Devilled Eggs

           As most of you are well aware, I love, love, love food. I will eat pretty much anytime, anywhere, any occasion. Unfortunately, my love of food this past year has turned into about 15 extra pounds on my body. I knew things had to change when the time came to put on my summer clothes, and NOTHING from last year fit.
         I don't mean "the odd pair of pants was too small," either. I mean my darling husband has had to buy me all new clothes just so I can go to work in the morning. A few weeks ago, I went outside to do yard work, and my old pants SPLIT OPEN. In the middle of our yard, surrounded by neighbours. The husband and our roommate thought it quite funny, but I knew at that exact moment that the days of lemon loaf and chocolate cake were (temporarily, at least) gone.

        I have found in the past that I eat way too many carbs, so one of the modifications I have made to my diet is eating less carbs, more veggies & protein. So today's recipe is a healthier version of devilled eggs. They are the perfect mid-afternoon snack when I normally might head to Coffee Culture to get a (400 calorie!) muffin. Each 1/2 devilled egg has about 55 calories.
       This recipe can easily be doubled, or even quadrupled. Its perfect for me to have 2 snacks.

Ingredients:
3 eggs, hard-boiled
1 tbsp light mayo
1 tsp dijon mustard
dash of celery salt
dash of paprika
dash of pepper

Directions:
1. Peel hard-boiled eggs, and rinse well.
2. Slice lengthwise and remove yolk. Mash up yolk well in small bowl.
3. Add remaining ingredients to yolk and spoon back into each egg half.
4. Makes 6 1/2 eggs.


      
    

Crustless Asparagus & Chicken Quiche

          I'm often looking for ways to cut back on calories & carbohydrates - two things that I usually over-consume :) So for breakfast last week, I made a crustless asparagus & chicken quiche ahead of time, and had leftovers for breakfast each day. It was satisfying & delicious and you didn't miss the crust at all. I served it will sliced fresh tomato, but you could also serve it with fresh fruit or baked beans.

Ingredients:

4 eggs

1 cup egg whites

1 cup full-fat milk or light cream (don't use skim milk or it will be watery)

2 cups cooked, cubed chicken

1 cup cooked, diced asparagus

1 small diced onion

1 cup shredded cheese (I used light mozzarella)

1 tsp ground black pepper

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray a 9" pie pan with Pam or another non-stick spray.

2) Put chicken, asparagus & onion in bottom of pie plate. Sprinkle with cheese.

3) Combine eggs, egg whites, milk, pepper & nutmeg. Pour into pie pan, mixture should come about 1/8 inch from the top. 

4) Bake in oven for approximately 45 minutes, until centre is cooked. Remove from oven and let stand about 5 minutes before serving. 

Scrambled Breakfast Wrap

This breakfast wrap takes just a few minutes to prepare & is healthy and satisfying. Its perfect for a day when you aren't sure what time lunch will be, as it keeps you full for a long time. Serve with salsa & sour cream if desired.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp chopped red onion

2 tbsp chopped yellow pepper

2 tbsp chopped roasted red pepper

handful of spinach

3 eggs

1 tbsp milk

1 large tortilla wrap

Grated cheese of choice (I use mozzarella)

Directions:

1) In a frying pan sprayed with cooking oil, saute onion, peppers, and spinach until they are softened over medium heat.

2) In small bowl, whisk eggs and milk together. Add dash of salt & pepper if desired.

3) Add egg to frying pan and scramble till cooked, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat.

4) Grate cheese over breakfast wrap. Add scramble mixture to wrap and roll up, tucking ends as you go.

5) Lightly grill in frying pan to seal the bottom.

World's Best Potato Salad

I'm not normally a huge fan of potato salad, but I had a whole bunch of mini potatoes that needed to get used up. I found an interesting looking recipe from Betty Crocker, so I thought I would try that with just a few changes for personal taste. Success!! I am proud to say this recipe will win over even the most skeptic people.

Ingredients:

15-20 mini potatoes, or 5-6 large

3 eggs

1 cup celery, chopped

1/3 cup red onion, diced

2 tsp dijon mustard

1 tsp regular mustard

1/3 cup sweet relish

1/2 cup mayo

1/2 tsp celery salt

dash of garlic powder

dash of pepper

Directions:

1. Cover potatoes in large pot with water, bring to a boil. Let boil uncovered, for 12-15 minutes, until potatoes are tender but not mushy. Do NOT overcook. Rinse with cold water, and when cool enough, dice. I leave the skins on.

2. Meanwhile, put eggs in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, cover and remove from heat. Let stand, covered, for 15 minutes. Put in ice bath to cool and when ready, dice.

3. Mix remaining ingredients in bowl and when eggs and potatoes are cool, add and mix well. Best if sits in fridge for at least 1 hour for flavours to blend.

Source: Betty Crocker Anniversary Cookbook

The BEST Egg Salad

I love, love, love egg salad sandwhiches. I could eat them every day. So I have been experimenting the past few months to find the BEST egg salad recipe. And - success! I have found it.

Ingredients:

8 eggs

2 tsp dijon mustard

1 tsp regular mustard

1/4 cup mayo

1/4 cup sliced green onion

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Cover eggs with water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and put eggs in ice water bath to cool. Meanwhile, mix rest of ingredients in medium bowl. Peel & chop eggs, and mix well with mixture. Serve on fresh bread with lettuce. Serves 4.

Source: Adapted from www.allrecipes.com

Quiche

Quiche is a staple in our household - its easy, nutritious & delicious! You can use store-bought crust instead of homemade to save time if you wish. You can alter the filling options to suit your personal taste.

Ingredients:

Pastry:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 4-6 teaspoons cold water

Quiche Filling:

6 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup cream

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 cup Swiss or Cheddar Cheese, shredded

Flavour Varieties:

1 small onion + 1 cup spinach (cooked, drained) + 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes (halved, drained)

1 small onion + 8 slices cooked bacon, crumbled + 1/2 cup chopped ham

8 pieces cooked asparagus, chopped & 1 cup cooked chicken, cubed

Directions:

1. Place flour in a large bowl. Sprinkle in the chopped butter; rub butter into the flour until it resembles bread crumbs. Stir in the grated cheese. Sprinkle water over the flour mixture, a teaspoon at a time, stirring lightly with a fork. Add just enough water to allow the dough form a ball and cleanly leave the sides of the bowl. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Roll out dough, and place in a 9 inch pie/quiche pan. Use a fork to prick holes over the bottom of the pastry.
3. Bake crust in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl beat eggs, milk, cream, pepper & nutmeg. Stir in cheese & quiche filling of your choice.
5. Bake 50 minutes in oven at 375 degrees F. Quiche is cooked when a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean.
6. Let stand 5 minutes before serving - important!