Gallo Pinto (Breakfast Rice & Beans)

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped green or red pepper
1 tablespoon of light tasting olive oil
3 cups cooked rice
1 can black beans in their juice (or one cup of left-over cooked beans in their juice)
1 tablespoon Salsa Lizano (worcestersire is an okay substitute)
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Directions:
Sautée onion and green pepper in olive oil until tender. Add cooked rice and cook and until heated through. Add beans and a little bit of juice. Add Salsa Lizano. Cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat until bean has been absorbed by rice. If too dry, add more bean juice. Gently fold in cilantro and serve.

This is a typical breakfast meal in Costa Rica, but is delicious anytime of the day. It is a great way to use up left over rice. We typically serve it with sour cream, fresh cheese, a fried egg and corn tortillas or bread. This recipe was requested by my dear friend Cheryl. I'll post a photo with it the next time I make it! :) Enjoy!

Crustless Broccoli Quiche

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon virgin olive oil, plus more for pie ½ small onion, finely chopped 4 large eggs 1 cup milk 1 cup shredded sharp or extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, divided ¼ teaspoon dried thyme ¼ teaspoon dried oregano ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ¼ teaspoon chopped dried rosemary 1 pound broccoli cut into florets, stems peeled and cut 1/3 inch thick

Directions:

1.    Preheat oven to 375°F.
2.    Brush a 9- or 10-inch pie plate with oil.
3.    Heat oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl; let cool.
4.    Add eggs to onion and lightly beat. Whisk in dairy beverage, 1/2 cup cheese, water, thyme, oregano, salt, pepper and rosemary to blend.
5.    Cover bottom of pie plate with broccoli. Pour egg mixture over it and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.
6.    Bake until a knife inserted in middle comes out clean and quiche is golden brown, 50–60 minutes.

Nutritional Information
Per Serving:

Net Carbs: 6.5 grams
Fiber: 2.0 grams
Protein: 12.0 grams
Fat: 11.5 grams
Calories: 183

Recipe Information:

Makes: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 1 hr

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Banana Pancakes

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked rolled oats
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 Tbsp Splenda
• 1 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup cream
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 banana, mashed

Directions

1. Place the rolled oats into the jar of a blender and blend until the texture resembles coarse flour. Whisk together the blended oats, whole wheat flour, Splenda, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon in a bowl; set aside.
2. Whisk together the egg, cream, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Stir in the mashed banana. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir just until moistened. Let the batter stand for 5 minutes.
3. Heat a lightly oiled griddle over medium-high heat. Drop batter by large spoonfuls onto the griddle, and cook until bubbles form and the edges are dry, about 2 minutes. Flip, and cook until browned on the other side. Repeat with remaining batter.

We really enjoyed these pancakes for breakfast this morning. For additional eating pleasure, add blueberries. This recipe is slightly modified from its original on allrecipes.com.