mushroom, spinach and swiss crustless quiche

musings: i was very happy with the way this turned out. on a different occasion, i wouldn’t be using fat-free cheese, but i wanted something on the healthier side. i also can’t vouch for any other brand of fat-free cheese other than what i used, which was skinny cheese, a line from red apple cheeses. all things considered, the taste was pretty enjoyable. the melting consistency was a little funny, though. i would recommend using feta in the quiche and sprinkling parmesan on top to make nice crust. this is the perfect dish to make ahead for lunch or dinner, eat it cold or warm it up, serve it with mixed greens or on its own. simple and delicious.

the ingredients:

1 tbsp. exra-virgin olive oil

8 oz. fresh mushrooms (sliced)

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic (minced)

1 bag baby spinach (zapped in the microwave for 30 seconds until it begins to steam and leaves are pliable)

4 large eggs

1 cup low-fat milk

3/4 cup shredded fat-free swiss

the method:

preheat the oven to 350, and spray a pie dish. 

in a medium skillet, heat the olive oil, and add the mushrooms. add a good pinch of salt and pepper. When the mushrooms begin to release their juices (five to seven minutes), add the garlic, and cook until aromatic. 

 spread the partially cooked spinach across the bottom of the pie dish, and add the cooked mushrooms and a half-cup of the cheese.

in a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk until combined. add a pinch of salt and pepper. pour this mixture into the pie dish over the vegetables and cheese, and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. bake until the top is golden brown, and the center is set, about 45 minutes to an hour. serve with mixed greens or on its own.

adapted from a budget bytes recipe.

quinoa tabbouleh

musings: traditionally, lebanese tabbouleh is made with mostly herbs, some tomatoes and a few grains of bulgur here and there. i wanted more of an “equal parts” dish. then, i thought i had a brilliant idea: what if i make it with quinoa? clearly not the first person to come up with this. but given that it is a vegetarian recipe, i wanted a way to incorporate some protein for my lunches this week (this is totally not a sad desk lunch and is super simple to make on sunday and pack for the week). the original recipe called for scallions, but i had my fair share of scallion cream cheese this week at russ & daughters this week, so i decided to go with shallots. this is also why i added a bit of honey (to bring out their sweetness). the result was bright, refreshing and delicious.

the ingredients:

1 1/2 cups quinoa (rinsed well)

1 lemon (zested and juiced)

1 tsp. honey

1 garlic clove (minced)

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 large english cucumber (chopped into half half-moons) 

1 pint cherry tomatoes (halved)

2/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (i used a kitchen scissor to cut the leaves off; you want big pieces in here, and don’t worry if some stems get in as well.)

1/2 cup chopped fresh mint (see parsley note) 

1 shallot (minced)

the method:

bring the quinoa, three cups of water and a good pinch of salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender, about 10 minutes. remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for five minutes. fluff with a fork.

meanwhile, whisk the lemon elements, honey and garlic in a small bowl. gradually whisk in the olive oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

in a large bowl, add the cucumber, tomatoes, herbs, and shallots along with the cooled quinoa, and toss to coat with the dressing. season to taste with salt and pepper, and enjoy. 

slightly adapted from a bon appetit recipe.

brown sugar and bourbon flank steak

yields: 6 plentiful servings

the ingredients:

3 lbs. flank steak 

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup bourbon

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 

maldon salt

the method:

in a shallow bowl or on your baking sheet, rub the sugar and red pepper flakes into both sides of the steak. pour the bourbon on top, and rub everything around so that it’s blended. put the steak in a large ziploc, and pour the remaining marinade in the bag. let the steak marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to three hours.

position a rack six inches from the broil, and turn the broil onto high. put the steak on a baking sheet (it’s going take a beating under the broiler – don’t say i didn’t warn you). season both sides of the steak with the kosher salt and pepper, and stick it under the broiler. i broiled mine for four to five minutes on each side, and it was definitely on the rarer side of medium rare. every broiler is different, though, so keep an eye on your loin. when you think it’s done, let the steak rest for ten minutes, and then cut it into quarter-inch slices. transfer to a serving platter, and sprinkle with some maldon flakes.

slightly adapted from a food52 recipe.

panellets (spanish pine nut cookies)

musings: these are delicious! i had them on a recent trip to spain and was stalking various websites for the right recipe. the ones i had almost had a marzipan-like center, which i love, so i added almond extract to this recipe in hopes to enhance the almond flavor. i initially used one teaspoon but have since upped the quantity to two. these are the perfect treat to end an easter feast!

yields: 12 cookies

the ingredients:

1 1/2 cups almond meal

2 eggs (divided)

1 lemon (zested)

2 tsp. almond extract

1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp. sugar

3/4 cup pine nuts

the method:

preheat the oven to 350, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

beat an egg in a small bowl, and set aside. put the pine nuts in a separate small bowl.

combine the almond meal, the other egg, lemon zest, almond extract, and sugar in a bowl, and using a fork, mix to combine. with your hands, make rounded dough balls with about two tablespoons of the mixture. dip each of them in the beaten egg and then in the pine nuts. prepare to get your hands dirty as the nuts need to be gently pressed into the dough (otherwise, they fall right off the cookie). place the cookies on your baking sheet, and bake for 15 minutes, or until slightly golden brown.

adapted from a may i have that recipe recipe.