Tag Archives: cauliflower

Part 2 of 2: Cauliflower Crusted Tomato Basil Quiche- THE QUICHE

So yesterday I shared with you my newest Cauliflower recipe… A Cauliflower Pie Crust.

Well, today, I am going to share with your what I put inside of that delicous, yet healthy crust.

PRESENTING…

Tomato Basil Quiche

Tomatoes, Eggs, Cheese, Fresh Basil… need I say more??

Tomato Basil Quiche

I said this yesterday, but I am going to repeat my self…

YOU NEED TO TRY THISSSSSSS!!!!

I would also like to say this… This Quiche does not need a crust, so if you prefer to cook it directly in the pie pan, you can do so. I found the Tomato and Basil to compliment the cauliflower quite nicely, so if you want my opinion, give it a try! 🙂

Let’s get started…

Part 2-

Tomato Basil Quiche

2-3 Tomatoes, (one tomato sliced for the top & remaining tomatoes diced with seeds removed- I use 1-2 diced tomatoes, depending on the size)

1/3 cup fresh Basil, finely chopped

2 cloves Garlic

1/2 cup Onion, diced

1 Jalapeño, finely diced, with 4-5 slices (optional)

2 slices Turkey Bacon (optional)

5 Eggs or 4 Eggs with 2 Egg Whites

3/4 cup Light (Skim) Milk

1/2 – 3/4 cup Shredded Cheese (see note)* (+ additional for garnish, if desired)

3 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese

1/4 tsp Garlic Salt

1/4 tsp Pepper

*For the shredded cheese, I used a combination of Manchego and Chihuahua cheeses, but any mixture from Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Mozzarella, Manchego, or Chihuahua would work well.

Instructions:

(If you are using the Cauliflower Crust from yesterday’s post, the oven will already be preheated. If you are not using the crust, preheat the oven to 350°F and spray the pie pan with non stick cooking spray. Set aside.)

1- Heat a large skillet coated with non stick cooking spray. Sauté onion, garlic, and diced jalapeño (if using) until tender. Once cooked, transfer to a medium bowl and set aside.

2- Slice one of the tomatoes in half and scoop out all of the seeds. Once seeds are removed, dice the tomato and add to onion mix. Slice your second tomato into slices of desire thickness, and set aside.( You can also slice a few pieces of jalapeños for the garnish, if desired.)

3- Measure out 1/3 cup Basil leaves and finely chop the leaves to desired size. Add basil leaves to onion and tomato mix. Add in cooked turkey bacon, if using, and stir well. Set aside until Cauliflower crust has cooked.

4- In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, milk, salt and pepper, until well combined.

5- Once crust has cooked, add onion/tomato mix to the bottom of the pie pan. Top with a little over a 1/2 cup of shredded cheese.

6- Pour egg mixture evenly over the cheese, and gently stir, being sure not to disturb the crust.

7- Bake quiche at 350°F for 10 minutes. Carefully, remove the quiche from the oven, and garnish with sliced tomatoes and jalapeños. Lightly salt/pepper the sliced tomatoes and sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese (and/or additional shredded cheese).

8- Return the quiche to the oven for about 40 minutes, or until the filling is set completely. (If you notice the quiche burning on the top, lightly cover with a piece of foil. Remove foil during the last 10 minutes of cooking to insure the quiche cooks evenly.)

9- Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving.

 

So there you have it… Cauliflower Crusted Tomato Basil Quiche. I really hope you enjoy this, and all of the recipes I share with you. I would greatly appreciate your feedback and comments. If you enjoy my recipes, please share them with your friends! 

ENJOY 🙂

 

 

Tomato Basil Quiche
Enjoy this Tomato Basil Quiche in a Cauliflower Pie Crust, or make it crustless. Either way, it is delicious!
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Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
50 min
Total Time
1 hr 5 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
50 min
Total Time
1 hr 5 min
Ingredients
  1. 2-3 Tomatoes, (one tomato sliced for the top & remaining tomatoes diced with seeds removed- I use 1-2 diced tomatoes, depending on the size)
  2. 1/3 cup fresh Basil, finely chopped
  3. 2 cloves Garlic
  4. 1/2 cup Onion, diced
  5. 1 Jalapeño, finely diced, with 4-5 slices (optional)
  6. 2 slices Turkey Bacon (optional)
  7. 5 Eggs or 4 Eggs with 2 Egg Whites
  8. 3/4 cup Light (Skim) Milk
  9. 1/2 - 3/4 cup Shredded Cheese (see note)* (+ additional for garnish, if desired)
  10. 3 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese
  11. 1/4 tsp Garlic Salt
  12. 1/4 tsp Pepper
Instructions
  1. Heat a large skillet coated with non stick cooking spray. Sauté onion, garlic, and diced jalapeño (if using) until tender. Once cooked, transfer to a medium bowl and set aside.
  2. Slice one of the tomatoes in half and scoop out all of the seeds. Once seeds are removed, dice the tomato and add to onion mix. Slice your second tomato into slices of desire thickness, and set aside.( You can also slice a few pieces of jalapeños for the garnish, if desired.)
  3. Measure out 1/3 cup Basil leaves and finely chop the leaves to desired size. Add basil leaves to onion and tomato mix. Add in cooked turkey bacon, if using, and stir well. Set aside until Cauliflower crust has cooked.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, milk, salt and pepper, until well combined.
  5. Once crust has cooked, add onion/tomato mix to the bottom of the pie pan. Top with a little over a 1/2 cup of shredded cheese.
  6. Pour egg mixture evenly over the cheese, and gently stir, being sure not to disturb the crust.
  7. Bake quiche at 350°F for 10 minutes. Carefully, remove the quiche from the oven, and garnish with sliced tomatoes and jalapeños. Lightly salt/pepper the sliced tomatoes and sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese (and/or additional shredded cheese).
  8. Return the quiche to the oven for about 40 minutes, or until the filling is set completely. (If you notice the quiche burning on the top, lightly cover with a piece of foil. Remove foil during the last 10 minutes of cooking to insure the quiche cooks evenly.)
  9. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
  1. *For the shredded cheese, I used a combination of Manchego and Chihuahua cheeses, but any mixture from Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Mozzarella, Manchego, or Chihuahua would work well.
  2. *If you are using the Cauliflower Crust from yesterday's post, the oven will already be preheated. If you are not using the crust, preheat the oven to 350°F and spray the pie pan with non stick cooking spray. Set aside.
Fitness With Kayla https://fitnesswithkayla.com/

Part 1 of 2: Cauliflower Crusted Tomato Basil Quiche- THE CRUST

And it continues… Just when I start to think that I can not come up with new ways to use my beloved Cauliflower, I surprise myself… and come up with another recipe!

Today I want to share with you a two part recipe: Cauliflower Pie Crust and a Quiche.

Are you ready?

Tomato Basil Quiche

As you all know, Cauliflower is a staple in our house, but you might not know how much we also rely on Eggs… and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches (that’s a story for another day… please don’t get me started on that right now!)

So the recipe I have for you today and tomorrow combines Cauliflower with Eggs and more delicious veggies to make a Cauliflower Crusted Tomato Basil Quiche. I am so blessed to live in a country and town that I can run down to the local market and pick up the freshest fruits, veggies, and herbs on any Wednesday and Saturday… YEAR ROUND!

For todays recipe, I will say two things…

1- This cauliflower crust is completely versatile, and can be used to substitute a pie crust in many different instances.

2- YOU NEED TO TRY THISSSSSSS!!!!

So here we go…

Part 1-

Cauliflower Pie Crust

cauli crust

Ingredients:

1 (medium to large) head Cauliflower- (If you have a gigantic head of cauliflower, like the one in the last blog that is the size of my Fiancés head, use half!)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

1 Egg

2 tsp Italian Seasoning

1 tsp Oregano

1/2 tsp Garlic Salt

1/2 tsp Pepper

Instructions:

1- Spray a 9 inch pie pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

2- Rinse Cauliflower, and cut into small pieces, removing most of the stem, while keeping the florets.

3- Pulse Cauliflower in a food processor until it resembles a rice like consistency. (If you do not have a food processor, grate cauliflower with a cheese grater.)

4- Place the cauliflower in a microwave safe bowl and cook for 3 minutes. Stir cauliflower, and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Once fully cooked, set aside and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes.

5- Preheat oven to 400° F.

6- Once cauliflower has cooled enough to handle, transfer the cauliflower to a clean kitchen towel and wring out the moisture. Transfer the dry cauliflower back to the bowl.

7- Add parmesan cheese, egg, and spices to the cauliflower, and mix together with your hands.

8- Transfer the cauliflower mix to the prepared pie dish, smoothing it with your hands. Be sure to spread the cauliflower mix evenly on the bottom and sides of the dish. (see below)

caul crust

9- Bake cauliflower crust for 10-15 minutes, until the edges and bottom begin to brown. (If you want a crispier crust, you can cook it for an additional 5 minutes.) * All ovens vary in temperature and cooking times.

Once you have pre-baked your crust, you can fill it with various different dishes, pies, quiches… anything your heart desires. Tomorrow, I will be sharing the Tomato Basil Quiche that I created to put into this yummy pie crust. Tomatoes, Fresh Basil, Eggs, Cheese, and more… Ok, I’m getting hungry. Stay tuned tomorrow for Part 2!!

For now, enjoy!

Cauliflower Pie Crust
Substitute this crust for a pie crust in various recipes!
Write a review
Print
Ingredients
  1. 1 head Cauliflower
  2. 1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
  3. 1 Egg
  4. 2 tsp Italian Seasoning
  5. 1 tsp Oregano
  6. 1/2 tsp Garlic Salt
  7. 1/2 tsp Pepper
Instructions
  1. Spray a 9 inch pie pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
  2. Rinse Cauliflower, and cut into small pieces, removing most of the stem, while keeping the florets.
  3. Pulse Cauliflower in a food processor until it resembles a rice like consistency. (If you do not have a food processor, grate cauliflower with a cheese grater.)
  4. Place the cauliflower in a microwave safe bowl and cook for 3 minutes. Stir cauliflower, and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Once fully cooked, set aside and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes.
  5. Preheat oven to 400° F.
  6. Once cauliflower has cooled enough to handle, transfer the cauliflower to a clean kitchen towel and wring out the moisture. Transfer the dry cauliflower back to the bowl.
  7. Add parmesan cheese, egg, and spices to the cauliflower, and mix together with your hands.
  8. Transfer the cauliflower mix to the prepared pie dish, smoothing it with your hands. Be sure to spread the cauliflower mix evenly on the bottom and sides of the dish.
  9. Bake cauliflower crust for 10-15 minutes, until the edges and bottom begin to brown. (If you want a crispier crust, you can cook it for an additional 5 minutes.)
Notes
  1. * All ovens vary in temperature and cooking times.
Fitness With Kayla https://fitnesswithkayla.com/

Cheesy Baked Broccoli and Cauliflower

So, today at the local market here in Puerto Aventuras I found this…

11081468_10203588078813947_1735164320791916802_nYes, that’s right. A Cauliflower larger than my fiancés head.

Now if you haven’t figured it out yet… I LOVE Cauliflower. I’m pretty sure I’ve said that before, but just to reiterate… I LOVE CAULIFLOWER!

This cauliflower is almost 3 times the size of a normal head of cauliflower, so I should be able to make about 3-4 different recipes with this head! YIPPEEEEEE!

I was asked what I was going to do with this amazing find, and one of my answers was to make a broccoli and cauliflower casserole. I decided I would share this delicious recipe with all of you.

broccaulibaked_Fotor

Are you hungry yet?

Well, here is goes… Welcome to Cheesy Baked Broccoli and Cauliflower!!!

Instructions:

1 fresh head Broccoli, cut into florets

1/2 fresh head Cauliflower, cut into florets

1/2 Tbsp no salt Butter

1 ½ cups fat-free Milk

2 Tbsp Flour

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp Pepper

1 clove Garlic

1/2 tsp (+ more for topping) Paprika

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese (I used combination of Cheddar, Monterrey Jack, & Mozzarella)*

5 wedges Laughing Cow Light Cheese, or 4oz Light Cream Cheese**

1/4 cup Light Mayo 

1 cup Onion, chopped

1/2 cup Panko Breadcrumbs***

1/2 Tbsp Butter, melted

*I have used many different cheese blends, and the recipe still turns out great. (Manchego, Chihuahua, Gouda, Cheddar, Monterrey Jack, Mozzarella, etc). I usually have Manchego and Chihuahua on hand, as they are quite affordable here in Mexico.

**As I live in Mexico, Laughing Cow cheese can be a bit more pricy than local cheese choices. If I do not have Laughing Cow cheese, I substitute Light Cream Cheese, and it works great!

***I added a couple of tablespoons of Parmesan cheese in with the Panko Breadcrumbs

Instructions:

1- In a stock pot, steam broccoli and cauliflower in water until cooked to tender. Once cooked, drain and set aside.

2- Preheat oven to 375F. Spray a 9in round casserole dish, or similar, with non stick cooking spray.

3- While broccoli and cauliflower are cooking, in a sauce pan, melt 1/2 Tbsp of butter. Once melted, add in the flour, and lightly brown. Add in milk and bring mixture to a light boil, whisking frequently, until sauce thickens.

4- Add in shredded cheese and Laughing Cow (or Cream Cheese) wedges. Stir to combine.

5- Once all cheeses are melted, cook cheese mixture for 2-3 minutes, then add in mayo, onion, garlic, and spices. Continue cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes. Sauce will thicken, again.

6- When cheese sauce and vegetables are finished cooking, place vegetables in the bottom of the casserole dish. Spoon cheese sauce evenly over the vegetables.

7- In a small bowl, melt 1/2 Tbsp of butter, and mix with the Panko crumbs, and an additional 1/2 tsp Paprika. Sprinkle crumbs evenly over the top of the vegetables.

8- Bake, covered with foil, for 15 minutes. Remove foil, and bake for an additional 10- 15 minutes, or until bubbly, and crumbs are lightly browned on top. Serve immediately.

This recipe is delicious, yet still healthy! I hope you will enjoy it as much as my family does. Here is a link to a printable version of the recipe: Cheesy Baked Broccoli and Cauliflower

Try this recipe out, and let me know how you like it! I would love to hear how you enjoy making your Cauliflower! ENJOY!

 

Cheesy Cauliflower & Chicken Casserole

I’m starting to believe I have an addiction to Cauliflower. As I have been trying to continue with lots of healthy recipes, I keep going back to using Cauliflower as or in my main dishes. I came across a recipe similar to this on Pinterest, so I had to try it out… but of course I added a few of my own touches. This recipe is quick and easy to prepare, and it bakes in one dish, for less mess and clean up. Its hard to go wrong when combining cauliflower with cheese and chicken, and when you throw in a few other veggies, it makes a delightful casserole for everyone to enjoy.

So here you have it:

Cheesy Cauliflower and Chicken Casserole Fotor

Ingredients:

1 1/2 breasts Chicken, cooked and diced

1 head Cauliflower, steamed and chopped

6 ounces Cheddar Cheese, shredded

6 ounces Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded

1 Egg

1/2 Onion, diced ( You can also substitute Green Onions)

4 slices Turkey Bacon, crumbled

1 clove Garlic, minced

1/2 Jalapeño, diced (optional)

Salt & pepper

Instructions:

1- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2- Steam cauliflower until tender. In a separate sauce pan, place uncooked chicken breasts, 2 cups of water, and 1 cube of chicken bouillon. Bring to a boil, and simmer until cooked through. 

3- Meanwhile, combine cheeses in a large bowl. Remove ¼ of cheese and set aside. (*I use a pre-packaged cheese blend to save time.)

4-Once chicken is cooked, remove from water, and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Once cooled, dice chicken, then mix chicken, onion, bacon, garlic, and jalapeño together with remaining cheese.

5- Stir cauliflower into cheese mixture, and add the egg. Mix all ingredients well, and season with salt & pepper. Pour into a 8×8 or larger glass baking dish sprayed well with non stick cooking spray.

6- Bake for 25 minutes, or until cheese is well melted and casserole starts to bubble. Remove from oven and top with additional cheese.

7- Return to oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Serve immediately!

Here is the link to your printable recipe card: Cheesy Cauliflower and Chicken Casserole

So this recipe is super simple to prepare, as you mix it all together and bake it. You can omit the 1 egg, but the casserole will not stay together as well. I prefer it with the egg, as it made the flavor better. I hope you enjoy this simple casserole with cauliflower and chicken… It really is YUMMY! In the next weeks, I am going to (well, try to) branch out and bring you some healthy recipes with Spinach, Broccoli, and much more! Stay Tuned, but for now, ENJOY! 🙂

Spice Up Your Cauliflower- Round 3- Side Dishes

Today, I am moving on from main dishes, and going to give you 2 side dish recipes for Cauliflower. The first one is very simple and the second is a new twist on the Broccoli Bites that I posted last week!

Side Dish 1:

Cauliflower Melt

1/2- Head Cauliflower, boiled, drained, and cut into florets

1/4- cup Cheese of your choice. I use cheddar and parmesan

1- tsp Garlic Salt (or to taste)

1- tsp Ground Pepper (or to taste)

Place the Cauliflower florets in a microwave safe bowl. Cover the cauliflower with 1/2 of the cheese, salt and pepper, and mix through. Place in microwave for 30 seconds, and slightly melt the cheese. Remove cauliflower from microwave and stir, so cheese is blended well through the cauliflower. Top the cauliflower with the remaining cheese, and return to microwave for 45 seconds to 1 minute (until cheese is fully melted.) Serve immediately, as a quick, easy, and healthy side dish to any meal! Goes great with Chicken and Fish!

 

Side Dish 2:

Cauliflower Balls

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

1- head of Cauliflower, steamed and finely chopped

1 cup- Grated Cheddar or Monterey Jack Cheese

3 egg whites

Garlic Salt and Pepper (about 1 tsp each)

1/4-1/2 diced Jalapeño – omit for less spicy option

1/2 cup Italian Breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all ingredients together in a medium sized mixing bowl. With the mixed ingredients, form 1 inch sized balls, making sure all ingredients are well combined. Place cauliflower balls on cookie sheet sprayed with non stick cooking spray.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and flip. Return to the oven for a remaining 8-10 minutes. Serve immediately!

 

Well I hope you enjoy these two very simple recipes to use Cauliflower as a side dish. Share with me your comments and feedback, as well as any questions or concerns. Hope you enjoyed this series on Cauliflower. Coming soon, I will have a series on Spinach, as well as Broccoli! Enjoy 🙂

Spice Up Your Cauliflower- Round 2- CHOWDER

Today, my recipe for you is Cauliflower Chowder. This chowder is low carb and satisfying, yet still has the hearty, creamy aspects of other chowders. This is actually whats for dinner at my house tonight… I’m excited.

cauliflower chowder fotor

This recipe is fairly simple to make, and reheats well! I have a hard time when it comes to using leftovers, so when I find a dish that reheats and tastes exactly the same as the first day, I’m happy.

Ingredients:

4 slices Turkey Bacon, diced

2 tbsp Butter

2 cloves Garlic, minced

1 Onion, diced

2 Carrots, peeled and diced

3 stalks Celery, diced

1/4 cup Flour

4 cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth

1 cup 2% Milk

1 head Cauliflower, roughly chopped

1 Bay Leaf

Garlic Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1- Heat a large stockpot over medium high heat. Add turkey bacon and cook until crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside.

2- Add butter to the stockpot over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, carrots and celery. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. 

3- Stir in cauliflower and bay leaf. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes.

4- Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in chicken broth and milk, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 6-8 minutes.

5- Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to medium and simmer until cauliflower is cooked, about 45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. If the chowder is too thick, add more milk/stock as needed until desired consistency is reached.

6- Serve immediately, garnished with bacon and shredded cheese if desired. Serve with a slice of garlic bread or croutons, if desired.

Here is a link to your printable recipe card: Cauliflower Chowder

Give this chowder a try to add a twist to your plain Cauliflower. Let me know what you think! Enjoy 🙂

Spice Up Your Cauliflower- Round 1- PIZZA

I know, I know… Cauliflower… Blah, boring… Well guess what?!? I’ve got 3 recipes to change your perspective on Cauliflower. Over the next 3 days, I am going to share with you a series of blogs using Cauliflower! My family has always been a huge fan of Cauliflower as an easy side dish to cook along with a meal, but I’ve come up with 2 recipes that turn Cauliflower INTO THE MEAL and 1 side dish Recipe using Cauliflower.

Are you ready???

The first way to change up Cauliflower … PIZZA.

Cauliflower Pizza Collage

Yup, that’s right… Cauliflower Pizza. No, the cauliflower is not the topping. The dough of the pizza is made from Cauliflower!

Ingredients:

1 large head Cauliflower, separated into florets

3 egg whites

1/2 cup + 3/4 cup (for topping) Mozzarella/Tex Mex cheese, shredded

1 tsp Italian herb seasoning

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Pinch of salt

Marinara sauce for dipping

Any additional toppings such as pepperoni, mushrooms, onion, pepper, etc.

Instructions:

1-Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Place cauliflower florets in a food processor (I used a cheese grater, as I do not have a food processor down here in Mexico) and process until “rice” texture.

2- Bake for 20 mins in an oven proof baking dish. (Spray the dish lightly with non stick cooking spray to avoid burning and sticking)

3- Remove cooked cauliflower from the oven and transfer to a bowl lined with a dish towel (you can use paper towels also, but they do not absorb as well). Cool cauliflower for about 15 minutes. Fold the towel holding by the ends and squeeze the liquid out of the cauliflower “ball” as hard as you can. 

4- Increase oven 400 degrees F. Transfer cauliflower to a mixing bowl along with 1/2 cup cheese, and remaining ingredients.

5- Transfer cauliflower mixture onto the baking sheet sprayed with non stick cooking spray. Flatten with your hands into a 1/4” thick rectangle. 

6- Bake for 18 minutes, and then top with remaining 3/4 cup cheese (and desired optional toppings). Bake for another 10 minutes or until cheese is golden brown. Cut into breadstick sized slices and serve hot with warm marinara sauce.

Here is the link to your printable recipe card: Cauliflower Pizza

Cauliflower Pizza

Note: The photo above is a Cauliflower Pizza where half is only veggie toppings, and the other half is meat and veggies! 

So, what do you think? Want to give this a try next time you are wanting pizza? I’ve made this for my family and friends, and everyone has loved it. I made this dish for a little get together for some friends, and had I not told them it was cauliflower, they would never have known. All of the kids loved it as well! Give this a try and let me know what you think! Enjoy! 🙂