Spinach & Mozzarella Quiche

Wandering through the grocery store I was craving sinful eats...yeah, it totally happens. I know my routine, and I know I needed both calories and a decent amount of protein. So the following creation was born. If you like a very simple quiche, give this a whirl.

 

Spinach & Mozzarella Quiche

Ingredients

Prep Time: 15 minutes

4 servings

Filling

8 Eggs

1/3 Cup Water

1 Cup Spinach, Chopped

1 Tbsp Butter, Unsalted, Melted

2 oz of Fresh Mozzarella, Reduced Fat

Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Crust

14 Thin Crips, Parmesan Garlic (Triscuit)

1 1/2 Tbsp Butter, Unsalted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Beat eggs with water. Mix in chopped spinach and melted butter. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set Aside. Blend Triscuits together in a processor. Heat pan to medium heat and melt butter. Mix in Triscuits until clumpy. Press mixture into the bottom of a non-stick, lightly greased loaf baking pan. Pour egg mixture over crust. Cut cheese into 4 pieces and press into the center of each serving evenly spaced. Bake Time: 20 minutes at 375 degrees then 10 minutes at 300 degrees

Nutrition Info (1 serving)
Calories: 291, Fat: 20g, Sat. Fat: 9g, Cholest.: 448mg, Sodium: 297mg, Carb.: 7.8g, Fiber 1.8g, Sugars: 1.6g, Protein: 19.2g

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Los Balcones Del Peru

Hollywood, CA. Off an unsuspecting street in Hollywood, lies this rather interesting and unassuming Peruvian eatery. A friend and I were of Latin persuasion this particular day and found ourselves to be the first customers at the restaurant on a Saturday afternoon. One could probably describe the environment to be minimal or simple, utilizing whites and browns to bring everything together. Although quiet when I came, the acoustics foreshadowed some noise issues if the crowd gets too heavy.

The servers were warm and welcoming and quite helpful in navigating us newcomers through their one-page menu. Prices were a bit more than other local latin eateries, but for the quality of the food we were about to experience, I recommend it as an option of consideration.

Chicha Morada

Sweet Potato Crisps

While we waited, my friend and I ordered what's called a Chicha Morada, a sweet drink made from boiled purple corn and fruits, and sweetened with sugar. Cinnamon is added to complete the beverage, which although incredibly unique, made for a nice blend of refreshing. The server came to the table with lightly fried sweet potato crisps and a sofrito sauce. To dip, to drizzle? I've no idea what the correct way to go was, but the combination paired well - the power of the cilantro and the sweetness of the potatoes, Mmmm.

Aji de Gallina

The dish I ordered was called Aji de Gallina, a garlic chicken dish with a creamy texture, paired with a hard boiled egg and white rice. Although at a glance, an underwhelming portion, bite after bite would soon tell me why, as I filled up quickly on just the richness of flavor. My friend ordered their Bistek Patron, a steak coupled with vegetables over a bed of white rice with a fried egg and plantains on the side. I took a few bites and couldn't recognize the combination, but in any case, it tasted incredibly warm, fresh, and authentic - like a nice, home-cooked meal.

Bistek Patron

When it was time for dessert, my friend and I just couldn't go any further - too full, too, too full. 

Los Balcones Del Peru

1360 Vine St

Hollywood, CA 90028

(323) 871-9600

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Mozzarella Quesadilla

Ah, so it's late at night and you have a craving for something "bad." I've been in that situation, oh wait, it's one of those moments now. I put together this simple thing which satisfies the craving and tricks me into believing it's a horrible splurge. With only 5.3g net carbs, how much am I really splurging? If you want to get late-night gourmet, add some spices or grilled onions & peppers.

Mozzarella Quesadilla

Ingredients

Prep Time: Less than 5 minutes

1 Serving

2 oz of Fresh Mozzarella, Reduced Fat

1 Tbsp Light Mayonnaise

1 Carb-Balance Tortilla (Mission Brand, Small)

Spread the mayonnaise onto the tortilla. Slice the cheese and place on 1/2 of the tortilla. Fold tortilla in half (mayonnaise should help hold quesadilla together). In small skillet, heat tortilla until cheese is melted. Cook time: 5 minutes on medium to high heat

Nutrition Info (1 serving)

Calories: 250, Fat: 11.9g, Sat. Fat: 5.8g, Cholest.: 25.3mg, Sodium: 739.6mg, Carb.: 13.3g, Fiber 8g, Sugars: 0.6g, Protein: 21.1g

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Honey Almond Tea Cookies

This recipe was born out of a limitation: dessert on only one day a week (say what??). Haha, so naturally I wanted to create a low-carb, low-calorie semi-sweet bite that I could have with my morning tea. Well, the following was the yummy result from a mildly interesting process, but worth it...

Honey Almond Tea Cookies

Ingredients

Prep Time: 45 minutes

30 servings

4 Tbsp Butter

3 Tbsp Honey

1 Egg

112 Almonds, Whole

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Blanch almonds, strain, let cool. Peel skin and separate. Spread almonds on cookie sheet and roast for 10-20 minutes until dry. Pour almonds in food processor and pulse for 4 increments at 20 seconds each.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, sieve processed almonds to remove larger fragments. Set aside. Mix almond flour with butter, honey, and egg until dough forms. Roll dough into 30 balls, about the size of a quarter. Roll balls in the remaining almond fragments and place on non-greased cookie sheet. Bake Time: 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees

Nutrition Info (1 serving)
Calories: 47, Fat: 3.8g, Sat. Fat: 1.2g, Cholest.: 10.8mg, Sodium: 2.3mg, Carb.: 2.6g, Fiber 0.5g, Sugars: 1.7g, Protein: 1.2g

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