Take That Dunkin' Donuts! - Egg White Flatbread Turkey Breakfast Sandwich

Dunkin' Donuts has created a DDSmart menu, a menu consisting of approximately 9 healthier alternatives to their regular menu. The newest addition, the egg white flatbread turkey sandwich caught my eye immediately. Maybe it is the commercials, maybe I was just hungry, or maybe it was my boyfriend constantly saying "You have to try this Dunkin' Donuts breakfast sandwich, it's awesome." So I did, and yes, my friend, it is awesome.

There are 2 varieties, an Egg White Veggie sandwich which contains egg whites, peppers, mushrooms, onions and reduced fat cheddar cheese on a multigrain flatbread. The other variety is an Egg White Turkey Sausage sandwich which contains egg whites, spinach, turkey sausage and reduced fat mozzarella cheese on multigrain flatbread.

After trying the turkey version, I just had to try and recreate it - But I didn't know it was going to be this easy. I think I'm on to something here. I enjoy recreating recipes. I have been recreating my family's recipes for years. Now it is time to recreate a Dunkin' newcomer. Can she do it? Oh yes, she can!

Reasons why you should make this version rather than purchasing the Dunkin' Donuts version?

1. Timing- This sandwich was made within a commercial break. I had help, however, from my boyfriend, to create 2 of these within this short timeframe (we wanted to get back to the living room to see "Chopped" on the Food Network). Recreating this sandwich takes less time than it does to get out of your car, wait in line, place your order, wait for it to "cook" and then drive home and eat it.

2. Cost - My version is less expensive. DD charges $3.00. The entire grocery bill came to $16.00, which makes approx. 8 sandwiches, with leftovers. Savings: $8.00

3. Healthier - The Foodgitive version is healthier for you. The DD version contains 280 calories and 6 grams of fat. The Foodgitive version has 200 calories and 4 grams of fat.

Don't just take my word for it, try this recipe - if you have a few minutes to spare during your favorite TV show, of course!

The Foodgitive's - Take that Dunkin' Donuts! - Egg White Flatbread Turkey Sandwich (Serving Size 1)
Ingredients

1 Pepperidge Farm Deli Flats Whole Grain Rolls
4 tbsp. Egg Beaters Egg Whites
1 tbsp. pre-chopped green peppers
1 tbsp. green onions (chopped)
1 slices Veggie Cheese slices (soy-based)
1 slice reduced fat turkey deli slice (chopped)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Pam nonstick spray

Step 1: Spray the bottom of a microwave-safe bowl with Pam
Step 2 : Combine egg whites, green peppers, turkey, green onions, salt and pepper in a microwave-safe bowl (I used a creme brulee bowl to get that perfect rounded shape for my sandwich)
Step 3: Microwave on high for 1.5-2 minutes
Step 4: Remove from bowl and place on deli flat
Step 5: Place cheese on top
Step 6: Enjoy

Sour Cream Banana Bread

Sour cream used to make a healthy, creamy banana bread? Who woulda thunk it?

1 cup white flour
1/2 cup wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon

3 egg whites
1 tsp maple syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup butter softened
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup sour cream

* Preheat oven to 350°.
* Grease 9x5 inch loaf pan with baking spray.
* In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamom with a wire whisk. * Set aside.
* In a large bowl cream butter and sugars with an electric mixer.
* Add egg whites, bananas, sour cream and syrup, and beat at medium speed until thick. Scrape down sides of the bowl.
* Add flour mixture and walnuts, then blend at low speed until combined. Do not over mix.
* Pour batter into loaf pans and bake on the center rack for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Fresh Chive and Onion Cream Cheese

Before my family's annual crabbing event, we always take the time to wake up with the sun and have an early breakfast together. Coffee, bagels and cream cheese is always our breakfast of choice because it is very simple and easy to eat while we are running around gathering items for the day.

I have a beautiful container garden in my backyard, complete with tomatoes, green beans, herbs, eggplant and chives. And what would go perfect with cream cheese and bagels? Chives. The night before, I sauteed half an onion and 5 stalks of chives in 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat for 8 minutes. After letting it cool, I simply mix it with Philadelphia cream cheese, along with a dash of salt to bring out the chives' complex flavors.

OK, so this is semi-homemade, but it is still wonderfully easy and delicious!

Ham-Stuffed Pancake "Cupcakes"

Peering into the deep pits of my empty tin foil-wrapped paper plate o' leftovers, I have been forced to come to the realization that my adventures with ham have come to an end. I wanted to do so much more with the ham leftovers, but in a way am glad it has run out. I mean, how much ham can one person eat in a week? No more lying in bed pondering over the possibilities ham will bring. No more choosing between ham for dinner or ham for dinner. I can finally get back to normal; well, until I finish these delicious Syrupy Ham-Stuffed Pancake Muffins, of course.

After this, I am turning vegetarian for the week.

Serving Size: 6 Muffins

List to Bring With You to The Supermarket:

Pantry:

2 1/2 Cups Flour
1/4 Cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Baking Powder
1/4 Cup Light Syrup + 1/3 Cup Syrup Separated
Pam Nonstick Spray

Spices:

1 Tsp. Salt

Refrigerated:

2 1/2 Cups Skim Milk
2 Eggs

Leftovers:

1 Cup Ham


Directions:

*Preheat Oven to 350 Degrees
*Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt
*In a separate bowl combine eggs, milk and 1/4 cup syrup, whisk
*Stir wet ingredients into dry, just until mixed thoroughly- the batter will be slightly lumpy.
*Combine Ham and 1/3 Cup Syrup in separte bowl and let sit until ready to use



*Lightly Spray Pam into 6 Slotted Muffin Tin
*Ladle flour mixture into muffin tin filling the slot halfway, Repeat throughout




*Add ham to top of batter. Divide ham evenly throughout
*Ladle batter on top filling to the brim
*Cook for one hour, making sure center is cooked

**Center will be soft and dense, where the outside will be crunchy.

Leftover Ham Recipes- Take 1: Quiche w/ Leftover Ham & Ricotta Cheese

Quiche is a versatile baked dish that has two main bases- pastry crust and eggs. I chose to make individual quiche cups using puff pastry sheets, ricotta cheese, leftover ham, mozzarella cheese and an egg mixture.

The ricotta filling was a last minute addition. I am so glad I added this ingredient because it completely transformed the quiche. It turned the traditional, mainly egg-filled quiche into a creamy delight, where the ricotta cheese wraps itself around each bite.

The container of ricotta cheese and the leftover mozzarella cheese will not go to waste because you can simply make calzones later in the week using these ingredients, including the leftover ham, of course! I will post a recipe for freshly made calzones later this week for you to enjoy.

I recommend making extra quiche cups because these little guys will be gobbled up quickly before you can say the word quiche.


Serving Size: 8 Individual Quiche Cups


List to Bring with You to the Supermarket:

Dairy:

8 Eggs
8 Tbsp. Milk
8 Tbsp. Ricotta Cheese
Mozzarella Cheese for Sprinkling

Frozen:

1 Sheet Puff Pastry Sheet

Leftovers:

2 Cups Chopped Ham

Pantry & Spices:

Pam Nonstick Spray
Salt & Pepper to Taste


Directions:

Use a Muffin Tin with 6 Individual Sections

*Defrost 1 Sheet of Puff Pastry
*Preheat Oven to 350 Degrees
*Spray Muffin Tin with Pam Nonstick Spray
*Beat Together 8 Eggs, 8 Tbsp. Milk, Salt & Pepper

For each Individual Quiche:

*Using the Rim of a Glass, cut Puff Pastry and place in bottom
*Add 1 Tbsp. Ricotta Cheese




*Sprinkle 1/4 Cup Chopped Ham
*Sprinkle Mozzarella Cheese
*Add Approx. 1/2 Cup Egg Mixture




Repeat for Each Quiche

*Bake at 350 Degrees for 30 Minutes
*Remove From Tin & Serve with Fresh Cantaoupe for a Refreshing Breakfast

Simple Bacon & Swiss Cheese Omelette

Breakfast burritos, French toast chicken sandwiches, hamburger omelettes, what's next: chicken Saltimbocca muffins?

Every time I go to the diner with my mother or boyfriend, they order an omelette, no matter what time of day. It could be six o'clock on a Saturday evening, where my father orders spaghetti bolognese, my grandmother ordering chicken Parmesan, I order a hearty meatloaf meal complete with two sides of vegetables, and still, an omelette is ordered. It has come to the point where they don't look at the menu, because they know they want an omelette, loaded with delicious cheese. I have seen this custom practiced many times, but still choose to cook and eat my omelette during normal omelette-eating hours.

This recipe is very simple, yet very tasty. I am using the fat rendered from cooking the bacon to cook the omelette. This adds an amazing flavor and depth to the standard omelette. I like my omelette fairly simple, choosing not to stuff it with additional ingredients, but for those of you who like something a bit thicker, mushrooms or asparagus would pair nicely with the bacon flavor.

For those who enjoy omelette eating at midnight, this omelette will satisfy- just ask my boyfriend.

Serving Size: 2
What You'll Need:

1/2 cup Egg Beaters
2 slices bacon
6 slices Swiss Cheese
Dash salt
Dash black pepper

For one omelette:
*Brown bacon slice, cooking for 3 minutes on one side and 2 minutes on the other side
*In the meantime, mix together salt, pepper and 1/4 cup egg Beaters
*Add to pan over bacon (bacon should be set in the middle of pan diagonally), set on medium-high heat
*Move egg around pan quickly, scraping sides, scraping egg mixture inwards and letting the liquid portion pour over to the sides and repeat until no liquid is left
*Add 2 slices swiss cheese to one side of the mixture
*Gently fold over egg mixture diagonally
*Add one slice swiss cheese to top of omelette
*Cover with small lid and let the steam melt the cheese for one minute
*Slide off pan into serving plate
*Sprinkle with chopped scallions if desired
*Repeat for additional omelette

Biscuit & Potato Egg Scramble Crocks

I visited a flea market years ago and bought three crocks, usually used for making french onion soup. At the time, the purchase was unnecessary, but aren't most items at a flea market unnecessary? I mean, who needs an eight pack of patriotic scrunchies or an assortment of flavored honey from South Dakota? These crocks have survived two moves without seeing the insides of my ovens, except today!

I rarely cook breakfast on work days, because I am always running out of the door wearing one shoe with a toothbrush dangling from the side of my mouth. Today is different, however, because a blizzard is underway, complete with heavy winds and as Doug Kammerer calls "snow pellets". With an abundance of time on my hands, I created a perfect, tummy lovin' morning treat.


Biscuit & Potato Egg Scramble Crocks
Serving Size: 2

What You'll Need:

3/4 cup Bisquick Baking Mix plus extra for sprinkling
1/4 cup 2% Milk
4 eggs
1/2 cup Part Skim Shredded mozzarella cheese
1 Potato- peeled and cut in small cubes
Dash of Salt
Dash of Black Pepper
2 tbsp. 2% Milk
Pam spray

Set oven to 400 degrees
In small bowl, combine Bisquick and 3/4 milk until a soft dough forms
Sprinkle a surface with bisquick
Kneed dough approx. 10 times
Roll out dough to 1/2 inch thick with a rolling pin sprinkled with bisquick
Dip small juice glass with a 2 1/2" diameter in bisquick
Cut dough with juice glass and set aside
Kneed and roll out dough until mostly all dough is used- making sure each biscuit is 1/2" thick
Spray either ramekin or small crock with Pam
Place one biscuit in bottom of ramekin
Add approx. 1/2 cup cubed potato
Beat 4 eggs with tbsp eggs and dash of salt and pepper in separate bowl
Pour half of mixture into each ramekin
Add 1/4 cup cheese to each ramekin
Add biscuit to top
Put ramekin on a baking sheet and put in oven for 10 minutes
Scrape sides with spoon and lightly stir mixture
Return to oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes
Remove from oven and enjoy!

Syrup Deficiency

Cooking anything at my boyfriend's house is anything but easy. This morning, I had the choice of making a salsa and mustard sandwich using three-week old pizzelles as the bread, a teriyaki and pringle breakfast tart or Bisquick Shake & Pour panakes. I uneasily chose to make the Shake & Pour pancakes. Please do not follow the directions on the jug. The pancakes will turn out extremely runny and thin. Just add 2 tbsp. of powder from another jug of Shake & Pour and you will have pancakes that are not amazing, but better than a cream cheese and mentos grinder. Oh, and I am actually writing this while my boyfriend decided to take a trip to the store for the syrup deficiency in his house. Next meal will be at my place!

Sausage & Potato Fritatta

OK! OK! I am not obsessed with meat. It just seems as if I am. My father brought over veal and sausage last week, in which I used half and froze the other half, so what was I supposed to do, say no to free food? I don't think so. (Next week I will go over the basics on how to go food shopping in other people's cupboards and make an entire meal from those "Free" items.)

So this morning, I cooked up my Sausage & Potato Fritatta. I promise, tonight's meal will be vegetarian and yummy.

I hope you appreciate my intense measuring, timing and early rising to produce such a masterpiece. I am doing all of this for you, you know. Enjoy!

Sausage and Potato Fritatta
Serving Size: More than 2x the people in my household (or 5-6)

What You'll Need:
3 cups water
1/2 pound hot Italian sausage
3 Russett potatoes, peeled and cubed 1/2" in size
6 Large eggs
2 shallots, diced finely
1/4 cup whole milk
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbs fresh parsley, chopped finely
4 slices mozzarella cheese

In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups of water to a boil.
Add the peeled and cut potatoes to pan and cook for 5 minutes.
Drain and set aside
In the meantime, cook the sausage pieces over medium heat in a medium size pan(has to be heat resistant, including handle) for 8 minutes
Remove from pan and set aside. Do not drain pan!
Add shallot to pan and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occassionally with wooden spoon, scraping sides and bottom of pan
Add potatos and sausage back to pan and heat for 2 minutes
In the meantime, while the sausage and potatoes are heating, whisk eggs, salt, pepper, parsley and milk in a medium bowl for 30 seconds
Add mixture to pan after sausage and potato mixture are finished heating
Cook for 3 minutes, scraping only sides of pan
Let cook for an additional 6 minutes on low flame without disrupting the mixture
Put oven on and set to Broil
Add cheese to top of mixture and place in oven on top rack and broil for 2 minutes
Remove from oven with oven mitts and let stand for 5 minutes to cool
Serve while hot.