Quinoa Egg Veggie Bake

I made this for dinner but it works equally well as breakfast, so save your leftovers! This recipe is super versatile and you could use whatever veggies (or even meats) and spices you have on hand. Try a southwestern twist with jalapenos and jack cheese, or Denver omelet style with bell peppers, ham and cheese, or Italian style with greens, tomatoes, garlic and top with marinara. The variations are really endless!

Quinoa Egg Veggie Bake Recipe, adapted from Door To Door Organics, serves 6 (two muffins for each person)
1 cup quinoa, cooked according to package directions and cooled
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 cup chopped sturdy greens, such as spinach or kale or chard
1 cup chopped tomatoes (I used quartered grape tomatoes since I had them on hand)
6 eggs, beaten
¼ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp dried oregano or basil
cracked pepper
grated cheese of choice for topping (optional, I used Romano)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Spoon into well-greased muffin cups (should fill a normal sized 12-muffin pan). Bake at 400ºF for approx 20 mins or until lightly browned and set. Remove pan from oven, top muffins with grated cheese, return to oven and turn to broil. Broil for a couple mins, just until cheese melts. Remove and let cool a couple mins in the pan. Run a knife around each muffin to loosen and serve immediately.

Ham, Egg & Spinach Breakfast Sandwich

Here is a super nutrient-packed breakfast to start your day off right! This is one of our versions of homemade "egg mcmuffins". I love to make these on weekend mornings. You can add some Tabasco for a kick if you are so inclined :)

Start with one half of a homemade English muffin, toasted (for good carbs and some fiber, see recipe below)
Top with a fried egg (preferably from a pastured chicken, leave the yolk somewhat gooey so it's extra messy and delicious. This is your good fat and protein)
Pile on sauteed spinach (to get your greens in! You could also opt for raw baby spinach)
Top it all off with hickory smoked ham (for an extra hit of protein and flavor)

Whole Wheat Sourdough English Muffin Recipe
The night before you make your muffins, mix together the following in a large glass bowl:
1/2 cup sourdough starter (at approx 100% hydration)*
1 cup milk or kefir or buttermilk
2 cups whole wheat flour (or spelt or another flour of your choice)
1 Tbs ground flax seeds
let mixture sit overnight, covered.

The next morning, add in:
1 Tbs honey or agave syrup
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking soda
I find it easiest to mix with my Kitchen-Aid stand mixer with the dough hook.

Once the dough is thoroughly mixed, turn out onto a floured counter and flatten (stretch, roll, whatever works for you) until the dough is about 1/4" thick. Cut with 3" round cookie or biscuit cutter (or use a glass turned upside down, like I do). Place each muffin on a cookie sheet dusted generously with semolina flour (if you don't have semolina, you could use cornmeal, but the flavor of semolina is better in my opinion). Cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for about 15 mins. While resting, pre-heat flat griddle or cast iron skillet (I find my electric pancake maker set on medium works best for the cooking phase). Grease with butter or coconut oil or lard or some sort of healthy fat. Cook muffins about 5 mins on each side. They will puff up quite nicely as you cook them. Cool on a wire rack. When cool, split with a fork. After splitting, I like to freeze my muffins so they stay really fresh and are super easy to take out and pop in the toaster in the morning.

*If you don't have sourdough starter, you can still make these! Just omit the starter and use buttermilk, kefir or watered down yogurt for the liquid.

Week 27

Summer around here is time for grilling and easy meals. I rarely have the oven on in the summertime (I think my recipes this week will call for one oven meal) and I like to make a lot of big salads for dinner. So, you might find that my entries this summer are shorter or less complicated or not really recipes at all, just a list of ingredients that get thrown together. I hope you will still follow along and try to be a little free-spirited this summer.

Taco Salad
Brown about 1/2 lb ground beef with onions and garlic. Add seasonings to taste such as cumin, coriander, oregano, chili powder. Make your salad with chopped romaine lettuce, tomatoes, and any other veggies you like (zucchini spears, corn, whatever). Top with some crispy tortilla strips, cilantro, olives, and avocado and a lime vinaigrette dressing.

Spinach Quiche
crust:
1 cup all purpose flour (unbleached)
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp fine kosher or sea salt
3 Tbs cold unsalted butter
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
buttermilk

Mix flours and salt in food processor. Add butter and pulse. Add oil, pulsing. Add buttermilk in thin stream, pulsing, until dough comes together in a ball. Roll out, fit into deep-dish pie plate and blind bake for about 10 mins or just until beginning to turn golden.

filling:
1 lb fresh spinach, sauteed in EVOO + butter
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
a few turns of the pepper mill
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 cups grated cheese of choice (I used a mushroom jack I had on hand)

Place spinach in bottom of blind-baked crust. In bowl, mix eggs, milk, salt, pepper and ricotta. Pour over spinach. Top with grated cheese. Bake at 375 F for about 45 mins or until set. Let cool and serve warm or cold.

Weekend Grilled Chicken with Za'atar (from Bon Appetit. This requires overnight marinating. Serves 2-4.)
2 heads of garlic, top third cut off
6 Tbs EVOO, divided
1 (3-4 lb) chicken, cut in half lengthwise, backbone removed
1/4 cup za'atar (see below)
1 1/2 tsp lemon zest and 3 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs chopped fresh rosemary
1 small serrano chile, seeded, minced
2 tsp dried marjoram
kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper
cumin aioli (see below)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Put garlic on foil and drizzle w/1 Tbs EVOO. Wrap garlic up in foil and roast until tender and golden brown, about 45 mins. Let cool.

Put chicken in glass dish big enough to marinate in. Sprinkle 2 1/2 Tbs za'atar over chicken. Squeeze roasted garlic out of skin and mash into paste in small bowl. Add 4 Tbs EVOO and remaining ingredients through marjoram. Whisk to blend and pour over chicken. Turn to coat and marinate in the fridge overnight. Before grilling, season chicken w/salt and pepper and let stand at room temp for 30 mins. Brush grill rack with remaining EVOO and cook chicken over med-high heat until it reaches 160 F (about 30 mins). Transfer chicken to cutting board, sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 Tbs za'atar and let rest 10 mins before cutting and serving. Serve with cumin aioli.

Za'atar: combine 1 Tbs chopped fresh oregano, 1 Tbs sumac, 1 Tbs ground cumin, 1 Tbs sesame seed, 1 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper.

Cumin Aioli: toast 1 tsp cumin seeds and coarsely grind. Whisk 2 large egg yolks (from organic, free range eggs) with 1 Tbs fresh lemon juice and 1 minced garlic clove. While whisking, slowly stream in 1/2 cup grapeseed oil and 1/4 cup EVOO, whisk to emulsify. Season with kosher salt, cover and chill.