Power Breakfast Egg Bake

I start work at 7 am and I'm not a morning person. Since I spend my 12-hour shift running from one patient to the next, skipping breakfast or eating something that isn't nutritious and filling is absolutely not an option. I usually take breakfast to work with me and eat it during report, meaning my workday breakfasts have to be convenient, portable, and provide me with enough energy to sustain me throughout my long morning. Currently, this egg bake is the breakfast that is meeting my needs. I make one every week, cut it into single serving pieces and put them in small containers that I can toss in my bag and microwave at work. It also freezes well so you can make more than one weeks' worth at a time if you want. It takes about 5 minutes to mix up the ingredients and pop them in the oven, and then you've got a whole week's worth of healthy breakfasts.

This recipe is adapted from a Weight Watchers quiche recipe from their New Complete Cookbook. I got rid of the crust completely, as it's a lot of work and calories I don't need. I change up the cheese, herbs and vegetables based on what I have in the house. Today's recipe has broccoli, cheddar cheese and paprika (would have liked to add chives but didn't have any), but I also frequently use feta and spinach with oregano or parmesan and cauliflower with tarragon.

Power Breakfast Egg Bake

5 large eggs

1/2 cup fat free cottage cheese

1/2 cup skim milk

1 cup cheese

1/2 T dried herbs

salt and pepper to taste

1.5 cups vegetables

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9-inch pie dish with cooking spray. Break eggs into a bowl and lightly beat. Stir in cottage cheese and milk until well incorporated. Add cheese, herbs, salt and pepper to egg mixture and blend well. Spread vegetables in a single layer in pie dish and pour egg mixture over the top of the vegetables. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until center is solid and edges are golden brown. Makes 5 servings.

Power Hot Chocolate

Hot chocolate is one of my favorite winter treats, so when I joined Weight Watchers I knew I would need to come up with a diet-friendly version. This recipe uses enough cocoa powder to create a decadent chocolate flavor, but is sugar free. I have been drinking this almost every night.

Power Hot Chocolate

1.5 cups skim milk

1.5 T unsweetened cocoa powder

1-2 t Torani sugar free vanilla syrup (to taste)*

Peppermint candy cane (for garnish), optional

Place all ingredients except candy cane in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until mixture is hot and cocoa powder is fully incorporated. If desired, garnish with a candy cane and allow it to melt into the cocoa to make peppermint cocoa.

*If you don't have syrup, you can use a packet of Splenda and a teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Ricotta Corn Power Cakes with Fruit Fries

I love to treat myself to pancakes once in a while, but those really aren't feasible on my power food plan right now. I devised this recipe from power foods in hopes of creating a passable substitute for my old brunch-time treat, and I must say these are BETTER than regular pancakes! The ricotta cheese gave them a creamy, fluffy texture I've never experienced in a pancake, and the cornmeal gave them a crispy edge that can usually only be achieved by frying in butter. The fruit fries topping was the perfect substitute to sugary maple syrup. I used apples for my fruit topping today, but pears, bananas, peaches, or plums would all be good too.

Ricotta Corn Power Cakes

1 cup corn meal

1 packet Splenda

1/2 t baking powder

1/4 t salt

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 egg

1/2 cup skim milk (more if thinner pancakes are desired)

1 t vanilla

Mix dry ingredients in large bowl. Add ricotta, egg, milk, and vanilla and stir just until blended. Spray frying pan with cooking spray and heat over medium-high burner. Drop batter onto frying pan in 1/4 cup increments, leaving several inches between each cake. Cook about 4 minutes on each side, until cakes are golden brown.

Fruit Fries

1.5 cups fresh fruit, chopped into bite-sized pieces

1 T olive oil

1 t honey (this is not a power food, so you could use Splenda in it's place)

1/2 t cinnamon

Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add fresh fruit, honey and cinnamon and stir until combined. Continue to cook mixture until fruit softens, stirring occasionally. Cooking time will vary depending on the the type of fruit used. Apples took about 6 minutes.

Power Chocolate-Covered Cherry Smoothie

'Tis the season for glitzy, eye-catching retail candy displays. You all know, the kind that make you want to buy enough candy to kill an army of elves in one sitting. Everyone has their one holiday candy they can't resist, and for me it's chocolate-covered cherries. I'm not talking about some preciously expensive, fancy things from the Godiva store that I can only afford to purchase and savor one at a time. I mean the kind available for $1 a box at the Menards checkout counter. The kind that NEVER go bad, ever, thanks to a million preservatives. The kind with 70 calories per piece. The kind I buy and promptly devour at least once every December.

This smoothie is kind of an homage to my favorite candy. It's got all the necessary elements: cherries, chocolate, cream, and a rich vanilla sweetness that seem to be satisfying my candy needs for the short term. It's made of all power foods except the cocoa powder, which only adds 15 calories and probably saves me from eating about a million calories in chocolate later in the day so I don't worry about it too much. Any type of berries could be substituted here, but cherries will always be my favorite.

Power Chocolate-Covered Cherry Smoothie

1 cup frozen sweet cherries

1/2 cup fat free plain Greek yogurt

1/2 cup skim milk (may need more)

1.5 T unsweetened cocoa powder

1 t vanilla

1 packet Splenda (or more to taste)

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Add more milk if mixture is too thick to blend.

Power Nacho Dip and Chips

Over the past few months, I've gotten into some eating habits I'm not too happy about. I decided to go cold turkey and cut the junk out of my diet by sticking almost entirely to foods from the Weight Watchers Power Foods list. These foods are all very nutritious and filling, but sticking to eating them all the time could get boring without some creativity. So far I'm having lots of fun coming up with recipes using only foods from the list. From now on, any post on this blog with "Power" in the title is a power foods only recipe.

This nacho dip recipe is great because it really does feel like junk food, but it's not at all. I was quite pleased with my "junky" dinner tonight. There are many ways to vary this recipe: topping with lettuce and tomato, swapping the refried beans for black beans, adding nonfat plain Greek yogurt to the top (I use this in place of sour cream, tastes about the same but much healthier), or even adding a cream cheese/taco seasoning layer were all possibilities. I stuck with what I had on hand, but I will definitely be trying variations of this one.

As for the chips, I have been making different versions of these since I was a kid. Fresh-baked tortilla chips, even fat free ones, are so much better than the ones from the bag that you won't miss the extra calories. I have seasoned these a million different ways: taco seasoning, seasoned salt, ranch dip mix, garlic and parmesan cheese, etc. These are the perfect treat when you're craving junk food but know you shouldn't have it.

Power Nacho Dip

1/4 cup refried beans

1/4 cup salsa

1/4 cup fat free cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a small (6 inch or so) baking dish with cooking spray. Spread refried beans evenly in the bottom of the dish. Top with an even layer of the salsa and then top with the cheese. Bake 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve with chips and fresh vegetables for dipping.

Power Chips

1 Flatout light Original flatbread wrap (Any type of tortilla/wrap will work)

cooking spray

garlic salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray top of entire wrap with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with garlic salt. Using kitchen scissors, cut wrap into 16 equally-sized squares and spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes or until browned and crispy.

Fruit and yogurt breakfast bowl

I have been eating this, or a variation of it, every day for about a month. In addition to being nutritious, fast, and filling, it's got a great combination of flavors that leave you feeling as though you had a huge meal. You can vary the fruit and nuts according to what you've got on hand, what's in season, or what's on sale. In the picture above, I used a couple of different heirloom plums. I usually use chopped apples, peaches, plums, or berries, but there are probably lots of other fruits that would taste good here. Also, if using plain yogurt and flavoring it with your own vanilla and honey seems too complicated, you can use store-bought vanilla yogurt. I always buy plain because it's cheaper and I use it for a lot of different things, so I never have vanilla yogurt around. Also, if you like salt and sweet together, you'll love this bowl with salted nuts.

Fruit and yogurt breakfast bowl

1 cup plain, unflavored yogurt

1 t vanilla

1 t honey

1 cup chopped fruit

1/4 cup nuts

Mix yogurt and vanilla together in bowl. Drizzle honey on top of yogurt. Top with chopped fruit and nuts.

Faux macaroni and cheese for 1

I was craving macaroni and cheese one night after a 12-hour day at work and came up with this recipe based on what I had in the house. I then made this dish about every other night for several weeks! It's quick, easy, fairly low in calories, but still has enough cheese to satisfy a craving. I add pea pods because they taste great with the cheese and are filling and low in calories, meaning I need less pasta.

Faux macaroni and cheese for 1

3/4 cup uncooked whole wheat rotini

1 cup fresh pea pods

1/2 teaspoon olive oil

1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

3/4 ounce (about 2 tablespoons) shredded pepper jack cheese

coarse sea salt

Cook pasta according to package directions. In last minute of cooking pasta, add pea pods to pot. Drain pasta and pea pods and put back into cooking pot. Toss with olive oil to keep pasta from sticking. Place pasta and peas in serving bowl and top with cheeses and sea salt to taste.

Mothers Day Brunch Part 3: Recipes SuperPost

In my last post, I described a template menu I use for all of my brunch/dinner parties:

Fresh fruit/appetizer platter

Green salad with dressing

Bread

Pasta (for dinner) or quiche/frittata/egg bake (for brunch)

Chocolate dessert

Non-chocolate dessert

Alcoholic beverage

Non-alcoholic beverage

Let's see how I used this template to create this year's mothers day feast.

Fresh fruit/appetizer platter

I was pressed for time, so I picked up a big container of cut fresh fruit off the Hy-Vee salad bar and put it in a bowl to be served as fruit salad.

Green salad with dressing

Herb salad greens with Granny Smith apple slices, cheddar cheese, toasted walnuts and dijon vinaigrette.

Dijon Vinaigrette recipe

2 T olive oil

2T water

2T cider vinegar

1 t dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a leak-proof container and shake to combine.

Bread

Another quickie from Hy-Vee: garlic take-n-bake baguette

Pasta (for dinner) or quiche/frittata/egg bake (for brunch)

Asparagus Leek Crustless Quiche

2 T olive oil

1 cup chopped leeks

1 bunch asparagus, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 cup sliced baby bella mushrooms

6 large eggs

3/4 cup shredded asiago cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375. Coat the inside of a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray. Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add leeks to olive oil and saute for about 4 minutes. Add asparagus and mushrooms. Saute until tender, about 6 minutes. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, cheese, salt and pepper. Spread vegetables in an even layer in baking dish. Pour egg and cheese mixture over top of vegetables. Bake at 375 until firm, about 30-45 minutes.

Chocolate/non-chocolate dessert

dark and white chocolate fondues with a variety of dippers

Fondue

2 cups (1 bag) white, dark or milk chocolate chips

1/2 stick butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

Melt all ingredients in microwave, 15-30 seconds at a time, stirring thoroughly between heating. Do not overheat, as this will ruin the fondue. When mixture is melted and smooth, transfer to fondue pot.

Alcoholic beverage

mimosas- no picture, but this recipe is easy: fill a wine glass half way with orange juice, then top with champagne ;)

Non-alcoholic beverage

Peach Italian Sodas

Fill a glass with ice. Pour club soda into glass until it is almost full. Add 2-3 tablespoons peach (or any flavor you like) syrup. I use torani syrups, found in the coffee aisle at the grocery store or at www.torani.com.

Mothers Day Brunch Part 2: Menu planning

I truly enjoy planning party menus, and I tend to take a lot of time doing it. I will spend hours looking up recipes, looking at what's on sale at the grocery stores, etc., before finally deciding on what to make. Fortunately, I have a few tricks I use to make it easier for me and give me some direction during my recipe searches.

Most people would never realize this if I didn't tell them, but I follow the same template menu for almost every party:

Fresh fruit/appetizer platter

Green salad with dressing

Bread

Pasta (for dinner) or quiche/frittata/egg bake (for brunch)

Chocolate dessert

Non-chocolate dessert

Alcoholic beverage

Non-alcoholic beverage

This template leaves tons of room for variation and works with almost any cuisine and during any time of year. Choosing specific dishes for each item on this menu can be overwhelming, but it's not nearly as overwhelming as it would be without the template. The main rule I try to follow is to use lots and lots of fresh, in-season produce and herbs. Not only is this healthy, but it makes each dish seem completely new.

Fresh fruit/appetizer platter- I usually serve this before the meal. I arrange whatever fruit is in season and on sale (I usually purchase fruit specifically for this purpose). I will also add whatever cheese, nuts, and/or olives I have lying around.

Green salad with dressing- I typically add a cheese, a fruit, and a nut to the salad, and top with an fresh herb and olive oil based vinaigrette.

Bread- I always bake it myself, even if it's just take and bake from the store. It tastes so much better when it's fresh from the oven. Sometimes I'll include a special flavored butter or olive oil dipping sauce.

Pasta/egg dish- again, vary the vegetables, cheese, and fresh herbs according to what's available and you can create limitless unique meals

Desserts- desserts tend to be the most time-consuming part of the meal, so I try to choose make-ahead desserts that I can make the night before the party.

Alcoholic beverage- usually wine or a wine-based cocktail. Wine always feels more elegant than other types of alcohol.

Non-alcoholic beverage- I like to have some type of flavored tea available, but will usually have a few choices on hand.

It is important when choosing recipes to consider what you can get in season at a fair price that will taste delicious. Try to choose foods that are appropriate for the season: butternut squash-stuffed ravioli in the fall, strawberry shortcake in the spring, etc. Trying to make these dishes out of season can be expensive and disappointing.

Almost all of my recipes are designed to feature one special ingredient. Always make sure this ingredient is of the best quality you can afford. This includes not only fruits, vegetables, and herbs, but cheeses, nuts, olives, olive oil, and chocolate. Don't ruin your hard work in the kitchen with shoddy ingredients!

My other key to a successful meal is to do whatever I can on some day other than the day of the party. I do all the cleaning I want to do ahead of time. I also decorate and set the table. Then I chop all the vegetables, grate the cheese, etc., the night before. This way I don't spend the day of the party working so hard I'm too exhausted to have fun. If I have procrastinated and am feeling overwhelmed on the day of the party, I have a drink of whatever the alcoholic beverage du jour is before my guests arrive :)

Mothers Day Brunch Part 1: Decorations

Every year for mothers day I have my mom and grandmas come to my house for a nice brunch. I also love to have friends over for dinner parties, etc. I like to make everything from scratch and always have tons of food so no one goes away hungry. I have been asked before how I "pull it off," as a busy working person. Here are a few of my secrets...

I have used decorations for my last few parties and found that they make the environment much less formal and more fun. For the mothers day brunch, I saw some pink springtime party decorations at Hobby Lobby and was inspired. I started by hanging my decorations, along with some paper streamers, above the table as shown:

Ceiling decorations are eye-catching and are sure to wow any guest. I almost always hang things from the ceiling if I'm decorating for a party.

For the table, I always start with a crisp white table cloth and cloth napkins. These will go with any theme and can be washed in bleach if they get stained. Setting the table ahead of time always looks impressive to guests. I put wine glasses on the table and stuff the napkins inside them rather than buying fancy napkin rings. The "decorations" on the table include fresh flowers that match the color scheme (hot pink, in this case) as a centerpiece and little candles between all the place settings. I put all this on the table but there wasn't enough pink to tie the table to the ceiling decorations, so I cut up some of the paper streamers into "confetti" and sprinkled it all over the table. Fresh flowers, candles, and confetti- this combination looks classy yet festive. Confetti can be pretty messy, but the streamer confetti is light so the vacuum picked it right up.

As a final touch, I like to add some type of personal gift to each place setting. This time I found these little flower pot picture holders and made happy mothers day cards for each one.

My mom and grandmas were quite pleased with the final picture. I am leaving the ceiling decorations up for a while since they are so cheery :)

Kale Chips

Kale chips are my new obsession. These definitely are not an invention of mine, but I decided tonight they are not regular enough in my repertoire, hence the post. These are hands down the best low-calorie substitute for potato chips. They are just as delicious and addictive. No one would want to skip their leafy greens with these around! I have tried a couple of variations on this recipe, using seasoned salt, Old Bay seasoning, or sprinkling them with malt vinegar. To save even more calories, skip the olive oil and spray leaves lightly with cooking spray.

Recipe

• 1 bunch kale
• olive oil
• salt

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Remove kale leaves from the stems and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and dry leaves in a salad spinner. Spread leaves in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with olive oil and salt. Bake until the edges brown, about 15 minutes.

Pineapple Upside-Down (Delicious) Disaster

I wish I had a prettier picture of this cake because I'd hate for everyone to let my lack of coordination at the critical upside-down moment and poor choice of pan steer them away from this recipe. Not only does this cake have NO added fat, but it only takes about 5 minutes to prepare and is so moist it's almost stretching to call it a solid material (hence the falling apart :) I didn't end up caring too much about the appearance once I tasted it!

Recipe

1 can pineapple rings in juice

maraschino cherries

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1 box yellow cake mix

3 eggs

1 can crushed pineapple in juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the bottom and sides of a Bundt pan with cooking spray. Place the pineapple rings along the bottom of the pan, reserving the juice. Place a cherry inside each pineapple ring. Sprinkle brown sugar over the top of the pineapple and cherries, and sprinkle coconut on top of the sugar. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, crushed pineapple in juice, and reserved juice from pineapple rings. Beat 2 minutes on medium speed with mixer. Pour cake batter over coconut in the cake pan. Bake 40-50 minutes. When cake is completely cool, invert on a plate so pineapple rings and cherries are facing up.

Garlic Grilled Brussels Sprouts

Most peoples' first experience with Brussels sprouts is unpleasant. In the past they were often steamed or cooked in the microwave with little to no flavor and were soggy when served. I always thought they were gross until I learned a few different ways to cook them, like roasted and sauteed. I had never tried grilling them until today- it was perfect grilling weather and I didn't really have anything else in the house to grill. They came out perfect... crispy and full of flavor. Not your mom's Brussels sprouts! This recipe would work well with broccoli too.

Recipe

1 lb Brussels sprouts, stemmed and cut into bite-sized pieces

2 T olive oil

2 T minced garlic

1/2 T coarse-ground sea salt

Place all ingredients in a plastic zip-top bag and toss to coat sprouts evenly with oil and seasonings. Place in a grill-safe basket and place basket directly over flame in charcoal grill (or a gas grill on med-high heat). Grill for about 15 minutes, stirring a few times during cooking, or until sprouts begin to char.

Spinach, Tomato and Herb Pasta

This pasta recipe is by far one of the best in my arsenal. It's quick and easy, delicious, and can be modified a million different ways for any occasion, and is a great way to use up leftovers from your kitchen. I made today's version to take as lunches for work and use up some spinach and tomatoes I wasn't going to get around to eating otherwise.

I make this pasta at least a few times every month, but I vary the vegetables, herbs, beans and/or cheese I use depending on what I've got lying around. If I'm tired of pasta (rarely happens), I'll use some other grain like rice or barley instead. To dress it up for guests, I might add white wine, olives or capers.

Recipe

4 oz uncooked whole wheat spaghetti (enough to make 2 servings)

4 oz fresh spinach (about half a bag)

2 Roma tomatoes, diced

2 T olive oil

1 T minced garlic

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

sea salt to taste

Boil pasta in a large pot according to package directions. Place spinach and tomatoes in colander that will be used to drain pasta. When pasta is done cooking, pour pasta and water into colander over vegetables, allowing water to drain out of the colander. Return pasta and vegetables to cooking pot, add olive oil and toss until pasta is evenly coated. Add garlic, parsley, and salt. Stir until combined.

Baked French Fries with Old Bay Mayo Dipping Sauce

These are the best fries. Seriously. I saw the recipe a long time ago on the Oprah show and I have been making these fries ever since. They are super easy and always seem to turn out right. Here I have featured the "plain" version of these fries, but they are delicious seasoned many different ways. Many people like fries seasoned with Lawry's seasoned salt. They are also great sprinkled with malt vinegar, which is the way the British eat their fries.

I season these fries in many different ways and use many different dippers with them, depending on my mood, but my favorite dipper is definitely Old Bay Mayo. I first tried this at a restaurant in Washington, D.C. called the Good Stuff Eatery. The menu consists mostly of burgers, fries and shakes, but they are the most incredible burgers, fries and shakes you will ever eat! I remember actually having dreams about the food I ate there for weeks after the fact. Anyway, whenever I feel like a calorie splurge with my fries, I make this sauce and remember my great meal in D.C.

Baked French Fries

2 lb russet or Yukon gold potatoes, julienned

1/4 cup olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Place all ingredients in a Ziploc bag and shake to coat potatoes evenly. Spread potatoes in a single layer on baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes or until edges are golden brown and crispy.

Old Bay Mayo

2 T mayonnaise

1 t Old Bay seasoning

Place ingredients in a small bowl and mix thoroughly.

Diabetic-Friendly Key Lime Pie

I made this pie for my dad's birthday. Normally I prefer to use the most natural ingredients possible, but when I cook for my dad, who is diabetic, I have to shave off as many calories as I can. While I'm not a proponent of eating tons of sugar substitutes, I do believe Splenda tastes decent and has its place in most American diets. Cooking with Splenda can be tricky, as it is many times sweeter than sugar. It's always best to add less Splenda than the recipe calls for, then add more to taste. This Key lime pie came out delicious despite the fact that I cut many corners to save calories.

Recipe

Crust

1.5 cups graham cracker crumbs

3 T melted butter

1 egg white

Spray a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Press into sides and bottom of pie pan. Bake at 350 for 7 minutes.

Filling

1/2 cup Key lime juice

1 can fat-free sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

10 packets Splenda

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Pour into prepared graham cracker shell and bake at 350 for 5-8 minutes. DO NOT overbake! Chill for at least three hours in refrigerator before serving. Serve topped with sugar-free whipped cream.

Sugar-free whipped cream

1 cup heavy cream

5 packets Splenda

1 t vanilla

Place all ingredients in bowl of stand mixer. Beat on high until cream reaches whipped cream consistency.

Honey Vanilla Granola

Everyone loves a hearty, home made breakfast, and there are few things as delicious as warm granola fresh from the oven. Try this some Sunday instead of the usual pancakes. It's just as delicious, but also full of healthy ingredients, and only takes about 5 minutes to assemble. I like mine over good vanilla yogurt with fresh blueberries.

Recipe

1.5 cups rolled oats

1 cup nuts, any variety (here I used walnuts and cashews, because that's what I had on hand)

1 cup dried fruit, any variety (I used raisins and dates)

3/4 cup shredded coconut (optional)

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup honey

1 t vanilla

1/2 t salt

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine oats, nuts, fruit, and coconut. In a separate bowl, combine olive oil, honey, vanilla and salt. Add oil/honey mixture to oats mixture and stir until thoroughly combined. Spread mixture evenly in baking dish. Bake at 250 degrees for 1.5 hours, stirring every 15 minutes.

Spring Gnocchi with Lemon-Thyme Sauce

When I start seeing asparagus in the stores in early spring, this is always the first thing I make. This recipe is light, nutritious, and tastes like sunshine, making it especially pleasant at this time of year. I usually use pasta, but I had some gnocchi to use up, so I did that instead. This dish is elegant and impressive enough to serve to guests, but only takes a few minutes to make... what could be better?

Recipe
16 oz packaged gnocchi (or 1.5 cups uncooked pasta)
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup peas, fresh or thawed frozen
1/2 bunch asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces
2 T olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 t fresh thyme, chopped
Parmesan cheese (optional)

Place asparagus, beans and peas in colander in sink. Cook gnocchi according to package directions. Pour excess water from cooked gnocchi into the colander containing the vegetables. Place vegetables and gnocchi back in pan. Add oil, lemon juice, and thyme and stir to coat evenly. Serve topped with cheese, if desired.

Naughty Dog Swedish Cookies

Like many of my recipes, these have a story. This Swedish cookie recipe comes from my great grandmother, and someone in my family always makes them at Christmas time. They are supposed to be rolled in walnuts. I had planned to make these for a party at a friend's house. I got the nuts out of my freezer to thaw and went out to run an errand. When I got home, I found my dog had somehow gotten the nuts of the counter and eaten them all! Two cups worth! I didn't have time to go buy more, so I just made the cookies without them, and Naughty Dog Swedish Cookies were the result.

You can view the original version of this recipe, with nuts, here. It's even in my great grandma's handwriting!

Recipe
1 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1 t vanilla
2 egg yolks
2 cups flour
colored frosting

Cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla, egg yolk, and flour. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Place on greased cookie sheet. Press thumb into the middle of each ball in order to flatten each cookie and create a "dent" the center. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. When cooled, fill the center of each cookie with frosting.

Good Ol' Fried Rice

This recipe makes me smile. I learned to make this in a 10th grade home ec. class. I was completely obsessed with Chinese food at the time, and was very proud of my ability to make my own fried rice. I think I made this once a week at least throughout the rest of high school.

I have been sick to my stomach all week and am only tolerating bland foods at the moment. I have to work 12 hour shifts the next two days, and when trying to come up with a bland recipe that is still nutritious and has some protein, this came to mind. It's very low in fat, contains protein and vegetables, and is easy on the stomach. It's also dirt cheap and takes only a few minutes to make, making it an excellent weeknight standby recipe.

I felt like my former giddy 15-year-old self as I fried this one up tonight. All I need now is a Bush CD and my Doc Martens :)


Recipe

1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 cups frozen peas and carrots
3 cups cooked brown rice
10 oz. firm tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 T minced garlic
1 T soy sauce
1 egg
1/2 t sesame oil (optional)

Spray a wok or a large frying pan with cooking spray and heat on high. Place corn, peas and carrots in wok and stir fry for 3 minutes. Add rice, tofu,garlic and soy sauce, stir fry another 2-3 minutes or until all ingredients are hot. Push fried rice to sides of the pan so there is a "hole" in the center. Crack the egg and drop it into the center of the wok and stir fry the egg until completely cooked. Mix the egg into the rest of the fried rice. Add sesame oil, if desired.