Salsa & Cheddar Quiche With Hash Brown Crust

Quiche is one of my favorite ways to make breakfast ahead of time AND still have eggs! I'm a big fan of eggs and potatoes as a hearty breakfast, and this healthy version of quiche makes it easy to have it all in one dish.

Salsa & Cheddar Quiche With Hash Brown Crust
1 T + 2 t olive oil
1 russet potato, shredded
1 T corn starch
1/2 c diced onion
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
4 eggs
1/2 c milk
1/2 c salsa
1/2 c shredded cheddar

-Heat 1 T olive oil in a 10 inch skillet on medium heat.
-Combine potato, corn starch, onion, salt and pepper.
-Spread the potato mix across the entire bottom of the skillet, making one large hash brown.
-Press and flatten the potatoes, and cook until browned (about 5 minutes).
-Invert the hash brown "crust" onto a plate, oil the skillet with 1 t oil, and return the hash browns to the pan to continue cooking the other side.
-Oil a 9 inch pie pan with the remaining 1 t.
-Press the hash brown into the pie pan, as the crust.
-Whisk together the remaining ingredients and pour into the crust.
-Bake at 400 for 30 minutes.

Broccoli, Cannellini Bean & Cheddar Soup

Anytime that I can make a traditional recipe a little bit healthier and still a lot delicious... I'm in! I have always been such a picky eater, that anytime I can add a healthier element to an essential comfort food, that is exactly the type of recipe I look for! If you like Broccoli Cheddar Soup, it's so easy to add pureed white beans to the mix - not only do the beans add fiber and protein, they also help to keep the cheese from coagulating!
 
An easy spin on delicious (not from a can!):
Broccoli, Cannellini Bean & Cheddar Soup

Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pies

The quest for a delicious vegetarian version of the classic meat-filled shepherd's pie began, strangely enough, in an Irish pub in Reno, Nevada. Reno is a far cry from the "fruits and nuts" of California, so to speak! It's also not too often that Irish pubs have vegetarian anything! To top it off, this pie was amazing: mushroom gravy smothering carrots, peas and mushrooms and topped of with...wait for it... peanut butter mashed potatoes! Words cannot describe just how happy this meal made me. Needless to say, after years of craving a recipe that could do this dish justice, I think I may have found it. As much as I wanted to replicate the gravy and potatoes, this recipe has so much flavor it's just what I needed to bring me back to that pub. The lentils are what makes this so hearty, and I often add about 1/2 cup of peas to keep it a bit more traditional.

Here's the dish:
Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pies

The Perfect Hard-Boiled Egg

The Perfect Hard-Boiled Egg
-Place eggs in a pot and cover with cold water.
-Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 12 minutes.
-12 MINUTES (trust me, this is the perfect amount of time)!!
-Drain and immerse eggs immediately into an ice bath.

Green Veggies Risotto

Continuing on the risotto kick, I wanted to find a recipe that had even more veggies than the Butternut Squash Risotto that has become a favorite staple of mine. This Green Veggies Risotto does the trick - it's a great way to combine two sides in one, as this grains-and-greens dish is an easy and delicious one pot wonder!

Green Veggies Risotto
1 T olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 c Arborio rice
1 celery stalk, diced
1/3 c dry white wine
4 c stock, boiling
1 c broccoli florets
3/4 c sugar snap peas, halved
1 c zucchini, thinly sliced
1 c green beans, cut in 1 inch pieces
1/2 c feta, crumbled
2 T fresh parsley, chopped

-Heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
-Add the onion and garlic, stir until beginning to brown - about 2 minutes.
-Add rice and stir well until coated with oil - toast for about 3 - 4 minutes.
-Reduce heat to simmer and stir in celery and white wine.
-Continue stirring until most of the wine has evaporated.
-Begin stirring the boiling stock into the rice, incorporating slowly as the liquid becomes absorbed (about 10     minutes).
-Continue stirring; add green veggies and continue cooking for about 5 more minutes.
-Stir in the feta and parsley.