Avocado Cheddar Scramble

$2 for a sack of 11 peewee avocados? Sold! California rocks. 
And these mini avocados are the perfect size for a lunchtime scrambler. 

Yield: Lunch for one

• 1 pee wee avocado
• 1/3 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tbsp skim milk
• 1/2 tsp dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp salt
• fresh ground pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp olive oil
• dash of paprika

Peel, pit and slice the avocado into small, bite-sized pieces. 

Grate cheese (feel free to grate more or less than 1/3 cup, according to your preference). 

Beat eggs, milk, parley, salt and pepper in a small bowl with a fork for one minute. Add half of the grated cheese to eggs and beat to incorporate. 

Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan at medium. Pour egg mixture into pan. When you see the edges of the egg begin to set, start stirring with a spatula. Stir for one minute, then add remaining cheese. Stir for another minute, then add chopped avocado. Continue stirring for another 5 minutes, increasing heat to high for the final minute (I like my eggs hot). 

Serve with a sprinkle of paprika. 

Mac & Cheese

I've made a few attempts at health-ifying the amazingness that is mac & cheese (whole wheat pasta, low-fat milk & garlic), but there are times when it's just smarter not to mess too much with life staples.

Serves 1-2 (depends how mac & cheese hungry you are...)

• 1 1/4 cups uncooked whole wheat macaroni
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 1/4 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 1 tbsp margarine
• 1/2-3/4 cup low-fat milk (as needed)
• 1 tsp parmesan
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• dash of hot sauce (ie. Franks)
• topping: 
• 1 tsp parmesan
• generous shake of paprika
• salt & pep, to taste

Bring a pot of water to boil and cook macaroni per package instructions. 

Meanwhile, mince 2 cloves of garlic and grate the cheese.

In a medium non-stick pan, melt the margarine over med-high and add minced garlic. Let cook for a few minutes til the garlic turns golden. 

Add 1/2 cup milk, increasing by up to another 1/4 cup, as needed.  Add parmesan, salt, pepper, paprika and hot sauce. Once things start bubbling, reduce to medium heat and add grated cheese. Stir frequently until the cheese melts and the sauce gets smooth.

By this time, the macaroni should be ready.  Add strained pasta to the pan, and mix well to incorporate cheesy sauce.

Sprinkle with toppings, cover with lid, reduce heat to the lowest setting, and let simmer for 5-10 min or until any remaining liquid is absorbed. Enjoy. 

Avocado Toast

Sometimes the odds and ends in your fridge come together as deliciousness. This is one such delight that has me taking care to stock the fridge deliberately with the same ingredients to ensure it all gets into my mouth again soon.

It's a simple and very filling snack... or a light meal. 

Serves 1

• 1 slice of multigrain bread (I love Milton's original healthy multi-grain because it's almost completely fat-free, and there's 3 grams of fiber in each slice!)
• Monterey Jill cheese (which is a reduced fat version of Monterey Jack, or any cheese you have on hand would work)
• 1/2 avocado
• seasoning salt, to taste
• paprika, to taste

Place a slice of bread on a non-stick pan over medium-high heat (no need to oil the pan).  

Meanwhile, thinly slice as much cheese as you like. 

Flip the bread over once the side facing down is lightly toasted.  Place sliced cheese on the toasted side and allow the other side to toast while the cheese melts.  Placing a lid over the pan will speed up the cheese melting.  Reduce heat if it is toasting too quickly. 

Smush up half an avocado with a fork while you wait.  Once the cheese has melted, spread the avocado over top.  Sprinkle generously with seasoning salt and paprika. 

Shredded Chicken Soft Tacos

There are days when I don't get asked "what's for sups?" so much as I get told what's for sups. This recipe came from one such decisive day. The request was for soft tacos, specifically with shredded chicken if possible, so I tried my best to deliver on this demand. As it turned out, the tacos were a hit and B now wants this meal added to the list of regulars on our dinner rotation!

Yields approx 6 soft tacos (depending on how heavily or lightly you stuff them)

• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
• Chicken marinade: 

• 1 1/2 tbsp coke (the carbonation & chemicals in coke work great to tenderize meat)
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper 
• 1/2 tsp cayenne powder
• 1/2 tsp cajun powder
• pinch red chili flakes
• 1 cup tomato sauce (or spicy pasta sauce!)
• 1 package whole wheat/multigrain 6-inch soft tortillas (I like the Mission brand pictured below as they are high in fibre)
• 1/2 hothouse cucumber
• 3 cups fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
• 3/4 cup skim mozzarella (or low-fat cheese of your choosing)
• optional: taco sauce or hot sauce, to taste

Start by marinating the chicken well in advance (a couple hours up to overnight). Trim any fat off the chicken breast, slice in half to maximize the surface area being coated in saucy goodness. Add all marinade ingredients, mixing well to coat evenly. Cover and set aside in fridge til closer to serving time. 

  

Heat a small amount of olive oil (~1tsp) in a small non-stick pan over med-high heat. Add chicken breast halves, including any excess marinade. Cook for 3min, flip, then cook the other side for another 3min. Pour the tomato/pasta sauce over the chicken, reduce heat to low, cover the pan, and let simmer for 20min (or til chicken is no longer pink inside).

While the chicken is simmering, wash and prepare the taco fixins: Slice cucumber and spinach into thin strips. Chop cilantro. Grate mozzarella. Set aside on a serving plate, keeping refrigerated until the chicken is ready.

Preheat the oven to 350. Wrap tortillas in tin foil, and warm in preheated oven for 5-7min.

Once the chicken is cooked, remove from pan, and shred with two forks. Place the shredded chicken back in the pan, stirring to coat in the remaining sauce, cover, and continue simmering for another 10-15min. 

Once the tortillas are warm and the shredded chicken is ready, I set up a build-your-own-adventure style taco station on the kitchen counter or at the dinner table. I put a bottle of taco sauce and hot sauce out as well. 

Spinach Omelette

I love eggs. Boyfriend does not. Yay ME!!!

Yields 1 large omelette

hello kitty kitchen essentials

• 2 cups raw spinach, packed
• 1/4-1/3 cup grated colby jack cheese (or any cheese or your choosing)
• 3 large eggs
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1/8 tsp paprika
• splash of skim milk (approx 2 tbsp)
• 1 tsp olive oil

Measure out 2 cups of fresh (washed & dried) spinach, packed, then place in a medium non-stick pan over medium-high heat with a teaspoon of water. Cover with a lid. Once the spinach has wilted, place in colander to drain any excess liquid. Squeeze if necessary. 

Grate as much cheese as you like (I tend to use about 1/3 cup), and feel free to use whatever kind of cheese you have on hand! 

Crack eggs into a bowl with salt, pepper, paprika and skim milk. Beat thoroughly using a fork or whisk. 

Add 1 tsp olive oil to the same non-stick pan and heat to medium-high. Pour egg mixture into pan and reduce heat to medium.

Let sit for one minute before sprinkling cheese over the eggs. Leave for another minute, then add wilted spinach over the cheese. Leave for one more minute before folding the omelette over. Serve immediately if you prefer runny - Let sit until cooked through if you don't!