Mexican Egg Bake, by Diane

 

I got inspired to create this recipe after trying unsuccessfully to remember my last egg bake recipe and failing- but the silver lining is that this creative take on a Mexican chili and Mexican baked eggs was created! Boy am I glad, because oh my gosh this was so soooooo good! So easy, and so dense in nutrition and protein- this was a winner for sure! The mix of flavors and the slight heat in this was also amazing!

Ingredients:

Cooking spray

12 eggs

Salt

1 bunch cilantro, stems trimmed and rough chopped

1.5 tbsp EVOO

1 white onion, diced

1 poblano pepper

1 lb ground turkey

Taco seasoning (I made my own with chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper), to taste

1 15 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes

1 small can diced green chiles

1 15 oz can black beans, drained

1 15 oz can sweet yellow corn (I found a mexican version with bell peppers in it and used this)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400. Spray a 9x13 glass baking dish with cooking spray on bottom and sides and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and a pinch of salt together. Add in cilantro and stir well, set aside.

3. In a large saucepan, heat EVOO over medium high heat. Add onions and brown.

4. While the onions brown, roast the poblano pepper skin over a flame (I had a gas stove so this was easy) until the skin chars and blisters. When cool, remove the seeds and black skin, and dice and add to the onions.

5. Add the ground turkey and taco seasoning to the pan and crumble with the back of a spoon until the turkey is just cooked. 

6. Take the pan off heat and add tomatoes, chiles, beans, and corn to the pan and mix well. 

7. Pour the turkey mixture into the 9x13 dish, then pour the egg mixture over top and mix until combined evenly.

8. Bake for 50 min or until eggs are set and a knife comes out clean.

Sausage Egg Bake, by Diane

I created this recipe four times now, because I lost it before I could post it three times in a row. :/ At any rate, that should convince you of how good it is! These are high protein packed lunches for me, but could easily be any dinner or a snack. I actually like them both cold and hot leftover! Super easy to throw together and really satisfying. I sneak a whole bag of spinach in here too for nutrients too! I omit the cheese bc I don't eat a ton of dairy but it would be killer here!

Ingredients:

12 eggs

Seasoning (I like Tony Chachere's creole seasoning with chili powder and paprika and garlic here, but salt/pepper and any other blend you like is ok!)

1 jar mild salsa (I love Chi Chi's restaurant style!)

12 links uncooked turkey breakfast sausage, casing removed and cut into small pieces

1 medium bag raw spinach

1/2 red onion, diced

cooking spray

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400. 

2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs together with the seasoning. Add in the jar of salsa and whisk again. Set aside.

3. In another large bowl, wilt the spinach in the microwave for about 30 seconds. This makes it easier to mix into the eggs I have found from trial and error!

4. In a 9x13 glass baking dish, spray with cooking spray on bottom and sides and add in onion, spinach, and sausage and mix well.

5. Pour the egg mixture over top and mix well to combine. 

6. Bake for one hour or until a knife comes out clean.

Fall Harvest Moon Bake, by Diane

 

This was the main course meal for a recent Hunters Full Moon ceremony I went to and the food theme was fall harvest. I had my doubts about this recipe because there was no liquid added to the ingredients, so I switched the dried rice to cooked, added a splash of chicken broth, and reduced the heat. I also added spinach for a more complete meal, and when I cooked it the second time, I did it in a dutch oven to make this a one pot dinner, which I'll likely repeat again. This came out SO good I made it again the next week for dinners too! It is just a really good, healthy, and easy mix of the best fall flavors, and I'll definitely make this one again soon!

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken (I used rotisserie chicken as a short cut, the recipe calls for thighs)

EVOO

1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp fresh diced sage

1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

1/2 tbsp fresh diced rosemary leaves

1 package cooked wild rice in a pouch (don't heat this, just add to the pot as is from the package)

1/2 cup dried cranberries (unsweetened or low sugar if possible)

2 cups fresh spinach leaves

Splash chicken broth

1/2 cup diced pecans

Directions:

1. Cook the chicken fully and set aside. When cool, shred or dice into bite size pieces.

2. While the chicken cooks, heat EVOO in a large pot on medium heat. Add in onions and brown. 

3. Add the butternut squash to the pot along with the herbs and salt, stir and cover. Uncover and stir for about 10-15 minutes until the squash softens. Add in rice and stir, cooking two more minutes then remove from heat.

4. Preheat the oven to 400. Place chicken, squash mixture, spinach, and cranberries in a casserole dish, mix well. Add a splash of chicken broth to the mix.

5. Top with pecans, cover with foil, and bake for 15 min or until everything is heated through.

Mexican Breakfast Casserole, by Cheryl

I was craving a Mexican breakfast burrito. So since I'm doing Whole 30 I decided to try to replicate the taste in a casserole! This was soooo good! I will say that I felt it was a just a tad dry, especially when you get to the potato part, but I added hot sauce, tomatoes, and avocados and it elevated the dish exponentially! This is a solid whole 30 meal that I can rely on. Delicious, filling, and healthy! Yum!

Ingredients:

1 bag frozen shredded potatoes (or grate your own. Sweet potatoes ok)

1 lb ground beef

Compliant taco seasoning (or make your own!)

9-10 eggs, beaten

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

A couple handfuls of spinach, chopped

3 green onions, chopped

Avocado oil 

Optional toppings: tomatoes, avocados, hot sauce, etc. 

Directions:

1) Cook shredded potatoes until cooked through. Set aside. 

2) Cook ground beef until cooked through. Add the spices and about 1/4 cup of water. Mix until the beef is covered. Set aside. 

3) Add a couple of tbsp of oil and cook the pepper and onion until softened. Add the spinach and cook until wilted. 

4) Oil a 9x9 pan or cast iron skillet. Layer the potatoes on the bottom, followed by the ground beef, and then the peppers, onions, and spinach. 

5) Pour the eggs over the top and coat evenly. Top with green onions. 

6) Bake for 45 minutes. When done top with avocados, tomatoes, hot sauce, etc. 

Whole30 Chicken Pot Pie Casserole, by Diane

 

This recipe looked so good, and since it’s been getting colder in the evenings I thought this would be a nice dinner. This recipe was just meh- I wouldn’t make it again. The seasonings and flavors were bland, and the onions never cooked. 

Ingredients:

1.5 lb chicken breast, cooked and cubed

1 can green beans

1 can sliced carrots

1 can white potatoes

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 can coconut milk

1 can chicken broth

3 tsp poultry seasoning

2 tbsp ghee

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tbsp nutritional yeast

1 tsp salt

1.5 tbsp arrowroot powder 

1 cup almond flour

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup ghee

1 tsp poultry seasoning

Directions:

1. Put chicken and veggies in the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish. 

2. Preheat oven to 350.

3. Mix coconut milk through salt in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring often until simmering. 

4. Add the arrowroot powder in a small bowl with 1 tbsp water and mix well, pour into pot.

5. Let simmer 10 min until thickened, pour over chicken mixture. 

6. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl until a dough is formed. Make small balls and put on top of the casserole. 

7. Bake for 35 min until the top is golden. 

Sweet Potato, Sausage, Egg Casserole, by Cheryl

Holy moly this is good! I first made this during Passover last year since it has no yeast or bread in it and I forgot how good it was. We were having friends over the other day for brunch and I decided to make this since one of them is gluten free. I am definitely going to make this again and keep it in the fridge for the week. It's easy and healthy! Yum!

Ingredients (recipe from here):

1 red pepper, diced
1 onion, chopped
1 lb sausage (I used Italian sweet sausage)
2 sweet potatoes, cubed
8 eggs
1/3 cup milk, or almond milk
salt
pepper
olive oil

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 375. Cook the red pepper and onion in a little bit of oil over medium heat for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

2) Add sausage to the skillet and cook until browned, crumbling the sausage with the spoon as it cooks. Transfer to the large mixing bowl.

3) Add sweet potatoes, drizzle with olive oil, and cover with lid. Let it cook for about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until potatoes are tender. Transfer to the large mixing bowl.

4) In a separate bowl beat the eggs, milk, and some salt and pepper. Pour over the veggie and sausage mix and mix together.

5) Pour the mixture in a baking dish (9x13) and bake covered for 20-25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes.

Creamy Chicken Quinoa Broccoli Casserole, by Cheryl

First post of 2017! And it's already getting close to the end of January... we need to step up our game! A new baby in the house hasn't left me much time to try new recipes, though I have been looking for easy and quick slow cooker meals and large dishes that I can prepare and then have many leftovers from. One such dish is this creamy chicken, broccoli, and quinoa dish I made the other night. So this dish was good, not great. I found it to be easy to make with plenty of food to go around while being very healthy. Mine just didn't come out as creamy as I would have hoped... in fact it was a tad dry. I also would have preferred it to be more flavorful so maybe next time I'll add extra seasoning. I think I'll make this again because it was gobbled up by all of us and gave us leftovers for the next night! Yum!

Edit to add: I forgot to use the flour in my sauce mixture! Could be a reason for my my sauce not being creamy!

Ingredients (recipe from here):

2 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning (I made my own)
1/2 cup flour (just realized I forgot to use this! Maybe that's why my liquid was loose and not creamy!)
2 cups water, divided
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1/4 cup crumbled bacon, optional
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 teaspoons seasoning
1/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese (or any kind)
3 cups fresh broccoli florets

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 400. Grease a 9x13 baking dish.

2) Bring the chicken broth and 1/2 cup of milk to a low boil in a saucepan. Whisk the other 1/2 cup of milk with the poultry seasoning and flour; add the mixture to the boiling liquid and whisk until a creamy sauce forms.

3) In a large bowl, whisk the sauce, one cup of water, quinoa, and bacon, and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Slice the chicken breasts into thin strips and lay them over the top of the quinoa mixture. Sprinkle with seasoning. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

4) While the casserole is in the oven, place the broccoli in boiling water for one minute and then run under cold water.

5) After 30 minutes take the casserole out of the oven and stir it around, and if needed bake for an additional 10-15 minutes (I did 5). Add the broccoli and up to a cup of water, stir, and bake for 5 minutes.

Butternut Squash and Bacon Mac 'n Cheese, by Cheryl

I know we've been using quite a bit of butternut squash lately... it all stems from that amazing lunch Diane and I had at Tower Oaks. Anyways, I was looking for a comfort food type of meal to make tonight... this recipe originally comes from Cooking Light. It took longer than I thought it would to prepare, but once the preparation is done, the food is almost ready to eat. In the future I would make more of a milk/flour/cheese mixture because I don't feel that it covered the whole dish well. This dish works best if you have the butternut squash, bacon, and pasta all in the same bite. Yum!!

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed (I use pre-peeled/cubed)
1 tbsp Dried Rosemary
salt and pepper
1 box pasta of choice (I used rotini)
7 slices of bacon (I used turkey bacon)
1 cup shallots, diced
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk (1 or 2%)
1 cup Italian blend shredded cheese
1/3 cup grated fresh parmesan

Directions:
Preheat to 425. Coat the squash lightly in cooking spray, rosemary, and S&P. Roast in a pan for 45 minutes until squash is tender.
While the squash is roasting, cook the pasta, and fry the bacon. When the bacon is done, pour off all but 1 Tbsp of the drippings. Set aside the bacon, and cook the shallots 5 minutes or until translucent in the leftover drippings. Crumble the bacon and set it aside with the shallots. When the squash is done roasting, mix in the bacon and shallots and turn the oven up to 450.
Put the flour in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan over medium-high heat and slowly whisk in the milk. When all the milk has been added, bring to a boil for 1 minute or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the shredded cheese. Combine the pasta and the squash mixture in a 9×13 casserole dish, and pour the milk and cheese mixture over the top. Stir to coat. Top with grated parmesan and pop back in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese starts to brown.

Creamy Chicken and Butternut Squash Casserole, by Diane

I came across a recipe for butternut squash casserole in one of my favorite magazines, except it called for the squash and blue cheese with little else in the dish. I decided to create my own take on this recipe, added chicken, and made it an instant dinner favorite. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 whole butternut squash
4 tbsp EVOO
1 small sweet yellow onion
2 chicken breasts, cooked (I used store bought rotisserie chicken because of the convenience and I like the taste better)
2 cups shredded parmesan cheese
4 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 cup chicken stock
2-3 tbsp sage (depending on your preference- this is my favorite spice so I always use more!)
1/2 block fat free cream cheese
1 tsp salt
1 large store bought roll of soft white bread (can use two slices of white bread as well)


1. Preheat oven to 400.

2. Cut squash into small cubes and boil in water until tender, about 10 minutes or so.

3. While the squash cooks, chop the onion into small pieces and saute in a pan over medium-high heat in 2 tbsp. of EVOO for about 5 minutes until tender. Set aside.

4. Cube chicken into bite-size chunks and set aside.

5. Drain squash in a colander, set aside.

6. Blend 1 c. of the shredded parmesan cheese, grated parmesan cheese, half and half, chicken stock, sage, cream cheese, and salt along with 1/3 of the squash in a food processor until creamy.

7. In a large bowl, combine the onions, chicken, remaining squash, and sauce (from step 6) and toss until coated. Pour into a large baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining cup of shredded parmesan cheese.

8. Tear the bread into small chunks and blend in a food processor until it turns into small crumbs. Pulse in the remaining 2 tbsp. of olive oil until blended. Sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly over top of the casserole.

9. Bake in oven for about 25 minutes, or until mixture is bubbling and the bread has lightly toasted. :)