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Prescriptions for taste, recipes for life.

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Easy Mushroom and Gruyere Quiche with Fresh Spinach

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As a mother of chickens, I’ve often times found myself with several dozen eggs sitting in my fridge and nothing to do with them. As a pharmacist who typically works long 12 hour shifts, I’m also a huge fan of pre-made breakfasts that I can reheat the next day. Quiche is the perfect solution for both of these problems.Quiche crust and grated cheese

If I am in a big hurry, I will just use a store bought pre-made dough for the crust, but I really enjoy the deliciousness of a made from scratch quiche crust, so often I will opt to make it myself, and its actually pretty simple. Once you get past the fact that the crust will fall apart, and accept that it can easily be pressed back together, its a piece of cake! (Or a piece of quiche?)

Pie pan eggs and flourI used a Food processor to cut my butter into my flour before mixing my dough, but this can easily be done with a Pastry Cutter, or even a fork. When rolling out the dough, I lay out a large piece of Parchment Paper, sprinkle it with flour, and turn out my dough to roll on top of it. If you don’t have a rolling pin, like me, just use a wine bottle! It works like a charm.Raw pie crust quiche

I’ve always used a can of evaporated milk because I prefer the consistency of the quiche that it produces, but you can use several different types, such as whole milk, heavy cream, or half and half. The higher the fat content of your milk, the more dense your quiche will be, so play around with different types to determine your favorite.

As far as ingredients go, the possibilities are endless. This particular combo of spinach, mushroom, and gruyere just happens to be one of my favorites. Sautéed spinach and mushrooms in panA good rule of thumb when choosing your ingredients is one vegetable, one meat, and one cheese, but you can choose any combination you like. You could go with three different types of cheeses, or you could omit meat and cheese all together and go purely veggie.Mushrooms and spinach on cutting board

Quiche in pan with mushrooms
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Easy Mushroom and Spinach Quiche with Gruyere

Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 8 oz mushrooms any type will work: criminis, bellas, oysters, etc.
  • 4 oz. Gruyere shredded
  • 6 oz spinach leafs
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 can evaporated milk (or 1 1/4 cup)
  • 1 stick cold unsalted butter cubed
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp ice cold water

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. In a food processor, combine butter and flour. Pulse until combined and crumbly.
  3. Add the egg yolk, salt, and water. Pulse until entirely mixed.
  4. Turn the dough out on a floured surface. Shape into a 1/2 inch thick disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  5. Flour a sheet of parchment paper. Place the dough on the parchment and roll it out until it is roughly the same size as your pie pan, plus extra for edges. (It does not have to be in a perfect circle, and it will probably fall apart when you transfer it to the pan, but that's ok, it can easily be pressed back together.)
  6. Grease the pie pan and press the dough into the pan, pressing any holes or tears together, and forming the edges. Cover with parchment paper and 1 cup dry rice (or baking beads if you have them.) Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow to cool.
  7. While crust is baking, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and sauté 5-6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  8. dd spinach to pan and sauté until wilted. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.
  9. Grate the Gruyere. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Add mushrooms, spinach, and cheese to egg mixture. Stir until combined. Pour mixture into quiche crust.
  10. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and top is lightly browned and bubbly. (If the edges of your crust start to get too dark midway through baking, you can remove the pan from the oven and cover the edges of the crust in foil for the remainder of the baking time.)

Mushroom spinach quicheMushroom spinach quiche

10 Kitchen Tools I Can’t Live Without

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1. Giada Mezzaluna Knife

When I first began my venture into the cooking world, every book, tutorial, and blog that I read made it abundantly clear that I needed a proper chef’s knife. There are so many quality knives to choose from if you really do your research, however, one of the main qualities that stood out to me among all of the recommendations was that I needed a knife with “full tang.”

What the hell does that mean, you ask? The tang is the part of the blade that extends into the handle connecting the handle and the blade. The more conjoined these two parts are, the stronger the knife will be.

I also took into great consideration the shape of the knife. I choose a Mezzaluna knife, which is curved on each end, making chopping of herbs and garlic a breeze, but is versatile enough to be used to cut most vegetables and meats.

I took great inspiration from the lovely Giada when I first began to find myself inspired by cooking tutorials, and I quite adored her Mezzaluna knife, which has become my go to knife in the kitchen.

2. Magnetic Knife Board

After acquiring such a lovely knife and putting it to lots of use, I soon came to the conclusion that I would need some sort of handy way to display the knife that would also keep it easily within arms reach. Enter: the magnetic floating knife board.

Not only does this knife board beautifully display your knives for all the world to see, it can be kept right out on the counter so your knives are safely in reach whenever you may need them. Mine currently holds 3 large chefs knives, so it is quite roomy, and the quality and display are not to be beat.

3. Flexible Plastic Cutting Boards

While I will admit, I adore my high quality wooden cutting board from Williams-Sonoma, it’s not nearly as light and handy as I find these boards to be. Not only can they be so easily rinsed right off and popped in the dishwasher after each use, the plastic doesn’t hold those strong unpleasant odors that linger on so many wooden cutting boards, such as those that you encounter when chopping onions or garlic. I also find them much more sanitary for cutting raw meats.

4. Avocado Tool

Speaking of cutting and slicing, raise your hand if you have ever struggled with the great feat that is halving, pitting, and dicing an avocado. I knew I wasn’t alone!

While with much practice with your chef’s knife, you will eventually become a pro at this task, in the meantime, behold one of the most genius tools to hit the market.

It seriously does every thing. It peels, it pits, it slices, it dices, it scoops. The first time you use this tool, you will immediately wonder how you have lived without it. And it’s definitely going to come in handy for all of that avocado toast you’re going to be making.

5. Spiralizer

The first time I encountered this tool was when I came across a beautiful recipe in The Forest Feast cookbook that I wanted to make for my girlfriends on New Year’s Eve. I love pasta, but what I love even more is any sort of healthy alternative to pasta. Not only does the spiralizer turn healthy vegetables into noodles waiting to be coated with pasta sauce or made into pasta salad, it creates an absolutely elegant and impressive presentation.

6. Instant Pot

If you’ve been following my blog for any length of time, you’ve most certainly seen me mention the instant pot in several of my recipes. Mainly, because it is a huge time saving alternative to many chores such as slow roasting meats, cooking rice, farro, or quinoa, and slow cooking soups and stews.

What I think is great about the instant pot is the “set it and forget it” mentality that comes along with it. I find it such a treat to have this handy appliance doing all the work cooking my rice or side dish while I’m busy focusing on other recipes elsewhere in the kitchen.

Also, there’s nothing worse than having a craving for your favorite slow cooker recipe, but not enough time to make it. With the instant pot, you’ll have fall off the bone short ribs or beef stew in a fraction of the time, and quinoa in 1 minute (ONE minute!)

7. SodaStream

No good meal is complete without a well thought out cocktail (or mocktail) to pair it with. I first bought the soda stream because I drink a LOT of water throughout the day, and I am always adding some sort of flavor to it, so I thought it would be nice to create my own flavored water options. However, I found my favorite thing about having a Soda Stream was that when I need seltzer or sparkling water for a drink recipe, I don’t have to run to the store or worry about having it on hand, I can make my own! It’s so convenient your neighbors will be asking to borrow some sparkling water in a pinch as well.

8. Kitchenaid Stand Mixer

No kitchen is complete without a Kitchen Aid stand mixer. While I will admit, it’s not an appliance I use every day, or even every week, it is an appliance I am proud to own. This appliance has seriously stood the test of time.

What’s more, is there are so many neat attachments to add to your arsenal that will really make you feel like a pro. There’s not much that is more satisfying than making your own pasta completely from scratch or casing your own sausage. It even takes all the work out of shredding chicken.

9. Cast Iron Skillet

I don’t think I have to do much to convince you that you need a cast iron skillet in your life. All you need to do is use it once, and you will be hooked on its versatility and the amazing flavors and crispness that it creates.

Cast iron skillets are another kitchen favorite that truly stand the test of time and are so durable and timeless they can even be passed down through generations. Some of my favorite things to make in my cast iron skillet are cornbread, and a good, simple steak.

10. Sponge Caddy

One downfall to spending countless hours in the kitchen creating recipes, is the loads of dishes piled up to wash at the end. If you’re lucky, you can charm your husband into doing them for you in exchange for the beautiful meal you just cooked, but if you’re stuck doing them yourself, I suggest you save yourself a ton of mess and headache and get yourself one of these sponge caddy’s.

The suction cup attachments are a great thought, but they tend to collect mildew, and who needs a germy piece of plastic in the same place you are trying to achieve clean dishes? Not only does this one hold several brushes and sponges, it is efficiently designed to drain and can even be taken apart to be washed itself.

Disclaimer:

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Dinner Party – Book Club Edition

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Every month I get together with some of my favorite girlfriends for food and drinks and to discuss the book we’ve chosen to read over the previous month. This month, it was my turn to host! Since this would be my first time hosting (and first dinner party since I had began the blog,) I wanted to get extra creative and make this a night of memorable and tasty foods.

I knew right away that the perfect place to turn for inspiration for recipes for a crowd would be the Forest Feast Gatherings cookbook by Erin Gleeson. She features tons of amazing and beautiful vegetarian recipes perfect for any sort of get together or dinner party. Before we dove into the veggie deliciousness, we kicked things off with a simple but impressive looking side that’s quickly becoming a book club favorite: my friend Amanda’s Crescent Wrapped Baked Brie.

Ingredients:

  • 1 wheel of Brie or Camembert (there was a large group of us and we LOVE cheese, so we chose one of each!)
  • 1 can of crescent dough
  • 3-4 green apples, sliced thinly for pairing.

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350. Roll open the crescent dough and divide it into two even squares.
  2. Rub some olive oil on a sheet pan to prevent the dough from sticking. Place the first square of dough on the pan with the wheel of cheese directly in the center. Fold each of the four corners up to the center and press together.
  3. Flip the wheel over and place directly in the center of the second square of dough and fold the four corners up again. Rub both sides with oil and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
  4. I find it best to let the wheel cool for about 5 minutes before cutting into it so all the cheese doesn’t run out and its easier to get a good bite. Enjoy it with some apple slices, its perfect for sharing with friends over a few glasses of wine.

After a couple of glasses of wine, we were all ready to dig in properly. We feasted on a zucchini noodle salad, cucumber wraps, and butternut squash crostinis, three of my favorite Forest Feast creations with a few small twists of my own.

Zucchini Noodle Salad

This is one of my favorite Forest Feast recipes, I’m not the biggest fan of pesto, so I opted to make my own dressing instead, an avocado cream sauce.

Ingredients: (for the sauce)

  • 1 large ripe avocado
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 lime
  • 1 bunch of cilantro

Instructions:

  1. Halve, pit, and dice the avocado. Roughly chop the garlic. Zest then halve the lime. Roughly chop the cilantro.
  2. Add the avocado, Greek yogurt, garlic, and cilantro to a food processor. Add the lime zest and juice of half the lime.
  3. Pulse until smooth and creamy.
  4. Add a large drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.

Ingredients for the salad:

  • 3 zucchini
  • 1 cup edamame
  • 8 oz mozzarella balls
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • 1 bunch of fresh mint, roughly chopped
  1. Using a Spiralizer, make the zucchini noodles. Toss in olive oil, salt and pepper.
  2. Add edamame, mozzarella balls, mint, and pine nuts, tossing to combine.
  3. Add the dressing and stir until everything is evenly coated.

Butternut squash crostinis

Ingredients:

  • 2 loaves of Demi baguette bread
  • 1 butternut squash
  • 4 oz goat cheese (spreadable kind)
  • Fresh thyme

Instructions:

  1. Peel and dice the butternut squash into 1/4 inch thick cubes. Add a large drizzle of olive oil to a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add the butternut squash and sauté approximately 10 minutes until lightly browned and fork tender. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Slice the bread on the diagonal into 1/4 inch thick slices. Spread evenly on a sheet pan and drizzle generously with olive oil.
  3. Broil on high for 2 minutes.
  4. Allow bread to cool for 5-10 minutes then spread with a thin layer of goat cheese.
  5. Strip the thyme leaves from the stems until you have about 2-3 tablespoons worth.
  6. Top each crostini with a teaspoon of butternut squash and sprinkle with fresh thyme.

Cucumber Spinach Wraps

Ingredients:

  • 3 cucumbers
  • 6 large spinach tortillas
  • 6 oz pesto
  • 8 oz cream cheese spread
  • 1 red onion

Instructions:

  1. Halve then cut the cucumbers into 1/2 inch thick slices. Thinly slice the red onion.
  2. Spread each spinach tortilla with a layer of cream cheese and a layer of pesto. Top with cucumber slices and red onion slices. Roll into a burrito.
  3. Wrap each in parchment paper and tie with twine. Chill for 1 hour and cut into equal halves before serving.

Savory Biscuits and Gravy from Scratch

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When I think of the ultimate comfort food, my mind goes straight to southern style home made biscuits and gravy. This gravy recipe is so indulgent, I typically only allow myself to enjoy it every once in a while, making it that much more of a treat. (And I tend to choose a morning where I don’t have too many plans other than lazing around and binging Netflix because I tend to over indulge with this particular meal, leaving myself feeling extra full.) But there’s nothing wrong with a little extra indulgence every now and then, especially when it comes to southern comfort food.

Gravy in pan

The dough for the biscuits is extremely easy to make with just 3 ingredients. Note that I used self rising flour here. If you use all purpose flour, you will need to add both baking powder and salt, which are the leavening agents.Buttermilk biscuit dough

I chose to use a cast iron skillet to bake the biscuits, but a sheet pan with parchment paper will work just fine. I just happen to love the extra crispy texture that the cast iron gives to the biscuits, and I overall just enjoy using it.Buttermilk biscuits in cast iron skillet

If you are looking for a veggie option, mushrooms make a great substitute for the sausage that is used in this recipe.

Sausage cooking in pan

This is a classic southern recipe that you will be sure to turn to on many of your lazy weekends.

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Savory Biscuits and Gravy from Scratch

Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 4 People

Ingredients

For the gravy:

  • 1/2 lb sausage
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

For the biscuits:

  • 4 cups self rising flour
  • 1 stick + 3 tbsp butter
  • 2 1/2 cups buttermilk

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 and place cast iron skillet in oven to heat.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, cut 1 stick butter into the flour using a pastry cutter until you have pea sized lumps of dough.
  3. Add the buttermilk in batches, stirring until the dough is moist yet cohesive.
  4. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and press into a 1 inch thick round. With a biscuit cutter, (or a mason jar lid, if you don't have a biscuit cutter), cut 8 biscuits. Remove cast iron skillet from the oven, add 1 tbsp of oil to coat the bottom, and place biscuits into pan with sides touching. You may melt 3 tbsp of butter to top the biscuits at this point, but this step is optional.
  5. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
  6. While the biscuits are baking, brown sausage in a large pan over medium heat. When sausage is fully cooked add flour and mix with a wooden spatula until dissolved to form a roux.
  7. Add milk 1/2 to 1 cup at a time, whisking each time to dissolve, allowing the mixture to thicken before adding more. Add a generous (I mean GENEROUS) amount of crushed black pepper to the gravy. You can add as much as you like, depending on your preference, but in my opinion, more is better, and much, much, tastier.
  8. When the biscuits are done, remove from the oven and allow to cool for approximately 5 minutes. Split biscuits into halves and top with gravy.

***Veg option:

Instead of using sausage, mushrooms are an excellent substitute, and still very tasty.

Instant Pot Korean Short Ribs with Vegetable Ribbons and Cilantro Jasmine Rice

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If you’re searching for a meal that is going to look and taste like it’s been slow cooking all day, but only takes about 45 minutes, and will provide leftovers for days, this recipe for Korean Short Ribs in the Instant Pot is what you’ve been looking for.

I chose the instant pot simply for time’s sake, but I was curious to see if you really could get that “fall off the bone” level of tenderness in just 45 minutes. Boy did the Instant Pot deliver! The short ribs not only tasted delicious, but they were so tender they practically melted right off the bone.

Short ribs with marinade

The marinade really took the meat to the next level. I researched several recipes for Korean short ribs and chose the ingredients that stood out the most to me. Feel free to play around with the ingredients, trying different fruits, different oils, more or less garlic, and so on.

Apples and scallions on cutting board

The vegetable ribbons make this meal look extra decadent. I chose to use zucchini and carrots, but other vegetables would work as well such as sweet potatoes or yellow squash.

Sautéed zucchini and carrots

I used a simple vegetable peeler to create my ribbons, but if you don’t have a vegetable peeler, cutting the vegetables into thin slices or julienne cuts would work well too.

Zucchini and carrot ribbons

Check out my recipe below, I promise you won’t be disappointed!

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Instant Pot Korean Short Ribs with Vegetable Ribbons and Cilantro Jasmine Rice

Course Main Course
Cuisine korean
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 8

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Coconut aminos (can substitute lite soy sauce)
  • 2 tsps white wine vinegar (can substitute rice vinegar)
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1/2 Asian pear
  • 1/2 Fuji Apple
  • 2 Handfuls of cilantro
  • 3-4 scallions
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 2 inch piece ginger
  • 2-3 lbs beef short ribs
  • 1 cup jasmine rice
  • Diamond Kosher Salt
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 2-3 carrots
  • 2 zucchini
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce

Instructions

  1. Core and cut the pear and apple into cubes. Roughly chop 1 handful of the cilantro. Cut the scallions into 1 inch pieces. Peel and dice the ginger. Roughly chop the garlic.
  2. Add pear, apple, cilantro, scallions, ginger, and garlic, along with coconut aminos, vinegar, and fish sauce to a food processor. Pulse until smooth and liquidy.
  3. Season the short ribs with Diamond Kosher salt and crushed black pepper. Arrange them in the Instant Pot* with 1 tbsp olive oil. Pour the marinade over the ribs, then turn to coat. Set to manual high pressure for 45 minutes.
  4. In a medium pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add a large pinch of sal, 1 tbsp coconut oil, and jasmine rice. Reduce to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. When rice is done add 1 handful of roughly chopped cilantro.
  5. Using a vegetable peeler, cut the carrots and zucchini into thinly sliced ribbons. Toss in a large bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper.
  6. In a large pan over medium heat, add the carrots and 1 tbsp each of honey and soy sauce. Stir to combine and cook 5-6 minutes until soft.
  7. When ribs are done, do a quick release. Remove the meat from the bones and slice into thin strips. Plate the rice topped with Korean short ribs and scallions with a side of vegetable ribbons.

*Helpful tip: If you don’t yet own an Instant Pot, (and trust me, you really should), you can cook the ribs in a slow cooker on high for 6 hours or on low for 9 hours and this will yield roughly the same fall-off-the-bone results.

Cheesy Pancetta and Mushroom Risotto with Leeks

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If you’re bored with pasta and ready for a new challenge, especially one that will impress your dinner guests and require just a little more attention in the kitchen, then you’re ready for risotto. You may have been warned that risotto will involve a good twenty minutes or more of constant stirring while hovering over a steaming pot of deliciousness, but I can promise you that your effort will be handsomely rewarded with this cheesy, decadent dish.

Mushroom pancetta risotto

I chose to use several bold flavors in this particular risotto. Mushrooms of any kind will go well with this dish; oysters, criminis, baby bellas, or any combination you like.

Leeks and mushrooms on cutting board

I chose to use leeks over shallots or onions for their sweet, buttery flavor that pairs well with the butter and Parmesan that finish the dish.

Grated Parmesan cheese

Butter cheese and risotto

Pancetta, like bacon, is cured and made from pork belly, but lacks the characteristic smoky flavor of bacon.

Sautéed leeks and bacon

Use this recipe as a template for creating future risotto recipes of your own, or simply follow my recipe below.

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Cheesy Pancetta and Mushroom Risotto with Leeks

Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • 2 leeks
  • 8 oz mushrooms
  • 1/2 lb pancetta
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
  • Fresh parsley for garnish
  • 1/2 cup white wine

Instructions

  1. Bring 4 cups of stock to a low boil in a medium pot.
  2. Roughly chop the mushrooms. Wash and thinly slice the leeks. Cut the pancetta into small cubes.
  3. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to a large pan over medium heat. Add pancetta and cook, stirring frequently, for 6 minutes. Add leeks and mushrooms, cook 3-4 minutes or until soft.
  4. Deglaze bottom of pan with wine. Add rice and stir until translucent, about 1 minute.
  5. Add broth, about 1/2 cup (or 1 ladle full) at a time to pot. Allow liquid to absorb before adding more. Stir frequently to prevent the rice from sticking. Repeat until rice is al dente and a loose sauce has formed.
  6. Reduce heat to low and add butter and Parmesan, stir to combine until the mixture is creamy and thick.
  7. Garnish with roughly chopped parsley.

Making Your Own Veggie Stock From Scraps

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If you’re anything like me, odds are you go through a ton of stock and broth when creating recipes. The good news is, a lot of the time when you are cooking up something delicious, you are creating loads of vegetable scraps that can be turned into stock in less than an hour! Not all vegetables are suited for this particular task, for example, cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and cabbage, don’t work well due to their very strong flavors, while mirepoix vegetables (carrots, celery, and onion) create some of the most delicious flavors.

Some examples of vegetable scraps I tend to keep are onion peels and roots, celery roots and stems, carrot tops and peels, potato peels, and mushroom stems. Stems from herbs such as thyme and rosemary can really enhance the flavor of your stock as well.

I simply keep a large freezer bag full of my scraps as I cook, (this bag will keep for up to 6 months), and once the bag is full, it’s time to make your broth! Buzzfeed has a great video tutorial which I found very helpful my first few times making broth, however, I have found adding a few extra vegetables and spices will take the flavor to the next level of tastiness.

Do keep in mind, not all vegetables make good broth. Besides the above mentioned, you will come across some vegetables that can create a bitter taste (kale stems and Brussels sprouts are a couple more examples). This will most likely take some experimenting, but keep at it, and follow my tips below.

Ingredients:

  • vegetable scraps
  • 1 yellow onion, quartered
  • 2 celery stalks, halved
  • 2-4 cloves garlic
  • 1 tsp peppercorns
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 6 sprigs fresh parsley
  1. Rinse the scraps and place them along with the remaining ingredients in a large pot or Dutch oven. Fill with water until scraps begin to float, about 3/4 of the way full.
  2. Bring water to a low boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer covered over medium heat for 30-45 minutes or until the broth tastes flavorful.
  3. Place a colander over a large bowl. Drain the broth into the bowl. You can strain the broth a second time through some cheese cloth if you’d like, but this step is optional.
  4. Ladle the broth into mason jars, which will keep up to 4 days refrigerated. Or you can freeze the broth in large ice cube trays to have ready-to-use portions for all your recipes!

Avocado Toast – 4 Simple Ways

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Making avocado toast is so simple, I was almost unsure if I should even include this as a recipe, especially if some of you are going to forego owning a home to eat it. For anti-early birds like me, this is one of the quickest breakfasts you can make, besides maybe, a granola bar or a pop tart, AND, it’s healthy!

While it may be considered simple, there are so many ways to dress it up. I’ve included four of my personal favorite flavor combos, but feel free to go wild and choose some of your favorite ingredients to make it your own.

All of these combinations will start with halving, pitting, and slicing the avocado. You can slice your avocado with a knife, or with one of these handy avocado slicing tools. Next, scoop the avocado into a bowl and mash it with a fork until it is the consistency that you desire. I like mine smooth, but just a little bit chunky. Then, toast the bread of your choosing.

1. My Daily Bread

While the toasted bread is still warm, spread with goat cheese. (The spreadable type of goat cheese you find in the grocery store is already pretty easy to spread, but with warm toast, it will spread like BUTTER.)

Top the toast with a thick layer of the mashed avocado. Sprinkle generously with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with honey, as much as you’d like.

That’s it. You’re done. So simple, but this combination is INCREDIBLY tasty.

2. Lox Inspired Avocado Toast

Spread toast with cream cheese, then add a thick layer of mashed avocado. Top with thinly sliced smoked salmon, capers, and season with salt and pepper.

3. Classic Avocado Breakfast Toast

Cook one to two pieces of bacon and chop or crumble into small pieces. Spread toast with mashed avocado. Top with a fried egg (I prefer an over easy egg for this particular combination), and crumbled bacon. Season with salt, pepper, and a drizzle of Sriracha.

4. Caprese Inspired Avocado Toast

Thinly slice a Roma tomato. Take some unflavored dental floss or a piece of thread, and thinly slice fresh mozzarella. (This step is a bit extra, I’ll agree. Slicing mozzarella with a knife is doable if the knife is extra sharp, or you can use pre-sliced mozzarella if you so desire.)

Spread the mashed avocado on the toast. In alternating layers, add the tomato and mozzarella. Top with balsamic vinegar or balsamic drizzle, salt, and pepper.

Roasted Sweet Potato and Farro Salad

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I made this salad recently when I had a craving for something healthy, but also for something with a little more substance. While my husband is not the biggest fan of sweet potatoes, they have become my personal go to ingredient when I’m in the need of something hearty with a little less guilt attached.

Roasted sweet potatoes

For this recipe, I cooked the farro on the stove with chicken broth. Alternatively, the farro can be made in the Instant Pot, which is personally my favorite way to cook it, considering you can “set it and forget it.” Simply add the farro and broth to the instant pot, set to rice cooker mode, after 12 minutes, do a quick release, and boom, it’s done!

Farro

This salad is great for lunch on the go, just pack your greens separate from your veggies so they retain their crunch and don’t get wilty.

Arugula in bowl

The recipe also contains a quick explanation of how to do a quick pickle. Quick pickling red onions is one of my favorite ways to add a nice vinegary crunch to any recipe. Once you try these onions, you will find yourself coming back to this technique very often.

Pickled red onion

And like most of my recipes, many of the ingredients can be substituted for others. Quinoa makes an excellent substitute if you don’t happen to have farro on hand. Goat cheese is just as tasty as feta, and your dressing options are endless. I opted for a honey balsamic dressing. Check out how I made it below.

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Roasted Sweet Potato and Farro Salad

Course Salad
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 2

Ingredients

  • 2 sweet potatoes
  • 1 small red onion
  • 2 oz arugula
  • 1 cup farro
  • 1.5 cups vegetable or chicken broth
  • 2 oz crumbled feta
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425.
  2. Start by cooking your farro. Bring broth to a boil in a medium pot, then add farro and reduce heat to simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, 15 to 20 minutes or until farro is tender but slightly chewy. Drain and set aside.
  3. Do a quick pickle on the red onion. Halve, peel, and thinly slice the onion. In a small bowl, combine onion, vinegar, a large drizzle of olive oil, and sugar. Let sit for 20 minutes while farro cooks.
  4. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Toss on a baking sheet with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake at 425 for 20-25 minutes or until fork tender.
  5. For the honey balsamic dressing: in a large bowl, add 1 tbsp honey and 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar. Whisk to combine. Add arugula and toss until thoroughly coated. Add a large drizzle of olive oil and season the arugula generously with salt and pepper.
  6. Drain the red onion and pat dry with a paper towel. Top the arugula with the cooked farro, sweet potato, pickled red onion, and a sprinkling of feta. I added some more balsamic drizzle on top, which you can find here.

Find the balsamic drizzle I used here.

Cheesy Jalapeño Bacon Cornbread

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This fun take on a classic side pairs perfectly with my creamy White Chicken Chili recipe. This cheesy cornbread side is super easy to make, and like you will see with most of the recipes I post, completely customizable.

Cornbread batter cast iron skillet

For this particular recipe, I use Pickled Jalapeños, which allows for you to adjust to your heat preference. Cheddar can be substituted for any other type of cheese and bacon can be omitted if you desire a meat free version.

Cornbread batter jalapeños bacon

For the cornbread itself, I’ve always used the recipe on the Quaker Corn Meal tin.

Baking the cornbread in the cast iron skillet gives it a nice crispy finish, making it one of my favorite ways to make cornbread.

Also, it pairs perfectly with my creamy White Chicken Chili! Recipe here.

Print

Cheesy Jalapeño Bacon Cornbread


Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 6 People

Ingredients

  • 1 & 1/4 cup flour
  • 3/4 cup cornmeal
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt optional
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 egg beat
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup pickled jalapeños
  • 4 slices thick cut back.
  • 1/2 cup shredder cheddar cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a cast iron skillet.
  2. Cook bacon and crumble. Finely chop jalapeños.
  3. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add milk, egg, and oil to dry ingredients and stir to combine. Mixture will be lumpy and thick.
  4. Fold in cheese, jalapeños, and bacon. Pour mixture into Cast Iron Skillet and shake gently to distribute.
  5. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and tooth pick inserted in center comes out clean.