Tomato Aspic

The bounty of fresh tomatoes continues to overwhelm me, but I'll not chide myself in February for not having eaten my fill of the fabulous summer fruit. Food snobs might turn up their noses at this recipe, considering it a relic from a bygone age, but a good tomato aspic is still an unusual, tasty, healthy, and refreshing dish. Maybe it's time for a comeback!?! 

Tomato Aspic

Nutritional Data per serving:
Calories 17
Total Fat 0.2g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 879mg
Total Carbohydrates 3.8g
Dietary Fiber 1.1g
Sugars 2.3g
Protein 0.8g

4 cups cored and quartered fresh tomatoes
1 cup water
2 ribs celery with leaves, chopped
1 bay leaf
10 whole black peppercorns
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 Tbs lemon juice
1 Tbs Splenda
1 Tbs salt
2 Tbs unflavored gelatin dissolved in
1/2 cup cold water
2 Tbs dry sherry or Marsala wine (optional)

Optional ingredients:

Crumbled blue or feta cheese
Small cooked shrimp
Sliced avocado
Sliced olives
Chopped celery
Sliced hard-cooked eggs
Chopped dill pickles
Hot Sauce

Combine the tomatoes, water, celery, bay leaf, peppercorns, onion, lemon juice, Splenda, and salt in a pot and bring to a boil over moderate heat.
Reduce the heat and simmer covered for 30 minutes.
Strain the mixture through a fine sieve (or several layers of cheesecloth for a clearer aspic) and discard the solids, reserving the liquid.
Stir the gelatin mixture and the optional sherry into the liquid while still hot and add enough water to make 4 cups.
Ladle into a decorative mold or individual custard cups or ramekins.
Chill until set, about 2 hours.

Unmold by dipping the mold into warm water before inverting on a serving plate.

Serves 6 to 8

Cook's Notes: Serve with a dollop of 1/2 good mayonnaise and 1/2 Greek yogurt.
If desired, you may add optional ingredients by filling the mold or cups about 1/3 full. Chill until firm and add the optional ingredients of your choice, followed by the remaining liquid and a second chilling.

Black Bean And Heirloom Tomato Quinoa With Lemon Dressing

This recipe lends itself to showcase practically any fresh vegetable, cut into small pieces and tossed into the mix. I've used fresh corn, bell peppers, and avocado as well as limes in place of lemons. 

Black Bean and Heirloom Tomato Quinoa with Lemon Dressing

Nutritional Data per serving:
serves 6

Calories 383
Total Fat 8.7g1
Saturated Fat 3.2g1
Cholesterol 10mg
Sodium 34mg
Total Carbohydrates 59.7g
Dietary Fiber 12.3g
Sugars 1.8g
Protein 18.3g


1 cup quinoa, rinsed several times and drained
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 (14-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 medium heirloom tomatoes, diced
4 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Fill a heavy bottomed pot 3/4 full with water, add a tablespoon of salt and heat until boiling.
Add quinoa and cook until almost tender, 10-15 minutes.
Wisk lemon zest, juice, butter, olive oil, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Drain quinoa and return to pot.
Reduce heat to low and cook quinoa, covered, until fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Fluff quinoa with a fork and toss with dressing.
Add remaining ingredients and toss.

Serve hot or room temperature.

Sugar Free Peanut Butter Cookies

COOKIES!!! REAL COOKIES!!! Perfect texture. Amazing taste. Simple. 

Peanut Butter Cookies

Nutritional Data per cookie:
Calories 51
Total Fat 4.3g
Saturated Fat 0.6g
Cholesterol 12mg
Sodium 107mg
Total Carbohydrates 1.4g
Dietary Fiber 0.7g
Net Carbohydrates 0.7g
Protein 2.4g

1 cup sugar free natural peanut butter (READ THE LABEL!)
3 Tbsp Splenda (or to taste)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 tsp salt (if not an ingredient in the peanut butter)
1/2 cup almond flour (see Cook's Notes)
1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 325 F

In the bowl of your mixer add peanut butter, Splenda and villa extract. Mix to combine.
Add egg. Mix again and scrape down sides of the bowl
Add salt, flour and baking soda. Mix thoroughly.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper
Scoop cookie dough and roll into 3/4" balls
Pat out cookies and press with fork (to make the pretty cross-hatch design)

Bake approximately 10 minutes until cookies are crisp.

Cook's Notes: There are a several possible substitutes for the almond flour. Peanut flour works well if you can find it. Golden Flax meal makes an excellent cookie. Coconut flour works well but you need to add a bit of oil or butter to get the correct texture.
Add cocoa powder and a pinch more salt to make Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Crab Souffle

Maybe it was the food - or was it the location? Or maybe the atmosphere? In April of 1995 my bride of 15 years and I went to Carolina Beach, NC for our 15th anniversary and long overdue honeymoon. We stayed at the Daniel Boone Inn (no longer in existence) which was a privately owned Bed and Breakfast. For dinner one night the owners surprised us with a crab souffle which was out of this world! Fresh crab, freshly cooked, attractively served--what's not to like? I never found a recipe that duplicated that wonderful dish, but over the years I've developed something close. Every time I fix it I remember the passionate kisses stolen on the beach at sunset. Hmmm.. Maybe I'll fix it again tonight!


Crab Souffle

Nutritional Data per serving (4):
Calories 293
Total Fat 18.4g
Saturated Fat 9.2g
Cholesterol 266mg
Sodium 1132mg
Total Carbohydrates 10.4g
Sugars 2.8g
Protein 18.6g

2 cups crab meat (about 12 ounces, fresh or frozen, lump or flaked)
1/4 cup butter
1 rib celery, finely chopped
1 medium to large shallot, minced
1/4 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
Generous dash of white pepper
1/4 teaspoon Phillips seafood seasoning
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup dry sherry
4 eggs, separated
A pinch of cream of tartar
1 tablespoon lemon juice


Melt butter in a saucepan and saute celery and shallot until just tender (about 2 minutes).
Blend in flour and seasonings and cook an additional 2 minutes, stirring continuously.
Gradually add milk and cook, stirring, until thickened.
Remove from heat and allow to cool to lukewarm.

Beat egg yolks until thick and lemon-colored.
Gradually stir into sauce.
Add sherry, crab meat and lemon juice.
Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff.
Add about one-quarter of the whites to crab mixture and stir in well.
Gently fold (do not stir) remaining egg whites into mixture.

Pour into a well-buttered souffle dish or 1 1/2 quart casserole. Set dish in a pan of hot water.
Bake for approximately 45-50 minutes until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Serves 4 to 6 

Cucumber Lemonade

Tired of plain old water? Bored with Crystal Light? My darling wife slipped a couple slices of cucumber into a glass of icy cold water to make it more refreshing and prompted my memory of this delicious treat.




Cucumber Lemonade

Nutritional data per serving:
Calories 23
Total Fat 0.1g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 2mg
Total Carbohydrates 7.1g
Sugars 2.3g
Protein 0.6g

1 cup water
1/2 cup Splenda
1 cucumber, chopped
1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 6 lemons)
Icy cold water

Combine the water and Splenda in a small saucepan over moderate heat and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the Splenda until it is clear.
Refrigerate until cool, at least 30 minutes.
Process the cucumber in an electric blender or food processor until mashed to a pulp.
Place in a fine strainer and collect the liquid in a small bowl - you should have about 2/3 cup of the cucumber juice.
Combine the Splenda syrup, lemon juice, cucumber juice in a pitcher
Add water to taste and serve cold or over ice. Garnish with lemon and cucumber slices.

Serves 4 to 6

Oatmeal Cottage Cheese Pancake

From the array of recipes I post you guys probably assume there is nothing I can't cook - not true. I have my Achilles's Heels - one of which has always been pancakes. They are either too greasy or burned or tough as shoe leather. As such I didn't really realize I missed pancakes until I saw BTV Danielle's recipe for oatmeal cottage cheese pancakes. Of course, I couldn't leave well enough alone... I HAD to jack it up a little bit. But the most important part of this recipe is that turned out beautifully, is simple to cook and TASTE LIKE REALLY GOOD PANCAKES!





Oatmeal Cottage Cheese Pancakes
with Sugar Free Maple Syrup

Nutritional Data per pancake (makes 2)
Calories 96
Total Fat 3.4g
Saturated Fat 1.1g
Cholesterol 95mg3
Sodium 146mg
Total Carbohydrates 8.1g
Dietary Fiber 1.0g
Protein 8.0g


1/4 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup cottage cheese
1 egg
pinch salt

For Sweet:
1 tsp vanilla extract
Splenda to taste

For Savory:
2-3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
Sprinkle of garlic and/or onion powder
Fresh spinach or basil leaves (optional)

For Crepes:
Add 3 Tbsp milk

Put all the ingredients in your blender/food processor/magic bullet and process until everything liquefies.

For 2 pancakes/crepes, pour 1/2 batter into skillet prepared with nonstick spray
Cook over Med High heat until bubbles form all over the top and the edges begin to brown - flip and complete.

Cook's Notes: Savory crepes make excellent sandwich wraps

1000 Island Dressing

Salads are great on hot summer days, but they really don't hold a lot of nutritional value - and most salad dressings are far less than healthy options. BUT, when you really want a salad you can have this as another dressing option to add to your flavor arsenal.


1000 Island Dressing

Nutritional Data per serving (2 Tbsp)
Calories 46
Total Fat 3.9g
Saturated Fat 0.6g
Cholesterol 3mg
Sodium 99mg
Total Carbohydrates 2.9g
Sugars 0.8g
Protein 0.1g

Make 10 - 12 servings

1/2 cup Good Mayonnaise (The cheap stuff has sugar in it)
1/2 cup Greek Yogurt
1/3 cup sugar free Ketchup
2 tbsp Sugar Free Sweet Pickle Relish
1/2 tsp Onion powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Dash Garlic powder

Cook's Note: Also a great topping on burgers, shrimp and broiled fish.
Optionally, you can add 1 finely diced boiled egg to kick up the flavor and the protein.

Coconut Macaroons

These tiny little cookies are packed full of protein and super-duper yum. They travel very well and make an excellent addition to potlucks or parties. No need to tell anyone they are sugar-free and low-carb… they’re so delish they’ll be gobbled up immediately.


Coconut Macaroons

Nutritional Data per macaroon:
Calories 22
Total Fat 1.9g
Saturated Fat 1.7g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 7mg
Total Carbohydrates 0.9g
Dietary Fiber 0.5g
Protein 0.6g

4 egg whites, room temperature
8 ounces (or approx 2 3/4 cups) unsweetened shredded coconut
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup Splenda Granular

Preheat over to 350F and line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Makes 40 small cookies.

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until peaks begin to form.

Slowly pour Splenda in and continue beating until fully incorporated and stiff peaks form.

Stir in vanilla and add coconut. Mixture will deflate as it’s mixed in – that’s ok. Just try to be gentle as possible while still making sure the coconut and egg mixture are thoroughly combined.

Drop by teaspoonful onto prepared baking sheets and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Remove from oven, let cool, and enjoy!

Store leftovers in covered container.

Cook's Note: Kick it up a bit by adding some of your favorite chopped nuts. Almonds or pecans are an excellent addition.

Grilled Sweet BBQ Marinated Tilapia

Sweet, mild heat and soft, flaky fish. A delicious combination for a mid-week entree, with enough pizazz to be the honored guest at a summer dinner party


Sweet BBQ Marinated Tilapia
Adapted from a recipe by NPC02 at [bariatrictv.com]

1 lb Tilapia fillets, portioned
2 Tbsp Sugar Free Ketchup
½ Cup Fresh Salsa
1 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil
1 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce
1 Pinch Five Spice Powder
1 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp Neutral Vegetable Oil
1/2 Jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped (or your favorite hot sauce)
Liberal sprinkling of: cracked pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, & thyme


Combine marinade ingredients in a sealable container.
Add the fish, cover, and coat them in the marinade.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
For each portion, spray 12X12 in square of aluminum foil with non-stick spray and fold the foil over the fish, crimping the sides and ends to form a sealed pouch.
Cook over medium coals for about 5 minutes per side until fish is opaque.
Snip open pouches and sprinkle fish with chopped parsley or cilantro.

White Fish with Herbs and Tomatoes

I don't know about where you live, but here in the South it's HOT! Too hot to cook hot! I would normally do this in a 425F oven, however my oven is not getting turned on again until the temps drop significantly, so dinner comes from the grill.

The joys of living at the coast include the ready availability of amazingly fresh fish, so I bought some beautiful fresh caught grouper at my local fish market and cut it up. I used a 1/4 size baking sheet lined with foil, and it held enough fish for 6 people.

Drizzle some olive oil on the foil and lay the fish on top. Season the fish w/ kosher salt & pepper. Throw some sliced garlic on top and around the fish. Feel free to splash some white wine around the fish too if you are drinking it while cooking.

Throw some halved cherry tomatoes on top (stop throwing things!), a handful of olives, some cut up fresh herbs (thyme, chives, basil, parsley). Lay some lemon slices on top of the whole shebang and drizzle with more olive oil and a bit more kosher salt if you like.



Heat the grill and close the lid. The fish is done when it is firm and opaque. My grouper took about 12 minutes - your mileage may vary.

Carefully plate and spoon the delicious lemon garlic sauce over the fish.

This was easy, healthy and delicious!

 



Cook's Note: Works equally well with grouper, halibut, tilapia, cod or any firm white fish.

Summer Tomato Pie

This should be my biggest problem in life. Too many tomatoes.

I wait all year for the damn things, then they all come at once. Even with what the squirrels steal, we still have too many.

What to do with them keeps me up at night (not the squirrels, the tomatoes). This week it's gazpacho, Caprese salad and even tomato MIAMs.

Last night I thought up a new concoction for this delicious treat.

You can use any herbs you like and make any pie crust recipe you like. I recommend the savory version of my Almond Flour Pie Crust. [www.schronce.net]

I took a tip from and old chef friend and laid paper towels on baking sheets, layering the tomato slices on them so they drained most of the moisture out.

You can switch up the herbs and cheese to use whatever you have. Mozzarella, cheddar or Gruyere would be a great choice. And for herbs you can use scallions, chives, basil, parsley, thyme, dill or a combination of all, like I did.




Summer Tomato Pie

Serves 8
Nutritional Data per serving:
Calories 180
Total Fat 14.2g
Saturated Fat 7.6g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 35mg
Sodium 483mg
Total Carbohydrates 7.7g
Sugars 1.0g
Protein 5.8g


1 pie crust to fit a 9" pie dish [www.schronce.net]
1 tbsp cornmeal for sprinkling on the bottom of the pie shell

2 lbs. heirloom tomatoes, sliced
kosher salt
1 cup of grated sharp cheddar, mozzarella, or Gruyere cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup good quality mayonnaise (the cheap stuff has sugar in it)
handful of chopped scallions
handful of chopped basil leaves
handful of chopped chives
handful of chopped parsley
1 tsp Splenda
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1/2 cup of fresh breadcrumbs mixed w/ some of the parmesan cheese (optional) for the top

Slice the tomatoes and lay them on paper towel lined baking sheets. Sprinkle them with kosher salt and cover with another layer of paper towels. Let sit 30 minutes, so most of the moisture drains out of them.

Fit the dough into a 9" pie tin and sprinkle with some cornmeal.

Mix the cheese, herbs, mayo, vinegar and Splenda together and season w/ salt & pepper.
This mixture will be divided in half.

Spread some of the mayo & cheese mixture on the bottom of the crust.
Next layer some of the drained tomatoes, overlapping each other.

Now spread the rest of the mayo & cheese mixture and a second layer of tomato slices.

Place the 1/2 cup of fresh breadcrumbs on top of the tomatoes and drizzle with a small amount of olive oil. I sprinkled some fresh thyme on top too.

If you have overlapping edges of dough, fold them over the tomatoes, to create a secure package.

Place in the oven for 40 minutes at 400F. Let rest at least 30 minutes so tomatoes have time to firm up and cool.

Now I can sleep at night and stop worrying about what to do with the damn tomatoes.

Cranberry Sauce Vinaigrette

This is ABSOLUTELY my favorite salad dressing.  Watch your guests light up when they taste it!

All measurements are approximate.. 

2/3 cup olive oil 
1/3 cup red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar 
2 tablespoons cranberry sauce 
1 clove crushed garlic 
1/4 teaspoon black pepper 
2 tsp sugar/Splenda 

Whisk vigorously to break up the cranberry sauce and create an emulsion 

Add additional oil or vinegar as required to get a balanced taste 
Chil

Salt and Pepper Shrimp with Lime Garlic Aioli

A spicy/cool appetizer or entree

1 lb medium shrimp (easy-peel if you can find them)
salt
fresh ground black pepper
garlic powder
onion powder

1 lime
1 clove garlic minced
1/4 cup good mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt

Aioli:
Mix mayonnaise and sour cream
zest the lime and add it to the mixture
add a healthy squeeze of the lime juice
add 1/2 minced gaarlic clove
Stir well and chill

Shrimp:
Dust the shrimp liberally with seasonings.
Either skewer the shrimp and grill them or add them to a hot saute pan and cook until a bright pink on both sides

Cook's Note: It is important that the pepper be fresh so it imparts the appropriate heat, which is balanced by the cooling properties of the aioli.

Onion and Herb Frittata

I have made a lot of frittatas in my day, but this one takes the grand prize. All I can say is: make this dish! It's very easy, using the herbs from your garden, 8 eggs and yummy fresh ricotta cheese.

The trick is to have everything ready to go and you can whip this up for your Sunday breakfast in no time.

I tried a slice about 30 minutes out of the oven, but I loved this most 6 hours later, left on the counter, at room temperature.

I took the leftovers for lunch the next day in a cooler. It was even better, if you can imagine a leftover omelet being that good.

I hope you try this, it gets my 5 star rating. * * * * *



Onion and Herb Frittata

Nutritional data per serving:
Calories 206
Total Fat 16.1g
Saturated Fat 4.9g
Cholesterol 260mg
Sodium 615mg
Total Carbohydrates 3.3g
Sugars 1.4g
Protein 12.4g

1 cup of thinly sliced onions (I used 2 large Vidalia onions)
3 tbsp of olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt

8 eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese
4 large sage leaves, minced
4 large basil leaves, torn
1 tbsp of fresh rosemary, minced
1 tsp kosher salt
black pepper
5 dollops of fresh ricotta cheese for the top (about 1/3 cup)

Start by cooking your onions in an 8" ovenproof skillet in the olive oil, until golden. About 10 minutes.

While the onions are cooking, whisk the eggs with the next 6 ingredients (not the ricotta) and get ready.

Once the onions are cooked, pour the egg, parmesan and herb mixture over the onions in the pan. Spoon about 5 dollops of ricotta cheese around the eggs to make a nice design. I added an extra sage leaf to each dollop to be fancy.

Turn the heat down to low and cook about 3-4 minutes, until the sides of the frittata look they are setting.

Carefully place the skillet (careful, it's hot) in a 400F oven and bake the frittata for about 9 minutes until the dish looks set and golden.

Let rest in the pan a few minutes until you can slide it out onto a serving plate.

This is fantastic warm or at room temperature. Serves 6

Mexican Chicken Soup

Chicken Tortilla soup is a favorite in restaurants serving Southwest fair, but the tortilla part gets to most of us. This is a simple "open all the cans and stir" recipe that makes a beautiful and tasty soup that freezes well so you can stock the freezer with "plan aheads.


Mexican Chicken Soup
A variation on a recipe by Cuddles_1960

1 large onion (chopped)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb chicken tenders (or breast cut into strips)
6 cups chicken stock
1 package taco seasoning
2 Tbsp cumin
1 15 oz can pinto beans not drained
1 15 oz can black beans drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can white beans drained
2 cans whole kernel corn (with liquid)
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 15 oz can chopped tomatoes with juice
1 chopped jalapeno (more or less to taste)
1 Tbsp Chicken Bouillon
Salt and Pepper to taste
Hot sauce to taste

Add oil to the pot over medium high heat
Add onion and saute until tender, about 5 minutes
Add Chicken, stock and taco seasoning
Bring to a boil and cook until chicken is done.
Remove chicken and chop/shred chicken and add back to soup
Add remaining ingredients
Bring back to a boil then reduce to simmer until ready to serve

Serves 16

Cook's Note: Serve with a dollop of sour cream (or Greek yogurt), sliced avocado and/or shredded cheese.
Great use for canned or left over chicken!

Sugar Free Gummies!!

Thanks to Kristi-Bisti of Calgary, Alberta, CA
----------------------------------------------
I love gummies! And recently I found myself buying the junk gummies from the store. Not very impressed with myself, I thought there had to be a way to make these myself. Low and behold, somewhere in the interverse, someone had posted the exact thing I was looking for!

The recipe is simple -
2 cups of water
6 packs unflavoured gelatin (or 6 tablespoons bulk gelatin)
2 packs of sugar free flavored gelatin (Jello)

Let the gelatin soak in the water for a few minutes, then heat it up until it melts. (Don't worry, you will be able to tell.)
Then, pour the melted gelatin into mini muffin tins or shaped molds of any kind. Let chill in the fridge for a while until solid.

I love these! And they can be customized in so many ways. I added coconut flour for a more substantial gummy. Or I have gelled Fresca, juice, SF torani syrups. You could add fruit or anything that strikes your fancy. They are also customized by how much gelatin you use. I personally don't like going less than 4 tbsp per cup of liquid. I sometimes use more, but haven't gone more than about 5 tbsp per cup. Since I have found a bulk source that is cheaper than the packs, I may try going pretty concentrated. Oh, and the kids love these too!

Ratatouille’s Roasted Ratatouille

Tell me I’m not alone in this: You saw the movie Ratatouille, fell in love with Remy the rat and found yourself with a pressing craving, not for the heavy and too-often soggy traditional Provençal ratatouille, but that kaleidoscope of spiraled colors they served to the haughty and soon-humbled restaurant critic.

I can’t believe how well this worked out. I also can’t believe I cooked a cartoon dish created by an imaginary rat. But I can believe I’ll be making this again soon, because it’s delicious, seasonal, and an incredible cinch to make.

We’re just getting to the point in the summer where all of the vegetables are readying themselves for their farmers’ market close-up, so the timing couldn’t be better. And aside from some fine-slicing of vegetables, you need a minimum of dishes and time to get this together. Not bad for something showy enough for a dinner party ta-da, right?

There are a lot of things not traditional about this version of ratatouille–the lack of herbes de province, that it’s baked and that we ate it with both quinoa and a dollop of soft goat cheese–but if you’re like me, and the chunkier authentic stuff has never done it for you, it’s time for this re-creation.





Ratatouille’s Ratatouille

Nutritional Data per serving:
Serves 4
Calories 141
Total Fat 7.3g
Saturated Fat 1.0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 28mg
Total Carbohydrates 18.4g
Dietary Fiber 6.8g
Sugars 9.1g
Protein 3.6g


1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
1 cup tomato puree
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 small eggplant (Italian or Japanese Eggplant is you can find it)
1 small zucchini
1 small yellow squash
1 large red bell pepper
Few sprigs fresh thyme
Salt and pepper
Few tablespoons soft goat cheese, for serving

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Pour tomato puree into bottom of an oval baking dish, approximately 10 inches across the long way.
Drop the sliced garlic cloves and chopped onion into the sauce, stir in one tablespoon of the olive oil and season the sauce generously with salt and pepper.

Trim the ends off the eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash. As carefully as you can, trim the ends off the red pepper and remove the core, leaving the edges intact, like a tube.

On a mandoline, adjustable-blade slicer or with a very sharp knife, cut the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash and red pepper into very thin slices, approximately 1/16-inch thick.

On the tomato sauce, arrange slices of prepared vegetables concentrically from the outer edge to the inside of the baking dish, overlapping so just a smidgen of each flat surface is visible, alternating vegetables. You may have a handful leftover that do not fit.

Drizzle the remaining tablespoon olive oil over the vegetables and season them generously with salt and pepper. Remove the leaves from the thyme sprigs with your fingertips, running them down the stem. Sprinkle the fresh thyme over the dish.

Cover dish with a piece of parchment paper (or foil) cut to fit loosely inside. (Tricky, I know, but the hardest thing about this.)

Bake for approximately 45 to 55 minutes, until vegetables have released their liquid and are clearly cooked, but with some structure left so they are not totally limp. They should not be brown at the edges, and you should see that the tomato sauce is bubbling up around them.

Serve with a dab of soft goat cheese on top, alone, atop quinoa - or for your guests - some crusty French bread, polenta, couscous, or your choice of grains.

Mushroom and Sausage Mini Quiche

These crustless mini quiches are like portable omelets. They make excellent "plan ahead" breakfast fare. Or bake in mini-muffin tins for a small and satisfying finger food for your next cocktail party. 

Nutritional Data per quiche
Calories 67
Total Fat 4.9g
Saturated Fat 1.7g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 72mg
Sodium 98mg
Total Carbohydrates 1.1g
Sugars 0.8g
Protein 4.6g

8 ounces breakfast sausage
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup sliced scallions
1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
8 eggs
1 cup milk

Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F.
Coat a (preferably nonstick) muffin tin generously with cooking spray.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Add sausage and cook until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
Transfer to a bowl to cool.
Add oil to the pan.
Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to the bowl with the sausage.
Let cool for 5 minutes.
Stir in scallions, cheese and pepper.

Whisk eggs and milk in a medium bowl.
Divide the egg mixture evenly among the prepared muffin cups.
Sprinkle a heaping tablespoon of the sausage mixture into each cup.

Bake until the tops are just beginning to brown, 25 minutes.
Let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.
Place a rack on top of the pan, flip it over and turn the quiches out onto the rack.
Turn upright and let cool completely.


Cook's Notes: If you want to lighten the fat and cholesterol in this dish use this ingredients list instead:

8 ounces turkey breakfast sausage, removed from casing and crumbled into small pieces
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup sliced scallions
1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
5 eggs
3 egg whites
1 cup 1% milk

Nutritional Data per Quiche for the Lite version
Calories 60
Total Fat 4.2g
Saturated Fat 1.4g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 48mg
Sodium 98mg
Total Carbohydrates 1.1g
Sugars 0.8g
Protein 4.4g