My Breakfast Bake

This is the one thing that I can count on to help me lose weight.  It is the only way that I consume something green before noon and it's fast.  I make it on Sunday's and I have a piece every morning during the week.  Over the last month I've done some experimentation on the pan size that is ideal and I have to say that the Prex 11 cup rectangle is the best.  It's great because it's really deep but still fits within a toaster oven/convection oven.  

What you need:

1 bag of frozen broccoli (I use the steam in bags)

1/2 cup of cheese

12-18 eggs (depending on how many people/days you're making for)

Pam cooking spray

3Tbs bread crumbs

What you do:

Spray the pan and coat the bottom with your bread crumbs.

Cook the broccoli in the microwave for 3 minutes

Pour the broccoli in the pan with the breadcrumbs

Sprinkle Cheese on Top

Beat eggs (I use 18 eggs - 12 whole and 6 just whites and it makes 8 servings)

Pour eggs on top of broccoli and cheese

Bake at 425F for 30 minutes in a toaster oven on "Bake" not convection - if you're using a real oven turn the temp down to 375 and bake for 40-45 minutes.

The toaster oven heats up faster and because you're filling the oven with the dish you get a much fluffier and faster cooking Breakfast Bake.  If I have leftover spinach, tomato, onion or ham I'll throw that in too.  It's a good way to kill any leftovers from Friday or Saturday's dinner.

See how the egg cooks into the broccoli making it like a FOSSIL. Okay, I'm watching too much Bones.

Veggie Flatbread Sandwich w/ Hummus

This sandwich has quickly become one of my healthy diet staples. It has tons of protein, vegetables, and whole grains. It is filling and delicious. And if you make them ahead of time, can be a fancy schmancy lunch item for having company. I use my homemade hummus on this sandwich but I've also used tzatziki and mayo.

I recommend using Peppridge Farms new Whole Grain Sandwich Thins which are only 100 calories and have 5 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein. And so so so good. Once you toast them, they stay crispy, so you can make these sandwiches ahead of time since they require some prep, put them in the fridge, and they are still crunchy a couple hours later. So when you finally get your baby down for a nap, make your beloved sandwich, and go to take a bite as the baby lets our a howl, you always come back to it later. Not that I know from experience or anything.

What you need:
-Flatbread.
-Hummus
-Cucumber, sliced thin
-Tomato, sliced round
-Avocado sliced long
-Alfalfa sprouts
-Gouda, thinly sliced (Also works well with Provolone or any other light, smooth cheese)



What you do:
-Use the hummus as a "glue." I put a thin layer of hummus between every layer in order to hold the sandwich together.
-Spread the hummus on both sides of the bread.
-Pile on the sliced avocado, cucumber and sprouts on one side.



-Place the tomato on the hummus on the other side with the sliced cheese on top


Put together, and enjoy!!

Homemade Creamy Hummus

This is way better than any store-bought hummus I've ever had. My recipe is a slight variation from this recipe on youtube at DeDe's Mediterranean Kitchen. She uses mint instead of parsley and water instead of olive oil. In the words of Alton Brownm my husband's hero, "water doesn't bring any flavor to the party." Plus, I love the taste of olive oil.

This recipe great and EASY. Once you know what you're doing, you can eyeball everything and make it in literally 5 minutes. It's creamy and garlicky without being overpowering. The parsley gives it a light flavor while the olive oil adds a subtle taste.

What you Need:
1 large can (or 2 reg sized cans) chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
2 cloves of garlic
2 tsp salt (you can start with 1 tsp and add another if you want depending on your taste)
1/2 c. sour cream
2 tbsp tahini
1/4 c. chopped parsely
olive oil (to consistency - about 1/8 c.)

What you do:
-Make a mash paste of the garlic and salt. If you don't have a mortar and pestle, use a fork in a bowl
-Blend chickpeas, sour cream, tahini, and garlic paste in food processor or blender.
-Add olive oil until desired consistency is reached.
-Add in chopped parsely and let blend well for 2-3 minutes.
-Chill for at least 2 hours.