Clean & Delicious with Dani Spies
Fuel your body. Feed your life!
Making a basic omelette can be a life saver when you want to get a meal on the table that is easy, delicious, nutritious and fast.
In the video below, I am sharing my go-to technique for making a really good omelette.
Remember to use this recipe as your blueprint when you want to try different flavors and fillers. You would just add in your toppings, when I add in the cheese. So many options, so have fun with it.
Scroll down to watch the video.
With just one day to go before Super Bowl Sunday I wanted to sneak in one last ‘buffalo sauce’ inspired recipe because in my brain ‘buffalo sauce + football’ go together like ‘peanut butter + jelly’.
These buffalo deviled eggs are not only delicious but I love that they provide healthy fats, protein, and even a little veggie (there’s celery in there).
I also plan to add these into my meal prep rotation because they are a yummy way to shake up a basic hard boiled egg. So even if you’re not excited about the Super Bowl, you can still enjoy these little gems.
Oh! And if you want some more buffalo inspired recipes, these are a few of my other favorites; baked buffalo wings, buffalo cauliflower, buffalo chicken meatballs, buffalo chili, + buffalo chicken butter lettuce cups.
#GO PATRIOTS!
Watch the step by step video HERE.
This is one of my favorite breakfast combos. A quick saute of broccoli, topped with an egg (and some extra whites and finished with shredded cheddar cheese. Fast, easy, clean + delicious!
[Read more…] about Broccoli + Cheddar Scramble – A Veggie Short Cut
CLICK HERE to watch the video.
While I’ve spent many years struggling with food and diet, exercise has always been a lot easier for me. I’m one of those people who really just enjoys a good workout. When I lived in California, my choice of exercise was mainly hiking and walking but now that I’m back on the east coast and the weather doesn’t always support that type of outdoor activity, I’ve been changing things up a bit.
One of the things I’ve been working on again is strength training, so I’ve also been trying to find some easy, delicious ways to work a bit more protein into my diet to support my workouts. This recipe was born from my desire to have a quick meal option that included protein and greens.
On it’s own, this meal is very light. In the video, I make this recipe with all egg whites but my favorite way to make it is with one egg and 1/4 cup of egg whites. If egg whites aren’t your thing, you can also use two eggs.
The key to this recipe is the spices. The combination of Italian seasonings along with a bit of garlic powder is what gives this meal all the flavor of a pizzeria pizza.
You can certainly change up the toppings by adding whatever fresh veggie you have on hand (my daughter loves this pizza topped with thinly sliced fresh mushrooms!).
To make this a full meal, I usually serve it along side some fresh fruit and/or my beloved Ezekiel toast topped with either coconut oil or almond butter.
If you want to see the step-by-step demonstration of how I make this recipe, CLICK HERE.
But now I’m curious, do you like a good workout? And if so, what is your favorite way to move? Or, do you find exercise to be a bore?
HELPFUL LINKS:
8-inch non-stick ceramic sauce pan: http://amzn.to/1GqpLMs
Yield: Serves 1
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
If you want to see the step-by-step demonstration of how I make this recipe, CLICK HERE.
Whisk egg whites together in a small bowl.
Heat an 8-inch sauté pan over a medium heat. Coat with cooking spray (or coconut oil or butter) and pour egg whites into the pan.
Gently pull the edges of the eggs to the center of the pan while letting the uncooked eggs roll out to the outer edges of the pan (see video to see the demo).
Season the eggs with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Once the eggs are 90% set and cooked through, top with tomato sauce, cheese, and spinach. Place a lid over the egg pizza and cook another minute or until the cheese has melted.
Slide out of the pan and enjoy!
Nutrients per pizza: Calories: 124; Total Fat: 4.7g; Carbohydrate: 5.2g; Fiber: 0.6g Sugars: 0.5g; Protein: 14.8g
Scroll down to watch the video!
Easter is coming on Sunday and we have already dyed Easter eggs three times and have yet another easter-egg-dying-date on the calendar for Friday night.
What can I tell you, dying easter eggs is apparently an extremely engaging activity for a 2 and 4 year old, so I just go with it!
But you can only imagine how many hard boiled eggs we have been eating around here, right? Quite a few. But believe it or not they go pretty quickly, especially when I whip up this egg salad.
This is a pretty traditional egg salad with just a few exceptions. For starters, my little ones don’t like onions or scallions in their egg salad, so I add a little fresh radish to get the edge I like without overwhelming their delicate, little paletes.
I also sub in non-fat Greek yogurt for half of the mayo; it just helps make the dish a little lighter without depriving me of my love and adoration for good old fashioned mayo.
If you wanted to make this dish even lighter, you could use all egg whites or sub in 2 egg whites for one of the eggs. Totally your call. I can promise you it will still be delicious any which way you go.
So check out the video, then go enjoy some egg salad and be sure to swing down to the comments below and let me know some of your favorite tips and tricks when it comes to whipping up egg salad.
The giveaway is now closed – congrats to Vicki Howes. Check your email!
I think of a strata as like the bread pudding of a quiche or frittata.
A combination of egg and milk absorbed by hearty chunks of sourdough bread which when cooked up results in a crispy, crunch exterior paired with a light, custard-like center.
It’s rich and light all at the same time.
This would be the ideal recipe to make for Mothers Day because you can prep everything the night before and then simply pop it in the oven and hour before you are ready to serve it. For me, this strata served with a fresh fruit salad and a pot of strong brewed coffee would be the perfect start to any day, holiday or not.
This video was a part of a Mothers Day collaboration with some other tasty YouTube channels, so if you are interested in some more recipes for Mothers Day be sure to check out the playlist here.
And now for the giveaway!
I recently had the opportunity to try out this Go Long Crew With Thumb-Holes from Albion Fit (they specialize in fashionable and practical women’s fitness, swimwear, and workout clothing) and now have the chance to give one top away to one of YOU!
To enter the Clean & Delicious® giveaway for the ‘Go Long Crew With Thumb-Holes from Albion Fit’ all you have to do is:
For additional entries:
All entries must be received by midnight, PST on Sunday May 12, 2013. You must be a resident of the United States to enter. Winners will be chosen via Random.org and will be notified via valid email address (so don’t forget to leave me your email as well).
The urge is to call this recipe a pancake but the truth is that only those that eat super clean and/or have specific fitness goals would actually consider this a pancake.
If you are reading this, you are probably one of those people.
For me, this recipe very much satisfies a pancake craving although it is more ‘eggy’ than ‘bready’ and therefore I went with crepe. Besides, when my hubby tasted it, he thought it was a crepe so that was one more reason I went with it.
It’s simple. It’s fast. And it’s made with 2 base ingredients; egg and banana.
This recipe (or some form of it) has been sweeping the ‘health/paleo/fitness/clean-eating blog’ world for some time now and I’ve seen lots of people cook this in a pan just like you would a regular pancake. But every time I tried to do this myself it never worked.
The idea to bake it came from Tiffany of the Gracious Pantry (a blog dedicated to clean eating recipes – check it out if you haven’t already!). Not only does baking it create perfectly cooked and delicious results but it also frees you from the time of ‘stove-time’ cooking. Just pop it in the oven and you’re done.
This is a great alternative for anyone who is gluten-free or simply trying to cut back on processed carbs. It’s also an ideal pre-post workout meal due to it’s high protein and quick acting, natural carbs.
And because my kids inhale it every time I make it, I can say with confidence that it is also delicious for those who simply like good food (no dietary restrictions required).
Be sure to check back later in the week, because I am sharing a video for my Banana Almond Pinwheels using this banana crepe as the base.
Hard boiled eggs are a STAPLE in my kitchen. I always have them on hand. They’re a simple, protein-packed, whole food that everyone in my home loves to snack on.
A few years back (2009 to be exact) I posted an Egg 101 video. The intention was to explain some of the nutritional values of eggs and clear up any misconceptions. At the end of the video I shared my go-to technique for making hard-boiled eggs and thanks to my ‘not-always-so-friendly-brutally-honest-sometimes-obnoxious’ commenters on YouTube (who I love dearly) I realized that not everyone wants to wait 3 and a half minutes before learning the technique, so I decided to make the ‘express version’.
It’s short and sweet and to the point.
Do you have any favorite tips or tricks for perfectly cooked hard boiled eggs? Let’s hear all about them down in the comments below!
Prep Time: 0 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Place eggs in the bottom of your pot. Add enough cold water to come about 1-inch above the eggs. (You can use as many eggs that fit in the pot without overcrowding).
Bring the water to a boil. Once you've got your boil, turn off the heat, pop on a lid and set your timer for 11 minutes.
Drain your the water and if you want to attempt to make your eggs 'easy-peelers' submerge the eggs in cold water for a few minutes (feel free to add ice cubes!).
Enjoy!
Nutrients per egg: Calories: 70; Total Fat: 5g; Saturated Fat: 1.5g; Cholesterol: 215mg; Carbohydrate: 0.5g; Dietary Fiber: 0g; Sugars: 0g; Protein: 6g
Hello. Hello. And Happy New Year!!
I am SO excited to be back in the saddle after a thoroughly enjoyed 2-week holiday stay in New Jersey.
I did more than my fair share of indulging over the holidays and am more than ready to lighten things up a bit. This salad is PERFECT for anyone else looking to lighten things up for a while without sacrificing flavor.
Kale is a super food. So not only is this salad nice and light but it also comes packed with nutrients (something my wine and cookie drenched self can really use a lot of right now).
This recipe was inspired by a Kale Caesar Salad that my friend sent me from Everyday Living Magazine. I thought it was brilliant and knew you guys would love it but wanted to lighten the dressing up a bit since we are all rolling (no pun intended) out of the holiday season.
The tofu based caesar dressing is a recipe I found in Clean Eating Magazine (one of my all time favorites). It’s simple, clever and delicious.
Well – I could talk all day about this recipe but I suppose I’ll stop holding you up and let you get to video already!
I hope you enjoy and would love to hear if you give it a try! xo
Yield: 2-4 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Salad
Dressing
In a large bowl combine kale, onions, and hardboiled eggs. Set aside.
Blend all the ingredients for the dressing in a food processor or blender until smooth and creamy.
Gently toss salad with ½ of the dressing* and enjoy!
Makes 2 hearty salads or 4 small salads.
*Save extra dressing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
½ the recipe à Calories: 300; Total Fat: 12.1g; Saturated Fat: 3.1g; Cholesterol: 214mg; Carbohydrate: 33.5g; Dietary Fiber: 6.5g; Sugars: 3g; Protein: 21.4g
I love ANY meal that I can make once and eat twice (or several times for that matter), especially meals that seem to get better the second time around, like this Spinach, Feta, & Brown Rice Pie.
This recipe is similar to a Summer Squash Frittata or a Potato Crusted Swiss Chard Quiche except, it’s heavier on the ‘fillings’ and lighter on the eggs.
I originally saw this recipe in Eating Well Magazine and immediately thought it would be a great ‘make-ahead-lunch-idea’.
It’s one of those recipes that works hot, cold, or at room temperature and can be eaten with a spoon, fork, or fingers (because we all know that as much as we try to avoid it, sometimes lunch has to be eaten on-the-go, in the car!).
If you think of the recipe as a blueprint you can make this dish 101 different ways simply by changing up the fillings. I’ve got quinoa, broccoli & cheddar on the brain right now but I bet a black bean, tomato, corn, and spicy jack cheese version would be great too!
Would love to hear if anyone gives this a try with some new flavor combinations… be sure to come back and let me know in the comments!
Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 25
Total Time: 40
Pre heat oven to 425. Coat a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray or olive oil.
In a medium bowl beat together eggs, eggwhites, milk, and salt and pepper. Set aside.
Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over a medium-high heat. Add onion and cook for a few minutes or until they are translucent (about 5 minutes). Stir in garlic and spinach and cook for another couple of minutes.
Transfer veggie mixture to a large bowl and stir in rice and Feta cheese and egg mixture. Pour the egg mixture over the veggies and then transfer everything into the pie pan. Smooth out the top using a spatula.
Bake the ‘pie’ for about 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for a few minutes before cutting up. Enjoy!
Makes 6 servings.
Calories: 260; Total Fat: 9.9g; Saturated Fat: 4.6g; Cholesterol: 82mg; Carbohydrate: 29.9g; Dietary Fiber: 2.7g; Sugars: 3.4g; Protein: 11.8g
I know that lots of people know how to make scrambled eggs, but how many of you know how to make really good scrambled eggs?
I promise you, it’s worth knowing! The difference between regular old scrambled eggs and really good scrambled eggs may just rock your world (it did mine).
The secret it to cook them low and slow.
Watch and see for yourself! And please feel free to share any tips you may have as well.
This is another video that we shot nearly a year ago (when I was still pregnant with Jachs) and are finally able to share! The only catch is that I forgot to take a photo of the final product so you’ll just have to use your imagination until I get to make this one again… enjoy!
Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Pre heat oven to 400.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and eggwhites. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring them to a boil and then drain. You want your potatoes to be tender yet al dente.
In the meantime, heat the olive oil in a 13 inch skillet over a medium high heat. Add in leeks and a pinch of salt and saute for about 8-10 minutes or until the leeks are tender. Shut off the heat and add the potatoes into the pan along with the leeks and season with salt and pepper. Be sure to toss everything together.
Pour the egg mixture into the pan making sure that all the veggies are covered by the eggs.
Pop the pan into the oven for 25-30 minutes. Enjoy!
Makes 6 servings.
Calories: 290; Total Fat: 10.2g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 240mg; Carbohydrate: 29.1g; Dietary Fiber: 3.2; Sugars: 2.5g; Protein: 20.1g
Ahhhh… the incredible, edible, egg! It’s one of my favorites.
Quick. Easy. Nutritious. Versatile. Convenient. And let’s be honest… deeelicious.
In this video I cover some of the basics you might want to know about eggs and eggwhites.
Eggs often get over looked at lunch and dinner but they really work anytime of the day AND they have lots of nutritional benefits to offer (I’d tell you what they are but then you might not watch the video, so I’m holding out;)).
Now you know the rules when it comes to the 101’s… if I’ve missed any facts that you want to share let’s hear them in the comments! Favorite recipes, tips, tricks… you name it… if you’ve got some good scoop on the egg, send it our way!
*Personal Update: We shot this video last weekend, so I am seven months pregnant in the video (which is pretty current!). Technically speaking we’ve got 10 weeks to go before this little girl is on the outside. She’s actually wiggling around a lot right now and I think it might be because she is trying to say hi to you guys. Who knows, maybe she already gets excited when she knows the topic is food!
This Broccoli and Cheese Breakfast Casserole was inspired by a recipe I found over on Kalyn’s Kitchen. I know you guys know who Kalyn is by now, she writes a delicious food blog packed with South Beach Friendly recipes. And the great thing about Kalyn’s blog is that you don’t have to be on the South Beach Diet to enjoy all of her nutritious recipes!
Now in case you haven’t noticed by now, I am a huge egg fan. I love quiches, casseroles, friattas, scrambles, you name it – eggs are just so versatile. You can mix them with just about anything and enjoy them just about anytime of the day. They are good hot, cold, and room temperature, so really… what’s not to love??
Often times when I am making an egg based dish I mix the whole eggs with some egg whites. It makes the finished dish a bit lighter and does not sacrifice the flavor at all. In my opinion, it’s a win-win.
And the fact that Katie loves my egg concoctions actually makes this dish a win-win-win!
I never realized how much effort it would take to feed a little one nutritious foods. There really is a bit of diligence involved. Sometimes it just seems like it would be so much easier to feed Katie ice cream sandwiches for dinner (she never says no to those!).
I find that eggs, whole wheat pasta with tomato sauce, and smoothies are my “Katie default foods”. If she is not interested in the main meal, these are all quick and nutritious options that I turn to in order to ensure that she doesn’t end up eating a box of cheerios for dinner!
But I digress.
This casserole is very similar to frittata except that it is made in a glass pyrex dish and there is no stove top cooking involved. You just pop all of the ingredients into the pan and pop it in the oven.
I will definitely turn to this type of casserole the next time I am having people over for breakfast or brunch. It is the perfect dish to entertain with!
Have you guys ever made an egg casserole before? What are your favorite fillings?
Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Preheat over to 375. Spray a glass 10x14 casserole dish with cooking spray.
Cut broccoli into small florets and steam for two minutes or until just tender. Toss broccoli with garlic powder, salt and curry powder. Set aside.
Combine eggs, egg whites, milk, and black pepper in a large bowl and beat with a fork or a whisk until all of the ingredients are well combined.
Layer seasoned broccoli on the bottom of the casserole dish and evenly sprinkle the cheese over the broccoli. Pour the eggs over the broccoli and cheese and use a fork to make sure that the broccoli is evenly distributed through out the eggs.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until the top is slightly browned and the eggs are cooked through. Enjoy!
Serves 8.
Nutrients per 1/8th of recipe: Calories: 217g; Total Fat: 10.9g; Saturated Fat: 4.6g; Cholesterol: 286mg; Sodium: 329mg; Carbohydrate: 4.5g; Dietary Fiber: 2.1; Sugars: 1.8g; Protein: 21.8g
I think there is a fine line between “healthy eating” and depriving yourself of foods you love”.
There are a lot of “not so healthy”foods that I would never give up simply because the pleasure I get from eating them nourishes me on a whole different level than the simple science of micro and macro nutrients.
For instance, I LOVE french fries.
I mean I love, love, love them! I love each and every bite of their salty, delicious selves.
I also LOVE ice cream.
Yes, often times a smoothie or some fro-yo can do the trick, but nothing, oh nothing can replace the real deal when a yearning comes knocking.
I also love wine, beer, margaritas, and martini’s but that’s a whole other story!!
What I DO NOT LOVE is the crispy, buttery crust that usually surrounds a quiche.
Sure it’s good (enough) but it doesn’t excite me.
It’s just not my thing.
So it’s an easy, effortless swap to make.
My point??
I think it’s important to pick and choose where you want to lighten your meals up when it come to cooking and eating.
The key is to find solutions that work for you. Solutions that you can enjoy without ever feeling restricted or deprived.
The potato crust is completely different from a pastry crust in this recipe but it is a swap that I thoroughly enjoy!!
The potato adds a nice heartiness to the dish that you wouldn’t get from a frittata or crustless quiche. It the perfect compliment for the eggs.
Now don’t worry when you are lining your dish with the potatoes! The potatoes don’t need to be perfect. Somehow once it’s cooking, everything just seems to magically fall in place!
And, since most of you are dealing with some hot summer days (unlike those of us in chilly SoCal!) I kept the cheese nice and light with a fresh, tangy goat cheese (feta would also be great).
If you wanted to make this dish a little heartier, you could skip the egg whites and use all whole eggs and swap in a heartier cheese like Blue Cheese or Gruyere.
Either way you are going to end up with delicious and satisfying results!!
Have you ever tried making a potato crusted quiche?? If so, do you have any good tips to share?!
Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Pre-heat oven to 375.
Heat olive oil in a large non-stick sauté pan over medium heat. Stir in the leeks along with a pinch of salt and allow to sweat for about six minutes or so. You want the leeks to become tender but not brown!
Stir in the Swiss chard and sauté another two to three minutes or until the chard is just wilted. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg and allow the greens to cool for a few minutes.
In a large bowl whisk together eggs, egg whites, and milk. Season with salt and pepper ad set aside.
Spray a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray and layer thin slices of potato all over the sides and bottom of pans, making sure to overlap them.
Once the greens have cooled, combine them with the egg mixture and pour everything into the potato lined pie crust. Dot the goat cheese over the top and then pop into the oven for 30-40 minutes or until the eggs are set.
Serves 6.
Nutrients per 1/6th of recipe; Calories: 182; Total Fat: 5.6g; Saturated Fat: 1.8g; Cholesterol: 123mg; Sodium: 240mg; Carbohydrate: 18g; Dietary Fiber: 2.2g; Sugars: 2.8g; Protein: 13.7g
A baby in motion is rather time consuming! And Katie is most definitely on-the-go!
BUT in between all her exploring she has really been enjoying egg yolks. I’ve tried giving them to her scrambled, but she seems to prefer the yolk a little runny SO what I have been doing is cooking the egg yolk like I would an over medium egg. I simply pop it in the pan with a little olive oil and then once it begins to bubble a bit, I flip it over and let it go an extra ten or twenty seconds in the pan.
Apparently, egg whites are one of the top eight allergens for babies along with:
Which is why we have been sticking to the yolks for now (which are super nutritious and packed with nutrients like Vitamins E, A, D, & K, calcium, folate, and B12).
She LOVES them. And as you can see in the picture, I do give the yolk a little sprinkle of salt! What can I say… babies like flavor too!!!
OH… I did I tell you guys that Katie now “smiles” for the camera! As a matter of fact, every time she sees the camera she “smiles”. It seems I can no longer take a picture of KAtie without her “smiling”.
Allow me to share with you Katie’s idea of a smile:
What can I say, when this kid does something, she does it 110%, even if it’s something as simple as a smile:).
