the country as well as excellent imports. We both ordered warm sandwiches, but the real reason for the stop was the beverages. Tammy enjoyed a four wine sample flight, and I had sample flight of three single malt Scotches, with about 20ml poured for each.

From right to left, the Oban 14yr was the lightest. A lot of honey in the nose, with some grassy flavor with hints of citrus fruits. It was good, and I had been very curious about trying a bottle of it, but now I know that I won't bother with it.

The Highland Park 12yr was very nice with smoke in the nose and the flavor. There was definite pear flavors and it was much less sweet than the Oban. it was good, and I would consider buying it.

The youngest of the flight, the Laphroaig 10yr was like being hit in the face with a bale of smoked peat wrapped with fresh seaweed. It had a powerful smokey flavor with a medicinal character (in the brewer-speak of a beer judge, it was "powerfully phenolic" and also a distinct saltiness. It was bold. It was really "in your face." And I will buy that again, because that was incredible!

Sunday morning was a relaxing day. I decided to make Baked Egg with Feta and Spinach. Unfortunately, I didn't have any feta cheese, but I did have some crumbled bleu cheese, so I subbed out the Greek feta for some American bleu.

And discovered that bleu is too pungent for this recipe. The flavor overwhelmed everything else, even only using two tablespoons (1 ounce/28g) for a batch of four eggs.

Oh, well. It was a learning experience. Not everything will always go perfectly, and that is okay. If you never try, you won't learn and grow. As for the remaining eggs, we threw them out. In our world, if the food is not "worth the calories (or points)" then we simply won't eat it. We eat well because we only eat food that is good enough to justify expending my food budget calories.

And the next two times we go to the Bottle Room (and we will go again) I am going to try the Scotch Top Flight (Glanmorangie 12 yr, Lavagulin 16 yr and Glenlivet 18 yr), and the Bourbon Flight (Buffalo Trace, Angel's Envy and Booker's.)

Question for everyone: Of the various liquors I mentioned, which have you tried, and which is your favorite? Let me know below.

Oatmeal Muffins

Oatmeal Muffins
Serves 12

1 cup regular (not instant, not steel-cut) oatmeal
1 cup skim milk
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup applesauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Toppings:
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon sugar

1. Soak oatmeal in the milk for 1 hour in a large bowl.
2. Preheat oven to 400F
3. Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder and baking soda in a small bowl.
4. After the oatmeal is finished soaking, stir in applesauce and egg whites.
5. Gently mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Stir only enough to combine evenly.
6. Spray non-stick muffin pan with cooking spray.
7. Divide batter between cups.
8. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mix over muffins.
9. Bake 20-25 minutes (depending on your oven). Muffins are finished baking when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Nutritional data:

Calories:       87

Fat:             0.6g

Sat fat:        0.1g

Chol:        0.4mg

Sodium:  83.8mg

Carbs:       16.5g

Fiber:          1.9g

Protein:       3.5g

This muffin is delicious as is, or can be modified as desired.

Alternatives and Options:
Replace applesauce with 1/2 cup mashed banana.
Replace applesauce with 1/2 cup pumpkin.
Add 1/2 cup chopped apples or pears.
Add 1/4 cup chopped nuts.
Add 1/2 cup dried cranberries, cherries, or other dried fruits.
Add 1/2 cup fresh blueberries, raspberries or blackberries.
Add additional spices to the mix (cinnamon, nutmeg and/or allspice would be good.)
If you aren't afraid of higher calories, replace the applesauce with peanut butter.

A Decadent and Classic Breakfast! (Fresh Berries and Cream)

Berries and Cream

Serves 1

1 banana, sliced
1/2 cup strawberries, sliced
1/4 cup fresh blueberries (although frozen and thawed will work)
3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl
2. Stir together. 
3. Enjoy!

Nutritional data:

Calories:       288

Fat:            15.8g

Sat fat:       10.6g

Chol:          60mg

Sodium:   17.4mg

Carbs:        38.7g

Fiber:           5.6g

Protein:        2.1g

A word about this breakfast:

When I was growing up (back in the 60's), I remember staying with a relative for a few weeks. It was a dairy farm and the meals were laden with fresh whole milk, butter, and of course, cream. My Aunt Ruth made me a breakfast that included a dish similar to what I have here (except the cream was freshly dipped from the bulk tank. That stuff is rich!) 

We never had cream at my house growing up, because my parents were always calorie conscious, and cream was just not part of the plan. I never ate a meal like this again, until last summer, when my wife and I were on vacation. One of the B&Bs served this for breakfast. The memory stuck with me, and I decided to share this exceedingly simple recipe here.

Many people who are trying to lose weight immediately start using low fat/ no fat versions of food, thinking that ridding fat from their daily menu will be the secret of weight loss. And that can work. But it is only one method. The likelihood is that most of my readers will have fruit in their house, but will not have "real" cream. 

This recipe uses heavy whipping cream, but only 3 tablespoons. If you haven't had a breakfast like this, the cream is thick and rich. It clings to the fruit, so that you only need a little because you will get some cream with every spoonful. The richness of the cream and the inherent sweetness of the fruit eliminate the need for any added sugar. It is also rich enough to fill you and satisfy your hunger for longer because of the fats.

If this recipe scares you, you can use half-and-half, and you will save 95 calories, but you will lose the flavor and texture that heavy cream brings to this meal. So, if this recipe scares you a little, go to your local market, buy a half-pint of heavy cream and try it. Push your boundaries and discover other tastes that you maybe thought were unavailable.

This also makes a killer dessert after your evening meal.

You can vary this recipe and use any ripe fruit or berry that you like. Enjoy!

Baked Egg with Feta and Spinach

Baked Egg with Feta and Spinach
Serve 4

4 eggs, separated
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 teaspoon of your preferred herb blend (I used Penzey's Mural of Flavor.)
1 cup (packed) fresh baby spinach, finely chopped
Pepper to taste

1.  Preheat oven to 350F.
2.  Spray oven-safe custard cups with cooking spray (or otherwise grease them.)
3.  With electric mixer, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
4.  Gently stir in cheese, spinach and herbs.
5.  Divide between the four cups.
6.  With a spoon, create a small well in the center of the egg white mixture.
7.  Carefully slide a yolk into each well.
8.  Place cups on a baking sheet, and place in oven.  Back 10-14 minutes, until the egg white puffs up and browns. The yolk will be hot and thick, but not solid.

Note: in the picture, I topped the egg with a half tablespoon of Greek yogurt. That was unnecessary, and won't be repeated in the future.

Nutritional data:
Calories:       106
Fat:                 7g
Sat fat:            3g
Chol:           220mg
Sodium:       186mg
Carbs:          1.6g
Fiber:           0.2g
Protein:        9.3g

Alternatives:
Crumbled bacon and finely shredded sharp cheddar
Shedded Swiss and minced mushrooms
Fresh basil, scallion and Parmesan

Mushroom-Spinach Baked Eggs

Mushroom-Spinach Baked Eggs

Serves 4

4 pieces bread, lightly toasted

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced

4 cups baby spinach (4 ounces)

¼ cup milk

4 large eggs

¼ cup shredded cheese

1.   Preheat oven to 350F

2.   Spray 8x8 baking pan with cooking spray

3.   Preheat 10” non-stick skillet. Add olive oil

4.   Saute onions until they get translucent (4-5 minutes)

5.   Add mushrooms. Let them cook, undisturbed for 4 minutes. Then stir together, cooking another 4 minutes.

6.   Add spinach, stir together. Let the spinach begin to wilt.

7.   Lay the toasted bread in the pan in single layer, trimming the bread to make it fit if needed.

8.   Spread mushroom-spinach evenly over the toast. Make 4 wells in the topping, one for each piece of toast.

9.   Pour 1 tablespoon milk in each well.

10. Carefully crack eggs and place 1 egg in each well.

11. Bake for 25 minutes.

12. After 25 minutes, sprinkle cheese evenly. Return to oven for 5 more minutes

13. Remove, cut into four portions and serve.

Cooking it a total of 30 minutes will give you a warm but still liquid yolk. Adding 5 more minutes will give you a yolk that is very thick, but not yet solid.

Nutritional data:

Calories:      171

Fat:              8.1g

Sat fat:         2.7g

Chol:          216mg

Sodium:      232mg

Carbs:       15.9g

Fiber:          3.6g

Protein:     12.1g

Eggs Over Chili

Eggs Over Chili
Serves 1

This is a nice way to use a little leftover chili and make a hearty breakfast.

1 cup chili (your preferred style)
2 eggs, prepare in your preferred style

Warm the chili and place on a plate. If desired top with cheese.
Cook eggs to the desired preparation, and placed on top of chili. Drizzle hot sauce if desired.

I can't provide nutritional data for your food because I don't know your chili. How are my chili is made with a lot of beans, ground beef, low sodium V-8 juice, onions and whole fresh tomatoes, as well as some spices and herbs. For being used kidney beans but I use dried beans and then rehydrate them in my pressure cooker. This avoids a lot of the sodium that you'll find in canned beans. If you eat a lot of beans and their concern about sodium, I would recommend investing in a pressure cooker.

My chili recipe:
1 pound ground beef, browned
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup diced onion
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Spices and herbs as desired (I used Penzey's Salt Free Regular Chili Powder.)
2 medium tomatoes, diced
32 ounces low sodium V8 juice (or tomato juice if you prefer)
2 cups cooked kidney beans (approximately 1 can)

1. In a large kettle, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, and cook until beginning to turn translucent (2-3 minutes.)
2. Add tomato paste and spices. Stir together.
3. Add tomatoes. Let cook for 2-4 minutes.
4. Add V8, beans and meat. Cook until hot. This is best if prepared a day in advance, so that the flavors have a chance to meld together.

Note:  Penzey's also has Medium and Hot versions of their salt-free chili powder.

Nutritional data for this chili:
Calories:       178
Fat:               5.6g
Sat fat:          2.1g
Chol:          38.5mg
Sodium:         91mg
Carbs:         15.2g
Fiber:            3.8g
Protein:       16.2g

Easy Complete Breakfasts

Easy Complete Breakfast
Serves 1

Note: This has a dumb name. I'd take any suggestions on what to call this meal. It has a texture similar to a muffin, but without the crispy top.

Take a microwave-safe soup bowl or large (10-12 ounce) coffee mug. Spray with cooking spray.

Into this, add:

1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon brown sugar (loosely packed)
1 dash cinnamon
1/4 cup regular (not instant) oatmeal
1/4 cup berries (fresh, or thawed frozen berries)

Stir together. Don't expect it to become completely uniform, you are just trying to make sure it is mixed together.

Microwave for 1.5 - 2 minutes (depending on your microwave.)

Eat from the directly from the dish, or place a plate over the mug/bowl and invert it. I topped mine with a little whipped topping.
Nutritional data: (for the first picture, and for the version served with slices of cantaloupe)
Calories:         194
Fat:                 6.7g
Sat fat:               2g
Chol:              212mg
Sodium:            80mg
Carbs:           24.7g
Fiber:              2.9g
Protein:           9.7g

You can use almost any fruit, as long as it is about 1/4 cup. In the first picture I used 1/4 cup blueberries, and in the second picture (using a coffee mug) 1/4 of a mashed banana.

The other version in the second picture is a more robust version. I started with the basic recipe (above) and for fruit, 1/4 of a mashed banana. But then I added 2 tablespoons milled flax seed, 1 tablespoon peanut butter and 1 tablespoon semi-sweet Ghirardelli chocolate chips.

Calories:         434 (for the more robust version)
Fat:                24.9g
Sat fat:             6.5g
Chol:              212mg
Sodium:       157.6mg
Carbs:           42.6g
Fiber:              8.5g
Protein:         17.3g

My wife noted, and I agree, that using a soup bowl instead of a coffee mug creates a meal that is more visually filling. It looks like there is more food (even though it has the same amounts.) I'd recommend using the bowl just for the psychological factor of feeling more satisfied.

Pita, with Egg and Avocado

Warm Pita, with Eggs and Avocado
Serves 1

1 pita
2 teaspoon olive oil
2 eggs
1/4 mashed avocado
5 cherry tomatoes, halved

1.  Heat non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil.
2.  Place pita into a 6 or 7 inch skillet and warm it (about 1 minute).  Remove and keep warm.
3.  Crack eggs into skillet.  Cook to your preference.
4.  Place eggs on pita. Top with avocado and tomatoes.

Nutritional data
Calories:        468
Fat:              26.2g
Sat fat:           5.2g
Chol:             423mg
Sodium:         178mg
Carbs:          41.7g
Fiber:             5.5g
Protein:        21.1g

Broccoli and Cheddar Frittata

Broccoli and Cheddar Frittata
Serves 4

12 ounce bag of frozen broccoli florets, thawed
2 tablespoons onions, diced
8 egg whites
2 whole eggs
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1.   Turn on your oven broiler to high.
2.   Separate the 8 eggs into a large bowl.  Throw away the yolks (or use an equivalent amount of egg white or egg substitute.)
4.   Add the two whole eggs to the bowl of whites and whisk until fully mixed.
5.   Place olive oil in an oven-safe non-stick skillet. When hot, add onion and saute for 2-3 minutes.
6.   Add the broccoli and saute for 5-8 minutes over med-high heat.
7.   Pour the egg mixture over the broccoli. Allow to set for 1 minute.
8.   Using the edge of a rubber scraper, carefully lift one edge of the eggs and tilt the skillet so that raw eggs run into that pocket. Repeat all around the edge until most of the surface is wet, but setting.
9.   Sprinkle the cheese on the eggs and place under the broiler for 5 minutes.
10. Cut into fourths and serve immediately.

Nutritional data:
Calories:        203
Fat:              12.3g
Sat fat:           4.9g
Chol:             226mg
Sodium:         289mg
Carbs:            5.6g
Fiber:             1.8g
Protein:        18.9g

This is very similar to my earlier recipe, Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche, but without the crust, which greatly reduces the carbs, fats and calories.

Alternative:
Use more whole eggs (1 whole egg will replace 2 egg whites)
Experiment with different cheeses
Use different vegetables
Add meats

Blueberry Protein Pancakes

Blueberry Protein Pancakes

Makes 2 servings of 4 pancakes. 

Mix together:

4 egg whites

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup blueberries, pureed in a food processor or blender

¼ c water

Add:

½ cup dry oatmeal

½ tsp baking powder

2 T milled flaxseed

1 scoop (4T) whey powder

Pour scant ¼ c onto a non-stick skillet sprayed with cooking spray.  Turn when the batter starts to set (1-2 minutes over medium heat.)  This is thick batter, and bubbles will usually not form on the surface.

Serve with whipped cream, sautéed bananas, peanut butter or Greek Yogurt.

Nutritional data (for four pancakes):

Cal:  338

Fat:  6.7g 

Sat Fat: 1.2g 

Chol:  20 

Sodium:  248mg 

Carb:  44.9g 

Fiber 10.3g 

Protein:  25.8g 

(The nutritional data is without any toppings.)

Veggie Hash with Eggs

Veggie Hash
Makes 2-4 serving, depending on how hungry you are.  The picture shows two servings, on a 10" plate.

8 ounces shredded potatoes
1 bunch (approxmately 1 pound) fresh asparagus, cut into  1/2 inch pieces
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
Black pepper to taste
Seasoning of your choice (I used Penzey's Sunny Paris.)

1.  Heat a large non-stick skillet. Add 1 tsp olive oil, the asparagus, mushrooms.  Saute over medium-high heat until the mushrooms begin to brown.
2.  Remove veggies from heat, set aside, cover to keep warm.
3.  Add the remaining olive oil, and over medium-high heat, add the onions.  Saute for 2-3 minutes, and add the garlic, saute for an additional minute.
4.  Add the shredded potatoes.  Gently toss (to prevent mashing the potatoes) until the onions begin to brown (another 3-4 minutes.)
5.  Return all veggies to skillet, toss to mix.
6.  Serve with eggs prepared as you like them.

Nutritional Data (for one serving of hash only, without the eggs):
Calories:  102
Fat:            3.8g
Sat fat:       0.6g
Chol:            0mg
Sodium:    163mg
Carbs:     14.7g
Fiber:        3.3g
Protein:     4.2g

French Toast

French Toast

(The picture is actually two servings.)

2 slices of bread, your preferred type (I used Healthy Life 100% Whole Wheat)
1 egg
2 Tablespoons milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Mix egg, milk, vanilla and cinnamon. Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray.

Dip bread into egg mixture and flip to let both sides soak in the egg.

Lay on heated griddle.  Turn when brown on the edges (2-3 minutes.)  I served mine with just a dusting of powder sugar.

Nutritional data (for two slices):
Calories:     172
Fat:              6.1g
Sat fat:         2.9g
Chol:         214mg
Sodium:     295mg
Carbs:         1.4g
Fiber:          5.7g
Protein:     11.3g

My son preferred his served like this:

He added whipped cream and maple syrup.  Yeah.  It looks better than mine!

Pumpkin Protein Pancakes

Makes 2 servings of 4 pancakes. 

Mix together:

4 egg whites

1 tsp vanilla

2/3 cup canned pumpkin

¼ c water

Add:

1c Kellog’s All Bran (Place the cereal in a blender or food processor and crush a little.)

½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1 scoop (4T) whey powder

Pour scant ¼ c onto non-stick skillet lightly oiled.  You may need to press the batter down a little to get the correct thickness.  Turn when the batter starts to set (2-3 minutes over medium heat.)  This is very thick batter, and bubbles will not form on the surface. 

Serve with whipped cream, sautéed bananas, warm apple compote, peanut butter or Greek Yogurt.

Nutritional Data (per pancake, without toppings)

Cal:           44

Fat:           0.6g 

Sat Fat:     0.1g 

Chol:        6.8mg 

Sodium:  73.3mg 

Carb:        8.4g 

Fiber        4.8g 

Protein:    5.1g