Spinach & Mushroom Quiche

In my opinion, quiche is like a wonder-food.  Because it's a cross between an omelet and a pie you can eat it for breakfast, lunch or dinner (or all 3 in a row because it's so delicious).  It's also SUPER easy and quick to make.  I love recipes like this because they don't involve a lot of careful timing which means it's stress-free and can be made while you're chatting with friends & family or watching HGTV on your iPad while your husband watches hockey.  

If you want to up the ante and get a li'l fancy you can make your own pie crust (I have a great recipe here that I use for my apple pie that can also be used for this quiche) but if you want to keep things a little more simple you can use a ready-made frozen pie crust.  My favorite ones are the Trader Joe's brand because they are made with all-natural ingredients and real butter, but if you don't have a TJ's nearby I'm sure you could find a good one somewhere like Whole Foods.  (Just beware certain generic brands like Pillsbury because they are full of preservatives & artificial ingredients - yuck!).  I like to make mine with fresh spinach & mushrooms and a LOT of garlic - but feel free to add whatever veggies you like!  Broccoli would be great, as would a little bell pepper...  This is another great recipe for clearing out your fridge & making it your own!

(Speaking of making it your own, I like to call it "kweesh".  I just can't help it).

You Will Need:

• 1 pie crust (for homemade see here)
• 1 large onion
• 4-5 cloves of garlic 
• 2 cups of fresh spinach (or one 10 oz. pkg frozen spinach)
• 1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms (or 1 can sliced mushrooms)
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup of milk
• olive oil
• salt & pepper
• your choice of cheese (I used 1/2 cup mozzarella & some fresh grated parmesan, but I have also used 6 oz. of herb & garlic feta instead of mozzarella & it was amazing)

Directions:

1.  If you're using a frozen pie crust, make sure you take it out of the freezer to give it enough time to thaw (the package will tell you how long - mine took 1.5 hrs).  Once it has thawed, press it into your pie dish.

2.  Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees.  Once the oven is heated, I like to pre-cook my empty pie crust for 10 minutes so that it stays crispy underneath the egg.

3.  Finely chop your onion and sautée in a pan over medium heat with a little bit of olive oil.  Chop & add your garlic (I use a garlic press) making sure to stir fairly often so it doesn't burn (turn the heat down if you need to).

4.  Finely chop your spinach & mushrooms and add to the onion mixture.  Continue sautéeing.

5.  In a separate bowl, whisk together your eggs & milk, adding a dash of salt & pepper (keep in mind, cheeses are generally salty so if I'm using a flavorful cheese I usually don't add any salt).

6.  Once your sautéed vegetables are nice & soft, add your cheese & stir until melted.  Spoon this mixture into your pie crust & pour egg mixture over top.  

7.  Bake for 15 minutes, then remove & sprinkle a little grated cheese on top if you like (this is where I used my fresh grated parmesan).  Then continue baking for another 35-40 minutes until the egg in the center is cooked.  Keep an eye on your quiche and if you notice the crust getting a little brown you can add a loose covering of tin foil over top for the remainder of the baking time.

8.  Let cool for about 10 minutes, then serve & enjoy!

Learning to Sew

I have always wanted to learn how to sew.  I have vague memories of my mum trying to teach me how to use her sewing machine but other than really wanting to press that foot pedal I never quite got into it. Cut to a couple decades later and  my desire to make my own throw-pillows instead of paying $75 for one has lead to me create a "Sewing" heading on my blog without actually knowing how to sew anything.  At all.

Well, I am proud to say that instead of deleting said heading and replacing it with "Macaroni Crafts", I have taken my very first sewing class - and it was AMAZING!!!  My friend Lorena and I signed up for a class offered by this awesome little place called "Sew L.A.", located in a part of town called Atwater Village.  Another thing I love is discovering new areas of Los Angeles and this particular street is wonderful.  Not only does it host this beautiful sewing studio, but it also has a coffee shop, a bakery, a second-hand bookstore, a dance studio, a record shop AND a place called "The Little Knittery" that also offers classes!  Pretty much everything you could ever want.

The class we signed up for was called "Machine Intro" and we learned how to set up our machine, wind a bobbin, measure & cut fabric, sew some basic stitches and in the end we each wound up with our very own handmade tote-bag to hold our sewing supplies.  Learning about all the different parts of the sewing machine wasn't very exciting (though I'm guessing essential) but let me tell you, I got my foot on that pedal and I was sold.  I felt like I was driving a sewing-machine-racecar and I wanted to cross the tote-bag finish line.  It was just me and my cat fabric and I was in heaven.  Lorena loved it too and I think we were maybe a little too proud of our square sacks, but we didn't care.  We were winners.

Needless to say, I'm in love and am already designing the logo for my clothing label (you think I'm kidding).  We've both signed up for our first garment class where we will each be making a skirt and I can't wait to be able to wear something I made myself.  I foresee many handmade gifts in my (your?) future and I'm happy to announce that the "Sewing" heading is here to stay.

Sew L.A. storefront on Glendale Blvd.

Just one wall of their incredible selection of fabrics.

One day I will make this dress!

My sewing machine & cat fabric, ready to go.

Really excited.  Like "first day of kindergarten" excited.

Pedal to metal!

Very proud of our first handmade tote bags.

Lavash Bread Pizza

This post isn't exactly a "recipe" but I wanted to share it because it's one of my go-to dinners when we're hungry and don't feel like cooking a big meal (or going out & buying lots of ingredients).

I always try to keep a package of whole wheat lavash bread in the freezer because it has so many uses and thaws out at room temperature in about two minutes.

I got the idea for using lavash bread as a pizza crust from my husband's mom and I fell in love with it because it's light, crispy, and much healthier than eating all that dough in a regular pizza.  The lavash is really just a host for the nutritious veggies that you pile on top and the best part is that you feel great after eating it!  None of that sluggish, too-full feeling you get after eating regular pizza - instead you feel light, energized and satisfied.

I often make this pizza when we have some leftover "Kale and White Bean Soup" and then pair them together for a perfect dinner.  (I also usually make 2 lavash pizzas and one goes in the fridge for tomorrow's lunch - I told you I love leftovers!).  Also, I like to make mine with just some onion, garlic & yellow pepper but feel free to use whatever veggies and other toppings you please.  Just remember that the lavash bread is pretty delicate so if you pile on TOO many it might break when you try to eat it - but hey, there's always a fork.

Here's what you'll need:

• Whole Wheat Lavash Bread (I buy mine at Trader Joe's)
• Pizza Sauce (I've also used leftover spaghetti sauce & it was great)
• An onion
• A yellow pepper
• Whatever veggies you please!
• Garlic
• Olive Oil
• Cheese  *Use Daiya cheese (SO good) for vegan option!

Directions:

(Haha.  This section is making me laugh because clearly building a pizza is pretty straightforward, but I took a bunch of pictures so you're getting a play-by-play.)

1.  Preheat your oven to 400 F.

2.  Take lavash bread out of freezer and place on baking sheet to thaw.

3.  Chop up your onion and sautée in a pan with a little olive oil (1-2 tsp.) over medium heat.  While this is cooking spread a thin layer of pizza sauce on your lavash bread (it doesn't matter if it's still frozen).

4.  Now thinly slice your garlic & yellow pepper (and whatever other veggies you're using).  Once your onion starts to become translucent, add these veggies to the pan & keep sautéeing.  Continue cooking until the vegetables start to soften (I like my peppers to still have a bit of crunch).

5.  Spoon veggie mixture onto lavash bread & top with a little grated cheese.  Pop in the oven for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the edges look crispy (and make sure you keep an eye on it because lavash bread cooks fast).  Cut into slices & serve!

Teriyaki Turkey Lettuce Wraps

Last night I tried out a new recipe that is now officially one of my favorites.  It is so easy, full of lean protein & veggies and is the perfect meal for a warm summer evening.  As you have probably noticed I am a big fan of leftovers (if I'm going to spend time cooking something I love it if I can get a next-day lunch out of it too) and these leftovers were DELICIOUS.  In fact, I may double the recipe next time so that we have even more left over to enjoy.

Pair these lettuce wraps with a nice, chilled Sauvignon Blanc and you have the perfect light, yet satisfying summer meal.

*For other recipes that make great next-day lunches, check out my Kale & White Bean Soup, Lentil Sloppy Joes, Super Chopped Detox Salad, and the Most Delicious Lasagna!

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 large onion

1 lb. lean ground turkey breast

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

A 12 oz. bag of broccoli slaw (I get mine from Trader Joe's)

An 8oz. can of water chestnuts (drained)

1/2 cup of teriyaki sauce (I used Mr. Yoshida's which we buy at Costco - it's great!)

1 tsp. sesame oil

1 head of butter or iceberg lettuce

Directions:

1.  Finely chop your onion and sautée with olive oil in large pan/wok over medium heat.  Cook for about 5 minutes until softened.  (While this is cooking you can drain & chop up your water chestnuts & put aside).

2.  Add ground turkey, salt, pepper & garlic powder.  Continue cooking & stirring until turkey is browned, crumbled & cooked-through .

3.  When turkey is cooked, stir in your broccoli slaw, water chestnuts, teriyaki sauce* & sesame oil.  Cook for another 10-15 minutes or until heated through.

4.  Spoon into crisp leaves of lettuce & enjoy!

*Note:  This recipe calls for 1/2 a cup of teriyaki sauce.  My husband thought they were perfect but they were a little sweet for me so next time I'll probably use 1/4 of a cup and serve the rest on the side to be added as people please. 

Vegan Lentil Sloppy Joes

This is one of my favorite meals to make when I don't have a lot of time.  It's so easy and delicious and the leftovers are amazing.

These Sloppy Joes are made with lentils which are a tiny but nutrient-packed superfood.  Lentils are a member of the legume family and are rich in dietary fiber which helps lower cholesterol and regulates blood-sugar.  They are also chock-full of minerals (like iron), b-vitamins (folate - good for those of you growing babies!), are an excellent source of protein and contain virtually no fat.  They provide a great slow-burning energy - and trust me, you'll feel amazing after you eat this dish.

*Just 1 cup of lentils = 18 grams of protein!

Ingredients:

1 cup of green or brown lentils

2 cups water

1 1/2 cups finely chopped celery

1 1/2 cups finely chopped carrots

1 large onion, finely chopped

2-3 cloves of garlic (pressed or finely chopped)

1 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 cup organic ketchup (or tomato soup/sauce - I like to do half & half)

2 tbsp. cider vinegar (sometimes I also add a little balsamic for fun)

2 tbsp. vegan worcestershire sauce

Directions:

1.  Rinse lentils according to packet directions.  Combine water & lentils in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until almost tender.

2.  In a separate pan, cook the onion, garlic, celery & carrots in olive oil until soft.  Add remaining ingredients & stir.

3.  Drain lentils & mix together.  Cook everything on low heat until lentils are tender.  

4.  Serve on a toasted whole wheat bun!