Recipe: Mini Crust-Free Spinach Quiches

Easy to eat, delicious, and perfectly sized, these mini quiches are great for holiday parties. You won't have to mess with crusts, and they will also be palatable for your gluten-free guests. They are also easy to make ahead, and can be served at room temperature, so you can make them the day before, then just let sit out for 30 minutes before guests arrive, and you'll be free to enjoy the party!

Mini Crust-Free Spinach Quiches
(Makes about 3 dozen mini quiches.)

(Image courtesy of piyato at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.)

Ingredients:

1 box (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and water squeezed out
3 strips bacon, diced
1 cup finely diced onion
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 container (15 oz) ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded Italian blend cheese
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 eggs, beaten

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare mini muffin tins by spraying with cooking oil.  Be sure to spray the tops of the pans, too.
• In a large skillet, fry bacon until crispy, then remove with slotted spoon to a paper towel covered surface.
• Leave bacon drippings in skillet over medium heat, add the onion and cook until softened.
• Add to the skillet, the spinach, black pepper, and nutmeg and cook, stirring, until moisture cooks away.
• Remove from heat and add bacon to skillet, stirring to combine; set aside and allow to cool.
• In a large bowl, put the ricotta, Italian cheese, Parmesan, and the eggs, and stir until combined well.
• Make sure the spinach is cooled, then spoon the mixture into the bowl with the cheese and stir together.
• Fill the muffin cups with this mixture about 2/3 to 3/4 full.  You'll have about 3 dozen mini quiches depending on how full you fill the cups.
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until solid and slightly browned and pulling away from the edges.
• Remove and let sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes, then tip out onto a cooling rack. If they don't come right out, just take a thin knife and slide it around the cup to release the quiche.
• Serve warm or room temperature.

Low-Carb Recipe: Perfect Pumpkin Soup

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving, and enjoyed a wonderful time with family and friends! Now comes the less fun part: dealing with all those leftovers!

We can all come up with lots of things to do with leftover turkey, but what about that extra can of pumpkin that you didn't use for the pie? Here's a simple recipe that will warm you up and satisfy your craving for something warm, spicy, and savory that you can make in a jiffy for a quick supper tonight after being on your feet in the kitchen all day yesterday.  Keep in mind that this soup is rich and meant to enjoy in small portions, not large bowls, although you may find it hard to resist. :-)

Enjoy!

Perfect Pumpkin Soup

1 Tbsp olive or coconut oil
1 small onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic - chopped or grated
1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 Tbsp ground coriander seed
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup half-and-half or cream

Directions:

• In a large soup pot, combine oil and onion over medium heat and cook until soft.
• Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, for 1 minute, then add the other spices, and stir together.
• Pour in the wine, and stir, cooking for 1 minute.
• Add the pumpkin puree and broth, stir and cook until heated through, about 4 or 5 minutes.
• To make soup smooth, remove from heat and let cool slightly, then pour into food processor.  Blend until smooth, then return to pot. (Or use a stick blender if you have one.)
• Put soup pot on low heat and bring back up to hot, but do not boil.
• Remove from heat and pour in half-and-half, stir, and taste for salt and other seasonings and add more if desired.  You may also add a touch of sugar if you like to bring up the sweetness level. Cover and let stand 5 minutes so flavors blend well.
• Serve warm with garnishes like roasted pumpkin seeds, crispy bacon crumbles, a dollop of yogurt or sour cream, and chives or parsley.
• You can easily double or triple this recipe for a larger crowd.  You will need to process it in several batches in the food processor if you do.

Low-Carb Recipe: Stevia Cranberry Relish

It's hard to believe it's already time to start planning the Thanksgiving meal! If you're trying to watch your carbs, Thanksgiving can be a challenging holiday - with all those mashed potatoes, rolls, pies, etc. While you don't have to give up all your holiday favorites, by cutting the carbs in some areas, you will be able to enjoy a healthier Thanksgiving meal without sacrificing your traditions.

Here is a good example of a delicious low-carb twist on that classic Thanksgiving requirement: cranberry sauce. Rather than loading your cranberries up with sugar, try this recipe - sweetened with the stevia herb, instead.

Please note that some stevia blends are mixed with sugar or artificial sweeteners, so pay attention to the ingredients, and avoid any that have artificial ingredients or more sugar than stevia. Also, stevia is actually much sweeter than sugar, so start with a small amount of sweetener, and add more to taste as desired.

Stevia Cranberry Relish

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ingredients:

1/4 Cup Stevia Blend (add more to taste - making sure it is fully dissolved before adding more)
1 cup Dark Rum
1 lemon, zested
4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
3/4 Cup chopped walnuts (or other favorite nuts)

Directions:

• Put Stevia Blend and Rum into a big saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil.
• Add the lemon zest and cranberries, stirring, and bring back up to a boil, then quickly turn the heat down to low to bring it down to a simmer.
• Cover loosely and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring several times during the cooking process.
• Mixture should be cooked down a bit; not too thin.
• Stir in the nuts, mix, and continue cooking on low for 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let cool, then refrigerate.
• Serve cold as a side with turkey, pork, or chicken.
• You can play with this recipe if you want, substituting other sweeteners or the rum with other ingredients.  If you eliminate the rum, just use 1 cup of another liquid, such as orange juice or even water.