Category: Recipes

Naked Quiche – Two Delicious Options

Something about the title seems entirely immodest  😮  …..perhaps it should be called “crustless quiche”?

This is a very easy breakfast, lunch, or dinner meal.  We usually double the recipe because it’s such a healthy and yummy leftover.

 

Vegetarian Naked Quiche

5 eggs

1/3 C milk

1/3 C rice milk (unsweetened)

¾ C asparagus, chopped

½ C tomato, chopped

½ C cheddar cheese, grated

½ t pepper

 

 

Greek Naked Quiche

 

5 eggs

2/3 C rice milk (unsweetened)

1 ½ C baby spinach

½ C sun-dried tomatoes

¼ – ½ C black olives, chopped

¼ C feta cheese

 

 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. Oil / spray a 9” pie pan

3. Chop veggies into bite-size pieces

4. Whisk eggs, milk, and spices together

5. Put veggies (and meat if using) into the bottom of the pan and spread out evenly

6. Pour egg mixture over veggies, – leave ½” of space under the lip of the pan

7. Sprinkle additional spices over the top, if desired

8. Cook for 30-50 minutes, or until set and lightly browned on the top. If at

30 minutes, he top is browning too quickly, cover lightly with foil.

Managing Pre-Dinner Munchies

At the end of a busy day, it’s tempting to grab that bag of chips in the pantry to munch on or mindlessly eat a couple of cookies while making dinner. But doing so can quickly pack on the pounds! Here is a great trick to successfully manage pre-dinner munchies.

 

First, get into the habit of always drinking a full glass of water when you step into the kitchen to prepare dinner. Aside from the oodles of reasons why drinking water is great for you, drinking a glass of water before dinner / during meal preparation statistically will help you to eat less.

 

Second, keep prepared veggies and a homemade dip in the fridge – preferable keep these in a special container at the front of the refrigerator (wouldn’t want it to get buried at the back of the frig!) Wash and cut veggies once or twice a week and keep your veggie container stocked with an assortment of the following:

baby carrots, sliced green and red peppers, cucumber sticks or discs, celery sticks, fresh cauliflower / broccoli florets, and grape tomatoes.

 

For the dip, mix a container of plain greek yogurt with a packet of Ranch dip mix. (Or eat the veggies raw, without the dip.)

So whether you need something to munch on while making dinner or just want a quick, convenient, and healthy snack for you or the kids, keep your fridge stocked with colorful veggies and dip and enjoy.

Peppermint Patties

These are SO amazing!  Be sure to use an organic, extra virgin, high quality coconut oil.  My favorite is Nutiva – they often have great sales and we stock up usually once a year.

  1. In a small bowl, combine coconut oil, agave and peppermint oil, mixing with a spoon

  2. Smash clumps of coconut oil against side of bowl until mixture is smooth

  3. Freeze mixture for a few minutes until it starts to harden, then remove from freezer

  4. Use a 1.5 teaspoon ice cream scoop to measure out little balls onto a parchment paper lined plate

  5. Place plate in freezer to firm up mint balls; when firm, remove from freezer

  6. Squish balls down into flat little patties on parchment paper

  7. Melt chocolate over very low heat; allow to cool slightly

  8. Dip patties into melted chocolate (use spoon to drop patty into melted chocolate, dip and remove)

  9. Place patties on parchment paper to harden (takes 10 minutes though on a summer day you may need to refreeze)

 

Chololate Cherry Berry Smoothie

Thanks to Cindy Holcomb for this great smoothie recipe!  Our kids love it too!! 🙂

10 oz. vanilla coconut milk,
2 cups spinach,
1 banana,
2 1/2 Tbsp cocoa powder,
3/4 cup frozen blueberries,
3/4 cup frozen cherries.
Makes 2- 12 oz. servings for 200 calories each! The kids loved it!!

 

Triple Berry Breakfast Shake

 

½ C frozen mixed berries

½ small frozen banana

¼ C almond milk

¾ C orange juice

2 scoops protein powder (whey isolate)

2 teaspoons flaxseed oil

*Combine all ingredients and blend in Vitamix on high for 30  seconds

 Nutritional Facts :

total calories : 250

Protein: 20 grams

Carbs: 28 grams

Fat: 6 grams

Oat Bran Muffins

These muffins are great with fruit or eggs for breakfast, with salads or soups for lunch / dinner, or as a low-calorie, high-fiber snack.  They are so delicious it seems amazing that they are also good for you!

 

2 ¼ C oat bran

1 T baking powder

¼ C pure maple syrup

2T chopped almonds

handful of raisins or blueberries

¼ C shredded coconut (opt)

1 ¼ C almond milk

2 eggs

2 large overripe bananas

 

 

Combine all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Blend all other ingredients into a puree and mix thoroughly with the dry ingredients.

Fill muffin ¾ full. If you use blueberries, it’s easier to add them by hand to the filled muffin tin.

Bake at 450 degrees until top of muffins are brown – about 15 minutes.

Makes approx 1 dozen muffins.

Mandarin Orange Salad

This is one of our all-time favorite salads – we eat it often!  DELICIOUS and NUTRITIOUS 🙂

¼ C extra-virgin olive oil

4t balsamic vinegar

1 ½ t Dijon mustard

¼ t salt

¼ t pepper

½ # spinach salad

1 can mandarin oranges (drained)

½ C sliced olives

1/4-1/2 C red onion (diced or sliced)

¼ C feta cheese – crumbled

Combine oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper, in bowl.

Combine spinach, oranges, olives, onion.

Pour dressing over salad. Toss to coat evenly.

Top with feta cheese.

 

 

 

EFA Concoction

Here is a great little recipe for a  “concoction” that I have been using to increase my daily intake of EFA’s (essential fatty acids)….

1/4 C sesame Seeds (omega 6 source and excellent calcium source)

1/4 C Sunflower Seeds (omega 6 source)

1/4 C Pumpkin Seeds (omega 3 source)

3/4 C Flax Seeds (omega 3 source – note this is 3x the amount of the other seeds)

 

Grind each variety of seed in a coffee grinder.  Combine them mixing well.

Add 1-2 T of  EFA mixture to yogurt, a fruit smoothie, or apple sauce.

Store in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator.  This makes many servings!

Stevia

Stevia is an extraordinarily sweet herb with many health benefits.

 

Stevia is a wonderful alternative to both sugar (many people’s #1 nutritional enemy!)

and

artificial sweeteners (liver overwhelming, toxic, appetite increasing, diet sabotaging substances!)

 

Stevia is virtually calorie–free so it’s perfect for people who are watching their weight or trying to lose weight. It is a healing herb with an abundance of positive effects. The whole leaf contains numerous phytonutrients and trace minerals. It can sweeten any drink or food without adding calories, carbohydrates, or contributing to tooth decay.

 

Stevia also nourishes the pancreas and does not raise blood glucose levels, making it not just safe for diabetics but actually beneficial (always consult with your medical doctor before making significant nutritional changes).

 

Here are two delicious and super healthy beverages which use Stevia as the sweetening ingredient.

You may never want to buy sodas or beverages sweetened with sugar or artificial sweeteners again!

Your body will THANK YOU!!

 

Tea Juice

  • 5 bags of any caffeine free herbal tea of your choice (green, berry, orange, peppermint)
  • 3 quarts water
  • Stevia powder or liquid to taste

Boil tea bags in a large pot. Add 1-2 full teaspoons of stevia while still hot (you may add more or less depending on your desired sweetness). Let tea cool and then transfer to the refrigerator in Ice Tea pitcher.

 

 

Noble Lemon-Aid

  • 32 ounces of purified water (a large, 32 ounce Nalgene bottle works perfectly!)
  • 2-3 Tablespoons of organic, pure lemon juice (not from concentrate)
  • 1 packet of stevia

Fill Nalgene with purified water. Add lemon juice. Add packet of Stevia. Shake. Sip and Enjoy!

 

 

Noble’s Granola

This is delicious with almond milk and blueberries for breakfast.  Or we also enjoy it sprinkled over yogurt or baked apples.

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

In a large bowl, stir together:

 

8 cups rolled oats

2 cups grapenuts cereal

2 cups wheat germ

2 cups shredded coconut

1 cup slivered almonds

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

 

In a separate bowl, combine:

 

1 cup melted coconut oil (or other healthy oil)

½ cup honey

½ cup pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon each of vanilla and almond extract

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

 

Add to the oat mixture and mix well. Pour onto two greased baking sheets.

Bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.   Add 1C raisins or dried apple if you like.

Turn the oven off and let sit a few hours (or overnight).

 

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1/2 cup

Amount per Serving

Calories 267