Sweet Potato Feta and Arugula Quiche

I made this quiche last week and had to make it again. It's that good. The crust is simple to make and chock-full of healthy fats from the flax and chia seeds. A piece of this for breakfast will keep your stomach happy and full till it's time for lunch. This recipe is gluten free and vegetarian.

Sweet Potato Feta and Arugula Quiche

Ingredients for the crust:

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon oat flour
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
¼ cup ground flax seeds
2 tablespoons chia seeds
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 egg

Ingredients for the filling:

1 small white onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 medium sweet potato, diced (about 3 heaping cups)
2 cups packed arugula
5 eggs
⅓ cup feta cheese
1 tablespoon pesto, store-bought or homemade
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
¼ teaspoon red chili flakes

Generous grinds of pepper

To make:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, mix together oat flour, flax, chia seeds, and parmesan cheese. Create a little well in the flour mixture and add the egg and olive oil. Mix well and let sit for 5 minutes. Form dough into a round disk and place between two sheets of wax paper. Using a rolling pin, flatten out the dough. Carefully remove the sheets of wax paper and place dough into a greased 9-inch pie dish. Press dough into the dish and up the sides. Pierce dough several times with a fork and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside until your filling is ready.

In a large frying pan on medium-high heat, add butter and oil. Once it’s nice and hot, add onions and 1 teaspoon salt. Give it a quick stir and cook for about 1-2 minutes. Add the sweet potato and cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes. Add Italian seasoning, pepper and red chili flakes. Cook for about 3 more minutes. Add arugula, gently stir and remove pan from heat.

Crack eggs into a bowl. Reserve one of the yolks. Add pesto to the bowl of eggs and whisk for about a minute. Using a pastry brush, spread the reserved egg yolk all over the inside of the crust. Layer half of the sauteed veggie mixture, half of the feta cheese and half of the pesto egg mixture. Follow the same steps with the remaining ingredients. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

Chicken & Veggie Patties

Tuesday is my "Sunday" so I typically do most of my meal prepping on this day. The last few weeks I made different kinds of patties. Whether they are a mixture of chicken/veggie, veggie/beans/rice, or even tuna with sprouted peas and lentils (which were really delicious), they are the perfect option for lunches throughout the week. It's also a great way to use up leftover ingredients you have in your fridge. I normally just throw whatever I have in a bowl, mix it up and they turn out great. However, I  figured I should measure out my ingredients this time so I can share the recipe. Check it out below and feel free to play around with ingredients and spices to tailor it to your liking. I tend to eat them cold with salads, but they can be heated up as well.

Ingredients:

1lb ground chicken
1 egg
1 cup spinach, chopped
½ cup red bell pepper, diced
½ cup tomato basil feta, or plain
¼ cup white onion, diced
¼ cup green olives, roughly chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon cumin
¼ red chili flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

To make:

Preheat oven to 370ºF. In a medium/large bowl, combine all vegetables and spices. Stir to combine. Add ground chicken and use your hands to incorporate ingredients. Create a little well in the center of the bowl and add the egg. Again, use your hands to combine. Using a ¼ size measuring cup, scoop chicken mixture onto a lined and greased baking sheet. The measuring cup should create a nice patty shape. Once you have all your patties scooped, place them in the oven for 8 minutes. Flip and cook for an additional 8 minutes. Set your oven broil setting to low and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from oven. Let cool for a few minutes if you will be eating them right away. You can enjoy these warm with a salad or make a burger out of them. I usually let them cool a bit longer before storing in the fridge.

Summer Quinoa Salad

 

If you took a peek into my fridge, you would most likely find a big bowl of quinoa salad. I love having this stuff on hand. I used to just make a pot of plain quinoa but spending that extra time preparing the salad allows for quick lunch or dinner prep for the rest of the week. For lunch, I like to sprinkle over a salad and for dinner, I'll have it as a side with chicken and steamed veggies. Make this salad for yourself or try it out at your next get-together or weekend BBQ. It will pair wonderfully with grilled corn on the cob. This salad is gluten free and vegan friendly. It’s also a great source of protein, especially for those on a vegan diet, as quinoa contains a complete protein profile.

Ingredients:

Salad

1½ cups uncooked quinoa
3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
½ tablespoon chili powder
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup sliced black olives
1 cup green onions, sliced
½ cup cilantro, chopped

Dressing

¾ cup olive oil
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup low sodium tamari
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon cumin

To make:

Using a fine mesh sieve, rinse quinoa under cold water. Add quinoa to a pot along with vegetable broth and chili powder. Give a quick stir and turn heat to high. Once the quinoa reaches a boil, turn heat to medium-low. You want a slow boil. Cook for about 25 minutes or until quinoa is done. Fluff with fork and allow to cool completely. Quinoa may be made a day in advance and refrigerated. In a large bowl, add cooked quinoa, and remaining ingredients for the salad. Gently mix well. In a smaller bowl, combine all your ingredients for the dressing. Whisk together and pour over salad. Stir to evenly distribute dressing. Cover and refrigerate until ready to eat. I like to chill it for an hour or two to allow the flavors to meld.

Moroccan Lentil Soup

There is a magical herb shop I discovered a few years back. I’m trying to remember if I stumbled upon it myself or if someone took me there. Either way it’s one of my favorite places to visit when I’m up in San Luis Obispo. I pretty much planned my birthday afternoon around going to this place because I wanted to stock up on my favorite teas and spices. The Secret Garden Organic Herbs Shop's name pretty much sums up the place. It’s hidden off the main drag in a little outdoor type cottage surrounded by flowers and foliage. They have a large selection of medicinal herbs, spices, and teas which the owner blends herself. You could seriously spend an hour here admiring the wall holding rows of large mason jars filled with all sorts of goodness. My favorite tea that they offer is Candy Cane Lane. It’s a seasonal blend which consists of green tea, jasmine flowers, spearmint, peppermint, ginger, cinnamon, roses, and stevia leaves. I made sure to get a larger bag the last time before they ran out.
Awhile back I had purchased some different culinary spices including a Moroccan curry blend. It smelled so good. I’ve never done much Moroccan cuisine so it sat in my cupboard a bit longer than expected. Finally, I told myself I had to make something with it. And now we have Moroccan Lentil Soup! This is my go to soup recipe. It’s so easy and healthy. A bowl is a meal in itself. Lentils provide a great source of protein and fiber, keeping my stomach full and satisfied. My mom likes to serve this soup over a bowl of couscous.




Moroccan Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

1 medium white onion, chopped
1 large carrot, diced
2 medium zucchini, sliced in quarters
1 cup red lentils
1 can garbanzo beans
4 cups low sodium vegetable broth (chicken broth can be used in place but would not make the soup vegan)
2 cups water
2 tablespoons Moroccan spice blend from Secret Garden Herb Shop
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon red chili flakes
pepper to taste
2 tablespoons canola oil

To make:

Rinse lentils in a fine mesh sieve until water runs clear and set aside.
Heat a large pot over medium heat and add oil.
Once the oil is hot, add onions and saute for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add carrots and cook for another 2 minutes.
Add zucchini and garbanzo beans along with the Moroccan spice blend, salt, red chili flakes and pepper. Mix well to coat vegetables.
Pour in the vegetable broth and water. Turn heat up to high.
Once it reaches a boil, add lentils and stir to combine. Reduce heat to a low boil for 30 minutes, stirring every so often.
After 30 minutes your soup is ready to enjoy!
Let the remaining soup cool before storing in the fridge.

Recently Shared Recipes

For those who don't know, I've recently started contributing recipes to an awesome new site called Collective Lifestyle. With that being said, I have been slacking with this blog. In case you missed them, here are the recent posts I've shared.


Matcha Latte

Superfood Pizza Crust

Cashew Coconut Butter Truffles

New Frontiers Quinoa Salad

Brie & Blenheim Apricot Grilled Cheese

Happy Monday. It's a brand new week and the start of a new month. For those who will be having a summer BBQ or dinner party, check out the recipe for Brie and Blenheim Apricot Grilled Cheese I shared with Sweet Lady Cook on her blog today. Truffle honey makes this sandwich!

Breakfast and Lunch

By far, cooking is one of my favorite things to do.  Today my brother asked me "Are you constantly eating all day? You're always cooking."  His statement may be a bit of an overstatement but I do like to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. It's hard for me to prepare a meal quickly because I like to take the time putting my efforts and focusing on what I'm doing. The kitchen is also a place where I get to experiment and create. Having a job where I get to be in a kitchen is also a plus. I have such a love for my job. I get to learn from an amazing woman and it never really feels like work to me.

Now that we are in a new year, I'm focusing more on my diet. I'm not trying to restrict certain foods, rather I'm trying to pay more attention to healthier foods. I definitely notice that when I eat this way I feel better and I worry less about what I'm eating. For instance, I used to freak out about carbs. Even whole grains like oatmeal, brown rice, and quinoa. I had it in my head that these foods would make me gain weight. I'm starting to notice that when I eat whole grains with a meal I feel more satisfied and I'm less likely to snack between meals or crave sugar, which I've had a big problem with. 

Lately for breakfast I've been making myself oatmeal. This morning I created a yummy concoction I called C's Oatmeal when I posted the photo to instagram. Chia, carob, coconut, and cherry.

I soaked the chia seeds for about 15 minutes prior to topping the oatmeal. I like the softer texture as opposed to the harder crunch. Mixed in with the oatmeal after cooking was a scoop of almond butter to give it more of a creamy consistency and one stevia packet. 

For my lunch today I made a vegan pizza on pita bread. To accompany my pizza I had a spinach salad with added butternut squash and tofu for protein.

For the cheesy aspect of my pizza I mashed up butternut squash and mixed in tahini, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, Braggs liquid aminos, and cayenne. It turned out to be some spicy goodness. I topped the pizza with spinach and sauteed onions, red pepper flakes and pumpkin seeds.

Broccoli Cheddar Quiche

So here is my quiche. I would say my first attempt came out quite well. After waiting for almost two hours I had a piece for breakfast. When I came back from yoga I had a piece for lunch with an arugula salad. I have never been a big fan of quiche but as I was browsing though foodgawker last night one of the photos caught my eye. It was a broccoli cheddar quiche with a brown rice crust. It looked so yummy. I had broccoli, cheese, and eggs in my fridge but no brown rice precooked. I decided I would try to make something in the morning with a different crust.

After I got up this morning, I did a quick search online for a gluten free quiche recipe. I came upon this recipe from Gluten Free Life. I made the crust according to the recipe. I added dried oregano, thyme, and red chili flakes.

For the filling I used 2 eggs plus 1/2 cup egg whites, 1/4 cup almond milk, 1 cup broccoli florets, and 1/2 cup goat milk cheddar. I baked my quiche in a souffle dish so it took a bit longer to cook than the recipe says. I'm definitely going to play around with the recipe. The almond crust came out kinda crumbly but that's common with gluten free flours. On my next attempt, I'm thinking of adding ground flax to the crust. Anyone have any other ideas??

Here is a pretty picture of the sky I took earlier from the parking at the gym. I'm hoping for more rain tomorrow.

Pizza Pizza

Like I have said before, Udi's makes the best gluten free pizza crust. Two crusts come per package so I will share two different pizza recipes. After adding sauce and toppings, bake according to instructions on package. I always like to bake a little longer for a really crispy crust.

The first recipe is for a vegetarian pizza. Hummus was used in place of traditional pizza sauce. I love the flavor it adds to the pizza. Daiya vegan mozzarella cheese was sprinkled on and topped with zucchini, yellow squash, red onion, and basil.

This next recipe was created today for my lunch and it's probably one of my favorites that I've made so far. Tomato sauce was used as the base and topped with goat milk cheddar. I found this cheese at Trader Joe's, it's delicious. The rest of the pizza was topped with salami, prosciutto, lots of red pepper flakes, fresh garlic, tomatoes, red bell peppers, basil, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

On my way home from work this afternoon I stopped at Finley Organic Farms. They have their little farm stand set up and you pay by the honor system. It's so nice to have places like this in town. I usually get most of my produce from them on Wednesdays at the farmers market but I didn't make it this week. The red bell peppers and tomatoes I purchased were used to top my pizza. 

 

The zucchini I bought was turned into gluten free zucchini carrot and raisin muffins. First time using my muffin top pan! The tops are the best part anyway.

Sunday Fun With Amber and Opal

I must say I have the best boss in the whole wide world. Work never really feels like work. I get to make cupcakes and hang out with an amazing woman who has been a very influential part of my life for the past year and a half.  This morning we decided to take a little day trip up to San Luis Obispo. Amber could tell I was down about some things and wanted to help take my mind off it.

 We stopped for lunch at Sally Loo's. I loved the laid back atmosphere of this place and also how Brandon and Jen named their cafe after their beloved pit bull. It was nice finally getting to meet Jen in person. I follow her on Instagram and always see postings of the yummy food being served at the cafe. We did some coloring with Opal, Amber's daughter and my favorite little buddy, while waiting for our food.

 

Rosemary, bacon, egg, and cheese stuffed croissant sandwich. Knowing these sell out fast, Amber called in this morning to have them save us two... That was sweet of them to do. We had the best ginger iced tea. I later found this tea at the Secret Garden Herb Shop. It's Sally Loo's special blend.

Ever since I discovered chipotle chili powder at the Secret Garden Organic Herb Shop I have been addicted to it. I use it often in cooking homemade kale chips, salad dressings, dips, scrambled eggs, and veggies. My favorite use is for seasoning onions. In a bowl I add sliced yellow onion, a little bit of olive oil and chipotle chili powder. Mix well to distribute evenly. Lay out on a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 350° until onions are soft and tender. These are great on tacos and burgers. 

I love the selection of herbs and spices this shop carries. They have the best selection of teas.

I came home with lots of goodies and a much happier state of mind. Spending the day with Amber and Opal was so much fun. We had long talks in the car about Disneyland and Sea World and Opal came up with the most hilarious song I now have stuck in my head.

Healthy Burger, No Fries

My mind has been a bit fuzzy lately, so I knew I needed to add some more protein into my diet.  I do love a good steak (hormone and antibiotic free, of course) but  I'm terrible at preparing them at home.  Burgers are easier.  I seasoned ground beef with a little salt, pepper, and cayenne.  I cooked it on my mini George Foreman grill.  It's great to use for grilling vegetables, which is what I did with the bell pepper on my salad.  For the burger "bun" I used Julian Bakery dinner bread.  Its wheat-free and delicious.  They add rosemary, which gives it a really yummy flavor.  I always love this bread toasted.  On one slice I spread horseradish and Dijon mustard.  I just discovered this mustard from True Natural Taste the other day at the the health food store. It's wheat and gluten free, organic, and made with cider vinegar.  On the other toasted slice of bread I spread some hummus.  I've been on a hummus kick lately so I'm eating it with everything. The salad consists of arugula, grilled red bell pepper, feta cheese, ground flax seeds and a dressing of olive oil, flax oil, and lemon juice. This is a healthy alternative to a burger and fries.