I whipped up this little omelet this morning, and wasn’t going to post it, then thought, why not share the deliciousness?!! Obviously, you can add (or omit) whatever veggies and/or spices that suit your fancy, but I love the combination of what I put into mine today. If you’re not a fan of goat cheese, just substitute your favorite.
Ingredients
1/2 cup egg whites, from 4 large eggs or liquid whites
2 pearl onions, chopped
1 tbsp. jalapeño peppers, sliced or diced
1 tbsp. goat cheese
3-4 cherry or plum tomatoes, sliced
1/2 avocado, chopped
1/2 tbsp. cilantro, more or less to taste
1/8 tsp. Mexican chili powder
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Directions
Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a small skillet over medium heat.
Add chopped onions to pan and sauté for approximately 3 minutes, or until softened.
Remove from skillet & set aside.
Wipe down pan and add remaining oil back to skillet.
Put egg whites and spices in a small bowl and whisk with a fork until slightly frothy.
Pour mixture into heated pan, swirl around a little and let cook for about 5 minutes, until almost completely set and opaque.
Add remaining ingredients, including the sautéed onions, to one side of the omelet, then sprinkle with goat cheese.
Fold “empty” side of omelet over the other side and carefully slide out of pan onto a serving plate.
Garnish with cilantro and serve with additional avocado slices and salsa, if desired.
Believe it or not, I’ve never stripped corn to get fresh kernels… until today. I came across a recipe for linguine with fresh vegetables, which included corn, and although it looked delicious, I’ve been veering away from pasta as of late. So, I thought I’d make the corn and either eat it solo or add it to a salad. This is a quick and easy recipe, which yields super yummy corn!
Ingredients
1 ear of corn, kernels removed
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Remove the leaves and “silk” from the ear of corn, then chop off the pointed top and stalk. Use a sharp knife to shave off the kernels — either stand ear upright on its base and shave downward, or lay on its side on a cutting board to slice off the kernels.
Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.
Add corn, garlic and salt and pepper to pan.
Cook, stirring occasionally, for approximately 3-5 minutes until tender.
I recently had dinner at my neighborhood sushi restaurant, and remembered the last time I ate there was when my best friend was visiting over Memorial Day weekend. We ordered their mango and avocado salad, which was seriously amazing. I didn’t order it this time (sigh), but kept thinking about it after I got home, and decided to make a similar version after a trip to Trader Joe’s the following day. There is so much flavor in this quick fruit salad, not to mention, it’s extremely healthy. Two days later, I’m still enjoying it!!!
Ingredients
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. lime juice
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
2 mangos, cubed
2 avocados, cubed
8-10 plum or cherry tomatoes, cut in half
2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, minced
Directions
In a large serving bowl, whisk together vinegar, lime juice, salt and pepper to taste. Slowly whisk in oil.
I LOVE Trader Joe’s and their packaged egg white salad, however, it’s a bit pricey, so decided to make a version of my own today. You can really tailor this to suit your own taste by using various herbs, seasonings and veggies, but I think this recipe has some really great flavor (in my humble opinion).
Ingredients
4 large hardboiled eggs, finely chopped
1 tbsp. celery, fined diced
1 tbsp. light mayo or Greek yogurt
1/2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. ground turmeric
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. ground dill weed
1/4 tsp. ground mustard
1/4 tsp. chives
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
Chopped Egg WhitesAll of The Ingredients
Directions
Put enough water in a medium pot to cover eggs.
Bring to a boil, cover pot and shut off heat. Keep eggs in pot for 20 minutes.
Discard hot water, then run under cold water and peel the eggs, tossing out the yolks.
Chop finely with fork (and knife, if needed).
In a bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and mix well.
A few months ago, I made some amazing Oreo truffles and wanted to do something similar for the potluck we had at work yesterday to celebrate the 4th. I saw these a while back and saved the recipe from Six Sisters’ Stuff, and followed it exactly as written, with the exception of using only red, white & blue sprinkles and adding American flag toothpicks on top to make these patriotic for the occasion. I’m not a huge cake batter fanatic (although I do like it a lot), but apparently, there are tons of people out there who are! I thought they were great, and received rave reviews, so have to say they were a success 🙂 Not to mention, I think they’re really cute!
Ingredients
1 ½ cups flour
1 cup yellow cake mix
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt
4 tbsp. milk (I used skim)
2 tbsp. sprinkles
Truffle Coating
16 oz. (8 squares) almond bark (or white candy melts)
4 tbsp. yellow cake mix
Sprinkles
Rolled up & ready to cool in fridge
Directions
Beat together butter and sugar using an electric mixer until combined.
Add cake mix, flour, salt, and vanilla and mix thoroughly.
Add 4 tbsp. of milk to make a dough consistency.
Mix in sprinkles by hand.
Roll dough into one inch balls and place on a parchment or wax paper lined cookie sheet.
Chill balls in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm up.
While dough balls are chilling, melt almond bark in the microwave in 30 second intervals until melted. Stir between intervals. (I used my chocolate warmer)
Once melted, quickly stir in cake mix until incorporated completely.
Using a fork, dip truffles into almond bark and shake of excess bark by tapping the bottom of the fork on the side of your bowl.
Place truffles back on the cookie sheet and top with sprinkles. Repeat with remaining balls until finished.
Chill cake batter truffles in the refrigerator until serving. Makes around 24-30 truffles.
Recently, my Mom and cousin shared a recipe on Facebook for a no carb pizza crust, containing cream cheese, eggs and a few other ingredients, which my Mom decided to try. She said it was very good, but didn’t get crispy. I was thinking about it today, but being a thin, crispy crust lover, I figured it wouldn’t suit me. The wheels started turning, as did my search for a no-carb/low-carb crust alternative. I came across a few using cauliflower, which received fabulous reviews so decided I would give it a shot, making my own adjustments. Well, let me tell you that I was floored with how good this crust is. Seriously. Delicious! While it’s not zero carbs, it does only contain 15 carbs (9 net carbs) for the whole crust!!! And as my friend, Johnathan says, “Definitely a healthy alternative. And is a good source of fiber, vitamin C, potassium and folate.” I should add the crust is gluten-free, and after doing the math, one slice of my pepperoni pizza (10 inch pie cut into six pieces) is a mere 133 calories! However, I sliced mine thinner into eight pieces, so just 100 calories per slice.
The original recipe calls for cooking it at 450°F for 15 minutes, but that resulted in very crispy edges. Mind you, I have an antique stove, so my cooking times need to be to be watched (except in the case of today when I was doing other things). That said, I recommend using a lower temp and keeping an eye on the crust so it doesn’t burn.
Update 6/22/13: I made this again last night & changed a few things due to what I had on hand… substituted liquid egg whites for the egg, used a part-skim Mexican cheese blend instead of mozzarella, and added a teaspoon of dried basil and 1/2 teaspoon of dried parsley to the recipe below. For my first pizza, I finished cooking it (with the toppings) under a broiler, but last night, just turned up the oven and finished it off in there. I prefer that method, so changed the directions below to reflect that. I’ve included a few more pictures so you can see the difference in the two pizzas. Both versions are amazing – it’s really just a matter of personal preference. Obviously, using egg whites reduces the calories so if that’s a concern, I’d recommend going that route.
Ingredients (Crust)
1/2 medium-large head cauliflower (or 2+ cups shredded cauliflower)
1 large egg (or 2 egg whites = 1/4 cup liquid egg whites)
1 cup part-skim shredded Mozzarella cheese (or Mexican cheese blend)
2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano (feel free to add some dried basil, parsley, etc.)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
The second crust made w/liquid egg whites, a Mexican cheese blend & the addition of dried basil and parsley.
The second cooked crust.
Ingredients (Pizza)
1/2-1 cup pizza sauce
1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese
Toppings of your choice (I used pepperoni and goat cheese)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Spray a cookie sheet or pizza pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Grate the cauliflower in a large bowl using a box/cheese grater until you have 2 cups of cauliflower crumbles.
Place bowl in microwave and cook for 7-8 minutes, or until softened (no water). Remove and let cool.
Mix in the egg, Mozzarella, Parmesan, oregano, garlic & onion powders, salt and pepper, stir well.
Once combined, pat into a 10-inch round on the prepared pan. Spray lightly with non-stick spray and bake for 15 minutes, or until golden (make sure to monitor it).
Remove from the oven, turn the oven up to 425°F. *See note below.
Spread pizza sauce over crust, leaving 1/4 to 1/2 inch border around the edge.
Sprinkle with 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese (or the cheese of your choice), and add your favorite toppings.
Place back in the oven for approximately 5-10 minutes, or until cheese has melted and toppings are hot. Keep an eye on it to avoid burning.
Slice and serve immediately.
Second pizza made with egg whites and Mex cheese.
Note: you can also turn the oven to broil and place under broiler for 3-4 minutes.
I bought a jar of honey roasted peanuts about a month or so ago with the intention of eating most of them, but also wanted to use them to crust either a piece of fish or chicken. With just a couple of handfuls left, I figured I better use them in a recipe before I ate the rest. This recipe is not only delicious, but is easy and quick to prepare. Oh, and the honey mustard sauce is a copycat of Outback’s!
Ingredients (Chicken)
2 thin chicken breasts
4 tbsp. honey roasted peanuts, finely chopped
2 tbsp. panko bread crumbs
1 tsp. mayonnaise
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Ingredients (Honey Mustard Sauce)
2 tbsp. Grey Poupon Dijon mustard
2 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. mayonnaise (I use light)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Spray a shallow baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Combine the ingredients for honey mustard sauce, mix well and refrigerate until ready to use.
Crush/chop peanuts using a mortar & pestle or in a food processor so the pieces are around the same size of the panko.
Pour the chopped peanuts into a shallow bowl and add the panko.
In a small bowl, mix together the teaspoon of mayo and teaspoon of Dijon until well combined.
Put chicken in baking dish, season with a little salt and pepper, and spread the Dijon/mayo evenly over both chicken breasts.
Here’s another healthy and delicious recipe for baked fish. You can use any firm white fish; cod, haddock or grouper. I used one large piece of cod, which was perfect for two servings.
Ingredients
1 large piece of Cod
1 tbsp. lime juice
1 tbsp. light mayonnaise
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp. panko breadcrumbs
1 tbsp. butter
Salt
Cooking spray
Directions
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Place fish in a 5 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray and season with salt.
Combine lime juice, mayo, onion powder, pepper and garlic powder in a small bowl, and spread over fish.
Sprinkle with panko breadcrumbs and parmesan; drizzle with butter.
Bake at 425° for 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
I’ve said it before, but in case you missed it… I LOVE sauces, and think they can take a dish to the next level. I made some baked fish last night (which was amazing, and will post soon), and knew I wanted some type of sauce to accompany/compliment it, so put on my creative thinking cap. I’ve been on a big avocado kick lately, and my fish recipe included lime juice, so I figured I’d whip up a sauce which included both, but also wanted it to be healthy. Thus, I used greek yogurt instead of mayo! The results were fantastic and added that little extra something to my dinner. This would be great on chicken, grilled steak, pork, fish and tacos.
Since I made this just for moi, I used half of an avocado, which still yielded enough for a few servings, but if you’re feeding four or more, I’d double the recipe.
Ingredients
Half medium avocado, mashed
2 tbsp. lime juice
2 tbsp. nonfat Greek yogurt
1 tbsp. cilantro, finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
Salt to taste
Directions
Mash avocado well with fork in a small bowl.
Add remaining ingredients, mix well and chill covered in fridge until ready to use.
With summer quickly approaching, I’m doing my best to eat healthier without sacrificing flavor. I’ve been marinating chicken wings (yes, I’m baking them), and decided I wanted a blue cheese dip to accompany them this time, but know that packs a punch with fat and calories, so was on the hunt for a lighter recipe. I found quite a few using non-fat Greek yogurt, and went with the one I wanted to try, making a couple of modifications. I love that this is about half the calories of your traditional blue cheese dressing and the only fat comes from the blue cheese/gorgonzola. Blue cheese lovers rejoice!!!
Ingredients
2 tbsp. gorgonzola or blue cheese crumbles
1/4 cup non-fat Greek yogurt (I used Fage)
Juice of 1/4 small lemon
1/2 tbsp. white vinegar
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire
1/8 tsp. salt
Black pepper, to taste
Pinch garlic powder
Pinch onion powder
Drizzle of honey or agave
Directions
Combine blue cheese, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, Worcestershire and vinegar in a bowl and mix well.
Add all seasonings and a drizzle of agave or honey and stir well with a fork.
Serve with chicken wings, your favorite salad, veggies, etc.
The thickness of the dressing will vary depending on the brand of Greek yogurt you use. If necessary, add water (one tablespoon at a time) and stir until dressing reaches desired consistency.
Cooking For Love 
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