New Recipes! September 9th ( Peach Yogurt, Chocolate Oatmeal, Fajita Shrimp)

Hey! Been finding a lot of delicious, healthy recipes lately! My foodie soul always has to be experimenting with something-lol!
The first one is Peach Yogurt, which was just divine and so much more healthier than the sugar-loaded kind found at the grocery store. Plus it's easy! Then, there's Chocolate Oatmeal, which, while sounding unhealthy is actually nutritious and delicious! Lastly, Fajita Shrimp, which I really liked- they taste basically like tacos with shrimp instead of beef- much lighter! Planning to share more of my newly found recipes in a later post. For now, enjoy these & see you soon! ( Please note I did take my own pictures of these but chose the professional ones off the websites they were found of)

1 (16-oz.) bag frozen peaches or 4 cups fresh peaches, frozen solid
3 Tablespoons agave nectar or honey
1/2 cup plain yogurt (non-fat or whole)
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Add the frozen peaches, agave nectar (or honey), yogurt and lemon juice to the bowl of a food processor. Process until creamy, about 5 minutes.
Serve the frozen yogurt immediately or transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to 1 month.

• 1 cup rolled oats (gluten free - optional)
• 1 cup milk, water or coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup sliced strawberries or desired amount
• 1/4 cup chopped almonds or desired amount
• 2 tablespoons mini semi-sweet chocolate chips or desired amount

Cooking Directions

1. In a medium glass bowl mix oats and milk. Microwave for one minute. Whisk in cocoa and maple syrup. Place in refrigerator overnight, uncovered. All of the liquid should be absorbed by morning.
2. Scoop out two servings and top with strawberries, almonds and chocolate chips.

- See more at: http://www.virtuallyhomemade.com/2014/02/chocolate-strawberry-almond-overnight-oatmeal.html#sthash.QKTTsIos.dpuf

 Chocolate Strawberry Almond Oatmeal: I've made this like 7 times since I found, twice for friends and five times for my brothers and I- it's the best! Naturally sweetened, protein- rich, and yummy!
2 tbsp. maple syrup
1 cup milk( almond or cow's)
1 cup oatmeal
2 tbsp. cocoa powder
almonds, sliced strawberries, and chocolate chips( if desired)
warm oatmeal & milk in microwave till cooked, 1 minute. Add cocoa powder & maple syrup and allow to sit overnight till liquid is absorbed. Top with fruit, nuts, and chocolate chips, if you like. Enjoy!

• 2 tablespoons corn starch
• 4 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ¾ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Shrimp Fajitas

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 medium white onions, sliced
• 2 bell peppers, sliced
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 4 teaspoons fajita seasoning
• 6" tortillas
• sour cream, salsa, cheese, shredded lettuce, avocado

Instructions

For the seasoning: Combine all together in ziploc bag or small jar. Shake to mix through. Use 3-4 teaspoons per pound of meat.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large cast iron skillet (or any that is oven safe) heat oil over medium high heat. Saute peppers and onions 10-15 minutes. Season with a little salt and pepper. When onions and peppers are starting to soften and brown. Push to one side and add shrimp and 3-4 tbsp of fajita seasoning. Let cook 1-2 minutes untouched on the stovetop. Then transfer to oven to cook for 5-6 minutes.
3. At this point shrimp should be fully cooked, toss them around to make sure all are cooked and if not continue to cook an additional 1-2 minutes in the oven.
4. Mix peppers, onions, and shrimp together and carefully place the hot pan on a trivet the table for self serve. 
   

 and here's 1 extra one I forgot to mention above. A Lauren Conrad Oatmeal & Fruit Smoothie
1 cup ice
1 tbsp. honey
1 banana
1/2 cup frozen raspberries or strawberries
1/2 cup plain lowfat yogurt
1/2 cup oatmeal
blend all ingredients.

• 1 cup rolled oats (gluten free - optional)
• 1 cup milk, water or coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup sliced strawberries or desired amount
• 1/4 cup chopped almonds or desired amount
• 2 tablespoons mini semi-sweet chocolate chips or desired amount

Cooking Directions

1. In a medium glass bowl mix oats and milk. Microwave for one minute. Whisk in cocoa and maple syrup. Place in refrigerator overnight, uncovered. All of the liquid should be absorbed by morning.
2. Scoop out two servings and top with strawberries, almonds and chocolate chips.

- See more at: http://www.virtuallyhomemade.com/2014/02/chocolate-strawberry-almond-overnight-oatmeal.html#sthash.QKTTsIos.dpuf

• 1 cup rolled oats (gluten free - optional)
• 1 cup milk, water or coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup sliced strawberries or desired amount
• 1/4 cup chopped almonds or desired amount
• 2 tablespoons mini semi-sweet chocolate chips or desired amount

Cooking Directions

1. In a medium glass bowl mix oats and milk. Microwave for one minute. Whisk in cocoa and maple syrup. Place in refrigerator overnight, uncovered. All of the liquid should be absorbed by morning.
2. Scoop out two servings and top with strawberries, almonds and chocolate chips.

- See more at: http://www.virtuallyhomemade.com/2014/02/chocolate-strawberry-almond-overnight-oatmeal.html#sthash.QKTTsIos.dpuf

Sweet Potato Quesadilla, Lemon Cumin Chicken,

Hey everyone, what's up? I've been finding some amazing recipes that I'm so excited to share with you- I hope you enjoy



Sweet Potato Quesadilla- I got this off a vegetarian website and it is amazing!
It's much more filling than a plain cheese quesadilla- you roast a sweet potato and a red onion and you get these delicious spicy, soft veggies that you could totally eat by themselves, they're so good.

Then, if you want, you place them on a tortilla, sprinkle some cheese on top, and cook until heated through and until you get those beautiful grill marks that I love:)

• ½ medium red onion
• 1 poblano pepper
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into ¼” slices
• 2½ tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for brushing
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• Juice from half a lime
• 2 tablespoons minced cilantro
• 4 whole wheat flour tortillas
• 2-3 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400˚. Cut the onion and peppers into small chopped pieces. Toss the onion and pepper with the sweet potato, olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and sea salt until everything is well coated. Spread vegetables in a single layer on a large baking tray. Roast until tender and lightly charring, 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully toss roasted vegetables with lime juice and cilantro.
2. Preheat grill or skillet over medium-low. Brush each tortilla with olive oil and place one tortilla in the skillet. Cook for 30 seconds and flip then layer with the cheese, sweet potatoes, peppers, and onions. Top with other tortilla. Cook on each side for 3-4 minutes until each side is crispy and cheese is melted.

Lemon-Cumin Chicken

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 4 small boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Pesto

• 1 1/2 packed cups fresh mint leaves
• 1 packed cup baby spinach leaves
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/3 cup walnuts, toasted
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
•  Cooking spray

Directions

1. For the chicken, whisk together the oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, salt, and red pepper flakes in a glass baking dish. Add the chicken and coat with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hr or overnight.

2. For the pesto, blend the mint, spinach, cheese, walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a food processor until chunky. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil and process until smooth; set aside.

3. Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill to medium high. Remove the chicken from the marinade, discarding any excess. Grill chicken until cooked through, 4 to 5 min per side. Serve chicken with the pesto.

Sausage Stuffed Appetizers( From New Year's) & Lemon Ricotta Cookies

Just a few recipes I found delicious when I made them on New Year's Eve.
Hope you all enjoy!

" Sausage' stuffed mushrooms

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, one turn of the pan
24 large gourmet stuffing mushroom caps, stems removed and reserved brushed with damp towel
Salt and pepper
Stuffing:
1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, half a turn of the pan
3/4 pound sweet bulk Italian sausage( I used Turkey sausage or ground' turkey"( It has less fat) )again you can use whatever you want though)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
20 stems mushrooms, finely chopped
1 rib of celery and green, leafy top from the heart of the stalk, chopped
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/2 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 (10-ounce) box chopped frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
3 slices white bread, toasted and buttered, chopped into small dice( I used whole wheat bread, but you can do either)
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano or Romano, 2 handfuls
Directions
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and mushroom caps and season caps with salt and pepper. Saute caps 5 to 7 minutes, until they are lightly browned and tender on edges. Turn caps up and let juices drain away from caps. Transfer caps to a small nonstick baking sheet. Wipe out skillet and return to heat. Add a touch of oil and sausage to the hot skillet. Brown and crumble sausage for 3 minutes. In a food processor pulse and chop the garlic, add mushroom stems and pulse to chop the mushroom stems. Add celery, onion and red bell pepper to the mushrooms and pulse to chop. Remove mixture from the processor and saute veggies and mushrooms over medium high heat another 3 to 5 minutes. Add dry, defrosted spinach and stir into stuffing. Add chopped bread and cheese to the pan and toss stuffing until bread is moist and stuffing is combined, 2 or 3 minutes. Fill caps with stuffing using a small scoop or large spoon. Place caps in hot oven and reduce heat to 450 degrees F. Bake 6 to 8 minutes to crisp edges of stuffing and set stuffing in mushrooms. Transfer stuffed mushrooms to a serving plate.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/sausage-stuffed-mushrooms-recipe.html?oc=linkback

" Lemon Ricotta Cookies" 

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 lemon, zested
Glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 lemon, zested
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cookies:

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the large bowl combine the butter and the sugar. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.

Glaze:

Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours. Pack the cookies into a decorative container.

Per Cookie: Calories: 113; Total Fat 3.5 grams; Saturated Fat: 2 grams; Protein: 2 grams; Total carbohydrates: 19 grams; Sugar: 13 grams Fiber: 0 grams; Cholesterol: 20 milligrams; Sodium: 76 milligrams
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Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/lemon-ricotta-cookies-with-lemon-glaze-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Veggie Calzones, Cheese-Stuffed Pizza, & Avocado Chocolate Mousse

Hey fellow bloggers, how has your month been going? January has been a pretty awesome month for me so far- but it's going by faster than I expected! It started with an truly awesome New Year's Day, which I spent relaxing and writing Christmas thank you cards to my grandparents. For New Year's Eve, I made "Sausage' stuffed mushrooms( made with fake turkey sausage) and lemon ricotta cookies both of which were divine. My mom had made this delicious" Bubble Pizza", with Pillsbury crescent rolls, cheese, and turkey pepperoni. I had already planned my New Year's Eve dinner, and so I didn't have that much of it that night- but the next day I tried more of it- it was so yummy! Anyway, I had Mrs. T's potato & cheese stuffed pierogies- my favorite as mentioned in previous blog posts. There just so great though- I could talk about them for hours- lol! they're low fat, low calorie, and so creamy and satisfying! I eat them a variety of ways when I decide to treat myself to them( usually about once every 2 or 3 months). sometimes I like to take some salad greens, place them on a large plate, then bake the frozen pierogies for 18- 20 minutes. I like to drizzle 1 tsp- 1 tbsp or more of extra virgin olive oil over them to make them golden and puffy. Or, if I feel I want a lower fat option, I'll spray some fat- free olive oil cooking spray on the bottoms and tops of them and then stick them in the oven. After they're done cooking, I layer 3- 5 of them over the salad greens. Next, I top them with a small amount of light sour cream and some organic, all-natural salsa. It's a light, satisfying lunch or dinner + it's naughty food made healthy( well- slightly anyway) I got the idea of making " naughty" food ( or unhealthy ones basically) healthier from Carrie Underwood( another great thing about her!). And I really just love it- when I'm having a day where I'm really craving something that isn't exactly that good for me, but don't want to end up being really bad, I take her tip and make it as healthy as possible. For example, I found out she loves cheese pizza and quesidillas. But like me, she feels there not the healthiest thing to eat( even though there not as bad as soda or donuts) all the time. So, she cooks some spinach, onions, and tomatoes and then tops her quesadilla with this, + 1 slice of fat-free cheese + 1 slice full fat cheese( for added creamyness). It's a excellent solution for her- she gets to indulge in her favorite meal & know it's good for her at the same time! Let's just say I've taken this idea and run with it- now I make quesidillas at least once a week, if not more- and I don't have to feel like I'm being bad anymore! It's the same with these two recipes I'm about to share- long story short, I've always loved pizza( who doesn't) but again, when I eat it too much ( which is common for me since I don't eat much meat or seafood) I feel like I'm totally butchering my diet. So, I make it as healthy as it can get. ( Whole wheat dough and I also add some mushrooms, tomatoes, or spinach). I used to not enjoy topping one of my favorite foods with vegetables, but not I love it! I've truly come to love these so- called," super" foods, just because I know they're good for me. I'm not kidding though that I actually love the way they taste- I don't just scarf them down in order to eat a slice of pie afterward. I season some cooked spinach with salt and pepper, place it on the side with my quesadillas or on my pizza and it really helps to fill me up! 
Tonight I made cheese-stuffed pizza- it was so scrumptious & easy- I ate like two slices + a little sliver on the side( It was that good). It's one of those meals that is just so unbelievably divine that you can't believe it's healthy, low fat, and light as can be!

So, finally here's the recipe:
Cheese-Stuffed Pizza
 ( Note: You have to own a bread machine to make this pizza) It makes two round medium pizzas and serves like 15- 16 people!)
Pizza dough :
1 1/2 cups warm water
3 tbsp. olive or vegetable oil
2 cups whole wheat flour + 2 cups all- purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. organic cane sugar
3 tsp. regular active dry yeast
Pizza toppings:
pizza sauce- 1/4- 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup mozzarella( reduced fat)
1/2 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
1 tsp. Italian pizza seasoning
about 1 cup of  low fat mozzarella string cheese( 7 cheese sticks basically = 7 oz.)
2 tbsp. shredded parmesan cheese
 1/2 cup turkey pepperoni & sausage(optional)
Place all dough ingredients in bread machine( inside the bread pan)  and select cycle 9- press start( It takes about an hour and a half for mine to knead the dough properly.)
Next, grease two round cookie sheets & preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Divide the dough( once it's done) into two even- sized balls. Let them sit for 10 minutes on the cookie sheets. Then, with oiled fingers roll them each out into round circles ( size varies). Spoon 1/4- 1/2 cup tomato sauce on each- sprinkle with some sweet basil if desired. 
For the cheese- stuffed pizza, place seven cheese sticks around the outer portion( edge) of your crust, leaving a little room for the dough to fold over then. Then fold a good amount of dough over each stick, pinching the ends firmly( you really want to make sure you completely cover each stick with enough dough or the cheese will leak out too much & make a mess). Then top with desired toppings( I used 1/2 cup mozzarella and a little bit of parmesan cheese for this one). 
Finally, sprinkle some italian pizza seasoning on the edge of the pizza, if you want to. 
cook for 18- 20 minutes at 400 degrees.

For the regular pizza: spoon pizza sauce onto the dough & top with 1/2 cup fat-free ricotta cheese and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Place this pizza on the middle rack of your oven & the cheese-stuffed one on the bottom rack of your oven( or vise versa) switch halfway through the 18- 20 minutes they take to cook.

Serve with additional pizza sauce, if desired. 
Doesn't it just make your mouth water?! 

Next is my mushroom and veggie calzones, which are officially one of my favorite things to eat once or twice throughout a month. They're easy, simple, low- fat and truly good! 
To be honest, I like calzones better than regular pizza( because I find them to be a little more filling than eating 2 or 3  slices of thin pizza to get satisfied) 
My love of them really started when I first had one about 10 months ago, back in the summer of 2013. I was traveling home from Missouri with my friend, Michelle- and we stopped at a local pizza place so Michelle could get some gluten- free pizza( she found out she's allergic  to gluten and has to follow a special meal plan. Back then, I was a hard- core vegetarian and so the only thing I could really find to eat was a calzone( because, obviously, getting a whole pizza for myself was out of the question= lol!). I was totally unprepared for what awaited me( getting a little dramatic here- drum roll please :) 
When I finally tasted dinner, I couldn't get enough of it. Soft,  white, golden dough with creamy mozzarella cheese filling the insides of it and spilling off the sides. ( sounds a little nuts- right!) 

I knew I had to find out how to make a healthier version of this amazing concoction- but it didn't actually happen till a few weeks ago. I wanted to make a special, quick Friday night dinner for my family. I finally found a calzone recipe in our bread machine cook-book and went for it. I made six individual calzones for each member of my family. Noah's & Dad's were of course dairy-free( they're not fond of cheese), so there's were topped with some pizza sauce, and a little turkey pepperoni and sausage. For me and mom, I filled the calzone with chopped mushrooms( about 1/4 cup) and two of my favorite cheeses, 1/4 cup mozzarella and 1/4 ricotta + pizza sauce of course. After making them, I brushed them with a little bit of a low- fat egg( whisked up first to give them that golden, crusty look I loved at the restaurant without packing on unnecessary pounds when I eat them( what I mean by this is that pizza places usually use a ton of  butter or olive oil to get this look).
Then I simply cooked them for about 20 minutes & tada- a easy and healthy meal that's satisfying but keeps me light on my feet( as Giada says:) )
Here's the recipe: 
1 1/2 cups water
2 tbsp. olive or vegetable oil
4 1/2 cups bread flour( I used half whole wheat)
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
3 tsp. regular active dry yeast
Remove bread pan: attack kneading blade.Place all dough ingredients in bread pan in order listed. Insert bread pan, close lid and plug in. Press select until setting number 9 is displayed. Press start. Heat oven to 375. Grease two cookie sheets. Divide dough into 6 equal parts. Roll each part into 7- in circle on lightly floured surface with floured rolling pin. Spread 1/4- to 1/2 cup sauce on each calzone( as much as you want). Layer 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup chopped cremini mushrooms, and 1/4 cup full fat ricotta cheese on the calzone( If you're making the vegetarian version:). Be careful not to put the sauce too close to the edge, or it leaks out and makes a big mess. If making the meat- eater version, spoon desired sauce over the dough and layer 10 slices of low fat turkey pepperoni on top, along with sliced links of turkey sausage( if desired.   Fold dough over filling: fold edge up and pinch very securely to seal. Place on cookie sheets. Brush with 1 organic egg, beaten ahead of time.
Bake 25- 30 minutes or until golden brown.

For dessert, I made Giada's Avocado- Chocolate Mouse with Raspberries( at first glance it sounds & looks kinda've weird, right). It really isn't- my family all loved it & it was a great way to start the weekend & end our Friday night meal. ( And nobody knew there was avocados in it but me & mom- hehe) It's a lot like chocolate pudding, but it's more natural and healthy + it's so simple and fast. You could whip it together in a matter of 15- 20 minutes. Leftovers can be refrigerated and indulged in at a later time:) 

Giada's Avocado- Chocolate Mousse: ( copied from Giada's Feel Good Food Cookbook, Copyright 2013)
Here's the recipe: 
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips( I used semi- sweet but you could do either)
4 very ripe large avocados, chopped( It's very important that there as ripe as possible
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup agave nectar
1 tbsp. + 1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. seas salt
1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
fresh raspberries, for garnish

Put the chocolate chips in a heat- proof medium bowl. Set over a small saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth, about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
In a food processor, combine the melted chocolate, the avocados, cocoa powder, agave, vanilla, salt, and almond milk. Blend until smooth and creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Spoon into glasses and refrigerate for at least 3 hours( or less) or up to 1 day. Garnish with raspberries, blueberries, or strawberries before serving( optional)
this was my brother's face when he was finished.
I think he liked it- lol!:)

Quiches & Cleanses

Hey everyone! How's your Sunday going? Mine is going pretty well. Yesterday I did a cleanse that I might add- was really hard. I'm a little ignorant about fasting for health reasons; unfortunately I made a  big mistake the night before my cleanse I ate somewhat of a large dinner: pierogies( pasta with potatoes and cheddar cheese)  and a half- wheat cinnamon roll with honey and cream cheese ( not the healthiest dinner I know, but tasty) Well, I learned that eating a dinner like that right before a cleanse= extreme hunger throughout the cleanse. It was pretty tough due to that-  but good for my body and for being SO thankful for food when I was done. I tried to slowly ease back into eating again this morning- which is also difficult- I woke up feeling nauseous, sick, and weak in the knees, most likely because I got a headache last night and was just recovering fro.  And hunger + a headache is not a good combination, I'll have you know- lol.  I was so hungry I couldn't wait to get up and have breakfast- I started with slowly munching on some strawberries and then had a couple of pieces of a quiche later on. For a snack, I had some whole grain crackers and peanut butter.   Drinking juice and water seems to be a good trick when I can't stop eating after a cleanse, because of how hungry I am.  But it was a good way for me to know somewhat of how starving people feel everyday- and worth it considering how good it's supposed to be for your body.

Enough talk on that now.
I have a delicious quiche recipe for you guys, that's so simple and delicious it's hard to believe, considering how little time it takes to put it together. But that's the great thing about quiches- my aunt says there really hard to mess up.  They have become my new crave- lol! But see, When I first became a vegetarian- I didn't eat eggs at all- sure i'd have them in pastries or other foods- what what I mean is i'd never eat just a egg. I still don't like scrambled, fried, boiled, or poached eggs; nor omelets; so the quiche is the only delicious form I enjoy.  I used unsweetened almond milk( only because I'm cutting a little back on dairy products). But you can use regular milk as well. If you are going to use almond milk, you want to make sure it's unsweetened and not regular almond milk. Otherwise your eggs will taste sweet; and that's not something most people particularly enjoy.

Yield: 1 9" quiche

Ingredients:

• 5 large eggs
• 1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/4 t. garlic powder( I only did half of an 1/8 a teaspoon; i'm not big on garlic
• 1 1/2 cups plain unsweetened soy milk or almond milk
• 6 ounces dairy-free cheese alternative of your choice, such as Follow Your Heart's Vegan Gourmet Cheddar
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach, stems removed( I didn't use spinach this time, but you can do whatever you want

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until pale yellow in color. Add the freshly ground black pepper, salt, garlic powder, and soy milk, whisking until well combined. Set aside.

3. Using your fingers, crumble a little more than half of the dairy-free cheese into the bottom of a 9" pie plate, covering as much of the surface area as possible. Crumble the remaining dairy-free cheese into the egg mixture. Add in the spinach, mixing until evenly distributed, and gently pour the mixture into the pie plate. Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until the tope is golden brown and the center is slightly risen but not jiggly. Allow quiche to cool for 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm.

( Picture coming soon) :) 

My breakfast: October 27th, 2013

Hey guys! Hope you're having a great weekend- I sure am! Yesterday I ended up not being able to go to my brothers football game because I will still cooking for today's end of the year football party and my dad didn't have room for me in the car. I was very bummed to miss my brother's game, but  it turned out I got to enjoy had a nice, relaxing quiet night at home by myself. I finished my dairy- free pumpkin pie squares with almond milk, finished up my salad for today, cleaned up, cleaned the bathroom, and then had broccoli and carrot salad and a cheddar cheese sandwich on rye bread for dinner. The rye bread came from this awesome local bakery near us that makes home- made, healthy bread that's fresh and contains all natural ingredients( it's delicious!) Then, I watched Giada At Home( she made a delicious pasta dish with mascapone cheese and pumpkin cheesecake muffins) and then had a little house on the prairie marathon, did a pumpkin facial mask, and ate pumpkin with organic sugar for dessert:) Yep, that's right I did a PUMPKIN facial mask- (I know I'm weird!) I love pumpkin so much I'll even put it on my face and look like a freak- lol! ( Well, there was no one to see me so to be honest I didn't really care). But, seriously, pumpkin is really good for your skin, it helps to moisturize it and there's lots of vitamins in it too. 

here's the simple recipe I used: 

2 tbsp. raw or cooked pumpkin( raw pumpkin is apparently more healthy, but you can use either)

1 tbsp. raw honey( unheated) 

 stir with a spoon to combine( or if you're using raw pumpkin blend in a vita mix or food processer)  

Then, today, I was up at 7:00am and left around 10am to help my mom prepare for the outdoor football party. There was a ton of yummy food- it was an exercise in self- control for me to make myself just have salad and two of my pumpkin bars. tempting  hot mac and cheese, white crackers, Doritos, the list goes on and on.... lol. One thing that  hardly ever fails to help me out in resisting unhealthy food is thinking, " how is this going to make me feel after I eat it?" It is the only trick I can use to help me feel light and happy:)

It was pretty cold, anyway, so we were all bundled up in coats, gloves, and layers, shivering over our plates of food- lol, but it was fun though it was a pretty quick party, considering the chilly fall weather. 

Now that I'm summed up my weekend for you, I'll finally get to sharing my breakfast recipes for today. I recently found this delicious vegan protein pre- workout shake that I absolutely LOVE! It's simple, healthy, and frankly a easy great way to start my day. 

1/2 cup almond milk( vanilla or plain will work) I used's Silk soy & gluten- free brand

1/2 cup water

1/2 a banana 

dash of cinnamon

1 scoop of vanilla protein powder

ice

2-3 drops of stevia or honey or organic sugar

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Makes one serving.

Along with this, I had a dairy- free omelet made with almond milk and a little salt( it was so easy and fast!). 

Recipe: 3 large eggs 

2 tbsp. almond milk 

1/2 tsp. salt or more to taste

mix eggs, milk, and salt with a whisk. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil (I used non- fat cooking spray) over medium- high heat. When the pan sizzles when water touches it, it's ready. .Cook until the top of the omelet has slightly set (it's okay if it's still a little runny). Loosen the edges from the pan with a rubber spatula and very carefully fold over one side of the omelet onto the other to form a crescent shape, pressing the edges slightly to seal.( I accidentally burnt mine a little bit but ended up liking this way:) )

Vegetarian Omelet with Almond Milk, Vegan Oatmeal, & Portebello Cheese Pizza

Hey everyone at Blogger world! How's your week going? Wanted to share some more new recipes with you. I'm working on making my food plan even healthier-  I'm currently weaning myself off milk and yogurt right now, so right now I'm into all recipes that use almond and not cow's milk. I found out that almond milk has 50% more calcium than cow's milk- so cool. It's going to be hard- I've loved milk and yogurt for a long time- especially chocolate milk, but I'm determining to work towards cutting it completely and permanently out of my diet( which means not just no drinking it but not having it in any form in soups, pancakes, oatmeal, pumpkin pie- other foods- exc. ). I know it's still a little too early to be thinking about Thanksgiving- but hey- November is just around the corner so it doesn't feel that far away to me. I'm already working on planning my first vegetarian Thanksgiving- so excited! I want to make pumpkin soup and of course a non-dairy version of pumpkin pie( I'll make it with almond milk)
What are your plans for the weekend?
I'm making a vegan version of my favorite pumpkin oatmeal( which I'm sharing at the end of this post) pumpkin pie bars with almond milk, salad for the end of the year football party, and another mushroom veggie burger with oats. Busy weekend coming- lol. I've found so many cool recipes since I went vegetarian- here's some more if you want to try them- enjoy!

Vegan Pumpkin Oatmeal( delicious and so healthy!)
2 cups water
2 1/2 cups almond milk( of course you can use dairy if you want too)
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 cup steel cut oats( You have to use this kind, not regular oats, or it won't turn out right in the crockpot!)

place all ingredients in a crockpot and stir to combine. Cook on low for 5-9 hours. sprinkle with brown sugar to sweeten if desired( optional) and enjoy!
Note: you may want to put the oatmeal in the crockpot right before bed, but you'll have to be up early to turn the crock off so it won't burn)

Next is a delicious idea I obtained from my grandma. So, my mom was telling my grandma about how I tried my first veggie burger- my grandma told her that she'd heard how some vegetarians make pizza from portobello mushrooms. I tried it for the first time and loved it!! If you love mushrooms, you'll love this easy and equally healthy recipe! It's so much better than regular pizza- as a lover of pizza I find this so much more filling than it!


Portobello Vegetarian Pizza

Ingredients: 2 portobello mushrooms
                   1/4 to 1/2 cup tomato sauce
                    1/2 cup or more mozzarella or cheddar cheese( as much as you like- I like a lot of cheese on mine.#cheeseaholic.:) 
 tomatoes, basil, or other vegetables if desired.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Scoop out all the  mushroom gills with a spoon and cut off remainder of the stem( it's in the center of the mushroom). Wash the mushrooms in cool or warm water. Place mushrooms on cooking sheet and spread with tomato sauce; sprinkle with cheese. Cook for 10-12 minutes. Enjoy!


Vegan Pumpkin Oatmeal( this is basically just a dairy- free version of the oatmeal I made last month- it was delicious- so much better than with regular dairy and so much healthier too:) ) 

Here's what you need: 2 cups water
                                  2 1/2 cups vanilla almond milk ( you can of course use dairy if you want to)
                                 1 cup pumpkin puree
                                 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
                                 1 cup steel cut oats( you have to use this kind- or it unfortunately won't turn out right in the crockpot).  
Place all ingredients in a crockpot and stir to combine. Cook on low for 5-9 hours ( I usually put mine in overnight- but you have to be early to turn it off in time.) Sprinkle with brown sugar to sweeten it up if you like. Enjoy!