Herbs-from-my-garden Quiche

The latest news with Wholesome Bits is that I am now officially gluten-free. Why you ask? Well, it all comes down to... do I want to deal with some annoying issues for the rest of my life or "man up" with my motivation and enjoy life a bit more? I finally decided the later.

And boy am I glad! I have a little community on Instagram that I am loving and feeling so welcomed since I decided to go GF. We are posting pics and giving wisdom and safe places to eat. Ohhh, I love you guys!

So for you that follow my blog regularly I guess we might be taking a different route in our food/meal journey... I will most likely be posting more GF recipes, but remember you can adjust as needed unless of course, you want to join in. I will definitely be posting more about my decision to go GF at some point and let you in on THE number one reason why I did. 

So here is one of the first meals I made once I made my official decision. I just grabbed a bunch of herbs from my garden and threw them in and voila! Hope you enjoy...

Herbs-from-my-garden Quiche 

6-7 (farm fresh, of course) eggs (you can do all whole eggs or some just egg whites depending on your preference)
1 cup baby spinach, roughly chopped
3/4 cup of milk or milk substitute
small handful of fresh herbs (rosemary, dill, basil, parsley), finely chopped
3/4 cup of mozzarella cheese
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 365 degrees.

2. Coat a round quiche dish or pie pan (about 8 or 9" in diameter) with cooking spray... make sure to coat the sides as well.

3. In a medium bowl, beat eggs and milk together until incorporate well.

4. In a another bowl, toss together the spinach, herbs, cheese, and salt and pepper. Spoon into the bottom of the prepared dish.

5. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the herb mixture. Then I just like to pat everything down making sure the spinach and cheese are coated with the egg... just my little OCD thing :)

6. Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes or until it is almost set in the middle. Let cool for about 7 minutes.

Slow-Down Saturday Egg Salad

Eggs are probably the number one staple in my house. You will rarely see my fridge without eggs. There are just so many uses for them and at the same time provide healthy nutrients like protein and many vitamins and minerals. I know what you're thinking... what about the cholesterol? If you purchase local, farm fresh eggs that are from range-free chickens they will actually have 34% less cholesterol than eggs from factory-confined, worn out, sickly hens. There! (Read more on the benefits of farm fresh eggs here and here.)

So what does the Wholesome Bits family like for lunch on this cloudy, cooler spring Saturday?

Egg salad.

Egg salad makes everyone happy and full.

Here is my simple, go-to recipe. Easy, quick and healthy.

Wholesome Egg Salad

7 farm fresh eggs

2 tablespoons non-fat, plain Greek yogurt

1 heaping tablespoon of low-fat mayonnaise

1 (to 1 1/2) teaspoons of Dijon mustard

salt & pepper to taste

chopped chives, optional

Directions:

1. Put all eggs into a pan with cold water just covering the tops of the eggs. Bring to a boil. Once it reaches the boiling stage, turn down to simmer (where eggs are just barely rumbling) and set timer for 12 minutes. When done, rinse with cold water for a few minutes, then de-shell.

2. Take 3 of the yolks and place in small bowl for later. Chop the rest of the egg whites and yolks and place in medium bowl.

3. To the yolks, add yogurt, mayo, and Dijon and mix until smooth (may have some small clumps). Add to chopped eggs.

4. Salt and pepper to taste. Add chives if desired.

I always love egg salad with baby spinach with it somewhere... either plopped on top of the spinach or as an open-faced sandwich with pumpernickel bread and the spinach in the middle. Yum!

7 of the Best Brainy Breakfasts

Putting a healthy breakfast together can be a challenge for anyone. Even thinking of the two words: healthy + breakfast can really make anyone anxious. I know it is much easier to grab a box of cereal than pull out the skillet and recipe card. But in regards to our productivity and health, a wholesome breakfast is a must, especially for kids.

 photo credit

If you have kids, there are countless reasons to offer them the best wholesome breakfast every day. Ignoring breakfast could possibly lead to headache, irritability, less problem-solving skills, fatigue and decreased immunity. It is proven that a healthy breakfast gives the body a fresh supply of glucose which in turn, fuels the brain. "Without glucose," explains Terrill Bravender, professor of pediatrics at Duke University, "our brain simply doesn't operate as well." As parents we do our best to prepare them every way possible in life, why not for each day?

So I have put together what I believe to be the 7 best breakfast plans for kids or anyone. I have designed these meals around the following: high levels of protein, calcium and fiber, and low in fat and cholesterol. (Remember that farm fresh eggs are the best option because they contain 1/3 less cholesterol and 1/4 less saturated fat than those found on the grocer's shelf.)

1. Scrambled Egg Roll-Up... In skillet using coconut oil, saute' 1/2 cup of finely chopped onion. Just before it becomes translucent add about 1/2 cup (or more) of fresh spinach. Cook and stir until spinach is wilted and set aside in a bowl. Add more coconut oil to the skillet and scramble 3 eggs at medium-high temperature. When the eggs are starting to set up and not as runny, add the veggies and stir lightly until eggs are done and add salt/pepper to taste. Sprinkle top with 1/2 cup of swiss cheese and set aside until cheese is melted. Add to a whole wheat tortilla and roll up. For fun, you can cut them into slices like sushi and serve with salsa. (Gluten-free method is to use corn tortillas and make into tacos.) ** (Serves 2)

2. Protein-Packed Oatmeal Pancakes... Recipe: 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 2 eggs whites & 1 whole egg, a splash of vanilla (or almond extract is great too) and 1/2 packet of stevia powder (you can also add 1/2 tsp of cinnamon). Put all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. Spray skillet with cooking spray and pour mixture to make silver dollar size pancakes; flip. Top with fresh berries, maple syrup or natural peanut butter. (Serves 1) **

3. Fruit & Berry Parfait... Take 1/2 cup of your favorite multigrain (high fiber) cereal (like this one), 1/2 cup vanilla flavored Greek yogurt (I like this kind for kids) and 1/2 cup of fresh berries. Layer a 1/4 cup of each ingredient then repeat. Drizzle with honey. (Serves 1)

4. BLT with Avocado Spread... Avocado spread: 1 very ripe avocado (dark avocados seem less bitter than the smooth green ones), 1 T. lime juice, 1 T. olive oil mayo and salt to taste. Stir until smooth. For the sandwich: 100% whole wheat bread; toasted. 2-3 slices of cooked turkey bacon, romaine lettuce or spinach, and tomato. Spread avocado spread on toasted bread then top with turkey bacon, greens, tomato and cover with another piece of toast. **

5. Fresh Broccoli Frittata... In a medium bowl, add 6 large eggs and 2 T water and whisk. In a medium skillet, add 1 T. coconut oil and saute' 3/4 cup of finely chopped red onion. Cook until it begins to soften. Add 2 cups of (1 inch pieces) cooked broccoli and cook for another 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour eggs evenly over all the veggies. Cover tightly, and cook 13 minutes or just until set. Remove from heat and top with 3/4 cup of low-fat cheddar cheese. Let stand 7-10 minutes to melt cheese and absorb flavors. (Serves 4) **

6. Oatmeal and Cinnamon Apples... Prepare old-fashioned rolled oats as directed on package. To make cinnamon apples: In a small saucepan, add 3 T. of turbinado sugar or honey, 1/4 cup of butter (I prefer to use coconut oil) and 1 t. vanilla extract. Cook over medium-high heat until sugar is dissolved. In a separate bowl, add 1 t. cinnamon, 1/4 t. nutmeg, and 1/4 t. salt and mix well. When the mixture is bubbly add 2 cups of thinly sliced Granny Smith apples; cook gently for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 1 minute. Divide oatmeal into bowls and spoon apple mixture over each serving. (Serves 4)

7. Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread and Chocolate Smoothie... You will find the zucchini bread recipe here... it is amazing! As for the chocolate smoothie, it goes like this... 1 very ripe (preferrably frozen) banana, 1 cup of almond milk, 1 heaping tablespoon of carob powder (less if using cocoa powder), 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract and stevia to taste (if your banana is not frozen, add a few ice cubes). Put all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. You and your kids will love this smoothie!

** Add a variety of fruit to each of these meals such as melon balls, fresh berries or kiwi.