Tag Archives: brunch

Mini Cauliflower Crust Broccoli Quiches

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The coveted cauliflower crust ain’t just for pizza, my friends. We’re taking it to a whole new level today, expanding cauliflower crusts to the realms of brunch and appetizers. Because here at Smart Cookie, we think and eat outside the box, or in this case, outside the pizza.

My Mini Cauliflower Crust Broccoli Quiches are going to change the way you think about healthy brunch foods. When you go to a brunch, your healthy eating options usually include fruit, water, and maybe a nice floral arrangement. You’d likely see some quiche, but you wouldn’t touch it with a 10-foot pole because regular quiche is several hundred calories per slice.

But guess what? My Cauliflower Crust Quiches will cost you around 200 calories for the ENTIRE RECIPE. Now, unless you have ten stomachs like me, I highly doubt you’ll need the whole recipe to satisfy you, so think of how guiltlessly you can gorge.

You can have as many of these crispy-crusted quiches with their tender filling, fresh basil, and melted mozzarella as you like; they won’t bite you in the butt after (or go straight to your butt, for that matter). They’re darn delicious and surprisingly filling thanks to the protein-packed eggs and fiber-rich crusts.

The magical cauliflower crust does it again!DSC_9555

A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:

  1. Find my classic Cauliflower Pizza Crust recipe here.
  2. My version of the cauliflower crust is much better for you than the majority of other cauliflower crust recipes because they use gobs of mozzarella cheese, which totally defeats the purpose of making it healthier than traditional crusts, and I use fat-free ricotta, a healthier low-cal alternative.
  3. Can’t find the low-fat cheese sticks I used? Sub in a sprinkle of parmesan instead.
  4. I imagine you could make this recipe into a full-sized quiche, but I’ll have to test that and get back to you.
  5. Use fresh basil. The flavor is incomparable. I am the first to admit, I HATE chopping fresh herbs, but once I taste the finale product, I know it was well worth it.DSC_9510

Mini Cauliflower Crust Broccoli Quiches
By The Smart Cookie Cook

Ingredients:

For the Crust

  • 1 small head cauliflower, chopped
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp. pepper
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. chopped fresh basil
  • 2 tbsp. fat-free ricotta cheese
  • ¼ cup Egg Beaters

For the Filling

  • 1/2 cup Egg Beaters
  • 1 bag Green Giant Broccoli Steamers
  • ½ tsp. minced garlic
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 50-calorie light mozzarella cheese stick (like Sargento), pulled into strings and finely chopped
  • 1 tsp. chopped fresh basil, for garnish

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a mini muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
  2. Place cauliflower in a large microwave-safe dish. Fill halfway with water then cover and microwave until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain.
  3. In a food processor, pulse the cauliflower until it resembles the size and texture of rice. Use papers towels to squeeze dry as much as you can.
  4. In a medium bowl, mix together cauliflower, salt, pepper, garlic powder, basil, ricotta, and Egg Beaters until evenly combined. Make sure you break up the clumps of ricotta well.
  5. Press about a tablespoon of cauliflower mixture into each cup of the muffin tin, shaping it to the cup in an even layer. Bake until set and just starting to brown around the edges, about 15 minutes.
  6. Meanwhile, cook broccoli according to packaged direction. Chop or puree in food processor to make smaller if you like.
  7. In a medium bowl, whisk together the Egg Beaters, broccoli, garlic, salt, and parmesan. When the crusts are done prebaking, spoon about 2 tsp. of egg mixture into each crust so that they are 2/3-full. Return to oven and bake for another 10 minutes, or until quiches are puffed and set, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. During the last few minutes of cooking, sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over top and let melt.
  8. Let quiches sit for one minute before using a fork to gently twist and loosen the quiches. Then use the fork and your fingers to carefully transfer the quiches to a plate and serve. Garnish with fresh basil.DSC_9576

Mini Zucchini Frittatas

Everything is so much cuter when it’s mini. Cupcakes, cats, DQ Blizzards…you name it. Even shoes are cuter when they’re tiny. Try and tell me you’ve never walked into the children’s section at a shoe store and gone, “OMG, LOOK AT THESE. THEY’RE SO SMALL!”

These mini frittatas are the perfect example of the appeal generated when something is miniaturized. Regular frittatas are good. Mini frittatas are great. My Mini Zucchini Frittatas are bite-sized and fun to eat. You’ve probably never thought of frittatas as finger food, but these little guys will open your mind. Don’t be deceived by their small surface area; these babies are packing even more flavor than a full-sized frittata.

Each little bite of eggy goodness is perfectly sized to cradle a slice of fresh zucchini. Just look at the photos, and you’ll know these mini frittatas were just begging for it. The zucchini serves a two-fold purpose: one, it’s so cute on top of the little frittatas, and two, it adds a bite of freshness and flavor. The zucchini cooks just perfectly upon the eggs, turning tender while still retaining a bit of crispness.

I also employ a generous amount of tangy, salty parmesan cheese. Scallions and garlic lend their fragrant flavors as well. You can eat these guys plain or do as I like to and dip them into marinara sauce. It’s so fun and delicious!

Now I must divulge the secret to cooking my mini frittatas: a Babycakes Maker. For those who are unaware, Babycakes Makers are meant for cooking up mini cupcakes and muffins in a matter of minutes. I, however, have expanded its possibilities to Pancake Poppers, frittatas, and more. It steams my mini frittatas just right, cooking them through all the way until they reach fluffy perfection. It’s super quick, and just so darn fun! However, if you don’t have a Babycakes Maker, never fear. You can cook these guys in mini muffin tins in the oven instead.

A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:

  1. Don’t like parmesan? Use a low-fat cheddar or mozzarella instead.
  2. Shallots would be lovely in place of the onions.
  3. Warning: your Babycakes Maker is going to make some scary noises while these guys are cooking, but don’t be afraid! It’s totally normally; it’s the sound of the heat rising through these hot frittata tamales. Be strong and frittata on!
  4. Make sure you spray the Babycakes Maker liberally with nonstick spray or you’ll leave half the frittata behind in the pan.
  5. These are great for party appetizers or brunch.
  6. These are super low-calorie, so they make a great healthy meal.

Mini Zucchini Frittatas
By The Smart Cookie Cook

Yield: 16 mini frittatas

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup Egg Beaters
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup chopped scallions
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper
  • 1 zucchini, sliced into 16 1/4-inch slices
  • 16 teaspoons shredded parmesan cheese (about 6 tablespoons)
  • marinara sauce, for dipping

Special Equipment: Babycakes Maker or mini muffin tin*

Directions:

  1. Preheat your babycakes maker. Liberally spray with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg beaters, garlic, scallions, grated parmesan, salt and pepper. When the babycakes maker is hot, quickly poor about a tablespoon of egg mixture into each slot; they should be 2/3 full. Place a slice of zucchini on top of each frittata and close. Let cook for 5-10 minutes, or until golden brown and center is cooked through all the way. Use a fork and knife to gently lift the frittatas out and onto a serving plate. They will come out big and fluffy then deflate, don’t worry. Immediately sprinkle a teaspoon of shredded parmesan onto each frittatta. Cover and let the cheese melt. Serve with sauce for dipping.

*If using a mini muffin tin, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray pan liberally with nonstick cooking spray. Fill the tins until 2/3 full and top each with a slice of zucchini. Sprinkle a teaspoon of grated cheese on each and bake until golden brown and centers are set.

Healthy Cookie: Breakfast Incredi-bowl!

People argue that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, their logic being that it gives you the energy you need to get through your day.

I disagree.

If that were the reason for breakfast’s importance, then all meals would be equally as imperative. Is it not also the purpose of both lunch and dinner to fuel us with energy in order to complete our day? No offense to breakfast, but it does no better a job in completing said task than the day’s other essential meals do.

Now, I do agree on one thing: breakfast is the most important meal of the day; not because of the fuel it provides (although that is essential), but because it gives us a reason to get out of bed in the morning. Did you ever find yourself lying in bed on a Sunday morning as a child, with no desire to rise from your slumber, only to experiences the smell of maple syrup or frying eggs wafting from the kitchen and twirling through your nostrils? The second you experience that rush, you catapult out of bed and into the kitchen. In a split-second, you go from “I never want to get out of bed” to “Hello morning, how are you today?”

Now, said motivation is harder to muster if you know you have a low-cal, low-fat breakfast waiting for you. That usually means something like plain oatmeal, fruit, a bland cereal, or some naked egg whites. I don’t know about you, but when there are treats such as sweet cinnamon rolls or fluffy pancakes to entice you out of bed, why would you ever want to wake up to any of that low-fat crap?

That’s where the Incredi-bowl comes in. Filled up with fluffy scrambled eggs, melted cheddar cheese AND a cheesy sauce, crisp broccoli, golden hashbrown potatoes, sweet onions, and colorful peppers (and juicy bacon if you’re a meat eater), this dish gives you a flavorful kick in the butt for under 300 calories (even less if you go the no-bacon vegetarian route)! Better yet, this bowl is packing 31 grams of protein!

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