Baked Pumpkin French Toast

This is a special Sunday morning treat, that is easy to make and tastes far more decadant then it really is.  Eggs are always healthy, consumed in moderation and pumpkin puree is low in saturated fats, cholesterol and sodium, and a good source of vitamin E, fiber, vitamin A,C and K.  Also an excellent source of beta carotene which is high in antioxidents which keeps bad cells out.  This combined with healthy goodness of oats, which is extremely high in fiber and aids in keeping digestivbe system moving, which can prevent high cholesterol and high blood pressure.  Whole wheat bread provides fiber as well as many B vitamins.  Thiamin, Niacin, Ribofavin, Folate and iron and calcium as well.
this seves 8
Ingredients:
8 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 can pumpkin puree
8 slices whole wheatbread

topping
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 tablespoon butter cut in small pieces

cube wholewheat bread, line them up in greased 9x13 baking dish
in bowl whisk until fully mixed eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, pumpkin puree
pour over bread mixture and toss gently so all bread is evenly coated.

in seperate bowl combine brown sugar, cinnamon, flour and butter, combine until it makes a consistent crunchy mixture
sprinkle evenly over the the pumpkin, egg, bread mixture

bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes.

Corn and Scrammbled Eggs

This is an easy, healthy dish that can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  I served it alone, but there is nothing wrong with a piece of whole wheat toast or perhaps even a tortilla to make it a rollup.  I also served it with tobasco, salsa can work as well or even red pepper flakes. 
serves 4
ingredients:
2 tablespoons canola oil
8 eggs lightly beaten
1 can 11 ounces corn
1/4 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste


In a large skillet or frypan over medium heat, heat oil
In large bowl mix eggs, corn, milk and s and p
Pour into hot skillet
When the eggs begin to set, stir the eggs(scramble them)
Give the eggs a good stir and flip every 30 seconds or so until the eggs are completely set

Add salsa, tobasco or red pepper flakes(all optional) 
On this blog I have mentioned how healthy eggs are many times. The little 80 calories pack so many nutrients in just one serving, and for less then .20.  The vitamin A in eggs helps to promote good night vision, general cell growth and for healthy skin.  Also consuming eggs adds a large concentration of antioxidents, which come from selenium and also vitamin E.  Antioxidents help keep the bad cells out.  The corn in this dish also adds to the nutritional value.  Corn provides a large amount of fiber, which helps lower cholesterol levels and also reduces the risk of colon cancer.

Tuna and Egg Quiche $5.03

I have often combined egg and tuna, but it is usually cold entres, so this time I went for a quiche.  It was awesome.  The nutrients abundant.  Consuming tuna fish on a regular basis can provide you with multiple health benefits.  This is due to tunas nutrient dense composition.  NOt only does it have a larege amount of protein per serving, but it also contains plenty of healthy fats.  a single 4 ounce serving contains around 70% of your daily recommended intake of vitamin B3 also known as niacin.  It also contains B1 and B6, all three help nerve growth and function.  Tuna also contains loads of selenium, which works to eliminate free radicals and act as an antioxident.   Eggs are extremely high in protein, infact one of the highest quality protein found in any food. 
ingredients

2 medium eggs .30
2 egg whites .30
1 can tunafish $1.99
2 tsp dried parsley .10
1 can mushrooms drained $1.79
1/2 cup diced tomatoes.45
2 tsp hot red pepper flakes .10

spray 8 inch cake pan with with non stick cooking spray
 in large bowl beat eggs lightly and stir in remaining ingredients

mix well and pour into prepared pan

bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes at  350

Baked Egg over Marinara

In Italy eggs are eaten often for dinner.  The main meal of the day is lunch and so dinner is usually a lighter meal.  When  staying in Italy with family, I remember on several occasions the combination of eggs, sauce and cheese.  Because the egg is baked in the sauce it takes on the texture of a poached egg.  The pic isnt amazing, but the result was great.  yum.  Eggs are a great source of protein, combined with tomatoes, which are a great source of vitamin E and lycopenes, then add the calcium in cheese, you have a great nutritious, easy to assemble meal.

I made a single serving for myself, but it would be just as easy to make a double or triple serving by changing the recipe accordingly.
ingredients

2 eggs .30
1 cup prepared tomato sauce or make my easy recipe
1 quarter cup mozarella .34

heat oven to 400
pour sauce in bake pan(evenly)
crack two eggs
bake for 20-25 minutes  until eggs are cook
sprinkle in mozarella
bake another 5 minutes until cheese is melted

 remove from oven
let stand 2 minutes and serve

Egg Mcmuffin

So I was talking to a friend and he was telling me the secrets to his egg sandwich he makes almost every morning. The sandwich consists of scrambled eggs, but not just scrambled eggs, but eggs that are scrambled to perfection(apparently there is an art), he then takes a piece of ham and fries it kind of like bacon, tops it on the eggs and throws on a slice of cheddar cheese, then places the whole thing on an English muffin. This sounds vaguely familiar. I think its been done and has a patented name, but this will be our version, and trust me the result was all that my friend said it would be.

Ham and Cheese Strata $6.67

This is a great egg dish that can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The prep time is quick and it can be made well in advance and refrigerated, until ready to cook. What I like about it, is it is flexible in terms of what I can put in it. This recipe is loaded with many good and good for you ingredients, but if undesired or simply not on hand, mushrooms, tomatoes or ham can be ommited, or all three. I, ofcourse like them in the recipe because mushroms provide that oh so important, and not always easy to find vitamin D, and canned tomatoes are clearly one of the healthiest foods one can consume, but not the less, eggs, milk and cheese are a necessity for this recipe, as is bread(and ofcourse we only use wholewheat), so there is lots of nutrients with those ingredients alone. My camera ran out of battery, and I only managed to snap one pic, even though I wanted to get a picture of an individual piece, Ill have to make it again....



10 slices whole wheat bread $1.00
4 slices ham .80
1 can 10 oz mushrooms $1.79
1 cup diced tomato .99
1 cup shredded cheddar $1.32
2 cups milk .45
2 tablespoons yellow mustard .20
1/4 tsp pepper .02

heat oven to 375
spread half bread cubes on bottom of baking dish
evenly spread 1/2 tomatoes, mushrooms, ham and cheese over bread
repeat layer
in bowl crack eggs and mix in milk, mustard and pepper
pour over bread combo
bake 50 to 60 minutes
let stand 5 minutes and cut and serve

Shrimp Egg Salad Sandwich $6.05

I created this recipe

from 3 different recipes I found on the internet. I had no idea there were so many recipes that could be created from canned shrimp. Shrimp seems to have lots of nutrition, and although from a can, there is more sodium then fresh, simply rinsing the shrimp can eliminate a large portion of the sodium. There are lots of nutrients in shrimp, including protein, iron, calcium and vitamin C. In this recipe with the eggs and tomatoes, there is also vitamin A, beta carotene and ......
ingredients
1 can baby shrimp $3.50
6 eggs boiled .90
1/4 cup mayo .40
1 tablespoon dijon .10
1 tsp tobasco .05
1/2 cup diced tomato .25
salt and pepper to taste .05
8 slices whole wheat bread .80

slice boiled eggs down middle and separate the whites from the yolk
dice the whites in small pieces
in a bowl mash yolks, and add mayo, mustard, tobasco until smooth and creamy
mix in shrimp, egg white tomato and salt and pepper if desired
serve open faced on whole wheat bread

Scramble Eggs Tomato, Cheddar and Tobasco $2.53

This may look a little sloppy and the presentation isnt phenomenal, but the taste and health benefits make up for the lack of beauty in the photo. I know I have talked about the health benifits of red pepper flakes, infact there isnt really a savory meal that I dont add some flakes to. I usually dont add tobasco but im going to start. It gives added kick and texture, and lets talk heath benefits: tobasaco is made from red pepper, it is the color red, but no food color is added. It is all natural, there is no fat and no sodium. Cayene Pepper is the key component in tabasco sauce, its known to boost metabolism which can aid in weight loss. Spicy peppers also have capsaicin in them, which is an anti-inflamitory. Capsaicin can aid in the pain caused by inflamed joints and arthritic conditions. Tumeric is another key component to tobasco. It adds a smoky flavor to the sauce which helps break through the heat of the cayenne.
Overall Health Benefits

Lower blood pressure
helps lower frequency of migraines and headaches
lowering cholesterol
Improved digestive system
limit frequency of colds, flus and respitory conditions
improves cardiovascular system
increases circulation
increases endorphin production(to help ward off depression)

Hot peppers also are packed with vitamin A,C and beta carotene.

so spice up your meal guilt free and do something good for your body.

Eggs are a greatly complimented by spice, and in this dish, I didnt need any other spices, the tabasco brought enough flavor.

this is a meal for 4

8 eggs $1.20
1/4 cup fat free milk .07
1/2 cup shredded cheddar.66
1/2 cup diced tomatos.45
1 tablespoon tobasco .15

in a bowl beat eggs, add milk, cheese, tomatos and tobasco
coat a frying pan with spray or 2 tsp olive or canola oil
heat medium
when pan is got, toss in eggs mixture, turning with spatula every 1 minute, until eggs or golden and no longer runny
serve and enjoy

Ham Mushroom Cheddar Fritata $4.74

While scanning the food section of my local convenience store today after putting Christmas lights in my cart, I decided we hadnt had eggs in a long while, and a Fritata would make a great Sunday night meal. Sometimes I just love "breakfast" food for dinner. Mushrooms were on sale, and Im always in need of the vitamin D that mushrooms provide, especially in the winter. This fritata is a pretty healthy meal and couldnt be easier.

This will serve 4
8 eggs $1.20
2 tbsp non fat milk .20
3/4 cup cheddar(shredded) .90
2 slices deli ham(cubed).40
1 can mushrooms(rinsed)$1.79
1 tsp olive oil.20
salt and pepper to taste .05

preheaat oven to 350 degrees
heat oil in pan, saute mushrooms for 5 minutes
In large bowl beat eggs and milk togeher. Add 1/2 cup cheese, ham, mushrooms and salt and pepper. Coat tart or pie pan with cooking spray and add egg mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Top the fritata with remaining 1/3 cup cheese andreturnto ovenfor 10 additional minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 5 mintutes before cutting.

Green Olive, Tuna and Egg sandwich $5.27

This salad combo can be eaten on its own without bread, or as a sandwich. I ate it on its own just to avoid the extra carbs, but there is nothing wrong with whole wheaat bread, and in fact it is loaded with nutrients. What a powerhouse of nutrients this salad packs. There is tons of protein coming from tuna and the eggs, and iron coming from the green olives. Not to mention all the vitamins in eggs and tuna, eggs being especially high in vitamin A, D and is one of the greatest sources of vitamin B12. Tuna is also high in many vitamins especially the B vitamins- niacin, B1 and B6, but is perhaps most beneficial because it provides Omega 3's, which is very necessary for our bodies. Omega 3's are essential to our bodies and cant be produced by our bodies and therefore have to be obtained through food consumption. Omega 3's play a crucial role in brain development. They have also become popular because they reduce the risk of heart diseases. The American heart association reccomends eating fish such as tuna or salmon atleast twice a week.
This salad can serve 4 people
ingredients
1 can tunafish (rinsed) $1.99
1/3 cup green olives(squeezed to remove all the moisture).88
4 hard boiled eggs .60
1/4 cup mayo, or 1 tablespoon olive oil .20
8 slices of bread $1.60
pepper

boil eggs, slice green olives
in a bowl combine sliced boil egg, green olives, tunafish and mayo or olive oil
add salt to taste
sometimes I will had red pepper flakes for a kick(but that depends on the crowd, children may or may not like)
serve alone or as a sandwhich with wholewheat bread

Convenience Store Cooking with Jillian Michaels

I love scanning famous chef and nutrition gurus cookbooks and finding recipes I can tweak to fit the Convenience Store Cooking lifestyle. Admitedly, it isnt always possible to recreate a recipe, particularly when a recipe calls for meat, chicken, fish, certain fresh vegetables. However, even some of those recipes I am able to adapt with canned tuna, salmon, canned vegetables.
Jillian Michaels of Biggest Loser is one of my favorite fitness experts, she has wonderful cookbooks with healthy, delicious looking and sounding recipes. However, her recipes arent too easy to work with when limited in ingredients and money. She is a big advocate of buying organic, and organic simply isnt available to millions of people or affordable. She also tends to use a lot of specialty herbs, and although those I can usually work around, its the funky vegetables that can make a recipe impossible. I have scanned through her cookbooks-30 Day Shred and Master Your Matabolism, and come up with a list of recipes I can adapt and make and will include some in this blog because she is clearly an amazing motivator and fitness personality who has helped countless people get healthy and lose weight.

I tend to have better luck with her breakfast recipes. Jillian is a big advocate of oats, and this oatmeal recipe is quick and easy and packs tons of nutrition. I had to tweak the recipe a bit because to serve two people her recipe called for 3 cups of eggwhites and truly that is over a dozzen eggs, and that just was too much. I cut the recipe to 1 cup eggwhites and added a cup of lowfat milk to the recipe, which helped to replenish the protein. Also, her recipe called for brown sugar and brown sugar isnt always available, but honey usually is, so I replaced the sugar with honey.

1 cup eggwhites(about 6 eggs)
1 cup lowfat milk
1 cup oats
1 tsp canola oil
2 tsp honey

mix everything but oats in a bowl, place in microwave for 1 minute or until egg is fluffy, remove and stir in oats

Omlette alla Convenience $ 1.73

Its quick, fast, easy and tons of nutrients, not mention inexpensive. Omelettes at most resturaunt joints will cost you a ton of money, especially considering eggs are so cheap. Another great thing about omlettesa are they dont have to just be for breakfast. Infact, during the schol/work week, Ive been known to make omlettes for dinner, and they are always an enjoyed meal. I like to experiment with many different recipes and am rarely disappointed. This recipes is for my basic Ham and Cheese omelette, but there are tons and tons of vesions of omlettes.
The ingredients in this recipe are for two nice size omlettes, if more or less is needed, adjust recipe accordingly.
Ingredients
2 eggs .30
2 egg whites .30
1 tablespoon milk .20
1/4 cup diced ham .60
1/4 cup shredded cheese .33

crack whole eggs, seperate out two eggs from yoke
beat the eggs and eggwhites together
add milk, ham and cheese

heat skillet with cooking spray
keep heat at low
pour in half the egg batter
with a spoon, spatula or tilting the pan, move the egg around in pan so it is evenly cooking throughout.
after 5 minutes put lid on pan so eggs continue to cook, remove lid periodically and move pan around
take spatulla and lightly lift sides to see if egg is browning on bottom.
As the top of the omlette begins to be solid(not loose egg) lift sides of omlette and flip one side to the otherside.
cover with lid a few more minutes
remove with spatula and place on a plate

Salmon Mini Strata $5.99

3 pieces of whole wheat bread
1 can salmon (14 ounces)$3.89
1 cup mozarella cheese $1.20
1 egg .15
4 egg whites .60
1 tablespoon dried onion .10
1 tsp garlic powder.05
black pepper to taste

spray muffin tin with cooking spray
cut each piece of bread in 4 squares and place a square each in the bottom of the muffin tin
combine egg, egg whites, onion, garlic powder, pepper and 1/2 cup cheese in bowl and mix together
devide other 1/2 cup cheese amond each piece of bread in the muffin tin
pour egg mixture evenly in muffin tin about 2/3 full each
bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes or until the egg strata are light brown in color and a toothpick or fork comes out clean.

Mexican Mini Quiche $3.29

These little egg muffins make a great breakfast or appetizer, I have served them for both. Also, I was making them for an adult crowd, so I used Rotel because I wanted a little kick in them, but they could be made with so many different ingredients. My son is happiest when they are made wth bacon, but then again he is happy when anythng is made with bacon. Next time Michael. Prep time for these quiches was approx 10 minutes and bake time 15-20, so very easy for an elegant meal or appetizer.

makes 12 minis
6 slices of bread(cut two rounds out of each slice of bread for bottom of muffin tin) .60
4 eggs .60
1 cup milk .20
1 cup shredded cheddar 1.00
1 cup Rotel .89

place rounds in bottom of greased muffin tin
evenly sprinkle cheese on top of all 12 muffin rounds
in bowl combine egg and rote
mix well
pour evenly over bread and cheese combo
bake in preheated oven 15-20

Remove let stand for a minute
place toothpick in center, if toothpick comes out clean, quiche should slide right out of pan by lifting a side with a fork or knife

Monte Cristo Sandwich $3.34

this comes from my Rachael Ray cookbook. I love to take certain cook/chefs and tweak their recipes so I can put them in my blog. This recipe worked, not only are all the ingredients available at my local convenience store, the recipe was easy and I was able to cup some of the fat and calories, because this is a traditionally fattening sandwich.

spray a cookie sheet with non stick oil
crack eggs in bowl and whisk in water
dip one side of bread of all 8 slices in the egg batter
layer the sandwiches with meat and cheese and close sandwich with top peice of egg battered bread(making sure to keep the egg batter side for the the outside)
heat skillet on medium and place two sandwiches
cover with lid and cook on one side for approx 5 minutes, egg batter should start to form a crust, almost looking like frenchtoast
flip the sandwich on the otherside and cook another 5 minutes.
sandwich is ready when the bread is crusty and the egg is cooked and the cheese is melted.

make 4 sandwiches
8 slices wholewheat bread .80
4 slices swiss cheese .60
8 slices ham 1.60
2 eggs .30
1/4 cup milk .04

Italian Egg Sandwich $3.59

This egg sandwich brings back fond memories of Italy. We ate eggs a lot in Italy, at night though, not for breakfast. I can only think it is because the main meal in Italy is Pronzo, which is lunch. Lunch is the main meal of the day and the largest meal, which usually consisted of pasta and a side of meat and vegetables. Dinner is usually something lighter or smaller, and breakfast is practically non existent-cappuchino and roll. This may all be a bit different now, especially pasta in the middle of the work day, but 20 years ago, this is what I remember.
I always like eggs in Italy because they cook them with olive oil, not butter, which gives the eggs great flavor. This egg was so good, especially because I made the sauce spicy. This recipe made 4 tasty, healthy sandwiches
4 tsp olive oil .40
4 large eggs .60
4 slices whole wheat bread .10
pepper
1 cup marinara $2.49
$ 3.59

heat olive oil in skillet on medium flame
crack egg in oil and add pepper
cover with lid and cook til white of egg is firm and yellow of egg is almost set
mean while toast bread
remove egg and place on bread
top with sauce
serve immediately

Marinara sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil .20
1 can tomato sauce 10 ounces $1.99
I tablespoon garlic powder .10
1 tsp dried onion .05
1 tsp dried parsley .05
2.5 ounces babyfood .85
pepper to taste .05
1 tsp red pepper flakes .05
Total $2.49

heat oil, add dried onion, garlic powder, dried parsley and carrot baby food
saute for 5 minutes
add tomato sauce and simmer for 30 minutes

Spaghetti Tomato Fritata $3.34

12 ounces spaghetti or linguine $1.20
1 cup rotel .99
1 tablespoons olive oil .30
5 eggs beaten .75
1/4 whole milk .10
1 cup shredded mozarella cheese


In bowl, combine cooked pasta, rotel, eggs, milk and pepper
heat olive oil in skillet, when sizzling add egg mixture
cook, lifting edges of frittata occasionally to let mixture flow underneath,until bottom is light brown and eggs are almost set, about 5-8 minutes.

sprinkle top with mozarella, lower heat and cover pan with lid until cheese melts completely
remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes and slice

Eggs Stuffed with Salmon $2.40

Ingredients:
4 eggs hard boiled eggs .60
1/2 cup canned salmon .95
2 tsp olive oil .20
1/4 cup green olives .50
1 tsp dried onion .05
2 tsp dried parsley .05
2 tsp black pepper .05
total $2.40

peal eggs and slice longways
remove egg yolk and place in bowl
combine all ingredients except egg whites in bowl and mix together
fill each egg white evenly

Salmon Carbanara $9.52

Ive allready come up with many ways to use salmon in recipes, but there are so many more. I could probably do a site of 365 days of canned salmon, but Ill save that for another blog. This recipe combines two recipes and increases the nutrients and flavors twofold. Salmon contains omega 3's, protein
serves 6
ingredients
16 ounces pasta $1.99
1 can 15 oz canned salmon $3.89
1 small can tomato sauce $1.99
2 strips of bacon .60
2 eggs 1 egg white only .30
1/2 cup evaporated milk, or regular 1 percent milk .40
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder .10
1 tbsp olive oil .25

cook noodles according to instruction
in large skillet, cook bacon until crisp, remove from skillet and rap in papertowel to absorb grease, break bacon into small pieces
in bowl combine eggs, egg white, milk, whisk together
add pepper and garlic powder
heat olive oil in skillet for one minute, add tomato sauce, bacon bits, salmon(making sure to break chunks up)
cook on low for atleast 10 minutes
drain pasta noodles and toss them in skillet, mixing them in with the sauce
raise the heat to medium and add the egg mixture
stirring constantly so the egg mixture cooks as well as combines with the sauce and pasta
lower heat after 5 minutes, cook 5 more minutes
remove from heat
serve immediately

Develed $1.90

Deviled eggs are another tasty and simple way to serve eggs. Eggs are a nutrtional powerhouse that play an important role in maintaining a healthy diet. Eggs have been called a high source of high quality protein and amino acids that are indispensable for a healthy body. Eggs also defend and improve eyesight by preventing diseases like cataracts. I found you can be creative or very simple with your deviled eggs. This is a pretty basic recipe, but I have seen recipes where tuna, salmon, tomato, hot sauce, relish is mixed into the yolk. I think one can be as creative or as plain as desired. The true beauty of eggs are its versatilty, nutrients and of course the cost being so low(anywhere from .07, to .20 an egg) is normal, and I rarely see them for over .15 an egg, thats whole heck of a lot less then a piece of steak or fish!
heres what you need:

8 eggs hard boiled $1.40
1/4 cup mayonaiase .30
1 Tbsp prepared mustard .20


take the hard boiled eggs and remove from shell, carful not to break the eggs
slice once from top to bottom lenghtwise with a sharp knife creating two equal portions with an equal yellow in the middle. Next, separate the whites from the middle, saving each part. Place whites on a platter and place yolks in a resealable bag or a bowl. Add mayo and mustard to yolks and mix together with a fork first and then a spoon, until a smooth and creamy consistency. If usuing a a big, cut the tip of the bag forming a "cake decorating" type bag, and sqeezing from the bottom, fill each white of the egg with the yolk mixture. If yellows of egg are in a bowl, simple fill whites with a spoon. Top with paprika or dried parsley if desired. This serves 4 as a meal(two eggs-four halves to each person) or 8 as an appetizer.