Breakfast Enchiladas

These scrambled-egg enchiladas put a flavorful twist on breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Once you start making them and realize you can add any of your own choice of healthy ingredients, it just may be your go-to recipe that is sure to please the whole family!

Ingredients:

- 1/2 cup mild salsa

- 2 Tbs salsa verde

- 1 Tbs butter

- 1/2 cup chopped red pepper

- 3 Tbs chopped sweet onion

- 6 eggs

- 1/4 tsp. salt

- 1/4 tsp. pepper

- 1 Tbs water

- 6, 6-in whole wheat tortillas

- 2 cups shredded cheese, divided (I used Vermont Cheddar Cheese but feel free to use Colby Jack or your cheese of preference)

- Fresh cilantro, chopped 

- Cheese sauce (directions below)

- grape tomatoes, halved

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, combine salsa and salsa verde. Set aside. Melt butter in a large skillet and then add red pepper and onions. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes over medium-high heat. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, salt, pepper, and water. Reduce heat to medium and pour the egg mixture in the skillet over the red pepper and onions, without stirring, until the eggs have began to set on bottom (about a minute). Draw a spatula across the pan to break up the eggs without breaking them up too small. Cook until eggs are almost done but still a little wet (they will finish cooking in the oven). Spread 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of the salsa mix in the center of a tortilla. Spoon about 1/4 cup egg mixture on salsa, sprinkle with 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of the shredded cheese and add about a teaspoon of fresh cilantro. Roll up and place, seam side down, in a 11x7 baking dish. Add cheese sauce and bake until sauce is bubbly and just turning lightly brown (about 20 to 25 minutes). Remove from oven. Sprinkle fresh cilantro and halved grape tomatoes on top and enjoy. 

Cheese Sauce:

- 2 Tbs butter

- 2 Tbs flour

- 1 cup milk

- Remaining shredded cheese

In a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Whisk the flour in the butter until the flour has dissolved. Add the milk and let come to near boil, stirring constantly until milk starts to thicken. Remove from heat and mix in remaining cheese, stirring until cheese has melted. (You will pour this over your enchiladas before they go in the oven.) 

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"Believe you can and you're halfway there." - Theodore Roosevelt

Tuscan Romesco

A sauce you will literally want to eat as a soup! Add to meats, fish, veggies, eggs, etc. etc. etc.  Delicious on just about anything you put it on! Two thumbs up, according to the family! :)

Ingredients:

- 6 Roma tomatoes, halved
- 1 large red bell pepper, quartered and seeds removed
- 12 cloves of garlic
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 slice of bread, toasted
- 1/2 cup whole almonds
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (use more or less depending on your likeness)
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- Cooking spray

Preheat oven or grill to 425 degrees. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray and line with tomato halves (cut side down), quartered bell peppers (cut side down), and garlic. Brush with a little bit of the olive oil. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the veggies start to blacken slightly or the garlic is a deep golden brown. (If you can't get them to blacken, switch the oven to broil and that will do the trick.) Remove from oven and allow to cool 10 minutes. While vegetables are cooling, toast bread slice and let cool. Place vegetables into a food processor or blender. Break the bread into pieces and add to blender along with almonds, paprika, vinegar, red pepper flakes, and salt. Puree until almost smooth (still being able to taste the bits of almonds), then drizzle in the remaining olive oil while the food processor is running. ENJOY! If you'd like a printer-friendly version of this recipe, Click Here.

*TIP: Feel free to use 1/2 jar (12 oz.) of roasted red peppers if you do not have a fresh red bell pepper on hand. No need to bake or grill, just add to blender.

"Life is beautiful!" - Me

Ratatouille

This easy Ratatouille dish is a vegetable dish that can be enjoyed so many different ways: as a side dish, served over pasta or rice, put into an omelet, or simply on its own. Whatever variation you choose, the bottom line is -- it's healthy, it's flavorful, and it's very simple to make!

Ingredients:

- 2 Tbs olive oil

- 3/4 cups diced onion

- 1 tsp. minced garlic

- 1 cup diced eggplant, (peeled or unpeeled)

- 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves

- 1/2 cup diced yellow bell peppers

- 1/2 cup diced red bell peppers

- 1 cup diced zucchini

- 1 cup peeled, seeded, and chopped tomatoes

- 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped

- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

- salt and pepper to taste

- fresh shaved parmesan (optional)

Heat a large skillet over medium heat with olive oil. Once hot, add the onions and garlic. Cook the onions until they are lightly caramelized, about 5 minutes. Add the eggplant and thyme and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the eggplant is partially cooked. Add the yellow peppers, red peppers, and zucchini and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, parsley, basil, salt and pepper, to taste, and for for a final 5 minutes. Can be served hot or at room temperature. Garnish with a little parmesan cheese if desired. If you'd like a printer-friendly version of this recipe, Click Here.

"The secret to a good ratatouille is to cook the vegetables separately so each will taste truly of itself." - Joël Robuchon

Tomato Asiago Frittata with Sautéed Arugula and Mushrooms

This succulent frittata tastes incredible! The asiago cheese in the frittata along with the sautéed Arugula and mushrooms create a dish that makes your mouth water even before the first bite! 

Ingredients:

- 2 Tbs heavy cream

- 2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

- 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

- 6 eggs

- 1 Tbs olive oil, divided

- 1/3 cup thinly sliced shallots

- 1/3 cup Asiago cheese

- 1 to 1/2 cups halved cherry or grape tomatoes

- 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

- 2 cups Arugula

Preheat broiler to high.  Whisk the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Heat an oven-proof medium skillet (I used 10") over medium heat. Add 2 tsp. of the olive oil to pan along with the shallots. Sauté 3 minutes or until the shallots are translucent. Add egg mixture to pan. Cook about 5 minutes or until eggs are partially set. Sprinkle 3 Tbs of the asiago cheese over eggs. Arrange tomatoes over eggs and sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top. Place pan in oven and broil 5 minutes or until top is lightly browned and eggs are set. Remove from oven, cut into 8 wedges, and remove to a plate. Use the same skillet and place over medium-high heat with 1 tsp. olive oil. Add mushrooms and Arugula and sauté until Arugula has began to wilt. Season to taste and enjoy!  If you'd like a printer-friendly version of this recipe, Click Here. 

"The key to eating healthy? Avoid any food that 

has a TV commercial." - Anonymous 

My Hospice Journal - The Blessings of One Tomato

On Tuesday's I go visit my sweet hospice patient. He's only the fourth hospice patient I've had so far, but the first one who does not have any kind of debilitating illness that causes him not to be able to communicate, coherently anyway. He is very lucid and talks endlessly about his life's journey, his wife (who he lost quite a few years ago) and always before I leave, brings up his garden. He isn't able to tend to it much these days, but his family helps him out. Every week before I leave he tells me to go check to see if there's a ripened tomato for me to take home. I gladly oblige, since I am a big tomato lover and all my tomatoes have been involuntarily given to all the squirrels in our neighborhood!!!

Yesterday's visit was, again, sweet and wonderful. I could tell he was a bit more tired than usual but it didn't stop him from telling me more about his life, and even throwing in a joke or two. After lying on the couch for awhile I watched as he was safely transferred to his favorite chair. The process of moving him just a couple of feet took about five minutes and visibly wore him out completely. After he was all situated in his chair, he looked up at me as if to subtly say, "I'm tired and this is starting to kinda suck."

This afternoon I got a message that my sweet hospice patient passed away. Reconnected with his wife, disconnected from any and all medical equipment, and happily tending to the biggest garden he's ever seen... I couldn't help but smile through my tears. 

I cherish the blessings I've been given to share in these patients' lives, if only for a very short time. I have loved each and every one of my hospice patients and have asked them to say a prayer for all of us as we continue our life's journey here on earth.

As for tomorrow, I plan to cherish this last tomato, slice by slice, thinking of my friend and looking forward to the next patient to bless my life.

R.I.P. sweet man. I will miss you.

†