Feta

Crepes and Baked Eggs with Spinach and Feta Cheese

Crepes
From left to right: strawberry, nutella-strawberry, and lemon
Basic Crepe Recipe
Makes 12 crepes
6 oz milk
5 oz beer
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs (room temperature)
1 cup all purpose flour
1/8 tsp salt
1.  Put first four ingredients in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, mix for 30 second. Add the remaining ingredients and mix for another minute, or until thoroughly mixed and smooth.
2.  Cover bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
3.  Re-whisk the batter just before you begin frying the crepes.
4.  Preheat 10 inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with non-stick spray.
5.  With the skillet off the heat, pour 2 oz (1/4 cup) batter in the center of the skillet. Tip the skillet so that the entire bottom is covered.
6.  Return to heat. When the top begins to dry and the bottom is beginning to brown, flip using a wooden or rubber flipper. The edges will begin to curl away from the pan at this time.
7.  Fry the crepe for another 10 second. The crepe should be be very lightly brown.
8.  Remove from skillet.
9.  Add fillings, fold or wrap and serve -OR- stack with wax paper between layers for later use.
Nutritional data (per crepe, without any filling):
Calories:           64
Fat:                   1.2g
Sat fat:              0.5g
Chol:           36.5mg
Sodium:       43.8mg
Carb:                 9.2g
Fiber:                0.3g
Protein:             2.7g
Possible fillings are endless:
Sweet
A whole banana, sauteed in some butter
Nutella (or peanut butter) and banana
Nutella (or peanut butter) and strawberry
Any other fruits (fresh or canned pie filling) with whipped cream
Lemon juice and powder sugar
Greek yogurt and your favorite fruit
Your favorite jam/marmalade
Savory
Bacon and eggs (with a touch of cheese)
Ham and cheese
Cream cheese and smoked salmon
Shredded chicken and salsa
Thin-shaved beef with horseradish yogurt
Baked Eggs with Feta and Spinach

Baked Egg with Feta and Spinach
Serve 4

4 eggs, separated
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 teaspoon of your preferred herb blend (I used Penzey’s Sunny Paris.)
1 cup (packed) fresh baby spinach, finely chopped
Pepper to taste

1.  Preheat oven to 350F.
2.  Spray oven-safe custard cups with cooking spray (or otherwise grease them.)
3.  With electric mixer, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
4.  Gently stir in cheese, spinach and herbs.
5.  Divide between the four cups.
6.  With a spoon, create a small well in the center of the egg white mixture.
7.  Carefully slide a yolk into each well.
8.  Place cups on a baking sheet, and place in oven.  Back 10-14 minutes, until the egg white puffs up and browns. The yolk will be hot and thick, but not solid.

Note: in the picture, I topped the egg with a half tablespoon of Greek yogurt. That was unnecessary, and won’t be repeated in the future.

Nutritional data:
Calories:          106
Fat:                    7g
Sat fat:               3g
Chol:           220mg
Sodium:       186mg
Carbs:             1.6g
Fiber:              0.2g
Protein:           9.3g

Alternatives:
Crumbled bacon and finely shredded sharp cheddar
Shedded Swiss and minced mushrooms
Fresh basil, scallion and Parmesan

Roasted Eggplant and Feta Dip


Roasted Eggplant and Feta Dip
Serves: 24 (2 tablespoon serving)

Eggplants (enough to equal about 1 pound)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup onion, finely minced
1 jalapeno chili, seeded, finely minced
1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely minced
1/4 cup feta cheese

  1. Preheat the oven to 400F (or preheat the grill on high)
  2. Roast the eggplant (either method) turning every 5 minutes or so, until the skin begins to char the the fruit is soft.
  3. Remove and set aside to cool.
  4. When cool, slice and scrape into a bowl. Add oil and lemon juice.
  5. Mash with a fork until mixed but still lumpy.
  6. Add all remaining ingredients. Mix to combine.
Nutritional data:
Calories:        34
Fat:              2.5g
Sat fat:         0.7g
Chol:         2.7mg
Sodium:   35.3mg
Carbs:          2.7g
Fiber:           1.4g
Protein:        0.9g

Tomato, Spinach and Feta Topped Chicken Thighs

Tomato, Spinach and Feta topped Chicken Thighs
Serve 4
1 tablespoon olive oil
Your preferred seasoning (I prefer Penzey’s Greek Seasoning)
4 chicken thighs (skin on, and bone in)
Topping:
1 medium onion, finely minced
3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
2 cups diced tomatoes, or about 16 grape tomatoes, halved.

4-6 ounces of fresh baby spinach
4 ounces white wine
Black pepper to taste
4 tablespoon crumbled feta cheese, divided
8 kalamata olives, sliced

  1. Drizzle olive oil over skin side of chicken thighs. Sprinkle seasoning and herbs on, and let rest for 30 minutes (in the fridge.)
  2. Preheat a 10-11 inch non-stick skillet over med-high heat (if it has a lid, that will help.)
  3. Preheat oven to 350F
  4. Lay chicken thighs in skillet, skin side down. Sprinkle additional herbs.
  5. Fry until the skin browns (8-10 minutes). Turn over and brown the opposite side.
  6. Lay the thighs in an 8×8 baking pan, and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165F. (If you insert a sharp, narrow knife into the thickest part of the thigh, clear juices will run out when fully cooked.)
  7. Carefully pour any residual grease out of the skillet. Reserve one teaspoon of grease. Do not wash or wipe the skillet clean.
  8. The topping will take 15 minutes, so time it accordingly.
  9. In the same skillet saute the onion in the reserved teaspoon of cooking grease until translucent (5-6 minutes over medium-high heat.)
  10. Add tomatoes, and let cook, undisturbed for 2 minutes.
  11. Add the garlic and stir everything together. Cook for one minute.
  12. Lay the spinach over the onions and tomatoes. If possible, add all, otherwise just half at a time.
  13. If all the spinach fits, pour the wine over the spinach. (If you have a lid, cover the skillet now and reduce the heat to low.)
  14. If only half the spinach fit, start with half the spinach and half the wine. When the spinach wilts, add the remaining spinach and wine.
  15. To serve, place a chicken thigh on the plate and top with 1/4 of the topping. Add 1 tablespoon feta, and 1/4 of the sliced olives.
Note:  I am providing the nutritional data for the topping only. You can made this with chicken thighs (my preference), or breasts (my wife’s preference.)  Skin on, or skin off. Large pieces or small pieces. One thigh (my portion) or three thighs (my college son’s portion.) All those options will vary, and to give you the number for what I ate will not mean much to you. But regardless of how much protein you serve per portion, the amount of topping remains unchanged.
Nutritional data for the topping:
Calories:    132
Fat:            7.8g
Sat fat:          2g
Chol:        12.3mg
Sodium:     266mg
Carbs:        8.3g
Fiber:         2.2g

Protein:      3.6g

Baked Egg with Feta and Spinach

Baked Egg with Feta and Spinach
Serve 4

4 eggs, separated
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 teaspoon of your preferred herb blend (I used Penzey’s Mural of Flavor.)
1 cup (packed) fresh baby spinach, finely chopped
Pepper to taste

1.  Preheat oven to 350F.
2.  Spray oven-safe custard cups with cooking spray (or otherwise grease them.)
3.  With electric mixer, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
4.  Gently stir in cheese, spinach and herbs.
5.  Divide between the four cups.
6.  With a spoon, create a small well in the center of the egg white mixture.
7.  Carefully slide a yolk into each well.
8.  Place cups on a baking sheet, and place in oven.  Back 10-14 minutes, until the egg white puffs up and browns. The yolk will be hot and thick, but not solid.

Note: in the picture, I topped the egg with a half tablespoon of Greek yogurt. That was unnecessary, and won’t be repeated in the future.

Nutritional data:
Calories:       106
Fat:                 7g
Sat fat:            3g
Chol:           220mg
Sodium:       186mg
Carbs:          1.6g
Fiber:           0.2g
Protein:        9.3g

Alternatives:
Crumbled bacon and finely shredded sharp cheddar
Shedded Swiss and minced mushrooms
Fresh basil, scallion and Parmesan

Oven Roasted Chicken Thighs, Creamy Cucumber-Olive Salad and Herbed Polenta

Oven Roasted Chicken Thighs
Serve 4

8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup red onion, diced
3 garlic cloves

  1. Combine all ingredients in a Ziploc bag, seal and refrigerate for 2-4 hours, turning occasionally.
  2. Preheat oven to 400.
  3. Place chicken thighs in a shallow baking dish, uncovered, for 18-20 minutes, or until they begin to brown.

Nutritional Data:
Calories:        289
Fat:             18.3g
Sat fat:          4.2g
Chol:            99mg
Sodium:        93mg
Carbs:          2.6g
Fiber:           0.4g
Protein:      27.3g

Herbed Polenta
Serves 4

2 cups skim milk
2/3 cup dried polenta
1/4 cup feta cheese
1 teaspoon Italian or Greek herbs

  1. Prepare polenta according to label instructions.
  2. When it is finished cooking, stir in the feta and herb.
  3. Serve immediately, or spread it flat, 1/2 inch thick and let cool.  Then, pan-fry in a bit of olive oil, flipping it over when the edges begin to brown. 

Nutritional Data:
Calories:        158
Fat:               1.7g
Sat fat:          1.2g
Chol:            8.6mg
Sodium:       126mg
Carbs:          23.2g
Fiber:           2.1g
Protein:           6g

Creamy Cucumber-Olive Salad
Serves 4
2 cucumber, peeled and seeded, cut into 1/8 inch thick crescents.
9 Kalamata olives, sliced
4 banana peppers, cut into rings
3 ounces (by weight) Fage plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
Nutritional Data:
Calories:       69
Fat:             2.7g
Sat fat:           0g
Chol:             0mg
Sodium:     206mg
Carbs:         8.2g
Fiber:          3.6g
Protein:       3.9g

Simple Tomato Salad

Simple Tomato Salad
Serves 1

3 slices red tomato
3 slices yellow tomato
4 kalamata olives, halved
1 tablespoon crumbled feta cheese
2 teaspoons olive oil

1.  Layer tomatoes on the plate. Arranges olives and cheese. Top with olive oil.

(The garnish is thinly sliced fresh basil.)

Nutritional data:
Calories            162
Fat:                   15.5g
Sat fat:                2.7g
Chol:                   17mg
Sodium:            441mg
Carbs:                5.5g
Fiber:                 2.1g
Protein:             1.9g

The sodium is primarily due to the olives. Remove or reduce them to help limit your sodium intake.

Rosemary Chicken with Tomato-Avocado Salsa

Rosemary Chicken with Tomato-Avocado Salsa
Serve 6

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4 ounces each)
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp dried)
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
Black pepper

1.  Place chicken breasts inside a Ziploc freezer bag. With a rubber mallet or similar tool, pound the breast to 1/4 inch thickness. Season the breasts with black pepper.
2.  Combine oil, vinegar, rosemary and garlic in another Ziploc bag. Place chicken in bag and toss to coat. Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
3.  While the chicken rests in the refrigerator, prepare the salsa (below.)
4.  Preheat a non-stick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium high heat. Place each breast in skillet and cook until done (about 3 minutes per side.)
5.  Serve with salsa.

Nutritional data (1 chicken breast):
Calories:         308
Fat:               16.6g
Sat fat:            3.8g
Chol:               98mg
Sodium:           62mg
Carbs:             1.2g
Fiber:              0.2g
Protein:         37.7g

Tomato-Avocado Salsa
Serves 6

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (or 1 tsp dried)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed and minced
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 ripe avocado, peeled and chopped

1.  In a 1 quart or larger bowl, combine first four ingredients with a whisk.
2.  Add tomatoes, cheese and avocado.
3.  Serve immediately.

Nutritional data (1/2 cup portion):
Calories:         126
Fat:               10.9g
Sat fat:            2.6g
Chol:              8.3mg
Sodium:          112mg
Carbs:             6.3g
Fiber:              3.1g
Protein:           2.6g

Onion-Mushroom Tart and Roasted Asparagus

Yesterday’s dinner was a new recipe, which I modified from the Best of Cooking Light 13 book. (More recipes will be featured in this blog from that magazine, so keep coming back here.)  The original recipe was a simple Onion Tart, but I added garlic (because when I use onion, I need to use garlic, too!) and crimini mushrooms (also called baby ‘bellas because they are actually immature portabellas.)

Onion-Mushroom Tart
Serves 6 (or cut larger pieces if you want)

This recipe looks long and difficult, but in reality it is very simple to make.  Most of the time is spent waiting for the onions to caramelize and then for the tart to bake. The only real work is slicing the onions, crushing the garlic and grating the Swiss cheese.
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds onions, sliced (a blend of sweet Vidalia and sharper yellow onions is excellent)
3 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
8 ounces of your preferred fresh mushroom, sliced
Black pepper to taste
1/2 to 1 tsp  of your preferred herbs (An Italian blend is nice here.  I used Penzey’s Bouquet Garni.)
1 ounce (2 tablespoons) crumbled Feta cheese
1 ounce (2 tablespoons) shredded Swiss cheese
1 prepared pie crust (I used a store-bought crust.)
1 egg, beaten

1.  Preheat oven to 425F. 
2.  Heat oil in a non-stick skillet.  Add onions over med-high heat.  Stir/toss occasionally.
3.  When some of the onions start to brown (about 4-5 minutes), add garlic, mushrooms, pepper and herbs.  Reduce heat to medium.  Stir/toss occasionally, until the onions are fully caramelized, and the mushrooms are fully cooked.  This will take 15-20 minutes.
4.  While the filling cooks, remove the pie crust and unroll it onto a sheet of parchment paper, or onto a cooking sheet sprayed with cooking spray (spray is not needed when using parchment paper.) With a rolling pin, gently roll it out to a 12 inch diameter circle.
5.  Spread Feta over the middle of the crust, leaving about a 2 inch border without cheese.  There will not be a lot of cheese on the crust. That is okay.
6.  When the filling is done, pour over feta and spread evenly, maintaining that 2 inch border. Top evenly with the shredded Swiss.
7.  Gently fold the pie crust over the filling, making pleats as you move around the crust. You do not need to press the pleats together to make a tight seal.
8.  Brush the beaten egg over the crust.
9.  Bake for 25-30 minutes (or until golden brown as above), remove from oven, and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

This was a delicious vegetarian meal, and I will make this again, but with further variations (not all changes will be in the same batch):

Bleu/Gorgonzola cheese instead of the Feta
A wedge of Laughing Cow cheese instead of the Feta
Smoked Gouda instead of the Swiss
Adding 2 ounces of wine (or beer) to the onions when I add the mushrooms (which is enough time to completely cook away, leaving all the flavor behind)
Adding sun-dried tomatoes to the filling
Adding sliced olives (probably green Spanish)
Shiitake and oyster mushrooms instead of crimini

Nutritional data, for 1/6 of the tart:
Calories:        252
Fat:               15.4g
Sat fat:            5.7g
Chol:               53mg
Sodium:         288mg
Carbs:           26.4g
Fiber:              1.5g
Protein:           5.5g

Roasted Asparagus
Served 3-4

1.5-2 pounds fresh asparagus, woody ends trimmed off
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced onion (I prefer to use dehydrated onion for this recipe, but fresh would work)
Black pepper

1.  Preheat oven to 425F.
2.  In a 9×13 pan, lay the asparagus and drizzle the oil over it.  Top with pepper and onion.  Roast it uncovered for 25-30 minutes.
3.  Roast this at the same time you bake the tart, and they will both be done at the same time.

Nutritional data (for 1/3 of the recipe)
Calories:         130
Fat:                 9.3g
Sat Fat:           1.3g
Chol:                 0mg
Sodium:             5mg
Carbs:              10g
Fiber:                 6g
Protein:              6g

Spinach Pizza

1 Boboli Whole Wheat crust

Mix together, and spread evenly on the crust
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed/minced

Layer each on top of the crust:
2 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup (or more) fresh mushrooms, sliced
6 Spanish olives, chopped
6 Kalamata olives, chopped
3 ounces baby spinach, chopped
3 Tablespoons crumbled Feta cheese

Bake t 450 for 10 minutes.  I cut it into quarters for four servings.

Nutritional data (for 1/4 of the entire pizza):
Calories:    362
Fat:            13.8g
Sat fat:            3g
Chol:         11.5mg
Sodium:      656mg
Carbs:        54.4g
Fiber:           9.1g
Protein:      12.1g

Herb-Crusted Chicken Thighs with Mexican Corn

This recipe could be made using boneless/skinless chicken breasts, but thighs stand up to the heat of frying much better, have more flavor and are juicier.  They have a bit more fat, but I think it is worth it.

Herb-Crusted Chicken Thighs

8 boneless/skinless chicken thighs
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons of your preferred herb/herb blend (I used Penzey’s Tuscan Sunset.)

5 tablespoons feta cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice

1.  Mix panko crumbs and herbs.  Press chicken thighs into this, coating both sides.
2.  Heat large non-stick skillet.  Spray with cooking spray.
3.  Place chicken thigh in skillet.  You may need to make two separate batches.
4.  Pan fry over medium heat, approximately 5 minutes.  Turn over and fry another 5 minutes.
5.  Remove from skillet and finish remaining thighs.
6.  While thighs are cooking, combine cheese, oil and lemon juice, stirring to make a thick sauce.

Serve 1 tablespoon sauce on each thigh.

Nutritional data, per thigh:
Calories: 168
Fat:         9.2g
Sat fat:    2.5g
Chol:       75mg
Sodium: 241mg
Carbs:       5g
Fiber:     0.2g
Protein:   17g

Nutritional data, per tablespoon of sauce:
Calories:  65
Fat:           5.9g
Sat fat:      2.8g
Chol:      14.8mg
Sodium:185.9mg
Carbs:      1.1g
Fiber:          0g
Protein:    2.4g

Mexican Corn
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 jalapeno, diced (more if desired)
1-2 avocadoes, diced

Makes 4 serving, approximately 1/2 cup of corn/tomato mixture each, with 1/4 avocado on top

1.  Heat non-stick skillet.  Add drained corn, tomatoes and jalapeno.  Cook over medium heat until heated through and the tomatoes start losing their shape.
2. When ready, serve on a plate, and top with avocado.

Nutritional data:
Calories:   115
Fat:             5.8g
Sat fat:        0.7g
Chol:             0mg
Sodium:  262.8mg
Carbs:       15.1g
Fiber:          4.9g
Protein:       2.2g