foodie: tofu-egg quiche

last night, i came home from the csa with a slew of gorgeous tomatoes.  so, obviously i wanted to include them in our dinner.  i decided to try making a tofu and egg crustless quiche, despite never having made one before.  luckily, it turned out well (hence why i'm sharing it with you all :-)  it was hearty, yet fluffy and had great flavor -- a winner all around!

here's what you'll need...

1/2 block firm tofu
4 eggs
1/2 medium onion
2 shallots
1 large heirloom tomato, sliced
1/4 cup fresh herbs (i used basil and parsley)
3-4 garlic cloves
1/3-1/2 cup cheese (i used bleu and mozzarella)
olive oil
salt & pepper

preheat oven to 400 degrees.

1. chop onions and shallots and saute in a bit of olive oil until translucent and lightely caramelized.  season with salt and pepper.

2. while the veggies saute, put the tofu, eggs, herbs and garlic in a blender.  blend until a smooth liquid is formed.  season with salt and pepper and pulse once more.

3. oil your pie plate well with olive oil and then pour in egg/tofu mixture.  top with onions and shallots, tomato slices and sprinkle with cheese.

4. bake for approximately 40 minutes until the quiche puffs up a bit and the edges are lightly brown.  check the center with a knife to ensure it's cooked through before removing it from the oven.

those gigantic green things are slices of (fully-ripe) heirloom tomato

enjoy with a large side salad and even more delicious, heirloom tomatoes!!!  serves 4 for dinner or 6 for brunch.

bon appetit

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foodie: squash "pizzas"

inspired by this recipe and with a gorgeously round summer squash in need of use, i set out to make my very own version of squash "pizza".  the buttery squash made for a delicious (though not so stable) crust, and the fresh marinara, parmigiano reggiano cheese and garden basil, made it all the better!  the result was quite tasty, if i do say so myself.

here's what you'll need for pizza for two...

1 round summer squash
marinara
cheese of your choosing
olive oil
salt
fresh basil

preheat oven to 400

1. cut the squash into 1/2 inch thick rounds, and place on an oiled baking sheet. drizzle with more olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping once, until both sides are lightly browned and the edges begin to curl up.

2. remove from the oven and top as you see fit!  caramelized onions, chopped kalamata olives and homemade pesto could be delicious, too.

3. bake for another 10 min or so, until the cheese begins to melt.

enjoy with a side salad and a glass of wine :-)

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foodie: how to use leftovers for stuffed peppers

stuffed peppers are hearty, filling and delicious...and they are a fabulous way to use up leftover veggies, rice and cheese.  i'm all about simple, all-in-one meals, and stuffed peppers fit that to a "t".  (plus, they're gluten-free in honor of my month-long wellness experiment :-)

here's what you'll need for 4 stuffed pepper halves...

2 red peppers, washed, halved and seeded
leftovers!!! (i used vegetarian baked beans & sauteed onions, but you could also use rice or quinoa and any cooked veggies you have on hand - get creative with it!)
1/4 cup marinara sauce
2 tbsp bbq sauce
1/4 cup bleu cheese
salt & pepper

preheat oven to 425

1. place peppers in a cast iron skillet or pie plate, make sure they're secure and don't wobble.

2. mix "leftovers" together and season with salt and pepper if need be, and fill all pepper halves equally.

3. mix together marinara and bbq (you could also use salsa), and top peppers with it.

4. sprinkle with cheese.

5. pour 1/2 cup of water in the base of the skillet before baking so "steam" the peppers.

6. every 15 min, spoon some of the water in the base of the skillet over the peppers so they don't dry out.  cook for 45 min or until the peppers are super tender the cheese is bubbly and filling is lightly browned.

this one-dish dinner is super easy to make, and a great way to make use of all those leftover cooked veggies and odds-n-ends you have in the fridge.

enjoy!

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foodie: portabella tacos

last night i made portabella tacos for dinner.  for whatever reason, i rarely prepare mexican-inspired meals, but finding some corn tortillas while grocery shopping inspired me.  i surveyed the fridge and found the makings for what turned into a rather yummy dinner.

here's what you'll need for tacos for two...

1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 ear of corn, kernels off cob
2 portabella caps, sliced
1 tbsp garlic
1-2 tsp cumin
1 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
olive oil
salt
6 (6 inch) soft corn tortillas

toppings...

chopped tomato
smashed avocado with garlic, lemon & salt
shredded cheese
chopped lettuce

1. saute onion, red peppers and portabellas in olive oil.  season with salt, garlic and spices.  cook until onions are slightly caramelized.  at the end of cooking, mix in fresh corn.

2. as veggies cook, chop tomatoes & lettuce and prepare smashed avocado.  gather up whatever toppings you would like.

3. once the filling is done and the toppings are prepped, the last step is to lightly "toast" your tortillas in a pan for 10-15 seconds per side to heat them.

prepare your tacos as you see fit, and enjoy your scrumptious meal!  (as you can see, mine was overflowing with fresh deliciousness.)

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