Vegetable Quiche To Go

I often struggle with eating breakfast in the morning. It's not that I don't have the time, it's just that I usually forget or don't put the effort into it. Then of course I'm starving by 9:30 and scrounging through the office looking for something to eat.

I discovered these in a South Beach Diet cookbook, but they really are quite fantastic for anyone's breakfast. One batch makes enough for almost a week's worth of meals, and they store well in the fridge. They're exceptionally easy to make and only take about 35 minutes from start to finish. They also freeze well, so you can easily have these on hand to pop into the microwave on those busy mornings. I used mushrooms, onion, and spinach, but you could easily substitute whatever veggies you have on hand - green peppers, tomatoes, asparagus, etc. Here are some tasty variations:

Feeling Greek? Throw in spinach, feta, and mushrooms.
Feeling Mexican? Try adding some salsa, green peppers, and some mexican spices.
Feeling Fancy? Try smoked salmon, chopped red onion, and capers.

The possibilites are virtually endless. So go ahead and give this quick breakfast a try!



Vegetable Quiche To Go
Makes 6 servings

2 tbsp olive oil
3/4 c chopped onion
1 c chopped mushrooms
1 c chopped fresh spinach leaves
1 c shredded cheese
2 cups Egg Beaters (or equivalent in real eggs)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 to 1 tsp of your favorite seasoning salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. In saucepan, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and mushroom, and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Add spinach and stir until wilted. Remove from heat. Place foil muffin liners in a 12-cup muffin pan. Place 1 tbsp of vegetable mixture in each cup. Top with a pinch of cheese. In a large bowl, whisk egg beaters with seasonings and evenly divide into muffin cups. Place into oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until a knife inserted comes out clean. Cool and remove liners. Store in refrigerator or freezer.

Winners!

Alright - so the time has come to pick the winners. I'm very excited to be giving 5 copies of this delicious book to some very lucky readers. So without further ado, the winners, as chosen by Random.org, along with their most favorite baked goods, are:

1 - Carrie, who says, "Cinnamon buns! I like to make them because they seem extra special, but they're not that difficult. And they taste so gooey and good."

2 - Ashley, who has a penchant for "Moist, savory quickbreads. Mmmmm."

3 - DS, who says that their "favorite baked dessert is Rhubarb Crunch from the Mennonite Cook Book."

4 - Katie Nell likes "most baked goods, but probably my favorite is coffeecake, of any kind!"

and 5 - Kickpleat, who loves a good "coconut and raspberry jam bar. mmm."

Congratulations, winners! Please contact me at 28 cooks AT gmail DOT com so that I can mail off your cookbook!

Back from Jamaica with a Cookbook Giveaway!

So I'm back to business here at 28Cooks. And during my absence, I actually took a much-needed vacation to Jamaica. It was absolutely incredible! We stayed at a newer resort in Runaway Bay, the Gran Bahia Principe, which I highly recommend. It was huge with over 860 rooms, but it never felt crowded. The food was actually pretty good, considering it was an all-inclusive, and we only stood in 1 line for about 5 minutes for dinner one night. We also got the chance to climb the Dunn's River Waterfalls, which were beautiful and amazing, as well as take a Jeep tour down through a few towns and then up into the mountains. All in all, it was a fantastic trip.

And when I returned, I found a box of cookbooks awaiting me. A publishing company had offered to send me 1, but actually sent me 6! So their mistake is your gain! I'm giving away 5 copies of Baking Unplugged.



This book is specifically taking baking back to the basics and starting from scratch. There are plenty of good old recipes, such as Sour Cream Crumb Cake, Blueberry Muffins, and Moist Vanilla Pound Cake.

And all you have to do is simply leave me a comment and tell me what your favorite baked good is, whether it is to bake it or to eat it. That's it! Simply leave your comment by March 14th and I'll pick a winner at random and post on the 15th.

Good Luck! And now I'm off to adjust to the cold weather...

Thai Slaw

It's the dead of winter here on the East Coast, which is typically when people crave heavy, warm, comfort foods. However, I'm of the opposite line of thinking, and crave things that make me think of warm weather.

I found this slaw recipe on The Daily Raw Cafe and immediately bookmarked it. I had all of the ingredients stocked in my pantry, so I gave it a go. I made a few moderations to the original recipe, and let me tell you - it's absolutely delicious. The dressing is quite fantastic, and I think it would be wonderful as a regular salad dressing or as a dipping sauce for spring rolls.

The recipe literally took me about 20 minutes to make, so this is one you should file away for when you have limited time but want something tasty. I also think this would be a great twist on the traditional coleslaws for those upcoming barbeques and spring get-togethers!



Thai Slaw
A variation of a recipe from the Daily Raw Cafe
Serves 4

Dressing
1/2 c raw almond butter
1/4 c coconut oil
1 tbsp agave nectar
Zest and juice of one lime
1 tsp minced ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tbsp crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp salt

Slaw
4 cups Napa cabbage, finely shredded
2 cups red cabbage, finely shredded
1 cup carrot, finely shredded
1 tbsp fresh mint, minced
1 tbsp fresh cilantro, minced

Combine all dressing ingredients in a small food processor. Process until well combined. In a large bowl, combine all slaw ingredients. Pour dressing over slaw ingredients and toss well. Allow to rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving, although overnight is best. Enjoy!!

Indian Avocado Spinach Dip

There are few foods I love more than Mexican and Indian foods. I seriously think I could eat either or both of these everyday for the rest of my life without a problem. So this dip is right up my alley, with the combination of the Avocado and the Indian spice.

This dip couldn't be any easier to make. There are only 3 ingredients other than spices, and there's no added fat so you can simply enjoy the freshness of the vegetables. If you're tired of schlepping the same old spinach artichoke dip to parties, give this dip a try for a tasty and interesting twist!

Oh, and this recipe is completely raw for all you raw foodies out there!




Indian Avocado Spinach Dip

2 avocados, cut in half and scooped out
3 cups packed baby spinach leaves
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/8-1/4 tsp salt
Freshly cracked pepper

In a food processor, combine avocados, spinach, and lemon juice until creamy. Add garam masala, salt, and pepper and pulse until well combined.

Fun with the Dehydrator: Raw Lemon Macaroons

I'm not much of a sweet person, but if I do crave something sweet, it's usually either an oatmeal cookie or something of the lemon family. I love lemon meringue pie and lemon squares, so to make a lemon macaroon was a no-brainer for me.

The best part about this recipe is that you can easily just refrigerate these after making the batter and have a no-bake chilled cookie, so if you don't have a dehydrator, you can still enjoy them! I also believe, although I haven't tried it, that you could easily bake these in the oven on a very low temp for an hour or two.
If you're looking for more of a traditional macaroon baked in the oven, try these Coconut Cardamom Macaroons.



Lemon Macaroons
2 cups shredded coconut
1/2 c coconut butter
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 c agave
1/2 c cashews, ground into flour
Juice and zest from 2 lemons

Mix all ingredients together. If using the dehydrator, form into mounds and place on dehydrator tray. Dehydrate at 115 degrees for 12 hours, until they are nice and crispy on the outside, yet still moist on the inside. Enjoy!

The beginning of another week...

It's been 2 weeks since I posted. Wow. To be honest, I've been so busy with work and life that I haven't had the time to post any new recipes. Combine that with the fact that now when I get home from work, it's too dark for great pictures, and you find yourself with an empty blog.

Not to say I haven't been cooking, though. I've actually been using the dehydrator like a crazy person and creating new recipes. Although I realize this is an appliance that many homes don't have, it's been fun learning and discovering new things to make in it.

I'm going to post a vegan dehydrator recipe or two this week, and then I'll be back next Monday with some new vegaquarian recipes. I also have a cookbook giveaway waiting in the wings, so be sure to check back.