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Recipes
Recipes from my kitchen to yours…these are quick and easy and more importantly, the resulting meals are delicious, nourishing, and made with REAL food! Bon Apetit!
Quiche! It’s what’s for dinner. Or breakfast. ‘Cuz it’s got a potato crust!
Who doesn’t appreciate a good quiche? Exactly! So when I posted a photo on Facebook of the local greens and eggs I was using to make 3 quiches (yep, that’s 3), and when friends asked about the recipe, I thought, “why not share this deliciousness with the rest of the world?”, which led to this photo/recipe/post!
I started with these gorgeous greens from local Evansville farmers Clint and Brandi at Aficionado Farms. This mixture of green goodness, called Energy Mix, contains small leaf kale, chard, and spinach. Because the greens were still moist having been recently picked, no oil was needed–I only had to toss them in a pan with chopped garlic and salt until they wilted.
Ah, those eggs! Isn’t the color of the yolk positively dreamy? They came from the very happy and healthy chickens on Turning Point Farm in New Harmony, IN, about 40 minutes up the road. I mixed 18 of those jewels into the sauteed greens.
To which I added whipping cream and grated cheese, so it looked liked this liquidy heaven: 
Next up was the roasting of the veggies. Easy-Peasy –> just toss veggies of your choice with olive oil and salt/pepper. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes total, stirring things up at the 10-minute mark. 
The secret to this fabulous quiche is the potato crust, which is super easy and fun to make! Shred red potatoes and purple onion in a food processor; mix with egg whites; add salt and pepper, then bake. Bam! And while the crust is baking, that’s your window to be making the filling and roasting the veggies.
The recipe below will provide the details so you too can create potato crust magic.
Layer the roasted veggies into the finished crust and ladle in the filling. Note that the filling will ooze down into the cooked crust, before more baking. That’s a good thing!
Here are the masterpieces, assembled, prior to baking.
At this point, you can either freeze the quiche to enjoy at a later time or bake it. To freeze, since one of my containers had a matching lid, it went right into the freezer. For the other quiche which was prepared in a baking dish without a matching lid, I used heavy-duty foil that I crimped at the top, after having created a “tent” in the foil. This makes it less likely that the foil will stick to that rich filling, while the quiche is freezing. I’m giving that one to a friend who has recently had a baby. She’ll simply thaw the quiche for 6 hours, then bake it. This meal, regardless of whether she eats it a 0300 or for dinner is rich with healthy fat, protein, micronutrients from the veggies, and it’s full of flavor. Not to mention love…
And, viola! this is the finished quiche, cooked to perfection! Check out the recipe, below. Enjoy! xoxo
Robin’s Quiche Recipe:
Ingredients:
Crust:
- 2 large red potatoes, grated
- 1 small purple onion, grated
- 1 egg white, beaten (add the yolk to the quiche filling)
- ½ -tsp salt
Filling:
- 4 eggs
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup grated cheese
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Sautéed greens
- Sautéed veggies
- Dill, fresh or dried
- Salt and pepper
Preparation:
- Preheat the over to 400 degree; oil a 9-inch pie pan.
- Combine grated potato and onion, salt and egg white in a bowl, and mix well.
- Transfer to an oiled glass pie pan, pat into place, building up the sides.
- Bake for 30 minutes, then brush the crust with olive oil, and bake it for 10 more minutes. Remove from oven, and turn the temperature down to 375.
- While the crust is baking, roast or sauté the veggies lightly, and set aside. Sauté the greens, and set aside.
- Beat the eggs, add the cheese and cream, and blend well. Add the greens. Season with dill, salt and pepper.
- Remove the baked crust from the oven, line with sautéed veggies; pour over the egg mixture.
- Bake for 45 minutes, checking at 30 minutes; if the top is getting brown, cover with foil for the remaining of baking time.
- Test doneness with a sharp knife in the center; it should come out clean.
- Let the cooked quiche set for a few moments before cutting. Yum!
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Chili, Veggie Style: perfect for a spring snow day meal!
At this past Friday evening’s cooking class at In the Kitchen, I shared with the students a favorite recipe of mine, adapted from the original Moosewood Cookbook. By adapted I mean that all the flavorful goodness is there, I’ve simply made it easier and less time consuming. By using canned beans and roasting the veggies, the stove/sauté time is taken out of the food prep, making this the perfect high-protein, nutrition-packed dinner for the busy person to enjoy and be nourished by. It’s fabulous as a leftover lunch, also!
VEGGIE CHILI
(adapted from the Moosewood Cookbook)
Ingredients:
- 2 cans kidney beans
- 1 ½ cup tomato juice
- 1 cup uncooked bulgur wheat
- 2 Tbs. olive oil
- 2 cups chopped onion
- 6 – 8 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 1 large celery stalk, diced
- 2 small zucchinis
- 1 large red, yellow, or orange pepper
- 1 large can tomatoes
- 2 Tbs tomato paste
- 2 tsp. cumin
- 2 tsp. basil
- 2 tsp. chili powder
- black pepper and cayenne, to taste
- finely chopped purple cabbage (as a topping)
optional toppings:
- finely minced parsley
- grated cheese
Preparation:
- Add the chopped veggies, onion and half of the chopped garlic together in a baking dish; toss with olive oil, salt and pepper; roast for 20 minutes total at 350 degrees, turning the veggies over once, at the10-minute mark.
- While the veggies are cooking, heat the tomato juice to a boil. Add the bulgur to the pot, stirring it up well, cover, and let it sit for 15 minutes.
- In a large pot, heat the beans and the bean juice. Add in the rest of the minced garlic and let it simmer for a few minutes. Add the canned tomatoes and bring to a boil – just for a moment, then turn down the heat to medium-low.
- Add the tomato paste and let it completely mix in, stirring gently.
- Add the roasted veggies and bulgur. Add spices to your desired taste. You can add more tomato juice if you like a thinner consistency.
- The purple cabbage on top adds a lovely crunch and gorgeous color finish. Additional topping options are minced parsley and grated cheese. Yum!
Bring on the Tomatoes!
Our local co-op has recently begun to offer organic heirloom tomatoes that are simply too gorgeous to pass up. I became tantalized with the many ways I could enjoy them and opted for this start-of-the-season favorite: Butter Basil Tomato Pasta.
Ingredients: 
- tomatoes!
- butter
- fresh basil
- pasta
Preparation:
- melt a stick of butter (gasp!) over a low flame
- add the tomatoes, coarsely chopped, cooking them down until they become somewhat soft
- add torn basil leaves (there’s no such thing as too much basil…)
- simmer on low, stirring occasionally, until the delicious aroma overtakes you!
- while this masterpiece was simmering, you have of course, boiled the water and cooked the pasta until it reached the perfect al dente texture.
- drain the water from the cooked pasta and mix it into the sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and ENJOY!
DISCLAIMER(S):
1. Yes, of course you can use olive oil in this sauce, as I have done many times. I’ve also made this sauce with a half-stick of butter and added 1/3 cup of olive oil. Let me tell you though that using just the butter gives this sauce a divinely rich flavor that is superior to the flavor of olive oil alone. Trust me. And knowing what I know about fats, cholesterol, and nutrition, I am personally giving you permission to use butter for this meal — organic, sweet butter. Your life will be forever changed…
2. Sigh. I cherish a free-flow cooking experience and rarely measure any ingredient when cooking, which is reflected in the recipes that I share. This might be challenging or even frustrating for you, which believe me, is not my intention. This is the moment to liberate yourself from the rigidity of following a strict recipe and enjoy the flow of cooking confidence. This may mean that no meal will ever tastes the same way twice, but that each one is uniquely delicious!
3. No garlic or onion are used in this recipe, although I love both flavors and regularly use both in most of the other creations that come from my kitchen. Not this dish, though. The simplicity and full richness of the tomato, basil and butter is so intoxicating that it would be a totally different meal with a shadow of garlic or onion. Again, trust me on this.
Bon Appetit!
Spinach Barley Saute
Spinach Barley Sauté
This is one of my favorite dishes! It can be eaten warm in the winter, yet it is also delicious, cool and refreshing in the summer.
Ingredients:
• 1 cup barley, rinsed
• 3 cups fresh spinach, washed and torn
• ½ cup raisins
• olive oil
• garlic, chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
Preparation:
1. Place barley in a pot with 2 cups of water, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Set aside.
2. While the barley is cooking, sauté the garlic and raisins in the olive oil, for just 90 seconds!
3. Add the spinach, sauté until it is wilted and not overcooked.
4. Mix spinach sauté to cooked barley and season.
5. Just before you are ready to enjoy this dish, sprinkle with the toasted pine nuts.
Tuna and White Bean Salad
Tuna and White Bean Salad
A simple meal, refreshing and cool: perfect for summer!
Ingredients:
• 2 6-oz cans of tuna, drained
• 1 15-oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 roasted red peppers, packed in a jar also works
• 2 Tablespoons capers
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tomato, roughly chopped (optional)
• 3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• Toasted bread, for serving
To Prepare:
In a large bowl, combine the tuna, beans, red peppers, capers, lemon zest, and tomato (if using). In a separate bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, oil, salt, and black pepper. Pour the vinaigrette over the tuna mixture and toss. Serve with the bread.
**For a variation, try adding olives, red onion, or jarred artichokes. **
Roasted Veggies
Roasted Veggies Delicious as a side dish or as an addition to a green or grain salad.
Ingredients:
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4 large garlic cloves – crushed and minced
• 3 medium eggplants – sliced lengthwise into 8 wedges, each wedge cut into 3 pieces
• 3 large red bell peppers – cut into bite size pieces
• 2 medium red onions – cut into 8 wedges, layers separated
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
• Sea salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
To Prepare:
1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Put all the vegetables in a large mixing bowl, sprinkle the thyme leaves in, and drizzle the olive oil over the mixture.
3. Use your clean hands to mix the vegetables with the oil and herbs.
4. Arrange the mixture on a large baking sheet, spreading them in an even layer. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the vegetables and place in the oven.
5. Roast vegetables for 15 – 20 minutes, turning over once during this time, until the eggplant is tender when pricked with a knife. Remove from the oven and either serve immediately, or let them cool for later use in a green or grain salad.
Lemon-Scented Quinoa
Lemon-Scented Quinoa Salad
A cool summer salad
Ingredients:
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• 1 can garbanzo beans
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
Dressing:
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1/4 cup sesame tahini
• Zest of one lemon
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons hot water
• 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
*an easy alternative to this dressing would be using yogurt, dill and lemon juice.
To Prepare:
1. Rinse the quinoa in a fine-meshed strainer. In a medium saucepan heat the quinoa and water until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer until water is absorbed and quinoa fluffs up, about 15 minutes. Quinoa is done when you can see the curlique in each grain, and it is tender with a bit of pop to each bite. Drain any extra water and set aside.
2. While the quinoa is cooking, make the dressing. Whisk together the garlic, tahini, lemon zest and juice, and olive oil. Add the hot water to thin a bit and then the salt.
3. Toss the cooked quinoa, beans, cilantro, red onion, and half of the dressing. Add more dressing if you like and season with more salt to taste. Serve garnished with a bit of cilantro.
