Southwestern Egg Muffins

I had a bunch of stuff leftover from random recipes and needed to use it up, so I threw it all together last night and made myself a good take-to-work breakfast for a few days. I can't believe I hadn't thought of this before, although I'm sure if I looked around others have similar recipes. It's a great way to use up veggies and have a hearty breakfast without having to cook in the morning.

Southwestern Egg Muffins

serves 6 (2 muffins per serving)

8 large eggs

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1 cup black beans

1/2 cup chopped bell pepper

1/2 cup corn

2/3 cup shredded Mexican-style cheese

1 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp chili powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a muffin tin by spraying all the cups thoroughly. 

In a large bowl, combine eggs and stir until yolks are evenly mixed. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Pour into muffin cups until nearly full, then bake 20-25 minutes until the muffins are just slightly browned and firm on the top.

Let cool for a few minutes before removing from the tins gently, using a knife to loosen the sides. Serve warm and enjoy!

*For leftovers, let cool completely and keep in a Ziploc bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

BBQ Chicken Quinoa Salad

Do you ever make a recipe, try it, and want to yell out loud, "I AM SUCH A GOOD COOK!" Sometimes I do. Really, I think my talent is in picking other people's recipes that have everything I love. This one was a major hit with me. Pretty simple, high-protein, and full of yummy/healthy stuff.

BBQ Chicken Quinoa Salad

serves 4

1/3 cup uncooked quinoa

1/2 cup cooked corn

1/2 cup black beans, rinsed and drained

6 oz cooked, shredded chicken

1/4 cup plus 2-4 Tbsp of your favorite BBQ sauce, divided

1 small avocado, chopped (about 4 oz)

2-4 Tbsp shredded Mexican-style cheese

2 scallions, chopped

Cilantro for garnish

Cook quinoa according to package directions. Meanwhile, combine shredded chicken with 1/4 cup barbecue sauce and set aside to marinate for a few minutes.*

When quinoa is done, put in a large bowl and toss with the corn, black beans, chicken, and avocado. Top with a few tablespoons of barbecue sauce, cheese, and scallions. Serve garnished with cilantro if desired.

*The creator of the recipe suggests actually cooking the chicken in your crockpot with the barbecue sauce and some chopped yellow onion, but I like to make large batches of shredded chicken for a bunch of different recipes, so I added the sauce after.

Greek Pasta Salad

Since I've started getting Bountiful Baskets again, I'm reminded of how fun it is to cook with fresh foods you might otherwise not buy. Getting a huge cucumber inspired me to make something Greek, and this pasta salad fit the bill! It is such a delicious, light lunch that gives me hope summer is coming!

Greek Pasta Salad

serves 2-3 as a main dish, 4-5 as a side

For pasta:

4 oz uncooked pasta (I used orzo)

1 tsp olive oil

1/4 cup diced bell pepper

1/4 cup diced red onions

2 Tbsp capers (or kalamata olives)

For Vinaigrette:

1 1/2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tsp minced garlic

1/4 tsp oregano

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

1 oz feta cheese

1 Tbsp olive oil

Before serving:

1/2 cup fresh diced roma tomatoes (or halved grape tomatoes)

1/2 cup diced cucumber

4 tsp parsley

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain well. While still warm, transfer to a large bowl and stir in teaspoon of olive oil, peppers, onions, and capers. 

In another small bowl, combine red wine vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, and feta cheese. With a fork, mash the feta until it creams a big, leaving some small bits intact. Whisk in the olive oil. Stir the vinaigrette into the pasta mixture and refrigerate, covered, for about an hour.

Before serving, stir in the tomatoes, cucumber, and parsley. Serve chilled and enjoy!

Baked Broccoli Mac and Cheese

This was way easier than I thought it would be...and it gave me a good idea of how to use fresh broccoli up when I'm sick to death of eating it as a steamed side dish.

Baked Broccoli Mac and Cheese

serves 4

Cooking spray

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 large head fresh broccoli, small florets only

2 Tbsp Panko bread crumbs

3 Tbsp grated Parmesan, divided

1 cup skim milk

2 1/2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

1/2 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 tsp Dijon mustard

6 oz whole wheat penne or pasta of choice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and coat a shallow baking dish with cooking spray.

Cook pasta in a large pot of lightly salted boiling water according to package directions, adding broccoli to the water about 3 minutes before pasta will be done. Drain pasta and broccoli and return to the pot. 

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan covered with cooking spray over medium heat, add bread crumbs and cook, stirring often, until light golden (about 2 minutes). Remove from heat and transfer crumbs to a small bowl; stir in 1 Tbsp of Parmesan and set aside. 

In the same saucepan (wiped clean), whisk together milk and flour until blended. Add onion and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking frequently. Reduce heat to low and simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes. 

Remove from heat and whisk in cheddar cheese, mustard, salt, pepper, and remaining 2 Tbsp of Parmesan cheese. Pour over cooked, drained pasta and broccoli. Toss to mix and coat. 

Transfer to prepared baking dish and sprinkle the top evenly with bread crumbs. Bake until bubbly at edges, about 20 to 25 minutes. Divide into 4 servings and serve hot. Enjoy!

Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad

I am on a total roll lately. This chicken salad is to die for! Sweet, tangy, delicious, and good for you. Seriously - perfection on a sandwich thin or romaine leaves. In my opinion.

Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad

2 Tbsp light mayo (I used the kind made with olive oil)

3 Tbsp plain, fat free Greek yogurt

1 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 Tbsp minced green onions - white ends only

3 Tbsp chopped pecans

3 Tbsp Craisins

1/4 Granny Smith apple, diced into small pieces

10 oz cooked, shredded chicken breast

Cook your chicken breast as desired and shred (as always, I used my crock pot). Set aside and let cool.

Combine mayo, Greek yogurt, apple cider vinegar, and rosemary in a large bowl and mix well. Add the pecans, onion, Craisins, apple, and chicken. Stir/toss to coat everything evenly. Chill overnight or at least an hour and serve. Enjoy!

Cinnamon Swirl Blondies with Chocolate Chips

Wow. Seriously, wow. These were so incredibly delicious - I made these for Sunday dessert as my whole family was about to venture into an 8 week weight-loss challenge involving 6 sugar-free days a week. These blondies were an appropriate sendoff, if I do say so myself. I found the main recipe here and tweaked it just a bit...naturally no dessert is a real dessert without chocolate and extra cinnamon (at least according to the McDonald family). They were awesome served warm with vanilla ice cream, but my roommates also raved about them a few days old.

Cinnamon Swirl Blondies with Chocolate Chips

for the blondies:

2/3 cup butter

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1/2 package semi-sweet chocolate chips

for the cinnamon swirl:

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8x8 baking pan. 

In a small saucepan, melt the 2/3 cup butter and let it cook until golden brown on medium heat (around 10 minutes, maybe longer). Set aside to cool slightly. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. In a larger bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar, and stir until smooth. Add the vanilla, eggs, and lemon juice and mix well. Add dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Spread the batter in the prepared pan.

in the same pan you used to melt the butter for the batter melt the 1/4 cup butter for the cinnamon swirl. Add the sugar and cinnamon and stir to combine. Drizzle the hot cinnamon sauce over the batter and use a butter knife to swirl it. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before serving. 

Enjoy! I know I did. :)

Penne with Asparagus, Bacon, and Tomatoes

This recipe may have a few more steps than is really convenient, but let me tell you - it's probably worth it. It just may be my new favorite asparagus recipe. The flavors are incredible, and it's definitely doable for any cook, as long as you are good at multitasking. It also makes for a huge and filling serving for relatively low calories.

Penne with Asparagus, Bacon, and Tomatoes

1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces

6 oz uncooked whole-wheat pasta

2 slices uncooked Center-Cut bacon

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic

1/2 cup chopped fresh tomatoes

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 tsp dried parsley

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 Tbsp fat-free sour cream

1/4 tsp salt

pinch black pepper

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add asparagus and cook for 2 minutes until bright green. Remove with a slotted spoon; immediately submerge into cold water to stop them from cooking. Drain cold water and set aside.

Using the same pot and boiling water you just cooked the asparagus in, cook pasta according to package directions. When pasta is done, drain but reserve 1/2 cup of cooking water. 

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine tomatoes, parsley, and vinegar. Set aside. 

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon to desired doneness. Remove with a slotted spoon and chop, set aside. In remaining bacon drippings, add onion and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add cooked pasta to skillet, toss to coat thoroughly and turn heat to low.

Add lightly beaten egg, salt, and pepper to pan; toss well. Stir in sour cream and about 1/4 cup pasta water. Add asparagus pieces, bacon, tomato mixture, and cheese. Gently toss so the sauce and cheese are well distributed. Make sure the dish is heated evenly and serve. Enjoy!

Makes 4 servings.