Entrée

Grilled Eggplant & Date Sandwich

~ Paris

For the past few weeks {six, to be exact}, I’ve been spending more time in the kitchen making meals from scratch and with plenty of fresh produce. But before that, I had spent far too much time heating frozen meals, eating dessert daily, and ordering takeout on those days when I was craving something more wholesome than a tv dinner. Needless to say, I had been eating poorly, and my body could feel the results. So, with my change of pace {um, or should I say diet?}, I decided to make the cleaner choice again the other afternoon. Since one of my favorite dishes to make for lunch is a classic sandwich {like my Green Apple & Brie Sandwich with Lavender Infused Honey or White Truffle Oil Parmesan & Portobello Sandwich}, I decided to make one. I grilled fresh eggplant with double cream brie, spinach, and a medjool date. The juxtaposition of the creamy cheese, flavorful spinach, hearty eggplant, and the sweet dates created a phenomenal flavor, encouraging me to make a second sandwich for lunch, and replicate the exact same meal again for dinner.

Ingredients
{Makes 1 Sandwich}
1 Slice Eggplant
6-8 Spinach Leaves
Double Cream Brie
1 Medjool Date, finely chopped
2 Slices Bread

Recipe
1. Toast the two slices of bread.

2. Spread the creamy part of the brie cheese, avoiding the rind, on both slices of bread. Next, add spinach to one slice of bread, and the chopped dates to the second slice.

3. Grill the eggplant slice over a skillet with an oil spray until it’s golden brown on both sides.

4. Add the grilled eggplant to the spinach topped bread. Then, add the other slice of bread on top and slice in half, letting the brie melt due to the warmth of the grilled eggplant.

5. Enjoy!

x Paris

Spinach Mushroom Sun Dried Tomato & Zucchini Quiche

~ Paris
 

Quiche has always been one of my favorite, go-to dishes to whip up since it feels fancy but is also one of the easiest things to make. It is decadent and delicious to eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or as my personal favorite, leftovers, and it is always a hit during a party or a family get together. I used to love to indulge in store-bought quiche, enjoying the creamy, buttery flavor, the flaky crust, and the rich filling of eggs or vegan eggs, cheese, fresh cream, and vegetables. However, once I began making it at home, I discovered that there is no comparison between a frozen quiche and a fresh one. Since it is such a simple dish, I have found no excuse to buy quiche from the grocery store or bakery anymore. I love that it is indulgent but veggie-filled and the perfect balance of summer and winter because it’s packed with plenty of fresh produce that meets a rich, buttery pie crust. Enjoy!

 

 


Recipe:
Pie Crust
Heavy Whipping Cream
1 Egg or Vegan Egg Substitute {however, if you make two quiches use three eggs, or three quiches with five eggs, etc}
Fresh Veggies- I used zucchini, sun dried tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic, onions, and spinach
3 Cheese Italian Blend {Mozzarella, Provolone, and Parmesan} & Bleu Cheese

How To Make It:
1) Mix the egg{s} and cream together.
2) Chop up all your vegetables, sauté the mushrooms, and add them to the egg and cream mixture.
3) Add cheese and make sure there is enough of the cream and egg filling to cover all of the vegetables.
4) Put your veggies and cream inside the pie crust {I like the quickness of using a frozen crust, but just make sure it isn’t made out of lard if you’re a vegetarian as many pie crusts are. Nugget Market makes a delicious vegetarian and gluten free pie crust}. Optional: Sprinkle some extra cheese on top for an even more indulgent dish.
5) Bake. I put it in at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. 

Enjoy!

x Paris