Quick-Poached Eggs Over Toast

My idea of a perfect brunch: this is savory, fast and packed with both fiber and protein. Plus, if you add it up, the calories come to about 250. Not too shabby eh?

One of my favorite new things I learned this year was how to quick-poach an egg. It's easier and faster than the traditional method, and yields an egg that is somewhat like a sunny-side up egg without all the frying.

Ingredients (each, per person):

1 egg
1 tbsp butter
1 slice of whole grain bread
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup spinach
Ice
cooking spray

To quick-poach:

Toast and butter your bread.

Spray a stainless steel skillet with cooking spray and set on medium heat. Break your egg into the pan, being careful not to break the yolk. Cook until the bottom of the whites are set (so it won't slide around or break up anymore) and then add in a handful of ice cubes. Cover and cook until the white part over the yolk just sets, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Top the toast with spinach, then the egg, then salt and pepper to taste.

Coconut and Pumpkin Chai Cream Pies

Two pies, one variation. How easy could that be? The coconut milk reduces the calorie count, so now you can have your pie and eat it too.

As I have to transport these babies to mutiple households tomorrow, they are still naked on top, but you can top them with whipped cream just before serving.

Coconut Pie Indredients:

1 baked pie crust
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1.5 cups coconut milk
1.5 cups half and half
1/2 cup flour
1 cup toasted or raw coconut
1 tsp vanilla

In a medium saucepan, combine milk, eggs, coconut milk, sugar and flour. Whisk continuously over medium heat until thickened (about 10-20 minutes)

About the time you are ready to give up, sure that it isn't EVER going to thicken, it does. So hang in there.

Remove from heat and stir in coconut and vanilla. Pour into pie crust and chill until set, about 3 hours.

Top with whipped cream just before serving.



                                           **If you are making the pumpkin pie**
 
You will substitute 1 cup of pumpkin puree for the dried coconut, and add it to the milk base with 1 tsp each garam masala and cinnamon, and cook until thickened. Stir in vanilla after you remove from heat. Continue with directions as stated.

10 minute Polenta with Tomatoes, Spinach and Olives

Super quick, easy and tasty meal! I discovered polenta some years back, and have served it this way ever since. You can find it in the pantry aisle in a litte tube like this:

Slice it 1/4 inch thick and bake on an oiled pan at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, open 1 can stewed tomatoes and simmer until dark red.

Top the polenta slices with fresh spinach, stewed tomatoes, kalamata olives and Parmesan. See how easy that was? Less than 6 ingredients and 10 minutes and you've got dinner.

Broccoli Casserole

I'm not hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year, and I'm kind of disappointed to not be happily buzzing away in my kitchen come T-day. But I will be sharing a few inspired dishes. So come back tomorrow and look for coconut cream pies, a polenta recipe and a post-Thanksgiving left-over manifesto.

This broccoli casserole was today's big hit, and I love the idea of bringing to dinner, replacing that tired, old green bean casserole that is so traditional. The sauce came out perfect, without any grainy-ness and is actually less cheese than you think, with a few hidden ingredients that both jazz it up and cut down the calories at the same time.

Ingredients:
2 lbs of broccoli florets (about 7-8 cups) steamed until bright green, but still crispy
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp cumin
salt to taste
1/2 tsp prepared yellow mustard
1.5 cups flavor-free nondairy milk
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup low fat shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
pepper to taste
10 or so crushed vegetable crackers

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a saucepan, combine flour, cumin, broth and milk over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until thickened.

Remove from heat and stir in cheeses, salt, pepper and mustard. Add broccoli, coating evenly.

Pour into casserole dish, top with a bit more parmesan and cheddar if desired, as well as the crushed crackers. Bake about 10-15 minutes, or until brown and bubbly. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

Spinach and Potato Frittata

It's a rainy Veteran's Day out here on the California coast, and what better for brunch than a savory frittata and a cup of hot coffee? My husband's got music playing and my kids are debating on whether this should be considered a breakfast or a lunch...hence: brunch.

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped
2 large red potatoes, diced and boiled until barely soft
1 6 oz. bag of fresh baby spinach
4 whole eggs
4 egg whites
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1/3 cup of vegetable broth
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup of shredded cheese of your choice
sprinkling each of bread crumbs and parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350.

Saute the onion until soft, then set aside.

Saute the spinach until wilted, doing in two batches if necessary and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, whites, broth, seasoning, salt and pepper, whisk until blended. Then fold in the onion, potato and spinach.

Pour into a greased pie pan and top with cheeses and bread crumbs. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until middle is set and top is browned. Let cool 5 minutes before cutting and serve with sour cream and salsa.

Kale and Red Pepper Tartine

Tartine is a just a fancy way of saying "open faced sandwich." I was so excited about this dish, and it really stood up to my expectations. I'm already thinking of a thousand ways to vary it: with roasted eggplant, or fresh tomato, or maybe artichoke hearts. Goat cheese gives it a tangy bite and the better the bread, the better the taste of this little sandwich.

These little sandwiches are served on toasted bread, best paired with the hearty, seedy type (of bread, not person).

Ingredients:

6 slices of toasted whole-grain baguette
herbed goat cheese
roasted red bell pepper, drained and sliced
3 cups kale
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp salt

Saute the kale, garlic and red pepper flakes in 1 Tbsp. of olive oil until wilted.

Top the toasts with a layer of goat cheese, followed by bell pepper and then finally top it all of with the kale mixture.

Asparagus and Pecan Pasta

What an unlikely combo for a pasta: asparagus, peppers and pecans?  But I bought a huge bag of pecans this month and tonight what seemed like a crazy idea turned out to be one delicous dinner hit. You can use any pasta you like and it will be just as amazing.

I did use chicken-less strips in this dinner. As a general rule, we don't eat much in the way of these kinds of things, as they tend to be very processed, but it can be a special treat every now and then.

Ingredients:
1 package pasta of your choice
1 tbsp. olive oil for cooking veggies
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 bunches of asparagus, roughly chopped
1 cup veggie broth
3 tbsp. pesto
salt and pepper to taste
3 tbsp. olive oil for sauce
1 pound of Chicken-less strips (optional)
1 cup of grated parmesan (optional)
1 cup pecans

Boil pasta according to directions.

Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large pan and saute garlic, pepper and asparagus for about 2 minutes. Pour in the broth, bring to a simmer and add the pesto, the rest of the olive oil, salt, pepper, chicken-less strips (if using).

Cook until everything is cooked through.

Serve over the pasta, tossing to coat, and fold in the parmesan and pecans.