@GretchenKoch - here's the recipe. It's super easy, but a bit time consuming. Pleasepleaseplease make sure to cook off the excess water, it's what makes it so delicious!

1 small head cauliflower (or 10 oz of frozen. I've done it both ways, but prefer fresh)
1-2 wedges of Laughing Cow Low Fat Cheese, cut into pieces (My favorite is the garlic and herb one, but I'll be using French Onion tonight because it's what I've got!)
1 tbsp Earth Balance or butter
salt and a ton of pepper
(OPTIONAL: boil cauliflower in 1/2 vegetable or chicken broth, 1/2 water)

Boil cauliflower until super tender, using a fork to test. When it falls apart, it's probably ready. Drain. With a potato masher, mash cauliflower in the cooking pot. Put pot back on a medium burner to cook off excess water. Cauliflower retains a ton of water in the cooking process, so this step is extremely important. While the cauliflower is cooking, mash it every few minutes to release excess water.

Once the cauliflower is mostly dry (meaning that when you press on the mash with the masher, no excess water comes out). It will still be a bit damp, but that's OK. Add in cheese and mash again to incorporate. Add earth balance, salt to taste, and a LOT of pepper. I put a ton of pepper in it while it cooks, then a ton of pepper on top when I eat it!

I really wanted something comfort food, but decided against chicken broccoli casserole. Then: chili! I make vegetarian chili typically with Morningstar/Boca crumbles, beans, and tomatoes, and it is delicious. I checked the freezer, and I had about a tablespoon of crumbles. So, I had to get inventive!

Last week, my roommate picked up a few ears of sweet, fresh corn at the market. They were just sitting in the fridge (because roomie never cooks!), so I thought that a black bean/corn chili sounded ridiculously good.

The only problem: making it hearty. A bowl of beans and corn isn't really going to keep me full for that long. I thought about making some biscuits, but I just didn't have the patience for baking. Then, I noticed the quinoa! QUINOA!

My boyfriend called this "hippie chili," and I thought the name was so cute it had to stick.  This recipe is easy, hearty, and leftovers are even better! There is a bit of prep work in the roasting and prepping quinoa, but that's really just time.

Coat corn with a bit of olive oil or cooking spray, roll in S&P. Roast corn at 375 degrees until it is warmed through.

Hippie Chili

1/2 c quinoa, rinsed and prepared. (Mix with 1c water, simmer for 15 minutes until translucent and fluffy)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 to 1/2 pkg chili seasoning - depending on your taste
1 ear fresh sweet corn, roasted and kernels cut from the cob.
1 tsp ranch dressing mix (I just added this for a bit of extra flavor - you can totally omit)
1 can tomato sauce

Mix beans, tomato sauce, and chili seasoning in skillet. Cook until reduced slightly. Add corn and quinoa. Stir. Serve hot. OM.

Suggested toppings: Crushed tortilla chips/tortilla strips, sour cream or Greek yogurt, avocado, salsa.

This recipe can be mixed and matched any way you like - sub rice for quinoa, add Morningstar or beef. I wanted to experiment with adding lots of veggies, but wanted something easy for tonight.

Enjoy.

You'll need:

Tacos:

6 oz cooked frozen shrimp,  tails removed (100 calories)
2 corn tortillas (100 calories)
3 mushrooms (18 calories), stems removed and sliced
Cilantro, chopped
1/2 lime, juiced
raw spinach, stems removed

Thaw shrimp with cold water in the sink. Add to pan, and cook 2-3 minutes in butter cooking spray. Add lime juice after 2 minutes, and remove from heat. Toss shrimp with chopped cilantro. Set aside.

Saute mushrooms in cooking spray (you can also add onions, bell pepper, whatever you want) until golden. Set aside.

Heat tortillas in oven or stovetop. Stuff and serve! Delicious!

Avocado-Lime Crema

2 tbsp low-fat sour cream (I used organic)
1 tbsp mashed avocado
1 squeeze lime juice

Mix until smooth!

These burgers can be done one of two ways - sauced while cooking, or with a buffalo sauce on the side (made with Greek yogurt). I chose the latter. I'll explain both methods, but I figured this would help assuage my desire for BLEU CHEESE DRESSING!

Buffalo Chicken Burgers

4oz ground chicken breast
1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 medium avocado, mashed
1 tbsp Frank's Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce (love this stuff. if you do not have it, BUY IT.)

Blend chicken, parsley, and avocado together in a bowl until well-mixed. Form into patty and fry in non-stick pan (use cooking spray if desired).

Buffalo Sauce Method One: On the last flip, top with buffalo sauce and cook until slightly reduced. Delicious!

Buffalo Sauce Method Two: Mix buffalo sauce with 1 tbsp Greek yogurt. Use in place of condiments. Delicious! I had a lot extra, so I also used it as a dipping sauce for my yam fries!

4 oz chicken breast
1 tsp pine nuts
1 wedge Laughing Cow cheese (I used French Onion)
10-14 leaves raw spinach, chopped
1 tbsp panko crumbs
butter cooking spray

Cut a pocket in chicken, set aside.

Toast pine nuts in skillet on medium low for a few minutes, until they smell delicious.

Mix cheese, pine nuts, and spinach in a bowl until combined. Stuff into chicken pocket and secure with toothpicks. (I didn't, and some of the filling popped out, so i just plopped it on top. JUST AS GOOD)

Spray with cooking spray, and roll in panko until coated. I also just sprinkled a little on top. I don't really like for it to be fully breaded, but a little crunch is nice.

I served with a huge spinach salad and green beans. YUM.

Breakfast is the biggest sticking point. I was having yogurt/fruit and a fiber bar. Good for me, yes, but it equaled almost my entire amount of sugar for the day - wow. I also HATE HATE HATE waking up any earlier than I have to in the morning, so cooking was seemingly not an option. This omelet, though, changed my mind completely! The solution?

Pre. Cut. Vegetables. Last night, as I was cleaning up my kitchen from the veggie chili I posted yesterday, I chopped up the veggies for the omelet and combined them in a bowl. Cover it with cling wrap, and it'll be just fine through the night. I just used what I had in my fridge, but I imagine the veggies can be substituted across the board. Tomorrow, I'll probably try broccoli and whatever else looks good at the grocery store.

This recipe was also day 2 in my quest to not add any oil to cooked food. Cooking spray only!

You'll need:

Nonstick Skillet (I used a very small one and it turned out perfect!)
3 eggs, whites separated and yolks discarded (60 calories)
1/2 medium red bell pepper, diced (15 calories)
1/4 small onion diced (negligible)
3 white mushrooms, sliced (18 calories)
1/4c. fat free cheddar (45 calories)
1/4 medium avocado, chopped (40 calories)

saute veggies in skillet until soft. Pour in egg whites until evenly distributed. Cook on one side until set, then flip and cook until done. YUM. Top with avocado. Even YUMMER.

I would've thrown in some salsa, but I didn't have any. I'm going to make some of my own today and hope to goodness that it will stay good in the refrigerator.