Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

I came up with this recipe the other day when I was trying to use my abundance of spinach. These mushrooms have a lot of flavor and work great as an appetizer or side dish. I love how the spinach and Parmesan cheese became crispy on top and the Greek Cream Cheese made the center nice and creamy. If the tops start to brown too much before the mushrooms are soft, tent loosely with tin foil and remove the last few minutes of cooking. This recipe would also be great stuffed inside a Portobello mushroom cap for a vegetarian entree. Enjoy!!!

Check out the Greek Cream Cheese Below:
http://www.franklinfoods.com/greek-cream-cheese

Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms 
Makes 12 Large Mushrooms 

Ingredients:
12 large stuffing button mushrooms-stems removed
Olive oil
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese or Romano cheese
2 handfuls of chopped fresh spinach
1 oz Greek Cream Cheese (or regular cream cheese)

1. In a non stick skillet over medium heat add 1 tbsp of olive oil and 1 cup of fresh bread crumbs (pulse day old bread in food processor to create fresh bread crumbs, I used frozen gluten free bread and it worked great). Cook bread crumbs, stirring frequently until golden brown; about 7 minutes. Place in a bowl and set aside to cool.

2. Meanwhile, using the same skillet, coat pan with oil and saute 2 large handfuls of chopped spinach until wilted. Add to bread crumbs, along with Parmesan cheese, and cream cheese. Mix together well.

3. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil sprayed with non-stick spray, arrange mushrooms stem side facing up. Brush mushrooms with olive oil and fill with stuffing.

Bake at 400 degrees F until mushrooms are soft and the topping is crispy; this can take anywhere from 30-45 minutes depending on size of mushrooms and your oven. If they are browning too quickly, loosely tent with foil. Remove from oven and serve warm.

Portobello Mushrooms with Melted Gorgonzola Cheese

Every once in a while, my husband and I have what we call "Cheese Night". Instead of cooking a big meal for dinner we get a few good quality cheeses, crackers, and I make some other appetizers or salads to go along. This past "Cheese Night" I decided to try and recreate a dish I had at Maroni's in Northport. The original dish was Portobello Mushroom with Gorgonzola, balsamic reduction and a basil oil. The only difference with my version is I opted to use fresh basil instead of the basil oil. The dish was very similar and tasted great. I would definitely make this again, especially for company. It would make a great appetizer on top of a bed of  mixed greens.

Portobello Mushrooms with Melted Gorgonzola Cheese balsamic reduction and basil
Serves 4

Side Salad, Fresh Tomato with Basil, Pecorino Romano in Balsamic, Crostini and Portobello
Mushrooms 

Ingredients:
4 Portobello Mushroom caps- stems and grills removed gently
Good Quality Gorgonzola cheese (enough for about 2 tbsp per mushroom)
Olive Oil
1 cup balsamic vinegar
Fresh Basil-chopped (reserve some for garnish)

1. To make the balsamic reduction: add 1 cup of vinegar into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes (sometimes it can take up to 20 minutes) and reduce liquid by half. Remove from the heat and let cool (vinegar will thicken even more as is cools, make sure to keep your eye on the vinegar to prevent it from over reducing and burning)

2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Brush mushrooms with olive oil on both sides and place onto  a baking sheet stem side facing up. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until mushrooms as soft. Remove from oven and soak up any liquid with a paper towel.

3. Crumble as much or as little of the Gorgonzola cheese as desired onto the mushroom and sprinkle with some fresh basil. Brush a little more olive oil on the outside rim of the mushrooms to prevent them from drying out. Place back in the oven for 10 minutes or until Gorgonzola cheese has melted. You can also place the mushrooms under the broiler to melt cheese.

4. Remove mushrooms from oven and transfer them to serving dish or plate. Drizzle with balsamic reduction and fresh basil and serve immediately.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

My aunt sent me this recipe for a pizza crust made out of cauliflower as gluten free and also healthy alternative to regular pizza. I was skeptical at first, how good could a pizza crust be made out of cauliflower? Well, the answer is very good but you should keep in mind that this is not going to be exactly like regular pizza. The taste is a bit different than a regular slice but the texture is great. I REALLY enjoyed how this recipe came out and I am definitely making this again soon!

The mozzarella cheese in the crust helps to make it crispy. I opted to add little cheese to the top of the pizza because there was enough in the crust. You can definitely top this "pizza" with any of your favorite toppings, but I decided a few roasted tomatoes and a little mozzarella and Parmesan cheese was perfect for me.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Makes one 9-10 inch pizza

Ingredients:
1/2 head of cauliflower (about 2 cups riced)
Olive oil
1 cup part skim shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.

2. Remove the stems and leaves from cauliflower and cup florets into chunks. Add to food processor (or a Vitamix) and pulse until the texture is similar to rice. If you don't have a food processor you can grate the cauliflower with a cheese grater or chop it very fine.

3. Add a small amount of olive oil to a non stick skillet and saute cauliflower "rice over medium heat and cook about 6-8 minutes.

4. In a bowl combine the cooked cauliflower with all remaining ingredients. Spread dough out evenly over cookie sheet; about 1/4" thickness. The pizza should be around 9-10 inches in diameter.

5. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the crust is golden, crispy on the edges and cooked through the middle.

6. Top the pizza with toppings of choice (be careful not to add too many toppings or it will weigh down the crust) Broil the pizza for 5 minutes, or until topping are hot and cheese is melted. Allow pizza to cool 2-3 minutes then cut and serve.

Creamy Mushroom Pasta

Need a quick and easy idea for dinner? Try this recipe for creamy mushroom pasta. I am not a huge pasta eater but I found myself looking forward to eating these leftovers, even sneaking a taste at 9:00 am the next morning. This is one of Rachel Ray's 30 minute meals. The only addition I made was adding in some spinach that I had in my refrigerator.

I used a gluten free brown rice fettuccine pasta for this recipe but you can use regular fettuccine or spaghetti. Hope you enjoy!

Creamy Mushroom Pasta 
4-6 servings

Ingredients:
1 pound of spaghetti or fettuccine
1 1/2 pounds of mixed mushrooms- button or cremini mushrooms
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, eyeball it as Rachel would say
2 leeks
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 cups baby spinach
Fresh ground black pepper
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup cream
Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano cheese, for topping

1. Wipe mushrooms clean with damp towel. Remove larger stems and thinly slice mushrooms.

2. Heat a large deep skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in mushrooms and cook until deep golden color and tender; about 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, get a large pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente.

4. While the mushrooms are cooking, halve the leeks lengthwise. Cut off a could on inches from the tough tops. Trim the root end. Thinly slice leeks and wash very well in a large bowl of color water. Making sure to rinse off all the sand and grit. Lift the leeks out of the water and let dry on a paper towel (You can do this step ahead of time if you would like)

5. Add the leeks to mushrooms along with garlic and spinach, if using. Season with salt, pepper and fresh thyme. Cook 3-4 minutes. Add in white wine and reduce for 1 minute then stir in cream and heat through. Toss pasta with mushroom sauce and adjust seasoning to taste. Top with grated cheese.

Quinoa Pilaf with Dried Cranberries and Almonds

This must be the week for healthy side dishes. Here is another way to dress up quinoa for a quick side to accompany any meal. Anything with dried cranberries and almonds scores big points with me. In my opinion, if you add in balsamic vinegar and fresh basil, two of my other favorites and you have the makings of a great dish. I served this dish with peach and soy marinated chicken breasts and butternut squash and leek gratins. Overall, a great and super healthy dinner.

Quinoa Pilaf with dried cranberries and almonds (from cookbook: Pretty Delicious) 
Serves 6

Ingredients:
12 oz quinoa (about 2 cups)
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup sliced almonds -roasted on baking sheet in 350 degree oven 6-8 minutes until golden and fragrant

1. Place quinoa in a large bowl, cover with cold water and then drain though mesh strainer.

2. Place rinsed quinoa, chicken broth and 2 cups of water in a medium sized sauce pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered until quinoa is tender and has absorbed liquid;12-15 minutes. Scrape quinoa into a large bowl.

3. Whisk together balsamic, olive oil, salt and pepper and add to the quinoa. Toss to coat.

4. Add in the cranberries, almonds and basil leaves and serve warm.

Honey Roasted Root Vegetables

I absolutely love this recipe for roasted root vegetables. It's easy to prepare, healthy and delicious. I see myself making this side dish the entire fall and winter season, over and over and over. The whole family devoured these vegetable and were looking for more when the bowl was empty. I am already craving another serving, maybe I will have to make them again this weekend.

The original recipe comes from the cookbook Cooking Light: Cooking through the seasons. The book is broken down into 4 chapters for each season. When I was looking for some recipes for the week I decided to look though the book under the autumn chapter and came across the recipe. My only wish is that I discovered this recipe before so I could have been eating this all along.

The recipe you will find below is my adaptation of the dish. I omitted the garlic but you could easily add in a few gloves of garlic with the other vegetables. I hope you will try this recipe and enjoy it this autumn when all the vegetables are in season.


Honey Roasted Root Vegetables
Serves 4

Ingredients: 
1 small butternut squash, peel and diced (or 1/2 a large squash)
1 small fennel bulb-sliced
2 medium sized parsnips-diced
2 medium sized carrots-diced
1 large red skin potato-diced
3 large shallots-peeled and quartered
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp fresh thyme
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

Cooking spray
1-2 tbsp honey
2 tsp cider vinegar


1. Preheat oven to 450°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl combine all the diced vegetables (try to keep around the same size to ensure even cooking). Add in the olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper. Toss well to coat evenly.

3. Arrange the vegetable mixture in a single layer on baking sheet.

4. Bake at 450° for 25 minutes or until vegetables are browned and tender.

5. Place vegetable mixture in a large bowl. Add honey and cider vinegar to vegetables, and toss well. You can add more honey or vinegar to taste.

Sweet Potato Stuffed Eggplant

In New York, eggplant is in season from July to October. If you live in the stony brook area you can find locally grown eggplants at the farmstands right now. Although eggplant is not one of my favorite vegetables, this dish was so delicious, I plan on making this over and over again.

The eggplant is baked with a filling of sweet potato, tomatoes and cheese. It is then topped with more cheese and fresh herbs and baked until the eggplant is soft and the cheese is melted and crispy on top. Overall, this dish is very healthy with all the seasonal vegetables, just limit the amount of cheese to make it a little healthier. It will still be delicious!

This recipe comes from one of the most beautiful cookbooks I have seen, La Petite Gourmande by Beatrice Peltre. Every recipe in the book looks simply amazing. An added bonus for me, most recipes in the book are gluten free. The writer of this book does not have Celiac Disease but prefers to bake with gluten free grains such as quinoa flour, almond flour and amaranth flour for their flavor. I am looking forward to trying some of her tart recipes in the near future.

Sweet Potato Stuffed Eggplant 
Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 Italian eggplants (about 5"-6" long)
Olive oil
1 small red onion-diced small
1 celery stalk-diced small
1 tbsp fresh ground coriander
Pinch of red chili flakes
Salt and pepper-to taste
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 large tomatoes-blanched, peeled and chopped
1 carrot-finely grated
1 sweet potato-peeled and diced
2 bay leaves
4 oz Emmental cheese or Gruyere cheese-grated
Handful of fresh cilantro or basil-chopped

1. Slice each eggplant in half lengthwise. Scoop out the middle flesh of the eggplant using a grapefruit spoon or a serrated knife and teaspoon. Make sure to leave about 1/4" border in the eggplant shell. Sprinkle the eggplant shells with sea salt and turn upside down (skin face up) for 30 minutes. Reserve flesh of eggplant, chop and set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

3. Meanwhile, prepare the filling by coating a deep skillet with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Bring pan to medium heat and add in onions and celery. Cook until soft and translucent; about 10 minutes. Do not brown vegetables.

4. Add in fresh coriander,red chili flakes, pinch of salt and black pepper. Mix together.

5. Add in tomato paste and chopped tomatoes. Cook 2 minutes.

6. Add in sweet potato, carrot, flesh of eggplant and bay leaves. Cover and cook 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

7. After the filling has cooked 25-30 minutes, add in 3/4 of the cheese and chopped fresh cilantro or basil. Stuff each eggplant half with filling mixture and place on a parchment lines baking sheet.

8. Top with remaining cheese and bake for 45-50 minutes until eggplant is soft and the cheese is slightly brown and crispy on top. Garnish with herbs.

Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

My husband Tom brought me home a bunch of cucumbers from a local garden this week. I wanted to use them in a different way, other than in a salad, so I made a cucumber yogurt sauce to use throughout the week.

This cucumber yogurt sauce is commonly known as raita, used in Indian cuisine. Traditionally it is made with mint or cilantro but I decided to make it with my favorite herb, basil. It is a very healthy and refreshing condiment to use on a variety of different things. I use this on spicy chicken sandwiches, zucchini/potato pancakes, or as a dip for fresh vegetables.

Another plus, Layla loves this sauce. I love that this recipe is a way for her to eat yogurt without it being sweet. I never have a problem with her trying any foods and I so happy she loves a very wide variety of flavors. She loves anything from pork belly to salmon to diced cucumbers. The only thing she won't eat is jarred baby food :)

Cucumber Yogurt Sauce 
Makes 1/2 cup

Ingredients:
1 cucumber-small diced
1/4 cup plain non-fat yogurt
1/2 lime-juices
Pinch of salt-to taste
2 tbsp fresh basil-chopped

In a small bowl, combine diced cucumber, yogurt, lime juice, salt and basil. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Quinoa Stuffed Zucchini

I am always trying new recipes with quinoa. It is one of my favorite foods these days because it is packed with protein and takes on any flavor. I made this for dinner the other night, the quinoa mixture is delicious on its own but you can stuff it in zucchini, tomatoes or portobello mushrooms for a more substantial meal at dinnertime. It is perfect for lunch or a light dinner, just add a simple side salad to make the meal complete.

Quinoa Stuffed Zucchini with Peppers and Corn 
Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 zucchini- cut in half lengthwise
1 cup cooked quinoa (cook quinoa according to package instructions)
1 corn on the cob or 1/2 cup frozen corn-defrosted
1 poblano pepper- seeded and cut into big slices
1/4 crumbles feta cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. On a baking sheet lined with foil and sprayed with non stick spray; place the zucchini halves cut side down and the slices of poblano pepper on baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes until slightly soft. (It is okay for the skin on the peppers to get brown)

2. Meanwhile, place the corn cob in a pot of boiling water; cover and let cook about 10 minutes. Remove from water and set aside until cool enough to handle.

3. Scoop out the middle of the zucchini leaving a shell; add the inside of the zucchini to a bowl with the quinoa. Chop the pepper into bite sized pieces and add to the bowl. Cut the corn from the cob and add the kernels to the quinoa mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Fill each zucchini half with the mixture (you may have some leftover). Place bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Add crumbles feta cheese and bake additional 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Summer Pasta with Tomatoes and Corn

Tom and I are not big pasta eaters on a weekly basis but every once in a while we crave a good fresh pasta dish. This is a quick meal for any night of the week. It's best in the summer time when the tomatoes are ripe and the local corn is sweet. I made Tom tortellini pasta and for myself I made brown rice pasta (gluten free). I find the brand Tinkyada to be really delicious!

Summer Pasta with Tomatoes and Corn
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 lb dry cheese tortellini pasta or any of your favorite dry pasta
1 pint cherry tomatoes-cut in half
2 ears of corn- husks removed
Good olive oil
Salt
Pepper
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup feta cheese
1/4 cup grated pecorino romano cheese
1 bunch of fresh basil-chopped


1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil, place tomatoes and drizzle with olive oil. Season with a little salt, pepper and 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes. Mix together and bake for 15-20 mins until very soft.

2. Meanwhile, place the corn cobs in a pot of boiling water, cover and cook 10 mins. Remove from heat. When the corn is cool enough to handle, remove the kernels from the cob. Set aside.

3. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta according to package instructions to al dente. Drain the pasta (reserving 1/4 cup pasta water) Add tomatoes, corn, reserved liquid and chopped basil. Top with grated Pecorino Romano cheese and crumbled feta cheese. Season with addition salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste. Drizzle with a bit of finishing olive oil and enjoy!

Vegetable Quinoa Burgers with Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms

Lately I have been experimenting with quinoa, which seems to be very trendy right now. A friend of the family dropped off a few quinoa burgers from Wild by Nature (a local health food grocery) and I have been enjoying them for a healthy lunch. Last night I decided to make my own version with all the ingredients I love in a veggie burger. These quinoa burgers are really delicious. They are packed full of nutrition from the quinoa itself and all the added vegetables. When you bake them in the oven they get a little crispy on the outside but they are still soft on the inside. I recommend makes these for lunch or dinner and the left over burgers freeze very well. To defrost, all you have to do is pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds and enjoy!

Tip for this recipe (updated 2/25/13) 
-To make things easier I like to chop the vegetables in a food processor. I chop the shallot and carrot first, while that is sauteing, I chop the mushrooms and zucchini (it turns into a paste) and then saute that mixture with carrots/shallot. I season the vegetables and then add them to the quinoa.
-You can use 1 whole egg, instead of 1 egg white to help with the binding of the patties.
-Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and scoop 6 equal mounds of quinoa mixture onto baking sheet. Flatten and shape into patty form.

Vegetable Quinoa Burgers
Makes 6

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
2 tbsp olive oil-divided
1 shallot-minced
1 carrot-peeled and grated
1 zucchini-grated
8 oz button mushrooms-divided in half
1 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper-to taste
1 egg
3-4 tbsp all purpose flour (any gluten free flour will work in place of all purpose flour)
1 onion-thinly sliced
1 tbsp brown sugar
6 slices of cheese (your favorite cheese will work)
Mixed greens
Hamburger buns (I used gluten free sandwich bread)

1. Rinse the quinoa under cold water. Add to a small sauce pan and fill with 3 cups of water. Place on the stove top and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 12 minutes or until quinoa is cooked. Drain extra liquid and transfer to a large bowl.

2. While the quinoa is cooking; cook the vegetables. Add olive oil to a non-stick skillet over medium heat and add in shallots and carrots; cook 5 minutes until soft. Add in zucchini, 1/2 the mushrooms, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper; cook 5 more minutes. Transfer vegetables to bowl with quinoa.

3. Add in egg and flour to quinoa mixture. Mix together until all ingredients are incorporated. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, form quinoa mixture into 6 patties and place on baking sheet. (If the mixture does not hold form, scoop a large spoonful onto baking sheet and form patty on the parchment paper) Refrigerate for 1 hour to set (you can freeze the patties for 25 minutes for a faster set).

4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place baking sheet with quinoa burgers in the oven for 10-15 minutes. When they are slightly golden brown on the bottom, flip the patties carefully and bake additional 10 minutes.

5. White the burgers are in the oven heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add in sliced onion and brown sugar. Saute the onion until the are soft and caramelized; about 10-15 minutes. Add in mushrooms and cook until soft; about 5 minutes. Set aside and keep warm.

6. The last minute of baking place cheese onto the quinoa burgers to melt. Remove from the oven and place on bun. Top with caramelized onions and mushrooms and a little mixed greens.

Eggplant Zucchini Parmesan Stacks

Here is a spin on Eggplant Parmesan. This is a really easy recipe to put together for a quick weeknight meal. I breaded half the eggplant for my husband's portion and I left the flour and breading off my eggplant to make is gluten free. Layla also enjoyed the cooked eggplant, zucchini and tomato. At 9 months old, I just cut up the vegetable into small pieces and she feeds herself at the table.

Eggplant Zucchini Parmesan Stacks
Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 eggplants (no more than 1 pound each)
1/4 cup flour
3/4 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Olive oil
2 zucchini- thinly sliced (1/8" thick)
3-4 roma or slicing tomatoes-thinly sliced
8 oz mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 basil leaves-chopped

1. Prepare eggplant: Slice each eggplant in about 1/2" thick slices (around 16 per eggplant) Sprinkle eggplant with salt and place into a colander. Let the eggplant drain over a bowl for about 30 minutes. Rinse the eggplant slices with water and dry with paper towels.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  On a sheet of wax paper or in a shallow dish place flour, salt and pepper. In a shallow bowl, place beaten eggs with a little water and on another sheet of wax paper place bread crumbs.

3. Dredge eggplant in flour, dip into egg mixture and then into bread crumbs. Place breaded eggplant slices onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 15-20 minutes.
***If you want to make this meal gluten free, place unbreaded eggplant slices of baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake according to the instructions above (it may take less time without breading)

4. Flip each eggplant slice and top each slice with a few thin slices of zucchini and tomato. Bake additional 10 minutes.

5. Top each slice with mozzarella cheese, sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and chopped basil. Bake for 5-10 minutes until cheese has melted.

6. For a nice presentation you can stack a few slices of top of each other.

Salad with Mushroom, Potato and Leek Croquettes

A quick post today. Here is a great salad for lunch or a light dinner. These croquettes are filled with nutritious vegetables and keep you feeling satisfied. There are only 266 calories per serving (serving size-2 patties) Try this recipe when you are looking to reinvent your everyday salad.


Salad with Mushroom, Potato and Leek Croquettes (Adapted from Cooking Light)
Makes 8-10 patties






















Ingredients:
8 oz yukon gold potatoes (peeled and chopped)
4 oz cremini mushrooms
4 oz button mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped leek (1 leek)
1 tsp fresh thyme
Cooking spray
1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
1/4 cup grates Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese-divided
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 large egg yolk
1/3 cup flour
1 large egg white
2 tsp water
1/2 panko breadcrumbs
1 tbsp olive oil
8 oz mixed greens

1. In a pot of boiling water; add in potatoes and simmer for 10 minutes until tender. Drain and press through a ricer or food mill into a bowl.

2. Place mushrooms, leeks and thyme in a food processors and pulse until finely chopped. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Coat the pan with cooking spray and add mushroom mixture; cook 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add mushroom mixture to potato. Add in Gruyere cheese, 2 tbsp Parmigiano-Reggiano, salt, pepper and egg yolk; stir until combined. Shape mixture into 8-10 round patties.

4. Place flour in a shallow dish. Combine egg white and 2 tbsp water into a separate shallow dish; stirring to combine. Combine the remaining 2 tbsp of Parmigiano-Reggiano and panko bread crumbs into a shallow dish.

5. Working with one patty at a time, dredge in flour; dip in egg mixture; and dredge in breadcrumbs. Heat a non-stick skillet over med-high heat. Add in olive oil to coat the bottom. Add in patties and cook 4 minutes on each side until golden brown.

6. Serve with a salad of mixed greens.

Super Healthy Quinoa Lunch Recipe

I have recently been trying to include this super food into my diet. Quinoa contains key nutrients such as, protein, fiber, magnesium, and iron. It's benefits include overall cardio health, aids in prevention of migraines, may help prevent cancer and heart disease, aids in digestion and lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes.

I make a batch of quinoa in the beginning of the week and divide it into 1/4 cup servings for lunch. Then I add in all different fresh ingredients. One day I will add in a little maple syrup, raisins, walnuts and berries and the next day I add in ingredients like the recipe below. It is very easy to make, it doesn't take any longer than making rice; about 15-20 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed.

Zucchini and Feta Quinoa 
Makes 1 serving

Ingredients:
Olive oil
1/4 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 zucchini- thinly sliced half moons
2 cups baby spinach
Salt
Pepper
1/2 tsp Dried oregano
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes-optional
1-2 tbsp feta cheese
Lemon juice-optional

1. In a non-stick skillet heat 1 tsp olive oil over medium high heat. Add in sliced zucchini and season with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and oregano. Cook until softened; about 5 minutes. Add in baby spinach and cooked quinoa. Cook until spinach is wilted. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.

2. Place mixture into a bowl and top with feta cheese and a little squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Enjoy!

Stuffed Artichokes

Stuffed Artichokes...easier than you think. I was always under the impression that stuffed artichokes were difficult and time consuming to make. I was very wrong.

Over the weekend, my brother Stephen came out to visit. We always like to cook together when he is here for a few days and decided to have a feast. My dad has been asking for stuffed peppers, so I decided that was going to be the main dish. Stephen suggested we do a whole "stuffed" theme for dinner so we came up with stuffed peppers, stuffed artchokes and mini calzones stuffed with spinach. An Italian feast, which left us feeling...stuffed.

This recipe is very easy and the artichokes come out delicious. It is the perfect time of year to try this recipe because the artichokes are in season right now (springtime). Enjoy!

Stuffed Artichokes
Makes 4

Ingredients:
4 large artichokes
1 3/4 cups dry bread crumbs (Italian seasoned works well)
1 cup grated pecorino romano cheese (or parmesan), plus extra for sprinkling (about 4 tbsp)
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp pepper
Zest of 1 lemon-optional
1-2 garlic cloves -minced
5 tbsp olive oil


1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Prepare the artichokes by cutting the top 1/4 off with a serrated knife. Discard the outer leaves and cut the top of any leaves that seem rough/thick. They are now ready to be stuffed.

2. Prepare the filling by combining breadcrumbs, cheese, salt, pepper, lemon zest and garlic. Add enough oil 3-4 tbsp to create a wet paste (constancy of wet sand).

3. Spread the leaves of the artichokes a bit to make room for the stuffing and work the stuffing down into all the leaves. Transfer the artichokes to a shallow baking dish and drizzle a little more olive oil over top.

4. Pour boiling water into the baking dish about 1" deep on the artichokes. Cover tightly with foil (spray foil with non-stick spray) Bake until artichokes are tender; about 50-60 mins. Remove foil, sprinkle a little more cheese on top, and broil for 2-3 mins until golden brown.

(Adapted from Saveur Magazine)

Eggplant Rollitini

If you are familiar with some of my recipes you will notice that I like to use roasted Roma tomatoes in place of tomato sauce. I find roasting the tomatoes to be just as easy, if not easier, than making your own sauce. It may not be as easy as buying sauce in a jar, but it is very fresh and has a lot of great flavor.

In my version of eggplant rollitini, I like to slice the eggplant very thin and fill it with a ricotta, Parmesan and spinach filling. I then top it with roasted tomatoes and a little fresh mozzarella and basil. You can find the recipe for roasted tomatoes below.

"Lighten" this recipe by using part skim ricotta cheese in the filling and adding a thin slice of fresh mozzarella on top of each eggplant rollitini.

Eggplant Rollitini
Serves 4 (4 rolls per person)

Ingredients:
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper
10 Roma tomatoes (roasted-see recipe below)
15 oz ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 large egg
1 large handful of fresh spinach-chopped
1/2-1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp dried oregano
2 large eggplants-thinly sliced into 1/8" slices
8 oz fresh mozzarella
Basil to garnish

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Using a mandoline or knife slice the eggplant into very thin slices about 1/8" thick. Making sure to have around 16 slices total.

2. Season eggplant with salt and pepper and arrange on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cover with foil and bake until tender; about 5-7 mins (depending on thickness of eggplant slices)

3. Meanwhile, to make the filling combine ricotta, parmesan cheese, chopped spinach, egg, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Set aside.

4. Once the eggplant is tender, remove from oven and pat dry with paper towels. Dividing the ricotta mixture evenly and spoon mixture onto eggplant, leaving a 1/4' border on the sides. Roll up the slices and place seam side down in a baking dish, sprayed with non stick cooking spray.

5. Top each roll with the roasted tomatoes, mozzarella and basil.

6. Cover the dish with foil and bake 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 more minutes. Place under the broiler for 3-5 minutes until cheese is slightly golden brown. Let cool 5-10 minutes before serving.

Roasted Tomatoes:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Quarter the Roma tomatoes and place on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper (add oregano rosemary and thyme; if desired). Roast in the oven for 25-35 minutes until very soft.