Meal made in minutes: Easy egg white sandwich

Eggs are a very versatile lean protein and can really be eaten anytime of the day - breakfast, lunch, or dinner! This power-house of a super-food is nutrient dense, yet low in calories and contains several essential vitamins (B vitamins and vitamin A and vitamin D) and minerals (choline, selenium, and phosphorus) as well as the highest quality protein and amino acid profile that meets the needs of the human body. The whites alone contain only 16 calories (per large egg) and 4g of protein, without the saturated fat or cholesterol that is found in the yellow yolk. The best part is that egg whites can be prepared in minutes and easily incorporated into a perfect sandwich for a quick breakfast before work. Heck, you can even make this meal portable and eat it on your way into work (while driving as safely as possible, of course!)...

Quick Egg white sandwich

This week's Meal Made in Minutes: Easy Egg White Sandwich  

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup liquid egg whites (I used All Whites) or the egg whites of 3 large eggs
• 2 slices whole grain bread (I used Canyon Ranch 7-Grain gluten-free bread)
• 1 slice reduced-fat provolone cheese (I used Sargento)
• 1 cup baby spinach leaves
• 2 tbsp hummus (any flavor) (I used Tribe Sun-dried Tomato)
• Cherry tomatoes (optional)
• Black pepper or red chili flakes (to taste)

Tools needed:

1. Toaster oven
2. Microwaveable omelet maker (I bought mine at Amazon.com)

Egg white omelet

(All Whites egg whites with red chili flakes)

Directions:

1. Toast bread in toaster oven
2. While bread is toasting, prepare omelet - pour egg whites into omelet maker and season with black pepper or red chili flakes (to taste).
3. Cook eggs in the microwave on high heat for 1 minute. Make sure whites are complete set and cooked through - if whites are still runny, place omelet maker back in the microwave for 15 seconds.
4. Assemble egg white sandwich - spread 1 tbsp hummus on one slice of bread, then lay 1/2 cup spinach on top, then the egg whites, provolone cheese, remaining 1/2 cup spinach and the second slice of bread with remaining 1 tbsp hummus spread on top.

Viola! That's it, within 6-8 minutes you will have the perfect egg white breakfast sandwich! To take your breakfast to-go, wrap the sandwich in aluminum foil and hit the road!

This breakfast sandwich will beat any fast-food option and will fill you up with complex carbs, healthy fats, and lean protein to get you through the busy morning :-)

Feel free to play around with the ingredients. Some substitutions you can try:

• 1 egg + 2 whites instead of all whites
• 1/4th avocado (mashed or sliced) instead of hummus
• kale instead of spinach
• a whole-grain tortilla wrap instead of bread

Enjoy!

Meal Makeover: Momma's Spinach and Tomato Quiche

There is nothing better than a home-cooked meal that is made with love, but these hearty home-cooked meals are usually high in fat, sugar, and sodium and overall high in calories. While these recipes "have been in the family for generations," there's nothing wrong with a little "makeover" action to make your favorite home-cooked meals hearty AND healthy! Take my mom's famous Spinach and Tomato Quiche recipe, for example - while it has been in the family for years, it is not the most waist-friendly OR heart-healthy meal for the family (sorry mom!).

Quiched cooked

Today's Meal Makeover: Momma's Spinach and Tomato Quiche

Turned into Spinach and Tomato Egg White Quiche

With a simple swap of a few ingredients, I was able to turn my mother's famous (calorie-laden) Quiche into a low-fat, high-protein, Gluten-Free slim & trim Spinach and Tomato Egg White Quiche that the WHOLE family will love (and not feel guilty about having seconds)! The recipe make 6 generous servings and each serving has 180 calories, 5g fat (2g sat fat), 20g carbs, 3g sugar, and a whopping 16g protein! One serving also provides 34% of your daily Vitamin A and 45% of your daily Calcium requirements! Now that's a win, win, win situation!

So here's the recipe - super simple and ready in under 1 hour!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt (I used Oikos)
• 1/2 a packet of Hidden Valley Ranch Dip (dry mix)
• 1 & 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk (I used Silk original unsweetened)
• 1 cup Gluten-Free all purpose baking mix (I used Bob's Red Mill)
• 1 cup liquid egg whites (I used All Whites)
• 1 cup 2% (part-skim) shredded mozzarella cheese (I used Publix brand)
• 2 cups baby spinach (I used Fresh Express)

• 1 cup diced tomatoes

(The ingredients)

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 deg. F and lightly spray a 9 X 13 baking dish with olive oil spray
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine Greek yogurt with Ranch dip mix until it's evenly mixed in. Then add the almond milk and egg whites until completely combined
3. Add the Gluten-free baking mix and mix very well, until all clumps are dissolved and mixture is completely blended
4. In the prepared baking dish, layer the spinach to completely cover the entire bottom of the dish, then layer the diced tomatoes over the spinach, then layer the shredded cheese over the spinach and tomato layers
5. Slowly pour the egg white mixture over the layers and push down any floating pieces of spinach with the back of a large spoon so that the egg white mixture completely covers the other ingredients
6. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until the cheese slightly browns and the egg whites have completely set. (Feel free to stick a tooth pick or skewer stick to test that the egg whites have set completely and the tooth pick comes out clean)
7. Let the dish cool for about 5-10 minutes, cut into 6 even pieces and serve

** You can store the Quiche in the fridge for about 3 days and reheat in the microwave to eat at anytime of the day (breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even for a hearty snack)!

Quiche uncooked

(The layers of spinach, tomatoes, and cheese - before adding egg white mixture)

If you are serving the Quiche for breakfast, I recommend adding a bowl of plain oatmeal with nuts and berries for added complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and antioxidants to power your loved-ones (or yourself) up for the busy day ahead. If you plan to have the Quiche for lunch or dinner, I recommend adding in a slice of whole-grain bread and sliced avocado (i.e. avocado toast) or a side of brown rice or mashed sweet potato with a dash of brown sugar! YUM!

It's as easy as that! Now you have "tools" you need to serve up this delicious and healthy Quiche that the whole family will love! I am sure this recipe will stay in the family for generations to come :-)