Longing for Winter

I Skyped my parents today and they told me that they've already turned on the heat at home. What!?

Oh, right, forgot we're in October (almost November) and other places--outside of Austin--start getting chilly this time of the year.

I know there are plenty of people who can't deal with cold weather; plenty of people that prefer endless sunny (and warm) days. However, I'm not one of them. I actually enjoy the change of seasons and I certainly don't mind cold weather--I actually like it to a certain extent. And I love snow. Don't get me wrong, I won't spend my years in Austin complaining about the sunny days, because that would just be preposterous. But, every now and again, I'll express my longing for temperatures in the lower digits accompanied by flurries (an inches on the ground) of snow. I'll even take the occasional slush-storm if it means I can have a snow day later on!

In other news, this weeks marks the last of the so-called fun days of my first semester in law school. Apparently I'm about to embark towards the scary depths no-fun November and then the utterly feared finals period in December. I'll try not to fret it too much just yet, but this might be one of the last posts you see this year. But let's hope not.

Here's my dinner from tonight.

Cauliflower pizza! This is a dish I've been wanting to add to my repertoire for quite some time, and tonight I finally got to do so. Yes, it is as odd as it seems (at least to all of us who were oblivious to the wonders of alternative cauliflower uses); and yes it is as delicious as it sounds (at least to all of us veggie-loving-health-freaks). I subbed some ingredients with what I had at home, but I'm sure any pizza topping would taste delicious.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust (adapted from iFOODreal)
Active time: 30 minutes; total time: 1hr15mins.
Makes about 6 servings.

• 1 head cauliflower (about 7" wide)
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup parmesan or mozzarella cheese, grated or shredded
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350F and spray a large cooking sheet with cooking spray. 
2. Rinse cauliflower, remove leaves and cut into florets. Place florets in a food processor (Ninja Blender in my case) and process until it resembles a fine rice mixture; some chunks are fine. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and cook for 15 minutes.
3. Remove cauliflower mixture from oven and transfer to a bowl lined with 3 layers of cheese cloth. Using your hands, squeeze out as much liquid as you can, patiently squeezing about 15-20 times. 
4. Bring oven temperature to 450F. Line a pizza baking sheet (or regular baking sheet) with parchment paper.
5. Transfer dry cauliflower mixture to a large bowl and mix in egg, cheese, spices, salt and pepper. Transfer dough to prepared baking sheet and press with fingers until about 1/2-inch thin. Cook for 20-25 minutes, or until golden .
6. Remove crust from oven and top with desired toppings. Return to oven and cook for about 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and toppings are cooked. 

Que Viva Mexico!

For those of you who don't personally know me, who are visiting my blog for the first time, or who haven't really paid attention to my ever-so-apparent love for Mexico, here's a post to clarify.

I love Mexico; Adoro mi pais. 

Yes. Despite my looks, which often lead people to believe I simply moved to Mexico for a bit and thus call it the "place where I'm from"; despite my lengthy time spent abroad for studies or travels, which can be misunderstood as a flee-tactic; despite my writing in English--including journal entries, thoughts, blog posts and book chapters--which can mislead people into thinking that I purposefully avoid the Spanish language (see note below); I absolutely love my country. And I'll continue to express my love as long as I can.

I won't apologize for instances of crazy excitement following an encounter with fellow Mexicans abroad; I won't apologize for breaking out dance moves whenever the rhythm kicks in; and I won't apologize for making my nationality evident.

In fact, as long as I continue to live abroad--and judging by the career path I've chosen, that is likely to be the case--I'll continue to profess my Mexicanness in any and every way possible. For instance, suggesting that you (my non-Mexican and Mexican-abroad readers) YouTube El Grito de la Independencia (or tune in live tonight at 10:45 central time).

Phew. Enough said? I think so.

And now for food...

I realize this dish is mostly not-Mexican, but it's more about what it represents than the cuisine under which it falls. Quiches are French, wilted spinach is probably multi-national (I couldn't find origins in my quick research), and the diced tomatoes have both a Mexican-lime and an Italian-oregano flair. Still, the mini quiches proved to be a perfect meal for me. They're healthy and filling. And most importantly, one recipe was enough for more than a weeks worth of leftovers!

One thing I'll advise is the use of cupcake liners. I didn't use them--per the recipe I used for this post-- and greatly regretted it when I found myself scrubbing my pans. Cooking spray will only go so far. Enjoy!

Crustless Spinach and Mushroom Mini Quiches (adapted from Will Cook For Friends)
Makes about 16 cupcake-sized.
Active time: 30 mins; total time: 60 mins.

• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1 cup red onion, finely diced
• 10 eggs
• 1/2 cup 2% Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped basil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup chopped spinach
• 1 1/2 cups chopped mushrooms
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375F and line cupcake pan (I greased but not so convenient) with cupcake liners. *You will have to reuse the pan or use another one for the remaining 4 quiches (if using a regular 12-cupcake pan)
2. In a medium saucepan, heat coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and sauté until slightly tender, about 5 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, yogurt, milk, parsley, basil, salt and pepper. Add chopped veggies and stir to combine.
4. Pour mixture into cupcake tins, filling up to about 1/4-inch from the top. Add a teaspoon of cheese to each mini quiche, slightly pressing to submerge it. 
5. Bake quiches for 20-25 minutes, or until egg is set and top is shiny. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. *If not using cupcake liners, use a bread knife to carefully remove from pan. Serve warm.

**So why don't I write in Spanish rather than English? I've taken more classes/courses on writing in English, so it comes more naturally to me. Also, within the past six years (during which my blog started), I've lived in an English-speaking country for the majority of the time.

A Post to Break the Rut...

I know, I know, I've been terrible about posting these last few weeks. To be honest, I even had to look at my blog to remember what my last post was. Not cool.

And to be honest again, it's not that I haven't had time to post--because time I have had and lots of it. It's just that I haven't been very inspired to cook new things lately. For the past few weeks I have been subsisting on a constant diet of egg whites, mushrooms, bell peppers, oranges, soup, cheese, turkey, bread and chocolate. Quite sad, I know. But what can I say, I love all of the above and I obsess over practicality.

I'm still really disappointed that the last time I posted was April 10! That was two weeks ago! So here is the post that is breaking my food rut.

I found a recipe that combines egg whites and vegetables (basically any) into a delicious treat that can be a part of breakfast, lunch or dinner and even eaten as a snack. Plus it is practical--if you don't take into account the time spent cleaning the dishes. Anyways, I found a recipe for frittata muffins. And they are delicious; and healthy; and can be kept in the freezer for future meals. Seriously, why did it take me so long to find this?

I decided to make my first batch with cupcake liners (thinking it would be idea since I didn't have cooking spray) but I would recommend just spraying the pan or dabbing it with oil before baking. If you do use cupcake liners--which I won't in the future because yummy pieces of the frittata stick to them--make sure they are the metallic type. Stay away for the usual paper liners because I guarantee you will not have a fun time taking them out of the pan or scraping off the last bits of frittata.

Here is my version of the recipe--I added some of my favorite veggies--but substitute vegetables as you like. There are plenty of combinations that would go great. A few: mushrooms and spinach, leek and sweet onion, tomato and goat cheese. Enjoy!

Pepper, Onion and Tomato Mozzarella Mini Frittatas (adapted from Weight Watchers)
Active time: 15 minutes. Total time: 40 minutes, including cooling.
Makes 12.

• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup egg whites (about 3)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon water
• 3/4 cup chopped roasted bell peppers
• 3/4 finely chopped onion
• 3/4 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
• 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 tablespoons reduced fat cream cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 12-muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside. 
2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, whites, salt, pepper and water until well combined. Ad chopped vegetables and mix. Whisk in mozzarella and cream cheese, making sure that cream cheese is incorporated. 
3. Spoon 1/4 cup mixture into prepared baking dish (should be almost to the rim of each). Bake for 20-25 minutes or until just set. Place on rack and let cool for about five minutes. Serve warm. Let cool completely if planning to freeze.

Three Cheese Mushroom Crustless Quiche

As of today I am a published writer on Blogcritics, an online magazine stemming from Technorati. How exciting is that? In my efforts to gain more readership and put my journalistic skills to practice, I will write for whoever gives me the opportunity; but this is a great opportunity.

If you haven't already checked it out, go to Blogcritics or Technorati (which is pretty much blog universe). Believe me, you will end up wandering the blogosphere for hours and hours non-stop.

Anyways, here's a snippet version of my article, but for the full version visit it at Blogcritics:

If You Love Quiche

I have been eating quiches for many years. I can’t remember the first quiche I had, but it was most likely the traditional quiche Lorraine. My mother’s side of the family cooks on a daily basis. If it’s not my grandmother making sauces or breads, it’s my aunt baking pies and cookies, or my mom making random recipes she finds appealing. So I’m guessing my mother made the first quiche I ate. Either that, or I had it in France. Anyways, the quiches I have tried since then, have ranged from Lorraine, to Alsacienne (with onions), to peculiar concoctions of cheese and vegetables. So far my favorite has been my aunt’s Goat Cheese and Sun-Dried Tomato Quiche. It is cheesy and sweet, and her crust is by far the best piecrust I have ever had.

Recently, while browsing the Internet, I came across a ‘crustless quiche’ recipe. I was taken aback because it was in fact a crustless pie. How could someone even think of making a quiche without the crust? I can honestly tell you that every time quiche was made at home I would tear off the extra pieces of crust and snack on them, so the prospect of a crustless quiche didn’t appeal to me at first. But one night I decided to try it.

I wasn’t very hungry and I didn’t have much time to cook. So I did. I made my first crustless quiche and I loved it. It was still fluffy and flavorful. The only difference was that it satisfied my small appetite perfectly. With that I discovered that quiche can be a full meal, crust et al., or the center of a bigger plate. Making crustless quiche opens up more possibilities. Not only can you mix ingredients within the pie, but you can also pair it with pretty much anything.
Every now and again I get the craving for quiche. I have yet to make my own crusted quiche from scratch, but I have done two crustless quiches in the past months, and they were amazing. The most recent one was tonight.

I decided to make a small Three Cheese Mushroom Crustless Quiche after browsing through my fridge. The recipe I got inspired from was a Spinach and Mushroom Quiche I found online, but here is the modified one.

Three Cheese Mushroom Crustless Quiche (adapted from RecipeLand.com)

• Cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup coarsely chopped mushrooms
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar
• 1/2 cup shredded Swiss
• 1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• S & P

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray a 9-inch pie dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender, about 3-5 minutes.
3. In the mean time, beat eggs in a small bowl. Add milk and mix well.
4. Transfer mushrooms to pie dish and spread evenly on the bottom. Sprinkle cheese over mushrooms evenly. Add egg mixture to dish.
5. Cook quiche for 35-40 minutes or until golden and fluffy. Let cool and serve.