Brown Sugar Strawberry Scones and Monthly Posts

Ah, interwebs. How I've missed you.

HighAltVeg will be switching to monthly posts, due to some unexpected medical issues on my end (see: neurological disorders). This means you get extra deliciousness and heavier testing on the recipes, and it means that I get to focus a bit more on my professional practice and volunteering here in Fort Collins. So as posts slow down, know I'm not leaving the blog: just slowing it down to fit the relaxed, easy-going vibe of Colorado. (I know, I become more and more of a "granola" hippie every day, and I love it!)

Moving on....

Ah, scones. How I've missed you even more.

Scones are, for some reason, rumored to be notoriously hard to make and always super unhealthy. While the hard to make part may not be true, the unhealthy part normally is. To give you an idea, a popular coffee shop across the US has seasonal fall scones that clock in at 34g of sugar and 18g of fat.

Gross numbers.

At a local place in Fort Collins, though, I can never go in without getting one of their scones. They're packed with local strawberries, the sweetness of sugar (so much sugar), and then topped with a slightly tart lemon glaze that refreshes and balances the sweetness. And, of course, they're packed with butter and oil.

My obsession with these scones became a bit too much after I kept driving and getting one every single day, which led to a hit in my small paycheck (because: college). So one day, when I just couldn't resist having a scone anymore, I decided to recreate them. I wanted the superb flavor, but without the negatives of daily doses of fat and sugar.

IT WORKED.

These scones cut the fat and calories significantly, while utilizing a majority of sugar from the natural sweetness of the strawberries. A touch of brown sugar makes it extra delectable. Instead of doing a powdered sugar and lemon glaze, I added some creaminess and depth by mixing lemon with vanilla nonfat greek yogurt. These taste (and look!) just as good as the ones from my local coffee shop, which is awesome.

NOM NOM NOM.

Brown Sugar Strawberry Scones with Lemon Glaze
Serves 8

Scone Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
• 2/3c. all-purpose flour
• 1/3c. packed brown sugar
• 1T baking powder
• 1/2t baking soda
• 1/4t salt
• 3/4c. fat free vanilla Greek yogurt
• 3T warm water
• 1 large egg
• Zest of one lemon
• 8 strawberries, thinly sliced

Glaze Ingredients:

• 1T lemon juice (or more, depending on glaze consistency desired)
• Zest of one lemon 
• 1/2c. fat free vanilla Greek yogurt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Combine flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Mix well and sift if there are any lumps. Add Greek yogurt, water, egg, and lemon zest, and stir (don't whisk) until just combined.
3. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead for one minute. Expect the dough to try and fall apart a bit, and don't worry about it. 
4. Divide the dough in half and shape into rounds, then place on baking sheet. Pat down until each round is about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch thick. With a wet knife, cut each round into quarters but don't separate them. Place the equivalent of one strawberry on each to-be-scone, pressing down slightly so they stick. 
5. Place baking sheet in middle of oven and cook for 15-17 minutes, until a golden brown. Allow to cool slightly.
6. While scones are cooling, combine lemon juice, zest, and yogurt in a small bowl. Mix well, then drizzle over the scones. Store in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. 

Nutritional Information:
Sodium: 315mg
Total Fat: 1.1g
      Saturated: 0.3g
      Trans: 0g
Protein: 7.5g
Sugar: 17.1g
Calories: 188

Lemon Cheesecake with Blueberry Topping

 There's something about cheesecake that makes it acceptable any time of the year.

It really is one of those desserts that can fit any occasion. You can do a Fall Pumpkin cheesecake. A birthday rainbow sprinkle and chocolate chip cheesecake. There are recipes for cheesecake dip and cheesecake bites and vegan cheesecake and on and on and on. It's very much unlike hot soup, which I can't stand in the summer, or fruity Popsicles, which do not belong in Colorado winters. 

This cheesecake was inspired by a huge lemon binge that I've been on recently. Everything has been so bright and sunny (84 degrees today!) and the sky has been so blue, and my cravings are really influenced by the weather (cough, see the picky statements above, cough). 

It almost tastes like blueberry lemonade, which is what I came very close to calling it, before I decided that was too stereotypical. Plus, lemonade has a certain.... sweetness to it most of the time that replaces the bright and fresh lemon flavor. This cheesecake keeps that flavor, and the blueberry reduction on top just balances it all out beautifully (and makes it look so nice).

Almost all of my recipes end up being brought to work, because it's just me at my house (and my boyfriend, but he doesn't like sweet things very much), and I had a ton of people ask for the recipe. One woman asked, "Alright, this is delicious, how bad is it for me?" and then I told her it wasn't, she was shocked. It's a really rich-tasting cheesecake that is lightened up significantly with the low fat cream cheese and the nonfat Greek yogurt. I also used two eggs and twp egg whites instead of four whole eggs to cut back a bit on the fat, and Splenda to reduce the sugar amount (you can use sugar if you want, but it increases the gram amount to 46... yikes! That's why I went with the much lower Splenda version.) 

Nom nom nom. 

Lemon Cheesecake with Blueberry Topping
Serves 9

Ingredients:

• 1 graham cracker crust, of your choosing 
• 1 (8 ounce) package low fat cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 whole eggs
• 2 egg whites
• 2c. fat free vanilla Greek yogurt
• 2/3c. splenda (can use sugar if wanted)
• zest of two lemons
• juice of one lemon
• 2 cups frozen blueberries

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. 
2. Meanwhile, place cream cheese in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on high for two minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add egg whites, one at a time, and mix until combined. Add the whole eggs and Greek yogurt, and beat well for at least one minute or until fully mixed. Add in the sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice, and mix just until evenly combined.
3. Place cheesecake on a baking sheet for easy placement in oven. Bake at 350F for 60 min, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cheesecake comes out almost clean. 
4. Remove cheesecake from oven. Cheesecake will likely puff up when baking, but will even out when let to rest. Allow to sit at room temperature for one hour, then place in fridge for at least 7 hours and up to 24. 
5. On the day you are serving the cheesecake, place the frozen blueberries in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cover until the blueberries thaw and you can see the juice at the bottom of the saucepan. When this occurs, turn the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, for three minutes, or until juice thickens and becomes sauce-like. The natural sugars and pectin in the blueberries will allow it to thicken by itself, so adding sugar or cornstarch is not necessary. 
6. Remove the saucepan from heat, and let sit for five minutes. Spread blueberry topping over the top of the cheesecake, and serve.

Nutrition Information (with splenda):
Sodium: 236mg
Total Fat: 10g
       Saturated: 5g
       Monounsaturated: 3g
       Trans: 2g
Sugar: 16g
Protein: 9g
Calories: 222

Nutrition Information (with sugar):
Sodium: 236mg
Total Fat: 10g
       Saturated: 5g
       Monounsaturated: 3g
       Trans: 2g
Sugar: 46g
Protein: 9g
Calories: 337

Basil-Lemon Cucumber, Tomato, Mozzarella, and Garbanzo Bean Salad

Holy hell of a long salad name, amen! I can't imagine saying the name of this Basil-Lemon Cucumber, Tomato, Mozzarella, and Garbanzo Bean Salad three times fast.

Anyone want to try?

Seriously, though, this salad is packed with all the good stuff. Cucumbers are dirt cheap right now, as are tomatoes, which makes this an easy recipe to feed a crowd. The recipe itself makes ten servings, which is perfect for a big BBQ or a summer picnic, but it can easily be halved or portioned to whatever size you want. Plus it is easy to make. SO easy! I basically cut stuff up, threw it in a bowl, poured the basil-lemon mix over it, and then tossed it in the fridge to sit and marinate for about an hour.

It's a strangely complex salad, in the best way? You get some bright acidity from the tomatoes and lemon juice, and then a cooling crunch from the cucumber, which balances it out nicely. The mozzarella adds just a touch of richness, while the garbanzo beans add some much-needed texture. And of course, what is summer without basil and lemon?

Not summer, that's what.

(On a side note: cucumber-lemon water is my drug right now. I am chugging that stuff by the gallon).

I got in the mood to make this because it is finally, finally getting warm here. And it's probably going to rain tomorrow since I just declared it to feel like summer. Colorado is sassy and likes to go against whatever weather anyone predicts. Wasn't there a Garfield comic once where the weather forecaster said that the estimation was between negative 50 and 1000 degrees? Well, that's Colorado. So I'm taking advantage of the nice weather while it lasts, and making a ton of summery food!

Hope it is just as nice where you all are (and if not, I'll send some good weather vibes your way! It's not like Colorado would listen to them anyway)

Basil-Lemon Cucumber, Tomato, Mozzarella, and Garbanzo Bean Salad
Serves 10

Ingredients:

• 3 large cucumbers, washed and cubed (a bit larger than dicing)
• 10 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 (15 oz) can no salt added garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 8 ounces part skim mozzarella, diced 
• 1/4cup fresh basil, finely chopped
• zest of two medium lemons
• juice of four medium lemons
• 1/4c. olive oil
• 1/2t crushed black pepper
• 1/4t kosher salt

Instructions:

1. Combine cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, garbanzo beans, and mozzarella in a large bowl. Toss to combine, and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, black pepper, and salt. Whisk thoroughly for one minute. Pour lemon-basil mixture over the cucumber mixture.
3. Refrigerate for thirty minutes to 24 hours. Serve cold. Best served within four days.   

Nutritional Information:
Sodium: 209mg
Total Fat: 10g
     Saturated Fat: 3g
     Monounsaturated Fat: 5g
     Trans Fat: 0g
Sugar: 5g
Protein: 10g
Calories: 197

Crustless Broccoli-Cheddar Quiche

Today is feeling so much like spring, I can't even handle it.

Colorado has the tendency to completely do 180s on the weather, which shouldn't surprise me considering that I've lived here for nearly two years. But every single time we have a week of cold and then a week of warm, I become weirdly infuriated but thankful at the same time? My thing is that I am the poster child of first-world, lazy-person problems and the switching weather means that I have to alternate between spring and winter wardrobes.

I'm the worst.

But I also have a kind of legitimate reason for hating this time of the year, and that's geese. I hate hate hate geese, with a burning passion that can be ignited by the simple sound of one honking outside my window. They are so mean (I have a friend who was attacked by a goose once. No joke) and messy (and therefore smelly), and serve no purpose in my mind but to eat all the pretty green grass outside my apartment. Also someone told me that they have sharp teeth?? Is this true? Are there any geese experts among my readers who can tell me whether or not a goose would draw blood if it bit me? I'm going to stick with caution and believe it until someone tells me otherwise. It fuels my irrational perfectly reasonable and accurate fear and disgust. 

Blah, blah, blah, I know. I'm a ruiner. I should be outside jumping for joy, shrieking "It's warm! It's warm! I can eat bright spring things with lots of green without feeling completely and totally strange!" I haven't been running around, but I have been eating a lot of bright greens and daydreaming about spring foods. For me, spring usually reminds me of fresh fruits and lots of bright green vegetables, because it's so alive and happy. Plus yellow, which obviously means cheddar cheese. It also brings to mind Easter (even though my family isn't technically Christian, whoops!), which reminds me of eggs, which reminds me of quiche. So if I combine all of the above fresh thoughts and greens and yellows, it's pretty easy to come up with something that perfectly captures that mood.

Quiche.

Crustless quiche, to be exact. I've never actually been a fan of traditional pie crust?? I like it more raw (I know, it's gross, but I seriously could eat an entire package of refrigerated pie dough and be super happy. It doesn't happen often), so it seems pointless to me to add it. taking the crust away also hugely cuts down on fat, which therefore means we can add more cheese, which isn't even a question. I also use a mix of whole eggs and egg whites, to get more protein (one serving of this is about 25% of your daily value!) but less cholesterol, while not sacrificing flavor.

Quiche is actually one of the few egg dishes I will contemplate eating sometimes, especially if it is packed with veggies. I'm a sucker for anything broccoli-cheddar, and this recipe is especially suitable for any non-vegetarians or vegetarians who do eat eggs. It's easy to make and has familiar flavors. Warm, gooey cheese and tender broccoli, baked with eggs into a light, fluffy cloud of deliciousness. Half and half adds a splash of richness, complimenting the bold flavors of the sharp cheddar. The cheese melts and bubbles to create a golden crust that adds "wowza" to the dish. Every bite is packed with broccoli and sharp cheddar.

Drool.

Crustless Broccoli-Cheddar Quiche

Adapted from Martha Stewart
Serves 4                Serving Size: 1 (12-oz) ramekin

Ingredients:

• 12 oz uncooked broccoli florets
• 2/3c chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 large eggs
• 2 large egg whites
• 1/4c. skim milk
• 1/4c. fat free half-and-half
• 3/4c shredded (3oz) reduced fat (2% milk) sharp cheddar
• 1/4tsp salt
• 1/4tsp pepper
• 1/8tsp paprika
• 4 (12-oz) oven safe ramekins

Instructions:

1. Cook the broccoli (I prefer to steam it). Allow to cool, and then chop into small bite-sized pieces. In a small pan, saute the onions until slightly tender (about four minutes on medium). Remove from heat. Put the broccoli and onion into a medium-large bowl, and set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 350F.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat the eggs and egg whites. Slowly add in the milk and half-and-half, whisking as you do so. Add in the broccoli-onion mixture and the cheese, along with the salt, pepper, and paprika.
4. Place the ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet. Ladle broccoli mixture into ramekins, dividing evenly. Bake until golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes. You can test the doneness by gently poking the top of the quiches; they should not leak any milk when touched.
5. Remove from oven and serve!

Nutritional Information:
Sodium: 360mg
Total Fat: 9g
      Saturated: 4g
      Trans: 0g
Protein: 14g
Sugar: 4g
Calories: 180

Vegetable, Potato, and Goat Cheese Bake

Colorado is weird, you guys.

The state I live in is like that weird friend who makes cat noises at passersby from the window of the bus and who licks their plate at the end of each year, and even though they're super strange you cant help but love them anyways. You know what I mean?

Like damn, I'm not one who normally talks a ton about the weather, but whenever I'm in Colorado I can't help and talk endlessly about the weather with everyone because it is so incredibly confusing. I woke up this morning and it was 32 degrees, and now it's about 70 and I'm dying in my long-sleeved pants and cardigan. 

Speaking of clothes, I've been trying to dress nicer? I feel like since I have the privilege of going to school I should make sure to look nice and professional most of the time; or, at the very least, take some time to put myself together and not just roll out of bed. I'm a fan of anyone dressing the way the want, so I fully support doing the above-- but for some reason, I've been really wanting to redo my wardrobe with all professional clothes. I just love the idea of looking really sincere in my desire to learn and interact with my professors in a very respectful way. 

And speaking of school (another segway!!) I have been so busy lately. I feel like I have been saying that for about two months straight, but it's completely and disgustingly accurate. I'm finding ways to cook during the weekends, but I'm also relying heavily on recipes from my old blog. I had a really good selection of vegetarian recipes on there (among the ones with meat-- which obviously will no longer be made by myself). I want to transfer a lot of them onto this one that way I can finally stop checking in so often to Michelle's Healthy Bites; as much as I love that blog, I would much rather run just one. 

Today, I'm taking a recipe that was really popular on my last blog: Vegetable, Potato, and Goat Cheese Bake. I'm pretty much in love with this. I started with cubes of potato, then mixed in tender summer squash, meaty mushrooms, and lots of other delectable vegetables such as onion and bell pepper. Then, I took a tip from a breakfast casserole my Aunt made me when my dad and I visited her: I added dried seaweed! I know it sounds weird, but it gives it a nice amount of salt and a little something extra (but for the shy or for those who don't have it, it is optional and will still taste yummy without it! But why not give it a try, right?) After baking it in the oven, I loaded some creamy herbed goat cheese on the top. It got all creamy and gooey and just mmmmmmm, CHEESE.

Can't go wrong with cheese.

Vegetable, Potato, and Goat Cheese Bake

Serves 6 Side Portions

Ingredients:

• 1T olive oil
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium (16oz) russet potato, cut into small cubes
• 1 medium zucchini, cut into medium cubes
• 1 medium yellow squash, cut into medium cubes
• 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms (white button)
• 1 package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed of liquid
• 1/2tsp pepper
• 1/4tsp salt
• a pinch of dried seaweed (optional)
• 2 oz herbed goat cheese

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Saute the onion in a large pan with the olive oil until beginning to turn tender (2 min). Add in garlic, and cook an additional 30 seconds. Add in potato, and cook (stirring occasionally) for 5 minutes. 
3. Add the squashes, bell pepper, mushrooms, spinach, pepper, salt, and seaweed to the pan. Cook until beginning to turn tender, approximately 5 minutes. 
4. Pour mixture into 9×13 baking dish. Bake 25 minutes or until potatoes are soft. During the last few minutes of baking, sprinkle the cheese over the potato mixture and bake until cheese melts.

Nutrition Information:
Sodium: 132mg
Total Fat: 3g
       Saturated: 2g
       Trans: 0g
Sugar: 3g
Protein: 7g
Calories: 176