(Fake!!) Veggie Quiche

Breakfast for dinner is a fun way to change it up. Growing up, at least once a week my mom would make us grits, biscuits, sausage, and eggs for dinner and we thought it was such a treat!

 I made this last night and we all gobbled it up! I love quiche, but with the egg yolks, heavy cream, and full fat cheese, it is a nightmare on the calorie and cholesterol count. This is my version. If you don't like spinach & mushrooms, sub any other veggies you like- peppers, artichoke hearts, broccoli, zucchini, even tomatoes! We had this with a salad and you could also maybe do some whole wheat toast b/c the little amount of baking mix doesn't contribute too many carbs. Limit for veggies though to 2 cups (cooked) or else your pan will overflow!

Ingredients

1 small box frozen spinach or 1/2 of a large bag, thawed and squeezed of water*

1 package mushrooms, sliced

1/2 tsp olive oil

2 green onions, finely sliced, greens all the way to whites

4 slices Extra Lean Jennie O turkey bacon (even healthier than regular turkey bacon!), cooked, and crumbled to small pieces

1/2 c 2% mozzarella cheese

1/2 c Bisquick Heart Smart baking mix

1 c skim milk or light Almond Milk

1 c egg whites or Egg Beaters

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

***It's kind of a pain, but the most effective way to remove water from frozen spinach is to lay out 2 dry, clean kitchen towels (not white!), place your spinach in the center, and cover with the towel, pressing firmly until moisture is just about gone. 

1. Heat oven to 400. Spray a pie plate, 8 x 8 brownie pan, or other small casserole dish with cooking spray. 

2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium hi. Add green onions and mushrooms. Cook, stirring often, until mushrooms just start to soften. They will soften more in the oven, don't worry. 

3. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, whisk together the Bisquick, milk, egg whites, salt & pepper unti smooth. 

4. Sprinkle spinach in bottom of cooking dish. Cover with green onions & mushroom mix. Top with the crumbled bacon. Sprinkle cheese over bacon. Finally, pour the egg mixture over this. 

5. Bake at 400 for about 35-40 mins. You can stick a butter knife down inside and spread apart to check for doneness. There will be no remaining liquid in bottom when it's done. 

Blueberry Banana Muffins

I love baking, especially when I can make it healthy and a little more guilt free than normal! I made these today on the cold, icy day. I found this online and tweaked it to my needs. 

Makes 12 regular muffins or 24 minis

Ingredients

2 c whole wheat flour

1/3 c brown sugar (not packed)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 c ripe mashed bananas (about 3 medium or 2 large)

2 whole eggs

2 egg white

1 tsp vanilla

1 c fresh blueberries

1. heat oven to 350. Line muffin cups with paper or spray with non-stick spray. I used mini muffins.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside. 

3. In another medium bowl, mash bananas with a fork. Add eggs, egg whites, and vanilla. Stir until combined. 

4. Rinse blueberries, drain, and place in a small bowl. Take a few spoons of the flour mixture and toss with blueberries. This coats them and keeps them from sinking to the bottom of the muffin when you bake it!

5. Make a well in center of flour mixture. Pour in liquid and gently fold with a large rubber spatula. Stir just until moistened. Over stirring will make your muffins tough. Something about the gluten in the flour and the eggs. 

6. Stir in blueberries.

7. Spoon evenly into muffin tin. 

8. I baked my minis for about 15 minutes. regular sized muffins may make closer to 20. They are done when a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.

Chicken Sausage with Apples

I made this last night! I have been working on this recipe for a while now and I think I finally perfected it last night so I thought it would be a perfect one to start my blog! 

It tastes like it shouldn't be good for you, but it is so cozy and homey tasting! Pair it with a salad and maybe some steamed broccoli or green beans. 

Ingredients

*1 package of Archer Farms mini chicken apple sausages (from Target)

3 small Granny Smith Apples, sliced

1/3 of a small onion, diced

2 TB Smart Balance Light, divided

1 TB cornstarch mixed with 1/4 c cold water 

1/2 c chicken stock

2 TB lemon juice

1 TB brown sugar, packed

salt & pepper to taste

**1 TB fresh sage, chopped

*You can use any variety of chicken apple sausage. Sprouts sells large links- you would need 2-3 of these. The Archer Farms are precooked, so just make sure the sausage you buy is either cooked or boil it first for 20 minutes or so.

**If you absolutely have to, sub 1 tsp dried sage for the fresh, but only if you HAVE to. The flavor combo of the sausage and apples and sage is to die for!

1. Place 1 TB of the Smart Balance, the onion, and apples in a large skillet over medium-hi heat. Stir frequently and cook for about 5-7 minutes or until onions start to soften. Apples will still be pretty firm, but thats okay. 

2. Sprinkle brown sugar over the apple onion mixture and stir just until sugar is melted. 

3. Add the chicken stock and the cornstarch/water mixture to the pan. Turn up the heat just a tad, cover and bring to a boil. (This will take 1-2 mins). Let it boil for 1 minute.

4. Remove lid, stir, and bring back down to a simmer over medium. Add the lemon juice and the sausages. (If you are using large links, cut them in bite sized pieces) Stir to combine. 

5. Add the last TB of Smart Balance and the chopped sage and stir. Allow to simmer for about 5 minutes or until sausages are heated through. 

6. Serve!!