Lunch Recipes

Farmer's Market Freezer Meals Lunch Recipes Soup

Vegetarian Asparagus Soup

written by Ali

It’s finally spring and finally time for vegetarian asparagus soup with a soft boiled egg. I love asparagus. I think it’s one of the few veggies that I absolutely gorge on when it’s in season, to the point that by the last bunch of asparagus, I think to myself, if I never see asparagus again, it will be too soon. And then there’s a very long break between asparagus seasons and the process starts all over again.

Asparagus grows very happily in the Pacific Northwest, which means it is in abundant supply in the farmer’s market. I use it in just about everything this time of year, from quiche, to omelets, to salads. I like raw asparagus, so will often chop up a couple of stalks and toss it into a green salad and call it lunch. We also roast a lot of asparagus. With a little olive oil, a bit of salt, and a good roasting, it’s the perfect side dish for many meals. One of my absolute favorite preparations, though, is asparagus soup. Vegetarian asparagus soup tastes like spring.

This vegetarian asparagus soup with a soft boiled egg recipe was inspired by Top Chef. Did anyone else watch this most recent season in Charleston? I have to admit that it was a huge disappointment: it just didn’t seem remotely fair to pit individuals who had been on the show before against those who had not. And then (spoiler alert) Brooke won. I download all my favorite reality shows from I-Tunes so that I can watch them without disturbing Clay, who is not a fan of most (though strangely enough, he doesn’t mind Ink Masters or The Great British Baking Show). Of course, this means that I’m always a week or two behind, and because I can’t stand not knowing how something ends, I usually google that week’s episode to find out who won and who didn’t. All of this to say that I knew Brooke won before I watched the episode, and now I won’t watch the last episode. I was team Sheldon and Shirley all the way.

Where was I? Oh, yes – vegetarian asparagus soup. This is a riff on an asparagus soup that Sylva Senat made early on in the season. I adored the idea of putting a soft boiled egg in the middle of the soup and letting all that creamy yolk ooze out. Granted, as you’ll see in the photo, I over-boiled my egg. Rather than a 6 minute egg, I ended up with something around an 8 minute egg because I wasn’t paying attention to what I was doing. Regardless, is it lunch time yet? Because I am getting so hungry. This might be the best tasting recipe I’ve ever made. I did make my own veggie stock this go around, and highly recommend you do the same. I’ve been gathering mushroom stems, asparagus bits, onion peels, and leftover celery leaves and stems. I throw it all in a freezer bag in the freezer and then make stock once I have a full bag. The stock gives this soup a really rich flavor. I also used a leek. So – it’s a very simple soup: veggie stock, asparagus, a leek, a few chives and some salt.

Get yourself some asparagus. Find some farm fresh eggs (store bought eggs will work to) and make this beautiful vegetarian asparagus soup with a soft boiled egg. Enjoy!

Yum

Vegetarian Asparagus Soup

Ingredients

1 leek, finely chopped
1 bunch asparagus, chopped in one or two inch chunks
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
6 cups vegetable stock
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
Soft boiled eggs

Instructions

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the olive oil and leek and sauté until the leek is soft. Add the asparagus and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt and chives. Blend the soup in a blender or use an immersion blender and blend until the soup is silky. Serve with a soft boiled egg and chives to garnish. Enjoy!
Serves 4

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This post is linked up to Tinned Tomatoes Meat Free Mondays and to Kahakai Kitchen Souper Sundays

April 10, 2017 3 comments

Beverages Farmer's Market Lunch Recipes Quick and Easy Vegetarian

Sunrise Spring Smoothie

written by Ali

This Sunrise Spring Smoothie is a great, healthy way to start the day. Of course, they might be even better if I actually drank them at sunrise. Let me rephrase – they’d be great if I could actually see the sunrise. Here of late, it’s just been rain…and more rain. I’m starting to feel like the sun is never going to come out. Even the three daffodils that I planted in our front bed are looking depressed (ok – two daffodils – I cut one of them for the photo shoot for these smoothies).

Regardless of when you decide to drink your smoothie, the sunrise spring smoothie is a beautiful blend of all sorts of in season fruits and veggies. Yes – you read that right. I used a handful of beet greens for the top layer of these smoothies. I love all things beet, and any time I find a bunch of beets that have a great looking set of leaves, I buy them so I can get maximum benefit out of them. Beet greens aren’t very beet-y; instead, they taste like a very green version of, well, greens. Beet greens are full of protein, magnesium, zinc, potassium, and B6. One of my favorite ways of making use of them is blending them into smoothies.

I’m also getting desperate for strawberries. However, we live in the PNW, which means the best berries are the ones we get locally here. They won’t be available until around June. In the meantime, I’m willing to buy strawberries that have been shipped here, but will use them primarily in smoothies, because they just don’t quite taste right yet. I also threw in some more mangoes – I discovered champagne mangoes the other day at Whole Foods. Champagne mangoes are a smaller mango and are definitely sweeter than their larger counterparts. They are perfect for the yellow layer for my sunrise spring smoothie.

As I mentioned in my tropical turmeric smoothie recipe a few weeks ago, one of the best parts of smoothies is that they can be stored in 8 ounce jars and frozen. I pull a smoothie out of the freezer in the morning, throw it in my bag with the rest of my lunch and have both a great lunch treat, but also an automatic ice pack for whatever else I’m taking with me for the day. By lunch, my smoothie is thawed out and all I need to do is give it a good shake and drink it.

Yum

Sunrise Spring Smoothie

Ingredients

2 mangoes, peeled and diced
1 pint strawberries, chopped
1 bunch beet greens, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 cup pineapple juice

Instructions

If you are going to layer the smoothie, start by blending the mangoes and pineapple juice. Pour this layer into your glasses. Blend the strawberries and 1 1/4 cups almond milk next. Carefully pour onto the first layer in the glasses. Blend the remaining almond milk and beet greens last. Pour onto the second layer.
If you are not layering, combine all ingredients and blend.
Makes 4 eight ounce smoothies. These can be frozen and enjoyed as needed. Enjoy!

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April 5, 2017 1 comment

Appetizers Lunch Recipes Quick and Easy Snacks Vegetarian

Sriracha Two Bean Hummus

written by Ali

Sriracha Two Bean Hummus is a perfect lunch recipe for when you don’t have much time to prep for the week ahead. With a few ingredients and a bit of attention from an immersion blender, you’ll have a creamy, spicy hummus that pairs well with fresh vegetables and with pita bread. This also makes a good spread for sandwiches.

Sriracha Two Bean Hummus uses both garbanzo beans and white beans. I love the added texture that the garbanzos lend to the hummus, as I think it complements the smooth and creamy texture of the white beans. You can use any type of white bean in this recipe. When I was doing the research for this recipe, I came across a great article on the difference between the three most common kinds of white beans: cannellini beans, Great Northern beans, and navy beans. I admit that I’d always been curious about why navy beans are called navy beans – as it turns out, they were the preferred bean used by the Navy in the early 1900s. Other differences – cannellini beans are the largest of the lot and hold their shape the best. Great Northern beans have a nuttier flavor and are a bit smaller. Navy beans are the best for recipes in which the bean shape isn’t important as they fall apart easily. It’s why they are most often used in baked bean recipes. One article I read suggested it really doesn’t make a difference if you are using canned beans rather than cooking dry beans. For this recipe, I say use whichever white bean is handy or already in your cupboard.

I love to add Sriracha to recipes as it adds a perfect kick of spice. In this case, I think it livens up the hummus quite a bit. I kind of feel like bringing Sriracha Two Bean Hummus with me to work, especially when it’s paired with a lot of veggies and some pita bread, is sort of like having a picnic at my desk. This would be perfect paired with a mini-muffin or two or some really good fruit. I’ll likely also have a smoothie with this.

Yum

Sriracha Two Bean Hummus

Ingredients

1 can white beans (any variety), drained and rinsed
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup tahini
Juice of ½ lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon Srirarcha
1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth (can also be combined with an inversion blender). Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to four days. Serve with celery, carrots or other veggies, and pita bread. Enjoy!

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April 3, 2017 0 comment

Beverages Farmer's Market Lunch Recipes Quick and Easy

Chocolate Berry Smoothie

written by Ali

This chocolate berry smoothie is all about the berries, which are just starting to pop up at markets around the United States. I’ve been on a smoothie binge here of late, largely because I figured out how to make smoothies with just my immersion blender. I used to make smoothies in our large blender, but when the carafe broke, I didn’t bother replacing it and the base has been languishing away in our garage. Since we are likely moving soon, I’m doing my best not to buy more things for the kitchen. My quandary, of course, was how to make smoothies. Especially in the spring, I really love the combination of fruit and almond milk or fruit and juice. I also use a super easy technique of putting my smoothies into ½ pint jars and freezing them, which means they are ready to drink right around lunch time (I put them in the fridge the night before to start thawing). Enter the immersion blender. I really think this is the handiest tool I have. It doesn’t take up much space and it quickly blends fruit and liquids into perfect smoothie creaminess. I had very berry smoothies made up in no time at all this weekend.

Speaking of food prep and freezing, I’ve been doing a lot of writing here of late for Fix Me a Little Lunch about preserving. My main focus has been on canning, which, at least for me, most often comes to mind when I think about food storage. But freezing is also another great way to store fruits and veggies when they are in season. One of my favorite things to freeze is berries. We are lucky to live in a region where blueberries, in particular, are abundant. Blueberries freeze so well and are perfect to have on hand in fall and winter to make smoothies (like this very berry smoothie!) but also muffins, bread, pancakes, and so on. My kitchen hack for freezing berries is this: layout parchment paper on a baking sheet and, after washing the berries and inspecting for any bad berries, lay the berries out in a single layer and freeze them. Once they are frozen, they can be stored in freezer bags or containers. This way, they berries don’t freeze in one impossible to separate clump.

For this chocolate berry smoothie recipe, you can, of course, use fresh berries (or frozen berries from the store). I threw in just a scant teaspoon of cocoa powder in my chocolate berry smoothie this week to give it a bit of chocolate flavor.

Yum

Chocolate Berry Smoothie

Ingredients

1 bag of frozen mixed berries (or 3 cups of fresh berries)
2 cups vanilla flavored almond milk or soy milk
1 teaspoon cocoa powder

Instructions

Blend all ingredients until smooth using a blender or immersion blender. If freezing, distribute between four ½ pint jars and freeze. Enjoy! Makes 4 eight ounce servings.

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March 29, 2017 0 comment

Appetizers Dessert Farmer's Market Foodie Lists Lunch Recipes Main Dishes

Ravioli Day Roundup

written by Ali

It’s National Ravioli Day! I get so excited about ravioli, it’s kind of ridiculous. There’s just something so lovely about filling wrapped in dough. Ravioli is particularly special, as it works so well with some of the best sauces out there (I’m thinking Alfredo, marinara, tomato sauce with vodka…you get the idea). Did you know that the first written mention of ravioli occurred in the 14^th century in Venice in the personal letters of a merchant? Ravioli wasn’t served with tomato sauce, though, until the 16^th century (because tomatoes weren’t introduced to Italy until then). Prior to the 16^th century, ravioli were served in broth. If this doesn’t get you hungry for ravioli, I don’t know what will. Maybe these ravioli recipes will do the trick.

Let’s start with Ravioli with Creamy Roasted Pepper Sauce from Confident Cook, Hesitant Baker! The star here is the sauce – and it is such a quick sauce to make. I’m holding on to this one for farmer’s market season when peppers are available in abundance.

Pumpkin and other winter squash is such a natural paring with ravioli. Up your ravioli game by making these Pumpkin Ravioli with Browned Butter, Sage, and Walnuts from What a Girl Eats

Rabbit and Wolves prove that ravioli doesn’t have to be made using cheese for it to be good. These Vegan Broccoli Rabe Pesto Ravioli are a perfect spring ravioli option for vegans and non-vegans alike.

This Carrot Ravioli with Broccoli-Ricotta Filling from Caroline’s Cooking is another great spring ravioli option.

This Balsamic and Garlic Mushroom Ravioli from Krumpli combines the great flavors of balsamic vinegar, garlic and mushrooms and wraps it all up in a neat package of yummy!

Next up is Orange and Pecorino Ravioli with Rosemary Brown Butter from Use Your Noodles. This looks like such a light and refreshing ravioli – just imagine how that bit of orange zest in the ravioli would complement the rosemary brown butter.

Ricotta and Spinach Ravioli (With a Kick) from Slow the Cook Down gets its kick from the addition of a finely chopped red chili.

Kitchen Sanctuary’s Spicy Burrito Ravioli takes the traditional ravioli and gives it a great twist with the addition of burrito flavors.

Butternut Squash Ravioli Bake from the Girl on Bloor is a great quick meal if you have squash or pumpkin ravioli already on hand. Ravioli pairs well with all the ingredients in this one dish meal.

Last, but not least, if you are still craving even more ravioli (which I always am), here’s a beautiful dessert ravioli: White Chocolate Mascarpone Ravioli with Raspberry Sauce from Pinch Me I’m Eating.

I’d love to be eating this right now – I’m starting to feel inspired to do a three-course ravioli dinner, with a ravioli appetizer, a ravioli entrée, and a ravioli dessert. Maybe for next year’s National Ravioli Day!

March 20, 2017 11 comments

Baked Goods Lunch Recipes Snacks

Mini Strawberry Chocolate Galettes

written by Ali

The February/March Cook the Books reading selection, Dinner with Edward, inspired my mini strawberry chocolate galettes. Dinner with Edward, by Isabel Vincent, is a charmer. It’s a quick read, filled to the brim with amazing food stories, menus, and inspiration. But the heart of the book is the relationship between Edward, a retired gentleman whose wife recently died, and Isabel, a younger woman who goes through major life upheaval in the course of the book. It’s a book about friendship and food, both of which cut across generations. I really thought this one was, well, charming.

And so much food to choose from for inspiration (as you can see from my very sticky-noted copy)! I initially couldn’t decide if I was going to try one of Edward’s potato recipes, or steak, or soup, or soufflé, or martinis, or chicken, or fish, or pork. What I eventually landed on was being inspired by the apple galette that shows up around chapter three. Strawberries are slowly making their way into season (as spring seems to finally be peaking around the corner here in the PNW). I decided to aim for a version of the galette using butter instead of Edward’s recommended lard, and go for flavors that I love to share with friends. Thus, I ended up with a dozen perfect mini strawberry chocolate galettes that my husband and I have been munching on all week long.

These mini strawberry chocolate galettes would make a great Easter dessert. They’d also be delightful as the final course for a picnic. You can substitute other berries for sure – I’m definitely going to be making these again when raspberries are in season. Galettes take all the loveliness of a pie and make it into a rustic, easy to make and bake treat. They are completely free form, so all you have to do is make the pastry, roll it out, fill and bake. I added a touch of dark chocolate and some sugar macerated strawberries and called it delightful.

Oh – and I’ll confess. I did end up making a dry martini the way it was suggested in the book. I think it may be the best martini I’ve ever had in my life. If you are curious, check out either the book (which I highly recommend) or take a peek at my Instagram feed where there’s a photo of the martini and tips on how to make it.

Yum

Mini Strawberry Chocolate Galettes

Ingredients

For the Pastry

1 1/2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup ice water

For the Filling

1 pint strawberries, sliced
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
1 egg for egg wash

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Make the pastry by combining the flour, sugar and salt. Cut the butter into chunks and add to the flour, using a fork, your hands, or a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour. Add the water, a bit at a time and work into the flour/butter mix until it forms a ball. Refrigerate the pastry dough for 30 minutes.
In the meantime, combine the sliced strawberries and 2 tablespoons sugar and set aside to macerate.
Use parchment paper to line a baking sheet.
Melt the dark chocolate chips. Roll the chilled pastry dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Use a round cookie cutter or similar to cut the dough into small circles.
Spoon a bit of the melted dark chocolate into the middle of each pastry dough circle. Arrange several slices of strawberries on top of each and gently fold and pinch the pastry dough up over the strawberries.
Place each mini galette onto the parchment lined baking sheet. If you are using an egg to wash, combine the egg with a tablespoon of water and beat until frothy. Brush the egg wash over the pastry dough for each galette.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the galettes are light brown. Enjoy!

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This recipe is linked up to March’s Treat Petite, hosted by Cakeyboi. Treat Petite is hosted alternative months at Cakeyboi and The Baking Explorer, so be sure to check out both awesome blogs!

And to Novel Foods #29

And to the March 2017 Foodie Reads

March 14, 2017 20 comments

Beverages Freezer Meals Lunch Recipes

Freezer Friendly Tropical Turmeric Smoothies

written by Ali

Freezer friendly tropical turmeric smoothies blend the lush taste of mango, coconut, pineapple, and strawberry with just a hint of ginger and turmeric for a perfect breakfast or lunch pick me up. Best yet, they can be made ahead of time (on the weekend during meal prep) and tucked away in half pint jars in the freezer.

It’s been awhile since I’ve made smoothies. For a period of time, it was a weekly affair – I’d even you-pick my way through various farms in Southern Oregon and freeze berries and other fruit for the sole purpose of making smoothies all winter long. I loved having smoothies on hand throughout the week as part of my lunch. Then we moved and I got out of the habit. And then we (by we, I mean my husband) broke the carafe for our blender. So much for smoothies.

I wouldn’t have given it much more thought beyond that of – once we move again, I’ll get around to getting a new blender. However, I ran across an article on some foodie site not too long ago outlining all the ways to use an immersion blender, which I have and use all the time for soups. One of those uses was to blend smoothies. The light bulb went on. It’s time for smoothies again.

Sure enough, the immersion blender works great. I put all the ingredients in a big bowl and just blended away. I don’t know that this would work too well with frozen ingredients, but with fresh fruit, it’s perfect.

I’ve also been reading quite a bit lately about the anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric and been thinking about how to get more of this beautiful spice into my diet. A smoothie seems the perfect vehicle for turmeric. It’s not too overwhelming of a flavor and goes well with a sweet smoothie. I also used ginger to give these freezer friendly tropical turmeric smoothies a bit more zing. The combination of mango, coconut, pineapple, strawberry, turmeric and ginger was perfect. Working with the ingredients I had on hand, I was able to get three 8 ounce smoothies put away in the freezer for later this week. I’ve still got freezer burritos on hand from last week, so when I do get back in the office later this week, lunch is all ready to go.

So, if you have either an immersion blender or regular blender, I encourage you to make these freezer friendly tropical turmeric smoothies. You won’t be disappointed.

Yum

Freezer Friendly Tropical Turmeric Smoothies

Ingredients

2 peeled and sliced mangoes
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup light coconut milk
4 strawberries, sliced
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a blender (or a bowl, if you are using an immersion blender) and blend until smooth.
Enjoy!

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This post has been shared with the Recipe Showdown Cooking Game hosted by Binky’s Culinary Carnival in March. The ingredient this month is turmeric.

March 13, 2017 1 comment

Breakfast Freezer Meals Lunch Recipes

Freezer Egg, Potato and Bacon Burritos

written by Ali

This month, for Food ‘N Flix, I’m sharing freezer egg, potato and bacon burritos. I was inspired this month by the movie The Martian. And while potatoes might have been an obvious one for this movie, I couldn’t resist, since they are without a doubt one of my favorite foods. A favorite story definitely deserves a favorite food.

So in case you haven’t seen or read The Martian, it is, in short, an amazing story about the possibilities and beauty of science. The book by Andy Weir came out in 2014. I adore sci fi, having grown up on reading Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, and Robert Heinlein. When I saw The Martian in the bookstore, I snapped it up quickly and spent a happy weekend lounging on the couch and reading it.

I was skeptical about how good the movie would be. I’m a hard critic when it comes to movies that started as books. It turned out that I also loved the movie. Matt Damon plays Mark Watney, an astronaut left behind on Mars after a dust storm forces a mission abort. The crew of the Ares III mission believe Watney to be dead, so leave him behind. This starts his journey of survival until the Ares crew comes back to rescue him. There’s lots of NASA control room drama that goes on throughout, in addition to following Watney’s path to survival. It’s such a great pop-some-popcorn-and-stretch-out-on-the-couch-with-the-dog movie.

Potatoes factor heavily into the plot line, as Watney survives by growing potatoes. Now in fairness, I would imagine Watney would probably not ever want to eat a potato again. I probably wouldn’t want to either, and I really love potatoes. Still, I wanted to do a shout out recipe to the humble spud. These freezer egg, potato and bacon burritos are one of my favorite foods. You might have guessed that they can be frozen – which makes them a perfect breakfast or lunch on the go food.

I opted to use these pretty blue, red, and yellow potatoes. I don’t really notice much difference in flavor between potato types. That said, I love the fact that potatoes come in so many varieties, so tend to cook with a mix.

The potatoes get mixed with a chopped up onion and roasted until they are crispy. It doesn’t get much better than this.

I like to serve these with some salsa and some guacamole on the side (but wouldn’t you know it – none of my avocados were ripe when I made these). I’m going to enjoy these freezer egg, potato and bacon burritos for lunch this week and imagine being on Mars.

Want to participate in Food ‘n Flix? Check out this month’s announcement post at http://adayinthelifeonthefarm.blogspot.com/ and drop by the Food ‘n Flix site to learn more!

Yum

Freezer Egg, Potato and Bacon Burritos

Ingredients

8 small potatoes, washed and sliced into small chunks
1 small onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
8 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
8 pieces of crispy bacon
2 cups shredded cheese
8 large flour tortillas

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. On a parchment lined cookie sheet, combine the chopped potatoes, chopped onion, salt, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes, turning once half way through the cooking time.
Meanwhile, combine the eggs, milk, cumin, coriander and ground black pepper. Use a fork or a whisk to combine until the eggs are fluffy. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large non-stick or cast iron pan over medium heat. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and allow to set. When the eggs are nearly cooked through, fold and cook until they are fully set, gently scrambling. Set aside.
To make the burritos, place 1/8th of the scrambled eggs in the middle of a tortilla. Put 1 piece of bacon on top of the egg. Put 1/8th of the roasted potatoes on top of the egg and bacon. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of cheese on top. Roll the burrito by folding up the top and bottom and then rolling the remaining tortilla over the folded part.
Roll the burritos in aluminum foil and freeze. To reheat, remove the aluminum foil and wrap the burrito in a paper towel. Microwave until warm and serve with salsa and guacamole if desired.
Makes 8 burritos.
Enjoy!

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March 6, 2017 10 comments

Baked Goods Breakfast Freezer Meals Lunch Recipes Main Dishes Vegetarian

Kale and Gruyere Quiche

written by Ali

I’m craving spring flavors like those found in this Kale and Gruyere quiche. I’ve had too many days of gloomy PNW weather. I love the rain, but found myself outside yesterday in the morning doing my best to soak up the few sun beams we got. Our cats were positively ecstatic – two of three parked themselves on the cat tree right in front of the window and basked in the sun. Even Daisy found a sun spot on the carpet and took a good long time warming her belly. We are all seriously deprived right now.

Kale and Gruyere Quiche to the rescue. I love the creamy texture of eggs and cheese in a quiche. Kale is a versatile vegetable and can be a harbinger of both fall and spring. While I love having kale in pasta dishes in the fall, there’s nothing better in the spring than a good bunch of kale sauteed and tossed into a quiche. I used lacinato Kale or dinosaur kale because I love the deep green flavor it brings to dishes. I sauteed it until it was soft and then drained and pressed out the excess moisture in a colander. This helps keep the crust from getting soggy.

I used a quick olive oil crust for this kale and Gruyere quiche. I’ve been known to go crustless for my quiches, but this week just felt like that extra little touch might be in order. One tip for baking the quiche – put the quiche on a baking sheet and put it in the oven. This way, there’s no slopping of egg and milk into your oven. Yes – I learned this the hard way.

One advantage of using Gruyere cheese is that it melts so well. I also tossed in a few red pepper flakes to add some heat. I could have gone either with red pepper flakes or with nutmeg – either would create a nice flavor, but nutmeg is to autumnal for me. I also used a bit of fleur de sel this time around. Really, it’s a perfect early spring dish. I’ll be eating this throughout the week with a quick spinach salad on the side.

Yum

Kale and Gruyere Quiche

Ingredients

1 bunch kale, washed, de-stemmed and chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup milk
5 eggs
1/2 cup Gruyere cheese
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
salt to taste

Olive Oil Crust

1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup ice water

Instructions

To make the crust, combine the flour, salt, olive oil, and water in a small bowl. Combine with your hands until the crust holds together. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to the size needed for an 8 inch pie pan. Transfer the crust to the pie pan and refrigerate while you are making the quiche.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Saute the kale in the olive oil for 7 minutes or until it is wilted. Salt to taste. Drain and press out any remaining moisture. Set aside.
Beat the eggs and milk together in a small bowl until frothy. Add the cheese, red pepper flakes, and ground pepper.
Place the sauteed kale at the bottom of the chilled pie crust. Pour the egg/milk/cheese mixture over the top and redistribute the kale as needed.
Bake for 30 - 40 minutes or until the crust is lightly brown and the eggs are set. Enjoy!
Makes 4 hearty servings.

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This post is linked up to Tinned Tomatoes: Meat Free Mondays. Check out the great posts that Jacqueline posts each week!

This post is also linked up to #CookBlogShare hosted by Easy Peasy Foodie and Hijacked by Twins.

February 27, 2017 7 comments

Lunch Recipes Quick and Easy Vegetarian

White Bean Avocado Wrap

written by Ali

Sometimes it’s good to have a quick lunch recipe on hand, like this white bean avocado wrap. Looking at my calendar, I already know it’s going to be a very busy week, with just two days when I’ll have time for lunch at my desk. As I was thinking about food prep this week, I also thought it might be a good time to do a little cupboard clean out. We have plenty of rice, several cans of Great Northern White Beans, and a couple of avocados that are just ripe. Toss in some cilantro and lime and throw it all in a tortilla and lunch comes together in a short period of time.

I love jasmine rice. It’s the perfect filler for my white bean avocado wrap. It’s so light and fluffy and pretty. You could definitely make these with brown rice as well, though I have to confess brown rice is not my favorite grain. It’s so…grainy.

White beans get gently mashed and get spread on the tortilla first. Avocado goes next and then rice covers it all. then it gets wrapped up and either wrapped in parchment paper or foil and goes into the fridge for the next day’s lunch.

The Great Northern White Beans add a great non-meaty, meaty texture to the white bean avocado wrap. Serve with a spinach salad and a few mandarin oranges and you’ll be set for the day.

Yum

White Bean Avocado Wrap

Ingredients

4 white or whole wheat tortillas
2 cans Great Northern White Beans or cannellini beans
2 avocados
2 cups cooked white rice
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
juice from one lime
1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Drain and rinse the beans. Gently mash with a fork, leaving some beans whole.
Spread 1/4 of the beans on each tortilla in the middle. Split open the avocados and scoop out the avocado, 1/2 of each avocado spread on each tortilla.
Add the chopped cilantro, the juice from the lime, and the salt to the rice and stir to incorporate. Heap 1/2 cup of the rice over the avocado and beans on each tortilla. Fold the top and bottom of the tortilla toward the middle, over the rice/avocado/bean mix. Fold each side in and roll so that you have a tight wrap.
Enjoy! Serves 4 and can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for a couple of days.

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This post is linked up to Tinned Tomatoes Meat Free Monday. Check it out!

It’s also linked up to Meatless Monday, co-hosted by Confessions of a Mother Runner and A Whisk and Two Wands.

February 20, 2017 3 comments

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